JCE Unveils ‘Rule the Sky’ for iPad

High Definition Version of 'Rule the Sky' for iPad Launched on April 28, A Version for Android Phone as Well as German and French Language Versions Will Also Be Launched Soon

Global game company JCE said today that it launched on April 28 a high definition version of ‘Rule the Sky,’ the first mobile social game introduced on April 14, for iPad in the United States through Apple Store. ‘Rule the Sky’ is a mobile social network game that you can play with friends, moving around their islands with the primary concept of cultivating ‘Flotia,’ your own island floating in the sky. Its charming graphics that give the impression of a clip of animation as a whole is highly acclaimed by users across the world.

As it successfully won popularity in an early stage by ranking first in game/adventure genre on April 18, 5 days after its Global launch, JCE launched on April 28 a high definition version of ‘Rule the Sky’ used for iPad.

The new version of ‘Rule the Sky,’ which is optimized for a 9.7-inch wide screen, can uniquely sharpen details of graphics as the screen is enlarged, maximizing its strength. And it adds to the fun of the game as users can enjoy high definition graphics in wider display.

Now that its versions for iPhone and iPad became available through Apple Store in the United States, the version of ‘Rule the Sky’ for Android phones will be launched globally soon. On the occasion of its global launching, the Company will add German, French and Spanish language versions to the existing Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese versions.

Vice President Yun Byeong-ho of JCE said, “I am pleased with the expectation to launch a high definition ‘Rule the Sky’ optimized for wide screen when a variety of tablet PCs, including iPad 2 of Apple, are becoming available across the world. Starting with ‘Rule the Sky,’ we will continue developing app games that can be used for various platforms.”

The version of ‘Rule the Sky’ for iPad can be downloaded by searching ‘Rule the Sky’ (either in Korean or English) after accessing to Apple Store in the United States and other countries (except Korea and Brazil).

Google Docs gets an Android app, we go hands-on with tiny spreadsheets (video)

Staring at spreadsheets crushed down to unreadable sizes on a 4-inch phone screen is far from pleasurable but, clearly there is a demand. In fact, we've been clamoring for a proper Google Docs app for ages, even though sometimes we're not entirely sure why. It was only a matter of time before Google finally got around to appeasing us mobile workaholics and put an official app in the Android Market. Well, our masochistic prayers were answered -- the Mighty Goog unleashed the new, native Google Docs for Android app and we rushed on over to the Market, clicked the install button, and gave it a whirl.

Google Docs for Android hands-on

Let's get this out of the way first: there are no offline editing capabilities. The actual editor is just the mobile web app embedded in a neat, little, native Android package. If you try to open an document without an internet connection you'll just get an cutesy error message. If you do have a connection (and exceedingly accurate fingers) you can open and edit your text documents and spreadsheets, but presentations are strictly read-only.

Google has provided more ways to filter and browse your docs than you could possibly need. You can pull them all up in a single list, narrow it down by collection (which once upon a time Google called "tags"), pull up your starred files, view only specific document types... the list goes on and on. And if all that scrolling and tapping doesn't catch your fancy there is an impressively fast search-as-you-type function.

We tested the app on a Xoom as well as a Droid X and, while we're happy to report it runs, it's certainly not optimized for Honeycomb. Launching the app presents you with the same single pane interface you get on the phone blown-up to tablet proportions. Instead of a list of collections on the left and files on the right you just end up with vast swaths of empty space. This is doubly frustrating when you attempt to edit a document. The tablet keyboard may be easier to type on than a phone (and easier still is a Bluetooth one) but, it makes little difference when selecting a line of text to edit or manipulating spreadsheet filters requires the fingers of a five-year-old.

The two big advantages of the native app are the homescreen widget and the ability to create a document from a photo. The widget is simple enough and lets you open the app, view your starred docs, or create new ones. One of the ways you can create a new document is by pointing your smartphone's camera at a bit of text and snapping a pic. The image is then uploaded to Google, where the Mountain View crew works some of its OCR magic that it's been perfecting under the guise of Google Goggles. The results are decidedly mixed. If you don't have steady hands don't expect much -- even slightly out of focus photos produce a doc with no text. If you can manage to score a perfectly clear image though, Docs does an admirable job of deciphering them.

If you find yourself constantly visiting the mobile Google Docs just to look up information in previously created documents and spreadsheets there is no reason not to install this app -- it's more than serviceable for reading docs. The lack of offline editing is extremely disappointing and unless you've got a tripod for your phone the OCR will prove to be rather unreliable. Still, the app is free, so what do you have to lose?

Verizon document suggests LG Revolution will have Netflix pre-installed

We didn't exactly need any more evidence that the LG Revolution would be the first Android phone to support Netflix, but a new, seemingly authentic Verizon document posted by an Android Central forum member has now all but confirmed that fact. What's more, considering that Verizon touts Netflix as one of the phone's main features, it seems safe to assume that the app will also come pre-installed for your convenience. As you can see, Verizon also says that the phone is "coming soon," which is unfortunately about as specific a release date as we've seen so far. Wondering what's in store? Then you might want to check out the hands-on we did with the app back at Mobile World Congress in February.

Verizon To Put GPS Warning Labels On Phones

Your phone is probably tracking you, to some degree. We learned that much last week. Sure, the data likely isn’t being used in any nefarious way — and, unless some “bug” is secretly strapping an IP or a unique ID to the data, all the platform makers are promising the data is anonymized before it goes out.

Whatever’s being done with the data, it’s likely to creep folks out. And when folks get creeped out, the lawsuits start pouring in.

Looking to nip this issue in the bud before they get dragged too deep into it, Verizon has sent a letter to congress promising to put a removable warning label on the screens of “all new devices it sells”, informing users that the phone is capable of tracking their location and potentially associating that location with other customer data. What do you think: overkill, or just right?

First Tablet Built on Android 3.0, Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi, Available with Sprint on May 8 for $599.99

First Tablet Built on Android 3.0, Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi, Available with Sprint on May 8 for $599.99

Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi is the first device to feature Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), 10.1-inch widescreen HD display and a 1GHz dual-core processor, making it a powerful e-reader, media player, portable computing device and so much more. Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi will be available from Sprint beginning on Sunday, May 8, for $599.99 through Sprint Direct Ship sales channels, Web sales, Telesales and Sprint Business Sales. Android 3.0 is the version of Android designed specifically for tablets and features innovations in widgets, multi-tasking, Web browsing, notifications and customization. 

The Android 3.0 platform is the next generation of Android, designed specifically for tablets, showcasing the latest innovations in widgets, multi-tasking, Web browsing, notifications and customization. It also offers access to more than 150,000 useful applications, widgets and games through Android Market and more than 3 million Google eBooks, making it an ideal e-reader. Motorola XOOM features two cameras, a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera with flash that can capture HD video and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera designed specifically for Google Talk with video chat. Using an HDMI cable (sold separately), Motorola XOOM can also share any user generated content with any HDTV.

ADVANCED FEATURES:

·       Android 3.0 (Honeycomb)

·       1GHz dual-core processor

·       Two cameras, a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera with flash that can capture HD video and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera designed specifically for Google Talk with video chat

·       True tabbed Web browsing

·       Supports a Beta of Adobe Flash Player 10.2 downloadable from Android Market

·       Google Chrome bookmark sync and incognito mode for private Web browsing

ENTERTAINMENT

·       Android Market for access to more than 150,000 useful applications, widgets and games available for download to customize the experience and access to more than 3 million Google eBooks, making it an ideal e-reader

·       Google mobile services such as Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps 5.0 with 3D interaction, Google Calendar, Voice Actions, and YouTube

·       Corporate email (Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync), personal (POP & IMAP) email and instant messaging

·       Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR1

·       Integrated GPS

SPECIFICATIONS:

·       Dimensions: 9.8 inches x 6.6 inches x 0.5 inches (249.1mm x 167.8mm x 12.7mm)

·       Weight: 25.74 ounce (730 grams)

·       Display: 10.1-inch widescreen HD display

·       1GB internal RAM memory and 32GB onboard user memory

·       Battery Specifications: 3250 mAh Lithium-ion battery

Square gets financial backing from Visa, asks to see some ID

Everything's coming up Jack Dorsey these days. Last week Apple started stocking Square's iPhone credit card readers in its 235 US retail locations, and now, according to Reuters, Visa has put its plastic where its mouth is. The credit card giant has invested in the personal payments startup, scoring itself a spot on Square's advisory board in the process. No word on how much Visa is actually dropping on the company, but one thing stands to reason: it probably didn't make the deposit via Verifone. If you would like to invest in a Square reader, it'll cost you a lot less -- the company is still offering smartphone plug-ins for free on its site.

Verizon has 'determined the cause' of LTE outage, working to restore service

Yeah, we know, 3G data is so last year. If you've already made the jump to LTE and are totally bummed about today's outage, know that there's a fix coming. We have an official statement from Jeffrey Nelson from VZW Corporate Communications, who indicates that the company has "determined the cause of our issue" and is "working with our major vendors to restore connections." We're guessing that doesn't actually mean plugging something back in, but maybe it does. The full statement is after the break, but what you won't find is an ETA on when things will be live again.

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We are aware of an issue with 4G LTE data connections and our network engineers are working to resolve this quickly. We have determined the cause of our issue and are working with our major vendors to restore connections.

* 4G LTE Smartphones will still be able to make calls.

* Customers are temporarily unable to activate any 4G LTE devices.

* Please note: Customers may experience a 1XRTT data connection during this time.

* After determining the cause of our 4G LTE network connection issue, we are continuing to work to restore connections.

* We expect to see the network restore on a market-by-market basis. Timing and additional details will be provided as they become available.

Chrome bases notebook by Samung:Alex

A Chromium bug report has revealed a new Samsung Chrome OS netbook named ‘Alex’ which is equipped with a 1280 x 800 display that is rumoured to be 10 inches in size, like the mockup pictured below.
Its thought to be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Atom N550, SanDisk SSD P4 of unknown capacity, and 2GB RAM. Together with listing for a Qualcomm Gobi 2000 3G card, Bluetooth, WiFi, webcam, and a Synaptics touchpad.

Unfortunately as you can guess there is no information on pricing or worldwide availability as yet, but as soon as it becomes available we will let you know.

The Royal Wedding App for iPhone & iPad: Live Coverage

Today’s Google Doodle is all about the Royal Wedding and this has prompted us to bring you the best app called “Kings and Queens” by David Starkey By HarperCollins Publishers Ltd for the iPhone and iPad.

At the moment we suggest you download now because just for today it has a special introductory price of 1.79, this app is fantastic because it will allow you to watch the wedding live from 0900 BST to 1700 BST on April 29th.

Main features Include: A live stream of Sky TV coverage of the Royal Wedding, Lavish illustrations, Innovative technology, Curatorial input from historical experts and educational specialists from the British Library and the British Museum, Feature TV commentary and much more.

HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton will be getting married today and if you do not want to miss a thing then this app will provide top coverage of the day via Sky News.

Kings and Queens app is available via iTunes and is a must for all those that want to follow the big wedding day. Just so you know access to the live video stream is subject to the reliability of the end user’s network and that charges may apply for network access to data streams.

It all just clicks for Expansys

As a global online technology company, UK e-tailer Expansys is at the forefront of consumers’ increasing desire to shop on the net. Expansys tells Michael House how it plans to build on a good position

According to statistics released by the UK’s Payments Council earlier this month, around 37 per cent of the UK population over the age of 18 (18 million people) now favour shopping online to shopping in the high street.

So it’s little wonder Manchester-based online handset retailer Expansys finds itself in a healthy position and a “leading global online technology superstore”, according to its chief executive Anthony Catterson (pictured).

“Online has had real growth over the last five to 10 years. What you are seeing now is a maturing of the online market in the way that physical retail matured historically,” says Catterson.

With operations now in 50 countries globally, including Hong Kong, and a headcount of more than 200 staff, Expansys is one of the leading online retailers. It supplies consumers and businesses alike with an array of tech products – including a strong emphasis on smartphones.

The successes are shown in its six-month results to October 31, 2010, announced in December, which saw it post a pre-tax profit of 1.4 million, compared with a 0.2 million loss for the same period in 2009. The result was the first profit the business has posted since it was publicly listed in 2007.

It stated that notable areas for the increase came directly from sales of smartphone handsets, which were up 32 per cent year on year.

But it’s not simply a case of having the contracts and watching the money come in.

Catterson believes companies need to differentiate themselves from the crowd and provide customers with things that their competitors can’t. He points to attributes such as good value and good service as “givens” and a failure to provide them will ultimately see a company lose out on market share.

“What they (online consumers) want are retailers who understand the product-set intimately and are able to provide real and relevant information when they are making their selection decisions,” says Catterson.

“There is a role for Expansys in the cellular and wireless space as a specialist, compared to the broader competition that we have, whether it’s in the UK or in Europe itself.”

Reaching out

It’s this specialist approach that has allowed Expansys to gain what Catterson describes as “an incredibly loyal” and “solid” customer base. And he admits the company, to the general public, is not a household name, labelling it a “well-kept secret”.

But, although more than able to retain and please customers, Expansys’ “well-kept secret” nature has also stopped it emerging completely into the public domain and in the process acquiring the brand recognition that other online retailers enjoy.

Although Catterson would like to establish its branding to the wider public, he says he has to play his cards carefully as any bold move could alienate sections of the client base.

The approach, Catterson says, is to market a non-traditional service in an non-traditional way by turning to new media, such as social networking sites and partnerships, as potential opportunities.

He highlights the partnership with Channel 5 programme The Gadget Show, which stars Jason Bradbury, who appears regularly in Expansys-branded YouTube gadget reviews.

Catterson says this form of marketing allows Expansys to become instantly recognisable and to bond with existing and untapped customer bases. It also, importantly, keeps marketing spend to a minimum.

“Jason (Bradbury) has been creating bespoke video content for us for over six months and we are really pleased with what he has bought to Expansys,” Catterson says.

“It’s brilliant to bring him and Expansys together in a non-commercial way and allows us to re-emphasise the kind of brand credibility (we are after) by saying, “The nation’s number one geek is an Expansys partner, so this is a brand you should know a little bit more about.”

A recent April Fool’s joke carried out on camera by Bradbury and Expansys, in which he said an iPad 2 could take ‘X-ray photographs’ if it was wrapped in cling film, was posted on YouTube and received close to 185,000 views – over 150,000 within the first two days of it airing.

It was brand exposure that “delighted” Catterson.

On top of Bradbury’s video appearances, Expansys had a stand at the Gadget Show Live, at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham earlier this month.

The event gave the company further opportunities to promote its relationship with Bradbury – he made regular appearances at the stand – as well as enhance its brand exposure through a rare opportunity to meet and talk to customers in a traditional store environment.

Strong platform

Catterson claims Expansys has built a credible platform for device manufacturers and accessory providers to launch their products. He says Expansys’ ability to push products onto its site, quickly and effectively, makes it a valuable partner for any company looking to get its product to market.

“What makes Expansys so attractive for these companies is that we are the only people they can talk to that can theoretically launch a product in 50 countries worldwide, overnight,” he says.

“We have this fantastic technology platform, with local language, local currency and brilliant development capability.”

But Catterson insists it’s not just about getting a new device and putting its image up on the Expansys website.

Expansys has deals in place to run and operate HTC and Motorola’s European accessory stores. It was also a major partner for accessories manufacturer Parrot during its launch of its AR Drone helicopter – a remote control flying gadget, controlled by a smartphone.

Expansys took control of major supply chain tasks for the product, from online ordering to logistics capabilities.

The fact that the retailer doesn’t have the costs associated with an extensive store infrastructure also lets it take advantage of products in very short order. It helps take the relationship with product partners to “the next level”, as Catterson describes it.

Full article in Mobile News issue 487 (April 25, 2011).

To subscribe to Mobile News click here

 

 

Motorola promises unlocked bootloaders for future Android phones? (update)

Android users have spoken, and maybe, just maybe, Motorola actually heard -- AusDroid claims to have a statement direct from the mobile phone manufacturer promising unlocked bootloaders later this year: We completely understand the operator requirement for security to the end user, and as well, want to support the developer communities desire to use these products as a development platform. It is our intention to enable the unlockable/relockable bootloader currently found on Motorola XOOM across our portfolio of devices starting in late 2011, where carriers and operators will allow it.Wonderfully corporate of them to pass the buck to the carriers, no? This quote comes by way of a gentleman who petitioned Moto for just such a thing, mind you, so please take it with a grain of salt, and you'll be the first to know if we get confirmation from Motorola itself.

Update: AusDroid managed to get in touch with Motorola North Asia, and it sounds like we're looking at the truth -- let's see if Sanjay Jha agrees when he wakes up tomorrow morning.

White iPhone 4 releases tomorrow, finally

The rare albino iPhone 4 has been spotted numerous times in the wild, skulking through the trees in the magical United Kingdom, cavorting across the mysterious lands of Vietnam, and most recently standing in formation in Belgium. Now it's coming somewhere rather less exotic: the Apple Store. Apple has finally announced it will release the white iPhone 4 tomorrow around the world. Here in the US it'll come in both AT&T and Verizon flavors, warming the hearts and minds of those who like a little less pigment on their handsets. Other than a proximity sensor tweak nothing else has changed on the device, and so the pricing remains the same: $199 on contract for the 16GB model, $299 for 32GB. Sadly, though, your contract also remains the same, and we're pretty sure really wanting a new phone to match your earbuds isn't grounds for avoiding an ETF.

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White iPhone Arrives Tomorrow

CUPERTINO, California-April 27, 2011-Apple® today announced that the white iPhone® 4 will be available beginning tomorrow. White iPhone 4 models will be available from Apple's online store (www.apple.com), at Apple's retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

"The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived and it's beautiful," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "We appreciate everyone who has waited patiently while we've worked to get every detail right."

iPhone 4 is the most innovative phone in the world, featuring Apple's stunning Retina™ display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone resulting in super crisp text, images and video, and FaceTime®, which makes video calling a reality.

Pricing & Availability
White models of iPhone 4 will be available in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and the US, beginning Thursday, April 28 and in many more countries around the world soon. White iPhone 4 will be available for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model with a new two year agreement through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), at Apple's retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Autodesk TinkerBox App Now Comes to iPhone and iPod touch

Autodesk TinkerBox App Now Comes to iPhone and iPod touch

Autodesk, Inc., announced its TinkerBox App— a free game designed to playfully spark interest in physics and mechanical engineering — is now available on the App Store for iPhone and iPod touch. Following the success of the Autodesk TinkerBox App for iPad, players can now experience the joy and excitement of invention on a variety of iOS devices.

The stimulating mechanical puzzles and challenging physics problems in Autodesk TinkerBox require players to devise imaginative solutions, insert gadgets, assemble components, customize switches and test their inventions. Completing each challenge inspires players to increasingly complex innovations. The game’s ‘Invent’ mode enables players to design their own contraptions and share them with friends.

“TinkerBox exposes players to math and engineering principles in an engaging and light-hearted way,” said Samir Hanna, vice president, Consumer Products, Autodesk. “Extending the app to iPhone and iPod touch was a natural step in our quest to make science and engineering more fun, accessible and appealing to young people and adults alike.”

TinkerBox’s popular ‘Invent’ mode now includes panning and zooming, enabling players to get a closer view while designing their contraptions. The latest version also includes three new machine switches: the reverse switch can be connected to a motor or conveyor belt to reverse the machine flow; the toggle button powers elements on and off; and the momentary button provides brief power surges. These new features are also available for Autodesk TinkerBox App for iPad.

As part of its commitment to educating the next generation of designers and engineers, Autodesk also provides free* access to its industry-leading 3D design, engineering and entertainment software and accompanying curricula though the Autodesk Education Community.

Pricing and Availability

The Autodesk TinkerBox App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch.

Android 2.3.4 heading to Nexus S over the air, bringing video and voice chat to Gtalk

For an update with such a modest name, this is actually quite a major step forward. Google's about to start delivering Android 2.3.4 to Nexus S devices out in the wild, and in among all the bug fixes and optimizations, users will find the addition of video and voice chat to Google Talk. You'll be able to do it anywhere you can get a web connection going, whether by virtue of WiFi, 3G, 4G, or the force, and other Gingerbread handsets are expected to get the same improvements in time. For now, however, Google's own-branded device is the only one enjoying the very freshest Gingerbread around.

RIM acquires Tungle, might soon bridge your calendar across platforms

The BlackBerry PlayBook may be noticeably lacking a calendar app of its own (at least for now), but it looks like RIM could soon have more scheduling options than ever -- it's just acquired fellow Canadian company Tungle, which specializes in syncing your calendar across platforms. At the moment, that's done with either the company's web application, or its iOS or BlackBerry app (an Android version has also been promised), which also let you share your calendar with folks inside or outside your company and, of course, tie it into your various social networks -- so you can learn about the person you're having a meeting with, for instance. As you might expect, however, RIM is staying mum on exactly what it has in mind for the company, and it also isn't divulging any specific terms of the acquisition. Head on past the break for a video demonstrating how the current service works.

Rogers announces 150Mbps LTE launch in four Canadian cities this year

Rogers has announced it's lighting up 150Mbps LTE in four Canadian cities this year. Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver are setting the stage for an additional 21 market rollout in 2012. Sure, that theoretical 150Mbps -- with an announced upstream of 70Mbps -- may shift a whole lot when this all gets real, but seriously, compared to HSPA+ those speeds are astounding. Canadians eager to get a bit more info can take a peek at Roger's new LTE site (link below) and cast a vote for your hometown to be part of the 2012 expansion. Rogers hasn't mentioned a date just yet -- or if they plan on all four areas going live at once -- but you can be sure that we'll be keeping close tabs on all the details and grabbing some hands-on experiences with launch devices as soon as we can.

Samsung freezes Droid Charge launch indefinitely, blaming 'unexpected delays'

Can't say we're surprised by this, but turns out Motorola's decided to delay the launch of its Droid Charge -- originally scheduled for today -- at the very last minute. According to a Verizon internal email we obtained, the blame's on "unexpected delays" and no new date has yet been set. This makes sense, considering it wouldn't do Verizon much good to launch a new 4G Android when its LTE service is still down (for over 24 hours and still counting). Ah well, this 4.3-incher better be worth the wait.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Qualcomm Announces Commercial Release of its Augmented Reality Platform

Qualcomm Incorporated today announced the immediate commercial availability of its Augmented Reality (AR) Platform for Android smartphones. Offered through Qualcomm’s online developer network, this 1.0 release marks the successful completion of the Company’s beta program. Developers can now build, market and commercially distribute applications based on the Qualcomm AR platform.

Qualcomm’s award-winning AR platform will enable a broad range of experiences that entertain, engage and inform consumers with a new form of interactive media. The platform’s rich feature set enables developers to build high-performance, interactive 3D experiences on real world images, such as those used in print media (books, magazines, brochures, tickets, signs) and on product packaging.

French to leave HTC UK, Ireland and South Africa role

Executive director for the UK, Ireland and South Africa promoted to role of vice president of sales and operations in EMEA as part of shake up of senior team in the region

HTC executive director for the UK, Ireland and South Africa Jon French is to leave his role and move to the position of vice president of sales and operations in EMEA. HTC is in the process of replacing French, who will retain responsibility of the position until a successor is in place.

French will now be responsible for the development of HTC’s supply and sales channels across EMEA, in addition to overseeing the company’s partnership with The Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy Europe.

Meanwhile Stefan Streit has been appointed as vice president of marketing and retail in EMEA and succeeds Vladimir Malugin, who has assumed the role of HTC executive director for the Middle Ease and Africa. Streit will be responsible for HTC’s marketing and retail programmes within EMEA.

Prior to joining HTC, he held the roles of vice president of marketing in EMEA at Sony Ericsson and chief marketing officer of BWIN Interactive Entertainment.

HTC president for EMEA Florian Seiche said: “With smartphone sales gorwing more than 70 per cent in 2010, Stefan and Jon are strengthening the team at a crucial time.”

Apple's cloud streaming service to be called iCloud?

Okay, so if you had to guess a name for an Apple service that exists in the cloud it's pretty safe to say you'd pick "iCloud," right? Good, now that we're past the obvious, there are some slightly more compelling indicators out there that this may indeed be what Apple is going to call its (presumably) soon-to-launch music streaming service. We received anonymous tips about this name in the past, and now Om Malik is reporting some interesting history, that the domain iCloud.com is owned by a company called Xcerion, which recently re-branded its cloud-based storage service from iCloud to CloudMe. TechCrunch reached out to the company and got a beautifully-worded non-denial talking about how the new name better embraces the company's cross-platform approach. That it does, but the timing is interesting. Obviously nothing is confirmed, but with Warner and at least one other of the big four record labels signed on, we'd guess the real name for this service should be drifting into view any time now.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Samsung Galaxy S2: The Anatomy In 5 Steps

The Samsung Galaxy S2 brings a new level of power and performance to the Smart Phone market. If you don’t believe in that – Here are 5 reasons to back that statement up.

The Gooey Stuff Inside
Well not actually, hard stuff and hardware stuff. The Samsung Galaxy has a dual core 1 GHz chip and 1 GB of RAM. That means it will knock the snow off roofs in Norway when it’s turned on in Japan. It’s super-powerful, having twice the power of the iPhone 4.

The Part That Shows the Stuff
Samsung has improved on the Galaxy’s previous AMOLED screen. The new S2 has an even better gorilla glass covered display. It’s undoubtedly the clearest in the current market and offers unparallel depth in colours. The screen is also a whole 4.3in in size, which makes it ideal for viewing HD movies and photos. It’s also amazing for watching footage you managed to record on its 8mp camera – displaying it in 1080p glory for all to see.

Gingerbread in its Tummy
Not as in the cake or the piece of confectionary that ran away into a fox’s mouth, but Google’s new operating system. Gingerbread is the code name for Android 2.3, a new more stable and more tactile offering from the web lords. The new Android 2.3 OS allows multitasking to take place on the phone and is a real gem for any sort of app heavy tangle you may find yourself in. It’s true what they say, Gingerbread does make everything better.

Size Matters
It certainly does, ask any keen phone user that. The Galaxy should be a favourite as it’s the slimmest of all smart phones currently available at a wafer thin 8.49mm. The Galaxy is also an amazingly light 116g, a very commendable achievement when you take the large screen size and the power of the device into account.

Taking a Whiz
Well TouchWhiz, this is the name of Samsung’s user interface for the new Samsung Galaxy S2. This interface is a very manageable piece of kit. It manages to group things according to their uses, i.e. music in music, social networking in social networking etc. It’s also a quite user-friendly system and offers little in the way of confusion.

All in all the inside and outside of the Samsung Galaxy S2 make it a very powerful and potentially market leading device.

We wish to say thanks to guest Writer Cormac Reynolds for the above article, for great deals on the Samsung Galaxy S2 please visit Best Mobile Contracts.

Fring Group Video goes live, enables four-way mobile video calls for free

If you missed the opportunity to get your hands on Fring's limited Group Video beta, fret not, because the free service has just gone live for everyone on this planet. What this means is that all Fringsters on compatible iOS 4.x and Android 1.5+ devices (1GHz and above recommended) can now have up to three friends on one video call, and as before, you can do so over either WiFi, 3G, or 4G. Hit your nearest app market for the software update to join the fun, and head past the break to see how Group Video works.

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fring launches World's 1st Group Video Calls on iPhone & Android

fring's Group Video Calling brings 4 friends together at the same time, anywhere, 4 free

London, United Kingdom, 27 April 2011. fring, the mobile communication service that pioneered mobile video over internet calls in 2009, today announces the world's first mobile group video calls for iPhone & Android devices.

With fring's Group Video calling, four fring friends can now share a simultaneous video call, for free, on their mobile phone (on Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G) using fring's proprietary DVQ™ technology, that delivers the highest quality video for all four participants.

fring is the 1st company to bring mobile Group Video calling across platforms, for free, so that users can see all their friends at the same time, and on one screen. fring's service unshackles users from their PCs, and frees them from heavy PC-based Group Video calling fees.

"fring leap-frogs sluggish, expensive PC Group Video Calling solutions by giving users the world's 1st mobile Group Video service, free. There is no reason why users need to run home to their PC in order to have a 'spontaneous' video call with their friends and family. Users love seeing all their friends at the same time, on one screen, but want to be able to do it, when and where they want, "said Avi Shechter, Co-Founder & CEO of fring. "Just as fring was the 1st to liberate video calls from the PC back in 2009, we are the 1st to give users the ability to see all their friends on their phone at the same time, anywhere. This video call revolution lets fringsters be free to get together, wherever."

In addition to free Group Video calling, fring enables users to make free 2 way video calls, voice calls and chat with friends on Android, iPhone/iPod touch & Nokia Smartphones.

fring group video is available from Apple's App Store and the Android Market.

Nokia Cuts Jobs and Outsources Symbian Development to Accenture

Nokia has confirmed that it will cut 4,000 jobs related to research and development as well as an additional 3,000 via outsourcing contract to outsourcing firm Accenture, moving the internal Symbian development team to the firm in an attempt to save US$1.46 billion in R&D costs by 2013. The new deal is a further expansion of its move away from Symbian as it begins its planned transition to Windows Phone 7 for its smartphone platform later this year.

While the move of the Symbian team to Accenture is considered by many to be confusing, the firm does specialize in such contract work. However, no mention was made of the SYMBEOSE deal signed by Nokia late last year with assistance provided by the European Union to turn Symbian into the pan European open source smart phone platform, which was subsequently abandoned. This, along with the closure of the Symbian Foundation led to Nokia closing Symbian source and relicensing Symbian under a non-free, non-GPL commercial license earlier this year.

Fring’s Four-Way Group Video Calling Goes Live To All

Unless you’re raiding with your WoW clan or something, I’d wager that most folks would be a bit hard-pressed to find 3 other people with the time and reason to do a 4-way mobile video chat. With that said: when it all comes together, it’s pretty damn cool.

Fring first rolled out 4-way group chatting a few weeks back, albeit in a super-tight limited beta. This morning, anyone and everyone can get in on the fun; they’ve just opened up the feature to anyone with an iOS 4+ or Android 1.5+ device.

What do you think: is 4-way video chatting going to be a part of your daily life in the future?

Easy iOS Download with ipswDownloader for Windows

For those of you out there that search the internet for iOS firmware downloads, we bring you a nifty tool that will enable you to find and download firmware in minutes.

The ipswDownloader was initially developed for the Mac to enable the user to manually download almost any iOS firmware version for their iOS Device and the only downside was that it was only available on the Mac. However, that has now all changed, as Ryan Burke (@ryanb93) was able to port the software for use on Windows, so now Windows users can also have the benefit of being able to download firmware with this easy tool.

The initial Windows version released doesn’t yet include all the features of its Mac counterpart. In a quote, coming to us by way of IPD from RazorianFly, Ryan states, “I’ve ported over ipswDownloader from Mac to Windows, its initial release doesn’t include all the features of the OSX version but I’m working on adding them in the future.”

So if you are a Windows user and you want to find and download specific versions of iOS firmware with ease, then why not download the free Windows version of ipswDownloader here. Just to remind you that when Apple updates iOS, iTunes will automatically download new firmware.

If you download either the Windows or Mac version of ipswDownloader, please let us know what you think.

Optimus Big Is Indeed Big

The Big. That’s really what it’s called. The Colossus, the Behemoth, the Monster — these I can see, but the Big? Well, whatever, if it makes its way to the US, this 4.3″ beast will probably have a different name anyway. It’s being announced in Korea at the moment, but if LG is smart, they’ll cash in on the bigphone trend going on right now and bring it stateside toot sweet. (Or “toute de suite,” if you’re… you know. French.)

That 4.3″ screen is even bigger than the big one on the 2X we recently reviewed, and it’s actually of the same “Nova” variety as the Optimus Black, meaning it’s brighter than most. It’s got a 1GHz processor, a 5MP camera on the back, and what looks like a smaller one there on the front.

It’s launching on Korea’s U+ tomorrow – no other plans were announced, but we’ll keep our ears to the ground.

WaterField Designs Unveils MacBook Air Travel Express, Air Travel Never Felt So Good

WaterField MacBook Air Travel Express, MacBook Pro, MacBook sleeves, MacBook bags, MacBook case

WaterField Designs, a San Francisco manufacturer quick to market with custom laptop sleeves, bags and cases for digital gear, introduces the MacBook Air Travel Express in three custom sizes—for the 11- and 13-inch Airs and for the MacBook Pro 13-inch. This light and sophisticated MacBook Air case protects and organizes the laptop, the power adapter, the SuperDrive or power cord extension, the mouse, and additional accessories—all in one place. With its bold stripe and compact form, the MacBook Air Travel Express can be stashed inside a bag or—with the optional strap—worn over the shoulder.

The compact Travel Express protects the Macbook Air and its accessories while maintaining the light feel that makes the MacBook Air such a popular mobile device.

Features:

Custom-sized, scratch-free inside pockets for the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, the power adapter, the SuperDrive or power cord extension, and a mouse

Additional, stretchy, interior pockets for cables, adapter, cell phone, keys, wallet, etc.

Space internally for a thin magazine or similarly sized notebook

Custom made with domestically produced, 1050 denier, ballistic nylon

YKK zipper opens case along top and side panel for easy access to, while maintaining security of, contents

Two impact-resistant plastic inserts protect laptop and and accessories

Bold stripe in choice of six earthy colors to match other WaterField Designs gear

Use alone (under an arm or in a bag) or with optional D-rings & strap as a stand-alone bag

“The MacBook Air’s light weight and size are its main appeal; users don’t want to protect or carry it in a bulky, heavy bag” explained WaterField Designs owner, Gary Waterfield. “With the MacBook Air Travel Express, users can to toss the MacBook Air, its accessories and other necessities into this svelt case, and have a lightweight mobile office ready to go.”

This new MacBook Air bag joins its cousin, the iPad Travel Express, in WaterField’s new Travel Express product line—light, boldly-stylish and protective cases for the mobile professional.

Pricing & Availability: MacBook Air Travel Express Price: 11-inch Air—$79; 13-inch Air—$89; 13-inch MacBook—$89.

Colors: Black Ballistic with a stripe in: Black, Copper, Flame, Green, Pine, or Pearl.

Optional add-ons: D-rings—$5; Simple Shoulder Strap—$12; Suspension Shoulder Strap—$22. Dimensions: 11-inch Air—13.5″ x 9.1″ x 1.9″ inches; 13-inch Air—14.5″ x 10.5″ x 1.9″ inches.

BodyMedia Pack Launches on Sprint ID Devices

BodyMedia, Inc., a pioneer in developing wearable body monitoring and complete weight management systems, today announced a new way for Sprint customers to access their calorie input vs. output, understand their calorie balance and create personalized workouts on the go with the Sprint BodyMedia ID pack, a customized bundle of widgets, applications, wallpapers, ringtones and other content for Android devices.

As an alternative to searching through Android Market’s 150,000-plus apps, BodyMedia ID makes it easy for Sprint wireless customers with BodyMedia FIT Armbands to get the best health and fitness applications simply by clicking the BodyMedia ID icon on their device. Customers can then use a bundle of applications developed by BodyMedia and other leading third-party apps, such as BigOven and Facebook. A unique aspect of the BodyMedia ID pack is the use of animals and food animation to keep users engaged and motivated.

Sony Ericsson Concept Teaser: New eXperience

If you have been wondering what Sony Ericsson have been up to lately, it looks like they may have been getting themselves ready for the launch a new device, coming soon.

In an article by Concept Phones, they have reported on receiving a teaser poster from Victor Cao for his upcoming Sony Ericsson concept, which is being previewed through the motto “New eXperience”. See poster below.

Unfortunately, there is no more information on the device at present. However, from the motto we can only assume that it will be another Xperia device, to follow the recent release of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. Who knows this new device could be one that is mainly focused on multimedia, we will just have to wait and see.

The article from Concept Phones goes on to indicate that Victor will reveal more details in the following days to come and we will let you know when we hear more.

If a new device from Sony Ericsson were soon to be launched, what would you hope that it would mainly focus on? Please let us know below.

Apple to Fix Location Tracking Problem With Software Update

The word is there’s quite a bit of concern over the location tracking issue with the iPhone and Apple iPad, something Apple says is a bug and they are not tracking users, and has thus released a statement on the matter.

According to Apple Insider, in a Q&A style release Apple apparently stated that with devices such as the iPhone, complex tech issues are “hard to communicate in a soundbite,” and has also said they are to release a free update to iOS to address the location bug.

That iOS update should be released sometime in the next few weeks and will cease backing up the cache, delete the cache entirely when location services are turned off, and reduces the size of the crowd-sourced WiFi hotspot and cellular tower database cached on the iPhone

Apple says that they are not tracking location on the iPhone, have never done so and have no plans to ever do so. For the complete Q&A release by Apple you can hit up Apple Insider.

iPhone 5 Dual Mode Network: CDMA & GSM

The iPhone 5 speculation rolls on and on, and the latest rumour doing the rounds concerning the fifth generation iOS smartphone is that the iPhone 5 will come out to play packing both GSM and CDMA radios, something that has been kind of confirmed by Verizon.

According to an article over on Phbeta, during the Big Red’s earning call, Verizon’s CFO Fran Shammo stated that the next generation iPhone will support global roaming, which basically means the device should be able to play on CDMA and GSM networks.

Thus it would appear that the iPhone 5 could be a world phone although even though the Verizon CFO says so, nothing about the iPhone 5 is final until such times as Apple confirms, so again this should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Having said that, apparently Shammo did apparently leak info about the Apple iPad 2 on Verizon, so there could be some substance to this rumour. So I guess for now it’s once again a matter of waiting to find out for sure.

Having said that, wouldn’t it be nice for iPhone 5 users to be able to pick and choose which network they went with.

iPad 2 Locator Online via RadioShack Stores

Still not been able to locate the elusive Apple iPad 2 you so desperately want? Well apparently 500 RadioShack stores are now offering the iOS tablet, but does a RadioShake store near you hold stock of the device?

Well if you are seeking the location of an Apple iPad 2, ipad2locator has an Apple iPad 2 online locator whereby you can search for your iOS tablet. Apparently the iPad 2 locator delivers real time up-to-the-minute inventory so the user can see when the device is restocked.

The Apple iPad 2 online locator shows availability covering an area of hundreds of miles around you, and also keeps a record of the iPad 2 configuration you are interested in locating giving the preferences of WiFi only, AT&T, Verizon, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, black or white.

Apparently the iPad 2 online locator currently searched local RadioShack and Target stores but will also be adding Walmart and Best Buy to that list, so if you use this iPad 2 locator and do manage to find your tablet feel free to let us know.

Motorola promises unlocked bootloaders for future Android phones? (update)

Android users have spoken, and maybe, just maybe, Motorola actually heard -- AusDroid claims to have a statement direct from the mobile phone manufacturer promising unlocked bootloaders later this year: We completely understand the operator requirement for security to the end user, and as well, want to support the developer communities desire to use these products as a development platform. It is our intention to enable the unlockable/relockable bootloader currently found on Motorola XOOM across our portfolio of devices starting in late 2011, where carriers and operators will allow it.Wonderfully corporate of them to pass the buck to the carriers, no? This quote comes by way of a gentleman who petitioned Moto for just such a thing, mind you, so please take it with a grain of salt, and you'll be the first to know if we get confirmation from Motorola itself.

Update: AusDroid managed to get in touch with Motorola North Asia, and it sounds like we're looking at the truth -- let's see if Sanjay Jha agrees when he wakes up tomorrow morning.

Casio’s New G’zOne Commando Handset Comes To Verizon

While the name “G’zOne Commando” is totally ridiculous, the phone actually looks pretty solid. And by solid, I mean solid. The Commando is ruggedized and can be submersed in water, exposed to extreme temperatures, and survive the other vicissitudes our phones are often subjected to, by accident or design. It runs Android 2.2 with a custom skin from Casio, and has the usual Verizon stuff on it as well.

The screen is 3.6″ and 800×480, which should make it quite sharp, and it’s got 512MB of RAM but an unspecified processor. At 5.1×2.6×0.6″, it’s a bit large, likely due to its unusual shape and rugged shell. It has as big pair of speakers on the front, since apparently people want big speakers on their phone. The few times I use the speakerphone, I always wish my phone was better in that respect, but that’s maybe twice a month.

It also uses XT9 instead of Swype, and has a “snap out menu” that actually looks pretty cool, though I can imagine it not running well (like other custom graphics and transitions) when the phone is bogged down:

And lastly there are a number of adventure-oriented apps like compass, pedometer, tide tables, that sort of thing. Nice of them to include, though I get the feeling they (like the Verizon stuff) will be unremovable.

The Commando will be available on Verizon for $200 with a new contract starting on April 28. More info here (Flash warning).

Rugged Casio G'zOne Commando official, coming to Verizon on April 28th for $200

We knew it was coming, and now it's official: Casio's macho G'zOne Commando is coming to Verizon on April 28th for a price of $200 on-contract. The Commando strays from a long line of durable dumbphones, and is the first ruggedized Android handset on Verizon's network. In addition to meeting 810G military specifications for water, dust, shock, vibration, salt fog, solar radiation, and temperature extremes, it runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) and has a 3.6-inch (480 x 800) display, 5 megapixel autofocus camera, microSD slot, WiFi, stereo Bluetooth, and a hotspot feature allowing it to share its 3G connection with up to five devices. And, being built like a tank, it also bundles a handful of apps for outdoorsy types, including a compass, pedometer, star gazer, and thermometer. If you've never handled a rugged smartphone, you'll get your chance Thursday when it hits Verizon retail stores. Until then, check out the PR after the break for more details.

Show full PR text

Verizon Wireless and Casio Introduce the CASIO G'zOne Commando
First Ruggedized Android Smartphone for Verizon Wireless

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., April 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless and Casio today announced a new addition to the rugged wireless category and a new Android-powered smartphone in the marketplace, the CASIO G'zOne Commando™. Deployment ready, the Commando is a mobile office with high security features for secure corporate email; Wi-Fi for high-speed Web access; XT9 and T9 trace input for efficient typing; and snap-out menu for customized access to high-use applications.

Designed to withstand the most extreme conditions, the CASIO G'zOne Commando easily transitions from work to play with advanced G'zGEAR software. As the ultimate outdoor tool in a mobile device, G'zGEAR operates in eight modes to enhance the active, adventure-driven lifestyle. With the help of its Triple Sensor technology utilizing direction, acceleration and temperature, G'zGEAR enables adventurers to perform at their peak.

The Casio Commando is ideal for the business environment, especially for fields such as construction, transportation, manufacturing, utilities and healthcare. Workers in hazardous environments, such as construction sites, warehouses and factory floors, need a smartphone that has the capability to download blueprints, files and pictures; update project plans; access field force management, inventory access and corporate applications; and capture signatures.

Key features:

Android™ 2.2
Meets Military Standards 810G for Immersion, Rain, Shock and Dust Resistant, Vibration, Salt Fog, Humidity, Solar Radiation, Altitude, Low and High Temperature Storage
5-megapixel camera with auto-focus, still photo, video capture, LED light
High-security encryption for corporate email
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity
Stereo Bluetooth™
VZ Navigator® for GPS and audible turn-by-turn directions
Mobile Hotspot capable-share 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices

Lifestyle features:

G'zGEAR operates in eight modes
Earth Compass – Functions as a standard compass, the GPS shows the distance and direction to several domestic and international landmarks, including Yosemite National Park and Mt. Everest.
Walking Counter – Measures steps, distance and energy consumption, and total steps for the day, week or month. It also provides virtual treks for famous North American trails and roads including Mt. Kilimanjaro, Annapurna Circuit, Torres Del Paine Circuit, John Muir Trail and Transcontinental
Adventure Training – Takes training to a new level by allowing users to run with virtual opponents, like world-record holders, wild animals, or their own best personal performance stored in the training history.
Trip Memory – Plots and records outdoor activities along with location information to share with friends and family on Twitter™ and Facebook®.
Tides – Showcases the tidal graph for the day; time of tide ebb and flow; and current, past and future sea tide levels. GPS displays the nearest location map.
Thermometer – Displays current temperature in both Celsius and Fahrenheit with numeric and graphic thermometer readings and compares the current temperature across multiple locations.
Sun / Moon – Checks the time of the next sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset, and tracks the moon phases for your current location.
Star Gazer – Utilizes GPS to display the stars and constellation names based on the current season and time.

Pricing and availability:

The CASIO G'zOne Commando will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com on April 28 for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. CASIO G'zOne Commando customers will need to subscribe to a data plan. Unlimited data plans are available to customers starting at $29.99 monthly access.
Business customers who want to purchase the device can contact their Business Sales Representatives at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.

For more information on the CASIO G'zOne Commando or for other Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Customers can visit www.CasioGzOne.com to experience the CASIO G'zOne Commando.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango OS Update: Live Agents

It would appear that later on this year Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 will have a name change in line with their Mango update, which includes new enhancements.

Microsoft will be changing the name of next version of Windows Phone to either Windows Phone 7.5 or Mango, this according to the official Windows Phone website that Microsoft has recently updated, the site is an essential resource centre for developers working with Microsoft and would only confirm the expected release date of Mango as arriving “later in 2011″. We previously did an article on the Mango update coming in the fall, see here.

It has also been announced by Microsoft that they will be dropping the “7″ version reference in the product’s title, thus means that the product will now be referred to as simply, ‘Windows Phone’. The introduction of Mango will include the following enhancements updated developer tools (which will be available in May), new capabilities for Marketplace and multitasking improvements.

According to an article by ItProPortal it is believed that the new features will enable Live agents to create “superior customer engagement” with real-time integration. There will also be access to the camera and Motion sensor library for the developers, which could pave the way for even more immersive augmented reality experiences.

Now we know that in the second half of the year Mango will come with IE9, and will power the second generation of Windows Phone handsets coming to the market. Currently, there are less than a dozen Windows Phone 7 handsets on the market; Dell Venue Pro, Samsung Omnia 7, LG Optimus 7 and HTC’s 7 Mozart, 7 Pro, 7 Trophy and HD7.

HTC Thunderbolt Accessories: Inductive Battery Cover

Since the arrival of HTC’s Thunderbolt there have been a number of issues raised surrounding the handsets battery life, with some users stating that they are only getting around 2.5 hours when using the device on LTE.

With all the hype and expectation surrounding this Android smartphone before its release, it is a shame that the battery issue was not resolved first. We did an article surrounding the problems Thunderbolt users were experiencing, in which we invited owners to give us feedback on any battery life issues they had, the feedback does not read well for the HTC Thunderbolt – see article here.

Verizon’s HTC Thunderbolt will most definitely not win any prizes in the longetivity department judging by the response from users of the device. The guys at Mobile.Engadget have indicated that they mentioned a while back, about a Qi-compatible inductive back for this handset. However, since their article the Verizon store has stripped the picture and $39 price tag from the link, with a part now named “ThunderBolttrade Inductive Battery Cover.” in its place.

The article by Mobile.Engadget via MobileBurn goes on to indicate that Verizon may offer the inductive back as some sort of trade-in deal. If you are the owner of a HTC Thunderbolt and some sort of trade-in deal is offered regarding the inductive back, please let us know below.

Please note that we offer a few solutions to the battery life nightmare that some Thunderbolt owners are experiencing, in the way of extended batteries: iSound Portable Backup 8000mAh Battery, Seidio Innocell 1600mAh Slim Battery and 2750mAh Extended Battery & Cover.

iPhone 6 2012 to Sport Sharp p-Si LCD

I’m sure most are becoming tired of all the iPhone 5 speculation, so how about leaping ahead a year to 2012 and the iPhone 6? What can we expect the sixth generation iOS smartphone to sport when it hits the mobile space?

Well according to an article over on Apple Insider, by way of Japanese newspaper Nikkan, Apple has apparently decided to go with Sharp for the iPhone 6 display opting to go with Sharp’s new low temperature poly-silicon liquid crystal display.

Apparently Sharp has already begun preparing machinery at their plant No 1 in Kameyama, a plant that is used for producing LCD displays. With the p-SI LCD the film transistor is manufactured from polycrystalline silicon, which apparently means the display drivers can be situated on the glass substrate and thus allowing for a thinner display.

So basically if this rumour turns out to be true, the iPhone 6 will likely come with a thinner and lighter display, and apparently would negate the need for additional components in such devices as the iPhone, although of course at present this is just rumour and should be treated as such.

Android 3.0 Honeycomb On BlackBerry PlayBook Mistake by MacMall

Give someone in the retail business access to photoshop and mistakes are bound to happen. For example are you aware that the first tablet out of the Research In Motion camp runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb? No, neither did we.

However according to an article over on Ubergizmo and by way of Nexus404, it appears that retailer MacMall seems to be under the assumption that the BlackBerry PlayBook does indeed run Android 3.0 Honeycomb rather than RIM’s QNX operating system.

Apparently MacMall slapped up an advert for the BlackBerry PlayBook and mistakenly photoshopping Android Honeycomb onto the BlackBerry tablet, and apparently were in no real hurry to take it down.

Most are aware that the BlackBerry PlayBook can run Android apps via an type of emulator, but that isn’t the save as running Android natively. Perhaps whoever made the image is a devoted Android fan with a great deal of wishful thinking.

Would anyone love to see the BlackBerry PlayBook be able to run Android 3.0 Honeycomb? Perhaps that would make the RIM tablet more acceptable to consumers.

iPhone 5 Fake Keynote Rehearsal by Steve Jobs

If all the speculation about the iPhone 5 isn’t enough for you, there is now apparently a video floating the net waves of iPhone guru Steve Jobs rehearsing the iPhone 5 intro keynote, although one does have to say it’s obvious that it is a fake.

According to Cult of Mac, apparently the Steve Jobs in the video sounds a lot like George W. Bush, and according to TUAW, by way of Macrumors, the fake video says that the iPhone 5 will have “digital scent technology” and a battery that doesn’t require charging.

The video can be found on Chinese site Tudou and lasts 46 seconds and even has the Steve Jobs impersonator stopping mid keynote to change his shoes and says they are as light as an iPhone 5.

Have to say it is a considerable poor attempt at faking an Apple keynote, but the big question here is why would anyone want to create such an obvious fake? Smell-o-vision and a lifetime battery sounds good though, lol.

US Business Non-Handset Wireless Spending Up Nearly 30% 2010 Over 2009

If one is looking for signs that the US economy might be climbing out of a deep deep hole it’s been in for the last two years, one can look at the recent performance in business spending on 3G and 4G non-handset devices such as tablets, notebooks, and e-readers. This segment of US business spending has become a larger portion of the overall business wireless spend, as new In-Stat (www.in-stat.com) research shows that overall spending in this segment was up nearly 30% in 2010 over 2009.

“A key take away from the research is that the non-handset spending increase trend seems to be universal across all sizes of business,” says Greg Potter, Research Analyst. “There are some slight variations in some of the vertical segments but, they too, share a robust 2010 and have a very healthy five-year forecast.”

White iPhone 4 coming to Best Buy on Wednesday?

That, friends, is an inventory listing from Best Buy indicating the mythical white iPhone 4 will finally be in stock and for sale this Wednesday, April 27th (just in time to be overshadowed by rumors of the iPhone 5). Of course, we've seen it pop up in inventory systems before, including Best Buy's, only to be let down when the alleged street date came and went without so much as a glossy-white glimmer of hope. But, we've heard straight from Apple's Phil Schiller that it would ship in the spring, and with one already finding its way into the hands of a lucky Londoner a Wednesday release for the paler-than-black iPhone is looking plausible. Still, we're not quite ready to call this one confirmed.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Google Admits To Tracking Android Phone Users

Further to the tracking revelations from Apple last week, and the privacy panic by some about their movements being stored in a consolidated.db file on Apple iPhones.
Google has now announced that they too track their Android phone users, but added that it did so with the knowledge of users and did it anonymously. A Google spokesman, explained Google does track movements of users, but it did so to provide customised services such as maps and searches for shops or restaurants, and to study traffic on various roads.

“Any location data that is sent back to Google location servers is anonymised and is not tied or traceable to a specific user.”

If you are wondering what information is stored on your iPhone you can use a simple little application to view the data and clear the consolidated.db file. Apple has still not commented on the discovery of the data within their iOS. Unfortunately nothing has been released as yet for Android devices but if something does come to light we will let you know.
Android and iPhone users can opt out of data collection by turning off location services on their phones, but this limits certain functions of the phone, such as photo geotagging and the “Current Location” bookmark on iPhone maps.

Chrono Trigger Gracing PSP & PS3

When a game is still news sixteen years after release, you can probably surmise it was kind of awesome Either that, or it was involved in a massive subliminal rick-rolling incident that only came to light years too late for anyone to do anything about it. Chrono Trigger does both, but only one of them on purpose. And if the ESRB is any kind of authority on these things, it will be doing them on the PSP and PS3 as well.

Yes, Square-Enix’s beloved SNES RPG will be seeing a PSN release, if they ever manage to get the thing back up. It will be sold as a PSOne Classic, but there’s no word if any enhancements made for the recent DS version will be implemented on the PSN one as well.

T&T Is A Revolution Waiting To Happen

You don’t need a degree in physics to figure out how the concept below works. The spiral configurations holds down more ink, simple as that. What’s really a headsratcher is, after decades of having the ballpoint pen around and manufactured in limitless numbers, why didn’t nobody ever think of this?
If a few hipster stylus snobs are poo-pooing (perhaps even pew-pewing) this minor innovation, to heck with them. Ball pens are awesome, whether for jotting down last minute notes or scrawling vulgar graffiti on desks, the ball pen will never go away—until we learn how to write stuff in thin air.

Dubbed the T&T by a supergroup of South Korean designers (South Korea is really catching up, isn’t it?) the only foreseeable concern with this is whether it prevents the dreaded ball pen diarrhea, also known as leakage. You know, like when the pen oozes the icky ink and ruins your crisp office shirt or an innocent pant’s pocket?
Right now the T&T ball pen concept is fighting for its life in the iF concept design competition. Hopefully the idea of a spiral ink container for pens catches on from there.
Here’s a question for the readers. No prizes, no congratulatory email, just smarty pants bragging rights: What year did ball pens change the way we jot down stuff? (Clue: It’s a post World War 2 date.)

Logitech's Squeezebox Controller app makes the transition from Android to iOS

After launching the Squeezebox Controller app on Android last month, what could Logitech do next other than release a version for your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad. The features and interface appear to be identical, letting users control any or all Squeezeboxes on the WiFi network complete with metadata and album art. iOS equipped owners of the 'boxes can get their AirPlay-free distributed audio lifestyle going by clicking the link below to download the free app (and see how it compares to the existing $9.99 third party iPeng remote app) from iTunes.

Samsung Ups Ante, Sues over Apple Gear Infringing Patents

Now you didn’t think Samsung was going to simply let Apple sue them over alleged patent infringements by copying the look and feel of Apple’s iPhone and iPad, without striking back as hard as possible did you.

Of course not, it’s not the way things are done in the mobile arena when two top gladiators go to battle. Thus according to the guys over at 9to5 Mac and by way of Reuters, Samsung has now filed patent lawsuits against Apple over the iPhone and Apple iPad saying the iOS devices infringe on 10 of Samsung’s mobile tech patents.

Apparently old Sammy filed the suits in Germany, Japan and South Korea with the 10 infringements mostly over wireless data communication technology, power reduction during data transmission, and 3G technology for reducing errors during data transmission.

Samsung issued a statement to Reuters, which said…“Samsung is responding actively to the legal action taken against us in order to protect our intellectual property and to ensure our continued innovation and growth in the mobile communications business.”

Looks like this one could get ugly and could possibly damage relations between Samsung and Apple and jeopardise the business ties between the two smartphone and tablet manufacturers if it gets too far out of hand. Maybe it’s time for Apple and Samsung to get round a table and thrash things out before hitting the courts.

Verizon To Launch The Samsung Droid Charge On April 28th for $300 (On contract!)

Back when it leaked out that the Samsung DROID Charge for Verizon was gettin’ stuck with a rather hefty price tag of $299 on contract, we were hoping that some last minute rebates might drive the cost down a bit.

No such luck.

Verizon has just announced that the Charge will launch on April 28th, and sure enough: it’ll go for $299 on a 2 year contract. So, do the specs warrant the price? Check’em out after the jump.

The Specs:

4.3″ Super AMOLED Plus Display

Rear-facing 8 megapixel camera

Front facing 1.3 megapixel camera

1 Ghz processor

4G/LTE Support

The specs are indeed pretty killer — but outside of the Super AMOLED Plus display, it’s pretty much an item-for-item match with the HTC Thunderbolt which Verizon slings for $249. Would that display justify the extra $50 to you?

Verizon Sold 2.2 Million iPhones, 260,000 Thunderbolts

It’s earnings time and every call includes a bit about hardware sales. Por ejemplo, Verizon reported selling 2.2 million iPhones and 400,000 4G phones, most of them HTC Thunderbolts. They gained 906,000 postpaid subscribers with 1.01 churn.

AT&T reported plenty of iPhone sales as well, proving that that single device can make or break a quarter.

Verizon also noted that they’d have 175 4G LTE markets by 2012.

via ZDNet

Apple announces $5.99 billion profit

Company sells 18.65 million iPhones and 4.69 million iPads in the quarter as profits soar by 95 per cent

A 113 per cent increase in iPhone sales contributed heavily to Apple posting a record second quarter net profit of $5.99 billion for the period ended 26 March – a 95 per cent increase from $3.07 billion in the same period last year.

The California based electronic manufacturer sold a total of 18.65 million iPhones and 4.69 million iPads during the period, as well as 3.76 Mac computers and 9.02 million iPods.

Apple said 59 per cent of the total $24.67 revenue it produced for the quarter came from international sales.

Speaking about the results Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said: “With quarterly revenue growth of 83 per cent and profit growth of 95 per cent, we’re firing on all cylinders. We will continue to innovate on all fronts throughout the remainder of the year.”

Apple chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer added: “We are extremely pleased with our record March quarter revenue and earnings and cash flow from operations of over $6.2 billion.”

“Looking ahead to the third fiscal quarter of 2011, we expect revenue of about $23 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share of about $5.03”.

Verizon Wireless Launches Six New 4G LTE Markets Today

Verizon Wireless announced that beginning today it is turning on the world’s most advanced wireless network in six more metropolitan areas, as well as expanding the 4G LTE network in Charlotte, N.C.  The areas where the 4G LTE network will now be available include Clarksville, Tenn.-Hopkinsville, Ky.; Cleveland, Tenn.; Columbia and Hilton Head, S.C.; Wilmington, N.C.; and the Greater Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania.

David Small, chief technical officer for Verizon Wireless, noted, “As of today, we will offer consumers and businesses in 45 metropolitan areas the most advanced 4G wireless network on the planet, while continuing to offer the nation’s most reliable 3G network coast to coast.  We plan to aggressively light up 4G in new cities and bring our blazingly fast 4G LTE network to more than 100 additional cities in the next nine months.”

Consumers can choose from several devices to access the blazingly fast speeds of the 4G LTE network, including the ThunderBolt by HTC, MiFi 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot and Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot.  Laptop users have been enjoying speeds up to 10 times faster than the company’s 3G network with three USB modems from Novatel, Pantech and LG since the 4G LTE network launched in December 2010.  In real-world, fully-loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink.

When customers travel outside of a 4G coverage area, the devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast.  Verizon Wireless’ 3G network is the most reliable network in the country, allowing customers with laptops and smartphones to download and use cool apps, from mobile social networking platforms to GPS-enabled maps; and can rapidly browse the web to keep up with news, sports, stock quotes, Hollywood gossip and more, work on-the-go with fast file sharing and stream must-see video and customized radio stations.  Customers in 3G coverage areas today who purchase 4G devices will be able to take advantage of 4G speeds when the faster network becomes available in their areas.

Verizon Wireless is building its 4G LTE network with the same commitment to performance and reliability for which it has long been recognized.  Verizon Wireless’ consistent focus on reliability is based on rigid engineering standards and a disciplined deployment approach year after year.  The company’s 700 MHz spectrum gives Verizon Wireless specific advantages with 4G, including a contiguous, nationwide network license.

Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network isn’t only about major cities – the company is also working with rural communications companies to collaboratively build and operate a 4G network in those areas using the tower and backhaul assets of the rural company and Verizon Wireless’ core 4G LTE equipment and premium 700 MHz spectrum.  Already, seven rural companies have signed on to leverage Verizon Wireless’ scale for infrastructure while keeping their customers on the cutting edge of technology.

Rumor: Select Developers Receiving “iPhone 4S” With A5 Chip

We all know the next iPhone is going to sport some new silicon, almost certainly a variant of the A5 found in the iPad 2. And it appears that some very special developers have been given iPhone 4 units with A5s inside, presumably in order to have some A5-powered games at launch. This from an anonymous report to 9 to 5 Mac, in which the units are also described as essentially stock iPhone 4s otherwise.

Interestingly, despite having the new hardware, the units are reportedly still running a version of iOS 4. I would have expected launch features to incorporate iOS 5 features, but hey.