16-Megapixel Image Sensor For Samsung Smartphones



We've heard about plans for a 16-megapixel smartphone camera from HTC, one that would end up as a WP7 device, but we've yet to see that puppy materialize. Sharp's AQUOS 007SH features such a sensor, but they're far from common at the moment. We may be ready to see a whole lot more smartphones step-up their cameras to this kind of megapixel excess, thanks to Samsung's development of a new 16-megapixel sensor.

Samsung announced its S5K2P1 chip that will bring 16-megapixel performance to stand-alone cameras, camcorders, and most importantly smartphones. The sensor itself is a 1/2.3-inch component and uses backside illumination for extra-low-noise performance. The chip is capable of taking a full-frame, 16-megapixel shot at 30fps, and can handle 60fps video at a still-very-impressive 8.3-megapixel resolution; keep in mind, 1080p video is only 2.1-megapixel.

It's no secret that there's a whole lot more contributing to image quality than just megapixel count, and pictures taken with a high-resolution sensor that's too small, or one that isn't paired with a good-quality, large lens, will fail to impress. As a result, it's easy to accuse the manufacturers of these higher-and-higher resolution sensors as just perpetuating the "megapixel myth", but that's not entirely fair; so long as we let smartphone companies know that we want handsets with quality optics, in addition to high-res sensors, there's no reason a 16-megapixel can't be a welcome addition to a phone.

Source: Samsung

Android Phone Dell Streak Pro 101DL Tipped For Japan



Dell sure takes its sweet time between releasing smartphones, so you'd better believe that we're paying attention when it finally does. The Dell Venue Android dropped early this year, and we're just now hearing about its next effort, the Streak Pro 101DL.

Don't let the Streak name fool you; this time we're squarely in smartphone territory. The handset is supposed to have a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display covered in Gorilla Glass for extra resilience. A 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon will power the Streak Pro, the same chip being used in the HTC Sensation XE refresh.

The Streak Pro is expected to arrive running Gingerbread, and will feature an eight-megapixel main camera and 1.3-megapixel front-facer. Currently-available measurements make the phone out to be just over one centimeter thick.

Earlier in the month, we heard that Dell might be re-focusing its smartphone attention on Chinese markets. That's not quite what's going on here (that news was also focused mainly on the use of the Yi Android-based OS), but just across the Sea of Japan, the Streak Pro 101DL is planned to arrive on Japan's SoftBank in January 2012. We haven't learned of the details, but a release outside of Japan should follow later in the year; we'd love to get a chance to check it out.

Source: SoftBank

Now Available Google+ Hangouts for Android 2.3+

Hangouts on phones


Google+ Hangouts have become one of the most popular uses of the rapidly growing social network. Until now, they were relegated to the desktop, making users pine for mobile support. Today, Google announced that they have made Hangouts available for phones running 2.3+.  This is amazing news and will certainly make the feature more widely used now that they can be done anywhere and on-the-go.
To use the feature, once you see a Hangout in your Stream, just click Join and you should be all set.
The new version of the Google+ app will be rolling out today, so if you don't have it yet, sit tight. For those who don't have the app yet, see the links after the break. For those with friends and family on iOS, they promised Hangouts will arrive soon. Until then, you can tease them about Hanging out right from your Android phone.
                                                                                                                Source: Official Google Blog

Priced-Out of Android Smartphone Meizu MX Quad-Core



According to what's since become clear was an overly-ambitious timeline, the first quad-core Android tablets would be a reality by now, with quad-core chips in smartphones by the end of the year. NVIDIA's plans for its Kal-el are a little behind scheduled at the moment, but that's just the opportunity another player needs to swoop in for the glory. China's Meizu is planning to release its MX smartphone by the end of the month, and it includes an option for a quad-core processor. The pricing structure for the Android has just been revealed, and Chinese Android fans will soon be able to take this powerhouse home for just under $800.

Only the 32GB model of the MX has four cores under its hood; a cheaper 16GB version is dual-core and will sell for about $625. We're still not sure whose chip will make it into the phones, but Samsung has a component (being used in the next PlayStation portable system) that might fit the bill.

Regardless of storage capacity or processor might, both versions of the Meizu MX will have a 4.3-inch qHD display.
                                                                                                                    Source: Engadget Chinese

Updated BBM Music to v1.0.0.93, now available in the BlackBerry Beta Zone


RIM’s new music service that integrates with BlackBerry Messenger, BBM Music, has received an update in the Beta Zone. This is the first update since it was launched and has been bumped up to v1.0.0.93, mainly bringing bug fixes and a few new features. Probably the biggest upgrade for those taking part is the increase of contacts you’re able to have, now up to 200 from 140. Here’s the full list of new features:
- Stop button in media player
- Buy button now checks for available music store if none is installed
- Improved performance: limit is raised to 200 contacts
- Many various bug fixes

Download BBM Music BlackBerry Beta Zone here

Samsung Wave 3 With Bada 2.0 Launching Next Month


The Samsung Wave 3 is one of the phones, together with the Wave M and Y, the Korean manufacturer announced at the end of August. According to information handed out at the Bada Developer Day in India by a Samsung executive, the phone will be launched in October, without an exact geographical location being mentioned though.

The Samsung Wave 3 packs a 1.4GHz processor, four-inch Super AMOLED display, five-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash, VGA webcam, 3GB internal memory, microSD card slot, A-GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi a/b/g/n and 1,500mAh battery. It is powered by Samsung's own Bada platform      version 2.0.

                                                                                                                                Source: SammyHub

Now Available Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G From AT&T

Just as we were promised at the beginning of the month, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G is, as of now, available online over at AT&T. Android gamers no longer have to go to Verizon for the Play but now have a GSM alternative.

The phone costs $49.99 with a two-year contract or $399.99 without one and packs a 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8255 processor, 1GB of ROM, 512MB of RAM, four-inch display and 4G speeds. To see the exact AT&T model, check out our hands-on or read our full Sony Ericsson Xperia Play review.

Source: AT&T

Android Voice Actions



About an year or so ago, Google introduced Android Voice actions, which allowed users to control actions using their voice. You could call someone, send text messages, browse the web and do other common task using your voice.

Initially available in the U.S., Google now added British English, French, Italian, German and Spanish for the five respective countries. You can make Google searches using your voice or say the following commands: send text to, call, go to , navigate to, directions to, map of, etc. If you are running Android 2.2 Froyo or above, download the Voice Search application from the Android Market and speak to your phone.
                                                                                     Source: Google Mobile Blog, Android Market

Samsung Galaxy S II X 4G Coming Soon

4G Samsung Galaxy S II X is a strange name but you might recognize it as the once referred to Samsung Hercules. Telus has put a "coming soon" tag on the phone which is now online over at the carrier's website.

There's no exact release date shows on the page except for the "coming soon" text and there is no pricing revealed either. The specs on the other hand are there and they match with previous ones mentioned: 1.5Ghz dual-core CPU, 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus WVGA display, WiFi with hotspot, eight-megapixel camera with full HD video recording capability, two-megapixel front facing webcam, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board.

Source: Telus

Weekly Android Application

In this episode of the Android Application Weekly we demonstrate some apps that will keep you entertained, allow you to find out exactly what is playing on TV, and find events in your area. To download these directly to your Android smartphone or tablet just take a picture of the QR-Code using Google Goggles or any other QR-Code scanner or click on the app title link to be taken directly to the Android Market.
Air Attack HDA lite and $2.83 full version

airattack


Air Attack HD is a fun shooter game where you pilot aircrafts and try to prevent the enemies from taking you down. Collect money and other items to increase your weapon’s attack power. At each checkpoint you can buy use the money you have collected to buy upgrades.

AirAttack HD Part 1


IntoNow A free application

intonow


Ever wonder what that show is playing on the television? With IntoNow you will be able to listen to what show is playing and get current information. Share the shows you watch with your friends through Facebook or the Into Now network.

IntoNow


Universal Password Manager A free application

upm


Protect and retrieve your passwords with Universal Password Manager. This app uses a master password to keep the information secure. Just input which accounts you want Universal Password Manager to record and just click on the account to bring up the information

UPM (2)


GPS StatusA lite and $2.94 full version

gpsstatus


GPS Status is an all-in-one tool that will display nearly everything that has to do with navigation. View the current GPS satellite locations to get your exact coordinates. Other tools that are included are a light meter, g-force meter, accelerometer, altimeter, speedometer, and more.

GPS Status


Eventseekr A free application

event


With Eventseekr you will never run out of things to do. This is a great app that brings together tons of events occurring in your area to the palm of your hand. Pick which event looks interesting and view the full description to get more information.

eventseekr

Live WallpaperIce Galaxy A free LWP

Now available Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch

Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch
In what may possibly be the fastest turnaround for kernel source code releases from Samsung, the still fresh out of the box Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch kernel source is now available for download via the Samsung Open Source Release Center. This is a good way to start off a release, now developers will be able to jump right into things and start developing some custom kernels for us all and see what limits can be pushed on the Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch. In order to get the download link, you'll have to search for D710 on the Samsung Open Source Center.
                                                                                                        Source: Samsung

Tablet Archos G9 Honeycomb are coming Sept. 20, for $299

Android Central


Archos has announced Archos G9 Honeycomb tablets will be available starting September 20. The big news is that the starting price point for these comes in at just $299, the first manufacturer to go under $300. 
For that you get the 8-inch Archos 80 8GB packing an OMAP 4 ARM Cortex A9 dual core processor at 1GHz, Android 3.2, and unlike previous Archos devices these come fully loaded with the official Android Market. 
Pushing on a bit further, the Archos G9 "Turbo" devices will begin to appear later on in the month. These push the OMAP 4 up to a pretty hefty 1.5GHz and will be appearing for sale from September 30. These include the 16GB and 250GB variants of the 80, and the 16GB and 250GB big brothers to the 80, the 10 inch Archos 101. All but the 250GB 101 come in at under $400, which is pretty competitive pricing.
                                                                                                                            Source: Businesswire                               
                                                                                                                                  

Samsung Galaxy S II X as “Coming Soon”

There’s no denying it now… TELUS has finally confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy S II X, otherwise known as the Hercules, will exclusively be available through them and is now officially “coming soon”. Yesterday we  posted that the go-to-market name would be the “X” and that the  “coming soon” is actually only a matter of “weeks”.
There’s still no word on price points but TELUS did confirm all the rumoured specs: Android 2.3 Gingerbread with Samsung’s Touchwiz – plus Reader, Games, Music and Social Hubs, 1.5 Ghz Dual Core processor, 4.5-inch super AMOLED plus (800×480), Wi-Fi and the ability to create a Wi-Fi hotspot, 8 megapixel camera that captures full 1080p HD video, 2 megapixel front facing camera, 4G download speeds of up to 42 Mbps and showing that it only weighs 109 grams.
We’ll have more info soon!
                                                                                                                             More here via TELUS

Samsung Galaxy Mini for $169.99


Right on schedule is Mobilicity by exclusively releasing the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Mini. The specs are nowhere close to those dual core Super AMOLED Plus devices… but the one thing that’s great about this touchscreen is the price. A low cost $169.99 outright, coming in $60 cheaper than Quebec-based Videotron. This runs OS 2.2 Froyo but is upgradable to 2.3 Gingerbread, has a3.14-inch display, Wi-Fi and the ability to create a Wi-Fi hotspot plus a 3-megapixel camera.
                                                                                                                                     Source: Mobilicity

This year Nvidia Quad-Core Android tablets are Coming


The year is almost over, but there is apparently plenty of time left for Nvidia to release its first quad-core mobile chips, based on ARM technology. President and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang said that, in order to get a leg up on its main competitor Qualcomm, the graphics company will release a quad-core mobile System-on-a-Chip, or SoC, before the end of the calendar year.
Code-named Kal-El, the successor to the prolific Tegra 2 chip, which powers over 70% of Android tablets and 50% of high-end smartphones, will not only be significantly faster, but also bring many of the ARM instruction sets such a NEON that are currently missing from the dual-core Tegra 2.
Huang said that by 2015 the mobile division at Nvidia will be worth more than its dedicated GPU divison, currently worth $4.5 billion. Their goal is to ship 1 billion mobile processors by then, too, an ambitious goal considering as of 2011 they have only produced around 100 million chips.
Earlier this year the GPU giant acquired mobile baseband company Icera, whose technology will be integrated into future Nvidia chips starting next year. The inclusion will allow for them to rely less on separate component manufacturers when developing mobile processors, ultimately lowering costs and increasing profits. This will be necessary to reach their goal of a $20 billion mobile chip business by 2015.
As for the quad-core chips, it’s unlikely we’ll see any of them in smartphones by the end of this year; initial yields will be low, with heat and power consumption being the major hurdle to overcome in the production process.

                                                                                                                        Source: Forbes Online

Sprint's Kyocera Milano available From Today For $49.99

Kyocera's Oblique first garnered our attention when some pics of the QWERTY slider showed up in early August, foretelling the smartphone's eventual arrival on Sprint. Late in the month, a leaked Sprint document showed the phone again, but this time after undergoing a name-change to the Kyocera Milano. We had been expecting the phone to launch on September 9, and right on schedule, Sprint has officially announced the Milano's addition to its line-up starting tomorrow.

The Milano will fill the role of a budget-priced, non-WiMAX messaging smartphone for Sprint. Hardware-wise, the phone features an an 800MHz processor, 512MB of RAM, and a 3-inch QVGA display. That petite, low-res screen may turn off some potential buyers, but Sprint's got plenty of other options for them.

To help make the most out of the phone's battery, Kyocera includes its Eco Mode app that lets you specify a battery level, dropping below which will put the phone into a low-power mode to help keep things functional until you can get to a charger.

Alongside the Milano, Kyocera is also bringing its Brio to Sprint, a free-on-contract dumbphone. Seeing as the Milano is only $50 on-contract, though, we think it's a well-worth-it upgrade.

Source: Sprint

AT&T's Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Will Available Sept. 18 for $49.99

AT&T Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

AT&T this morning announced that its version of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play will be available Sept. 18 for a mere $49.99 with two-year contract. The Xperia Play, as a called Playstation phone, with a slide-out gamepad and Playstation-optimized games. It's rocking Android 2.3.3 with a 4-inch screen.
Games included with AT&T's Xperia Play at launch are:
  • Dungeon Defenders™ Second Wave by Trendy Entertainment
  • Asphalt™ 6 Adrenaline by Gameloft
  • Star Battalion by Gameloft
  • Madden NFL™ 11 by Electronic Arts
  • The Sims™ 3 by Electronic Arts
  • Tower Bloxx™: My City by Digital Chocolate
  • Crash Bandicoot® by SCEA/Naughty Dog/Universal
As if a $49 Xperia Play isn't a good enough deal, AT&T's also sweetening things by throwing in the DK300 Multimedida Dock  and MC100 music cable.

Microsoft Apps Word, Excel and PowerPoint Coming to Symbian



Nokia's alliance with Microsoft this year is obviously leading to big changes within the company's lineup of smartphones, with the gradual abandonment of Symbian in favor of the Windows Phone platform. Just because Symbian's being phased-out doesn't mean there's nothing new for it, as should be clear from this year's release of Anna, and the upcoming Belle. There's one aspect of this partnership we hadn't really considered: the influence of Microsoft on current Symbian development. It turns out that we'll be seeing a good deal from Microsoft on that platform, as well, with today's announcement of Microsoft Apps for Symbian.

These free productivity apps will be coming out beginning later this year. The apps announced so far include Lync 2010 Mobile for instant messaging and teleconferencing, PowerPoint Broadcast for displaying your presentations on-the-go, OneNote for cloud-based note-taking, and Document Connection for accessing written works both locally and in the cloud.

Next year, Nokia promises an update to OneNote adding SharePoint connectivity, as well as what might be the biggest news to come from this announcement: native Symbian versions of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. For a "dead" OS, this sounds like a pretty decent swan song.

                                                                                                                                         Source: Nokia

The First Test Photo Of iPhone 5?


Look at that plate, tasty enough to eat! Clear shot that is apparently the first picture taken with the next generation iPhone. According to PocketNow they stated that “This (very attractive) photo claims to have been taken by an iPhone 4, but the rest of its EXIF data tells a different story: although the image has been cropped to 2235×2291 (5.12 megapixels), the original picture was a much larger 3264×2448 — or just shy of eight megapixels. What’s more, the lens was recorded as a 4.3mm f/2.4, which is closer to that of a point-and-shoot than the iPhone 4′s actual 3.85mm f/2.8.”
The iPhone 5 has long been rumoured to come with an increased camera from 5 megapixels to 8 megapixels. There’s still no word on when the iPhone 5 will be released, latest dates around the web are late October.
                                                                                                                             Source: PocketNow

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G, available for $649.99


TELUS has officially released the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G and the only available price plan for this Android tablet is the no-term price of $649.99 outright. This will directly compete with all the other tablets that have recently become available in Canada, but it’s honestly one of the better tablets on the market. The Tab 10.1 runs Android OS 3.1, has a 1GHz dual-core processor, 2 megapixel front-facing camera and a 3 megapixel camera that shoots 720p videos.

                                                                                                                                         Source: TELUS

Motorola Droid Bionic To Become Available Sept. 8 for $299

Motorola Droid Bionic

Have we mentioned the Motorola Droid Bionic will be available Sept. 8? Oh, good. Because it's now finally officially official. Price is official as well: $299 with a two-year contract.
This has without a doubt been one of the strangest roads to launch for a smartphone in recent memory. The Droid Bionic was initially announced in January at CES (see our hands-on) but was scrapped for revamped hardware, which has been leaked just about every which way since.
Now you're basically getting an LTE version of the Droid X2, with a 4.3-inch qHD display, 1GB of RAM, Android 2.3.4, Motorola's Webtop features, Gorilla Glass, and a 1735 mAh battery, which should help add a little life to the LTE device. Verizon's also staking the Droid Bionic's claim as the thinnest LTE smartphone at 11mm, but that's not as svelte as the new Galaxy S II on Sprint.
                         
More: Droid Bionic forums

AT&T Declared the Impulse 4G, a 3.8-inch Froyo device for just $29.99

Samsung Impulse 4G
AT&T this morning announced the Huawei Impulse 4G, a low-end entry into Android and AT&T's "4G" market. Available Sept. 18 for just $29.99 on contract, the Impulse 4G is a 3.8-inch device at the usual 480x800 resolution, running Android 2.2. It's got a 5MP camera on the back with autofocus and flash, and it records video in 720p. Data plans start at $15.

                                                                         Source: AT&T

New Android smartphone Of Acer Liquid mini Ferrari Edition.


Acer has introduced its new premium Android smartphone at the IFA 2011 (in Berlin, Germany), called the Acer Liquid mini Ferrari Edition. This handset is cooperation between Acer and Ferrari, the Italian supercars manufacturer.
It is actually an Acer Liquid Mini smartphone with Ferrari customization, such as a ‘Ferrari shield’ on the back, Ferrari engine ringtones, and Ferrari wallpapers.
The Acer Liquid mini Ferrari Edition is also comes with an exclusive Bluetooth-headset with the design of Ferrari.
Specs-wise of Acer Liquid mini Ferrari Edition smartphone is a bar-type form factor and boasts a 600MHz processor, 512MB of RAM, and an 8GB microSD card support.
The Liquid mini Ferrari Edition is packs a 3.2-inch capacitive multitouch display with 320 x 480 (HVGA) resolution, a 5 megapixel camera can record 480p video, and runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) OS.
It has also SocialJogger 2.0 and Acer UI 4.2. The weight of Acer Liquid mini Ferrari Edition is 105 grams.

Vodafone White Samsung Galaxy S II now available In UK

Android Central  
Vodafone UK customers can now bag a Samsung Galaxy S II in white from the carrier's website, as well as brick-and-mortar stores. Vodafone joins Three and the Carphone Warehouse, which also recently began offering Samsung's flagship device in white, alongside the standard black. Just like the black version, the white Galaxy S II can be yours for free on 24-month contracts of £36 or more per month. At that price, you'll get 900 minutes, unlimited texts and a 750MB data allowance.
Rival UK carriers O2 and Everything Everywhere (T-Mobile/Orange) expect to launch the white Galaxy S II later this month.
                                                                                                                              Source: Vodafone UK

Gets Price And Release Date Of Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S


We first heard of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S just as this year's IFA in Berlin was set to get rolling. While it's not a huge improvement over the original Arc, we liked what we saw when we were able to give the phone some hands-on attention a few days later. Now we've learned a little more about the phone's release plans, and it looks like it could be getting here slightly sooner than anticipated.

While we were expecting the the Arc S to show up in October, if not a little later into Q4, SE's apparently wasting no time in starting the quarter off with its new hardware. Pre-orders now open for the Arc S have the phone set to first arrive on September 26.

Clove currently has two of the five color variants we've heard about listed on its site for the UK, and we may end up seeing more arrive. With taxes and all, the phone will end up costing the equivalent of about $560; obviously, if it ever makes it to the US, we should expect a much lower subsidized price. It's amusing to note that, for the moment at least, the original Arc demands a higher price than its replacement. That's not a situation that's likely to last long.

Source: Clove

Windows Phone HTC Titan Coming To Netherlands On October 4



The HTC Titan is a Windows Phone which will probably be the Taiwanese manufacturer's new flagship device running Redmond's new platform refresh, Mango. It was launched on September 1 in London and we had our hands-on with the phone in Berlin with the occasion of this year's IFA.

According to HTC Netherlands' Facebook page, the phone is expected to land on October 4, which is around a month from now. If the information is anywhere close to the truth, we should hear official wording from Microsoft really soon as Redmond needs to officially launch the refresh before OEMs can dive in and announce the hardware. The Titan sports a brand new camera which is better in low light conditions (eight-megapixels), a 1.5GHz processor and a huge 4.7-inch screen.

Source: Facebook

HTC Radar (Omega) Windows Phone Mango smartphone

HTC has finally introduced its first Windows Phone Mango smartphone, the HTC Radar (known as HTC Omega). The handset is a mid-range smartphone and is scheduled available starting early October in Europe.
The HTC Radar Mango smartphone is boasts a 1GHz single-core processor paired with Adreno 205 graphics, 512MB of RAM, and 8GB of onboard storage.
New Radar has a 3.8-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixel, GPS, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and 720p video recording capabilities, a front VGA camera, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, and a 1,520mAh battery. It is runs Windows Phone 7.5 Mango OS.
As connectivity, there are 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1. Dimensions of HTC Radar are 120.5 x 61.5 x 10.9 mm and weights 137 grams.

Samsung Transform Ultra QWERTY Slider Coming To Boost Mobile



We first spotted Samsung's SPH-M930 earlier this summer. A QWERTY slider, it was badged for eventual arrival at Boost Mobile. While it's yet to make a formal appearance on the carrier, it looks like preparations are nearly ready to go for the smartphone to debut as the Samsung Transform Ultra.

The Transform Ultra will join the Samsung Prevail on Boost, making it the second Android option for the carrier. With the Prevail still on Froyo, this will be the first Gingerbread Android for Boost.

While the Transform Ultra looks like a mid-tier device, the specs we're hearing for it now are at least a little better than those we were expecting for the phone. It should have a three-megapixel main camera, as well as a VGA front-facer. Look for it to be powered by a 1GHz single-core Snapdragon and include a gigabyte of internal flash storage.

We're also told the Transform Ultra will debut Boost's new Mobile ID app, offering a service similar to Sprint ID on that carrier. We're not sure exactly when the Transform Ultra will be officially launched, or what Boost hopes to charge, but from the looks of things, we should learn very shortly.

Update: Expect the Transform Ultra to sell for about $230.

Nexus S updated to OS 2.3.6, finally brings fix for Voice Search bug but breaks Tethering?


Some Nexus S owners over the past few months experienced the Voice Search feature to occasionally activate on its own, which at times made the device impossible to use. A fix has been in the works since May and earlier this Google promised an update. Well, today is a day that these frustrated owners will celebrate.
Paul, from Google, noted on the huge thread on the support forum that “An over-the-air update is now starting to roll out that includes a fix for this issue. As with previous updates, it will take a few days to send to everyone”. Nexus owners on Bell, Rogers, TELUS are reporting this has already been pushed through to them. Check your Nexus for the update, it’s Android 2.3.6, Baseband I9020AUCKF1, Build Number GRK39C.
Update: Ruh oh. It seems reading over the comments and the thread on the Google support forum that there’s a new issue. Now that the Voice Search bug issue has been fixed, some users are reporting that tethering no longer works… so before you upgrade make sure you read over the comments. Paul from Google has yet to respond to the tethering issue.
                                                                                                                                      Source: Google

BlackBerry Curve 9360 and Torch 9860 now available


This almost is the end of the new BlackBerry releases in Canada, SaskTel today officially released the Curve 9360 and Torch 9860. The only remaining carriers are the new entrants (WIND, Mobilicity and Videotron) and Fido with the Curve 9360.
As for the Curve 9360 and Torch 9860, these both run BlackBerry OS 7 but are very different in regards to specs. The 9360 is an entry level Berry but is the only new smartphone that supports NFC capabilities, comes with a 2.44-inch display, 5 megapixel camera and an 800Mhz processor. The price ranges from the no-term at $349.99 to $49.99 on a 3-year. The Torch 9860 is a 3.7-inch all touchscreen device with a 1.2GHz processor, 5 megapixel camera that shoots 720p HD videos with a price tag of $549.99 outright to $99.99 on a 3-year… you can go ahead and grab one of these, or wait until “early 2012″ for a new RIM QNX-powered BlackBerry.
Source: SaskTel (1) (2)

HTC Android Updates Turn Your Phone Into A Spy?



Yesterday saw attention return to the issue of how companies use your smartphone to gather data about you and your activities, with news of a lawsuit accusing Microsoft of surreptitiously gathering location data. HTC looks like it's the next one to take the hot seat, after the discovery that recent updates to the EVO 3D and Sensation have the smartphones recording a host of information about your phone's status.

Under the guise of "User Behavior Logging", the new software for the HTC pair looks at things such as what apps you've installed, which you've been using, and builds statistics revealing how you use your Android. There's some concern that carriers or HTC could be using this data to identify rooted devices, letting them deny warranty service, but no hard evidence supporting such claims.

Some digging-in to the new code has uncovered where this information goes, but since it's to one of Amazon's cloud servers, it's hard to identify just what company is watching.

While all this may send privacy advocates into a tizzy, it's not outside the range of surveillance you consented to in order to use the phone's software, so technically HTC is on solid ground. Would it have been too much trouble to mention this added functionality in the release notes for the update that installed it, though, instead of hiding away any disclaimers where few users will read them?

Source: XDA-Developers forum, InfectedROM

Samsung's Galaxy S WiFi 3.6 Is An Android Smartphone, Sans Phone



The just-announced Samsung Note is one of those devices that makes pigeonholing hardware into a nice, neat category a real challenge. With its 5.3-inch screen, should we stop considering it a smartphone, and more a tablet? That handset is just one gadget out of many that walks the tightropes between traditional product families. There's another just-revealed Samsung that fits that profile as well, but for a different reason altogether.

Samsung's Galaxy S WiFi 3.6 looks like your average Android smartphone, but lacks a cellular radio, for both voice and data. Like the iPod touch, you'll have to rely on WiFi access points in order to get the device online. That limitation aside, the GSW isn't much different from other Galaxy S models - calling it just a "media player" would be a gross understatement. There have been what look like some cost-cutting measures made, like the fact that the main camera has an only two-megapixel resolution. In spite of that, there are also some relatively progressive features, such as the inclusion of a front-facing camera, making the hardware a bit of a contradiction. As you can guess by the name, the handset has a 3.6-inch screen; it will also pack a 1GHz TI processor and arrive running Gingerbread.

Who's the Galaxy S WiFi 3.6 for? Maybe you're a die-hard BlackBerry or iPhone user but still want to check out the world of apps available for Android. You don't need another expensive data plan to worry about, and maybe you'd rather not pick up a used smartphone on Craigslist? If that sounds like you, think about giving the GSW a look-see. It will launch in the UK in 8GB/16GB versions for what works out to $242/275.

Source: Mashable

HTC reveals two new Windows Phone Mango devices, 4.7″ Titan and 3.8″ Radar


Somewhere along the line, HTC figured out that there are two kinds of smartphone users: those who need a screen over four inches, and those who don’t. In all seriousness, though, with the announcement of their latest two Windows Phone 7 devices, both of which ship with Mango out of the box, they are appealing to two very different demographics.
The HTC Titan, which has a 4.7″ Super LCD display at a somewhat lackluster 800×480 pixel resolution, is also equipped with a 1.5Ghz single-core processor, 512MB RAM, 16GB internal storage (and no microSD card) as well as an 8MP back camera and 1.3MP front camera. Fashioned out of a single piece of aluminum, it bears a resemblance to the HTC Desire, with a maximum width of 9.9mm, and to the Sensation, with its removable aluminum backplate. Easily the standout Windows Phone in HTC’s retinue, its thinness tries to offset the massive size of the screen, and seems to do so pretty effectively.

Somewhere along the line, HTC figured out that there are two kinds of smartphone users: those who need a screen over four inches, and those who don’t. In all seriousness, though, with the announcement of their latest two Windows Phone 7 devices, both of which ship with Mango out of the box, they are appealing to two very different demographics.
The HTC Titan, which has a 4.7″ Super LCD display at a somewhat lackluster 800×480 pixel resolution, is also equipped with a 1.5Ghz single-core processor, 512MB RAM, 16GB internal storage (and no microSD card) as well as an 8MP back camera and 1.3MP front camera. Fashioned out of a single piece of aluminum, it bears a resemblance to the HTC Desire, with a maximum width of 9.9mm, and to the Sensation, with its removable aluminum backplate. Easily the standout Windows Phone in HTC’s retinue, its thinness tries to offset the massive size of the screen, and seems to do so pretty effectively.






The Radar is more along the lines of a typical Android device, and bears a close resemblance to the HTC Flyer in design aesthetic. With a slightly slower 1Ghz processor and a 3.8″ screen, also at 800×480 pixels (though a regular, not Super, LCD), the Radar is aimed at a more budget-friendly consumer. It’s got 512MB RAM, 8GB internal storage and a 5MP camera, while its front shooter is only VGA resolution. The device is made entirely of aluminum, and has a removable bottom plastic piece which exposes the SIM card slot; the 1520mAh battery is not removable. It’s also slightly thicker than the Titan at 10.9mm, but should be a very solid device. Again, availability is not known, though it should be out by the end of the year.
These new devices will ship with Mango, as stated, but certain functionality has not been baked in yet, like Skype integration and native Twitter support, which should come in a future update. A nice bonus is that both of these devices are “4G” certified, which means they are capable of maximum download speeds of 14.4Mbps.

Windows Phone 7 Mango OS Will Release September 15th?


Now that the first Mango phones are being announced, it would make sense that Microsoft would officially announce the release of the OS shortly thereafter.
Well, a few signs point to the middle of this newly-minted month as the fruity operating system’s official release date, though that is not necessarily the date that carriers will start pushing out the upgrade to their respective devices.
A well-known company who has released apps across multiple platforms, including WP7, stated in an email to WPCentral, that ”(Our) Windows dev team has just learned that Mango is delayed until September 15th.” While there were rumours that Mango was to be released today, September 1st, nothing was set in stone.
The big question on everyone’s mind, however, is not when Microsoft will make the OS official — they ostensibly did that already by announcing last month the code was ready — but when carriers like Rogers, Telus and Bell will have the updates ready to go for their devices. The NoDo update, which was released earlier this year and brought copy-and-paste support among other things, took a few extra weeks to cross the border into Canada, but eventually the updates arrived without a hitch.
Users of devices like the HTC Surround, Samsung Focus and LG Optimus 7 are eagerly awaiting the features that will bring Mango to feature parity with iOS and Android, including multitasking support and Twitter and Windows Live Messenger integration.
WP7 users, sound off and let us know which devices you’re using, and how eager you are to get the Mango update (if you haven’t already hacked your device to get it!)
                                                                                                                               Source: WPCentral

Sony Ericsson Reveals 1.4GHz Xperia Arc S



With the IFA ramping-up in Berlin, we're bracing for a ton of new on new smartphones to roll in. One of the first to be announced is a hardware bump to the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, the new Arc S.

If you're already familiar with the Arc, all you need to know about the Arc S is that it will be slightly faster. SE is swapping-out the 1GHz Snapdragon the Arc came with for a 1.4GHz model. That makes for a 40% speed increase on paper, and SE says that you can expect real-world performance to amount to about a 20-25% speed-up; that's not world-shattering, but it's a decent bump that should help keep the handset relevant.

The Xperia Arc S is sticking with the Arc's 4.2-inch FWVGA "Reality Display", 512MB of RAM, and 8.1-megapixel Exmor camera. Like the other new Xperias we've heard about, the Arc S will have SE's latest software tweaks, like Facebook inside Xperia, and a 3D sweep panorama mode that lets you use the phone's 2D camera to generate 3D images for viewing over HDMI on compatible displays.

           Look for the Arc S to be available in five colors when it comes out this October.

Source: Sony Ericsson