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Google planning to work with multiple OEMs for the next Nexus
By GSMArena, published 16-05-2012
Google is planning on working with multiple OEMs, as many as five, for the next Nexus phone, reports The Wall Street Journal. The phones will all come with the next version of Android (Jelly Bean), will be sold unlocked directly to the customers and will be out by Thanksgiving in the US, just before the holiday season. This is a major step away from the usual way Google operates for...
Google Starts Selling Phones From Google Play Store
By HotHardware, published 24-04-2012
Google just announced a new Devices section for its Google Play web store. With this new section comes the ability to buy the Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ directly from Google. That's right, folks, if you've been waiting to get your hands on this smartphone, you can quickly and easily pick one up directly from Google rather than importing it from overseas....
Android 4.0.4 OTA update for Nexus S 4G leaks
By GSMArena, published 04-02-2012
Google released the Android 4.0 update for the Nexus S last year in December but the Nexus S 4G for Sprint was inexplicably left out. A couple of months ago an Android 4.0.4 ROM leaked for the device, which made people hope that the official OTA update would arrive soon but that did not happen. Today, we have another leaked ROM for the Nexus S 4G. This one will update your phone to Android...
Google To Sell Partner Tablets Directly
By HotHardware, published 31-03-2012
Remember when Google sold the original Nexus One smartphone directly from their website? It was a short-lived experiment, as the company determined they weren't ready (or willing, perhaps) to install the support infrastructure needed to properly serve customers and provide tech support for the phone. But now, with Android tablets falling well...
Google Makes Galaxy Nexus For Sprint Sign Up Page Available
By HotHardware, published 30-01-2012
Sprint users who have been anxious to get their hands on Ice Cream Sandwich and LTE connectivity may not have to wait much longer. Google's official Galaxy Nexus website now offers a registration section for anyone on Sprint's network who wants to know when this hot smartphone is officially available for sale. Although no release date has...
Smartphone Buyer's Guide Updated
By DigitalVersus, published 01-08-2012
From the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Google Galaxy Nexus, to the Nokia Lumia 800 and the iPhone 4S, you'll find our pick of the best mobiles of the... Read more...
Week in Tech: Big numbers but more patent hassle for Android
By TechRadar, published 23-12-2011
It's been a Google-y kind of week, with a strong emphasis on Android: just yesterday Android boss Andy Rubin took to Google+ to share some impressive numbers. An incredible 700,000 Android devices are being activated every day, bringing the total number of Android devices in circulation to around eleventy billion - and in case you're wondering, those figures don't include re-activations such as second-hand bits of kit. "We count each device only once," Rubin says.On the subject of devices, is Google planning its own Android tablet? Could be! The tech exec best suited to a job as a Scooby-Doo villain, Eric Schmidt, dropped heavy hints about a forthcoming Google slate. "Noi nei prossimi sei mesi contiamo di mettere sul mercato un tablet di altissima qualità," he said, in...
Smartphone Review: Is Google Galaxy Nexus Best Android Phone Yet?
By DigitalVersus, published 22-12-2011
As befitting its role as an ambassador for Android, the Google Galaxy Nexus from Samsung is the first handset to run the latest update of the OS, version 4.0,... Read more...
Smartphone Review: Is Google Galaxy Nexus Best Android Phone Yet?
By DigitalVersus, published 22-12-2011
As befitting its role as an ambassador for Android, the Google Galaxy Nexus from Samsung is the first handset to run the latest update of the OS, version 4.0,... Read more...
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Galaxy Nexus Google Phone Gets Boosted Battery
By DigitalVersus, published 21-12-2011
Ahead of our full review of the Google Galaxy Nexus Android 4.0 smartphone by Samsung, we might as well already tell you that the phone's battery life isn't up to... Read more...
Google halts Nexus S ICS update in certain regions
By GSMArena, published 21-12-2011
The Android 4.0.3 update for the GSM/UMTS version of the Nexus S began a few days ago and by now several of them are running the latest version of Android. However, there are still many left who aren't and it seems it will be a while before they get it. Certain users are reporting that they are getting the update notification on their phones but when they begin the update process the...
Nexus S Ice Cream Sandwich updated pushed back
By TechRadar, published 20-12-2011
Google has put the brakes on its global roll-out of Android 4.0 for the Samsung Nexus S handset.The Nexus S was the first device to be chosen for the Ice Cream Sandwich update following the Samsung Galaxy Nexus launch earlier this month.Some users of the Nexus S (which debuted Android Gingerbread) had already received the update, whereas others have been sent notifications telling them, wrongly, that the upgrade was ready.Monitor feedbackGoogle has explained that it is pausing the roll-out while they look at the feedback from existing users.Posting on the Android support forums, Google community manager Paul Wilcox says: "If you received an update notification a little while ago but the update isn't currently available for your phone, this is likely the result of Google pausing the upd...
Google puts ICS update for the Nexus S on hold
By phoneArena, published 20-12-2011
Google has paused in their roll out of ICS to Galaxy Nexus S handsets, as they "monitor feedback" to see what issues may crop up from the initial batch of updates...
Google CEO promises high-end tablet in six months
By TechReport, published 20-12-2011
Although Google has numerous hardware partners selling smartphones and tablets based on its Android operating system, the search giant is no stranger to adding its own devices to the competitive fray. Already, we've seen Google roll out a series of Nexus-branded smartphones with cooperation from HTC and Samsung. Google CEO Eric Schmidt has now revealed that the company is working on a tablet of its very own.In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, Schmidt doesn't mince words: "in the next six months we plan to market a tablet of the highest quality." The latter part of that statement suggests that Google intends to go head-to-head with premium tablets ...Read more...
Google to Launch Nexus Tablet in 2012
By DigitalVersus, published 20-12-2011
After already having released three Google smartphones as flagship carriers of the latest versions of Android, it now seems that the search engine giant is gearing up to launch its... Read more...
In Depth: Is Android Google's Achilles heel?
By TechRadar, published 18-12-2011
Patent wars and app store woesJust four years ago, the Open Handset Alliance, headed up by Google, released Android, the open source mobile operating system for smartphones (and later tablets).The first Google phone was the T-Mobile G1. Since then Android has enjoyed a meteoric rise, gaining popularity in the smartphone market much faster than even Apple's iOS did on its debut. However, that rapid increase in market share isn't the full story. There are big problems behind the scenes – problems that could turn Android into a poisoned chalice for Google. The cost of free First there are the patent wars, which may help its competitors squeeze Android off smartphones and tablets. Major companies like Microsoft, Oracle and Apple are claiming patent disputes against the manufacturers of devic...
Google starts sending out Ice Cream Sandwich update to GSM Nexus S handsets
By phoneArena, published 18-12-2011
A tweet from Google says that the Mountain View based company has started rolling out Android 4.0 to GSM/UMTS Google Nexus S phones; the update will take a month to complete, so don't panic if you don't have it on your phone right this second...
GSM Galaxy Nexus gets 4.0.2 update, 4.0.3 announced already
By GSMArena, published 17-12-2011
Google is on a roll with the Ice Cream Sandwich updates for the Galaxy Nexus. After releasing the 4.0.2 update for the LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus, the have now released the same update to its GSM sibling as well. This update brings the same changes as the one on the LTE version and is 8.7MB in size. But that's not all. Google has also announced the upcoming 4.0.3 update for the...
Android 4.0 ICS is rolling out to GSM versions of the Google Nexus S starting today
By phoneArena, published 16-12-2011
Doesn’t it feel good to be a pure Google device, even more when you’re part of the beloved line of Nexus smartphones? Well, if you happen to own a Google Nexus S, you’ll be elated to know that Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to you very quickly...
Adobe Flash 11.1 update brings Ice Cream Sandwich support
By TechRadar, published 16-12-2011
Like a cry from beyond the veil, Adobe has released an updated version of Flash Player for Mobile that brings with it support for Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0). And with that, it's the end of the mobile Flash - aside from security updates which will no doubt continue to trickle out of Adobe HQ and into the Android Market. Adobe announced that it was shuttering its mobile Flash product back in November, preferring instead to "aggressively contribute" to HTML 5. DismaySome Samsung Galaxy Nexus owners were dismayed to discover that a side-effect of this decision seemed to be no Flash Player on their swanky new Ice Cream Sandwich handsets, but it seemed that Adobe was just running late with its final version of the player. Lucky for our US readers, the availability of Flash Player f...
Verizon Galaxy Nexus already getting updated to Android 4.0.2
By GSMArena, published 16-12-2011
The phone is barely out of the gate and Google is already showering it with updates. Immediately after launch, the Verizon Galaxy Nexus in the US received a new update, which updated the phone from Android 4.0.1 to 4.0.2. As you can see from the image above, the list of improvements is quite extensive. The update weighs in at 10.7 MB and is made available to download as soon as you...
Andy Rubin touts Galaxy Nexus US release, names next countries for release
By SlashGear, published 15-12-2011
The Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus, Google’s next hero device for it’s newest mobile operating system version Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, has been released today and pumped up by none other than the big G’s Senior Vice President of Mobile Andy Rubin, with the rest of the countries yet to receive such a [...]
Google adds two new commercials to the "Calling all..." series
By phoneArena, published 15-12-2011
The Galaxy Nexus has gotten two more TV ads to add to the pile. The new ads show off Face Unlock and more amateur musicians using Google+ Hangouts, and are definitely looking good...
In Depth: Android 4.0 release date: when will you get it?
By TechRadar, published 15-12-2011
With every announcement of an update to Android there comes the same chorus from users - "When is it coming to my phone?" The Android 4.0 release date chorus is getting louder and is becoming punctuated with increasingly rude words as the days and weeks pass, as owners get more and more flustered about the possibility of being denied an update, no matter how small, or how old and incapable their phone might be. Usually the hardware makers keep their plans pretty quiet to avoid angering customers with promises of timelines they can't keep, but in the case of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich there's been a rush of announcements from the phone manufacturers, all trying to make their models appear "future proof" in some way. Here's what's been put on the record by the main Androi...
Official: Verizon Galaxy Nexus December 15th for $299
By MaximumPC, published 14-12-2011
Perhaps the folks at Verizon have a sick sense of humor; they enjoy letting things hang out there until the last possible minute. Verizon announced just minutes ago that the long-awaited Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be available tomorrow, December 15th for $299 on-contract. This comes after multiple rumors of delays and more speculation than you can shake a phone at. The Galaxy Nexus is the newest in Google’s line of stock flagship phones. This iteration has a stunning 4.65-inch Super AMOLED HD screen at 1280x720, a 1.2GHz dual-core OMAP processor, and a 5MP camera. The Verizon version differs from the international HSPA+ edition in that it has an LTE 4G radio and 32GB of internal storage. Also, it is actually for sale in America. The Galaxy Nexus is Google’s Android 4.0 launch device, wh...
Updated: Top 10 best iPhone alternatives
By TechRadar, published 14-12-2011
The iPhone 4S has been a massive success, selling tens of millions of units all over the world, but it's not for everyone and there are some great iPhone alternatives.In particular, if you want something larger or smaller, or with a physical keyboard, Apple won't be able to help you. Similarly, if you want something more customisable or with widgets, you'll need to look elsewhere.There are plenty of other manufacturers producing some great devices, however, so you don't have to look far for some worthy iPhone alternatives. So here are our 10 favourites, in no particular order. Of course, these aren't the only phones on offer – keep your eye on our top 20 mobile phones list for more great options. 1. Samsung Galaxy S2 What we think: What can we say? Superfast dual core processor, superla...
Galaxy Nexus Camera Now in the Face-Off
By DigitalVersus, published 12-08-2011
Google's new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Nexus by Samsung, is tipped to be the ultimate Android phone. We're currently in the process of putting it to the test,... Read more...
Tuesday Shortbread
By TechReport, published 12-06-2011
Eight is Enough AppleInsider reports Asus aiming for tablet sales to eclipse netbooks in 2012 AnandTech on why Ivy Bridge is still quad-core Fudzilla: Trinity yields are good and two new Llanos up for order and Intel to ship Cedar Trail M next year and Intel's SSD 520 Cherryville series comes soon VR-Zone: Intel's mobile Ivy Bridge CPU lineup revealed and notebooks with AMD Radeon HD 7600M listed AppleInsider: Mac OS X 10.7.3 beta supports AMD's next-gen desktop graphics and Apple television rumored to come in 3 sizes, including 32" and 55" Engadget: Ainol launches NOVO7, the world's first Android 4.0 tablet, for $100 plus shipping WSJ: Verizon Wireless makes $299 new norm with Samsung Galaxy Nexus The Verge: Android graphics, rendering, and hardware acceleration explained b...
Android Ice Cream Sandwich tablet goes on sale
By TechRadar, published 12-05-2011
The world's first tablet running the new Android 4.0 operating system has gone on sale in China at a cost of around just £60.The Ainovo NOVO7 tablet will host the Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS which is currently only available on the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone.The product website lists the tablet as boasting a 7-inch capacitive multi-touch display with 1080p video as well as front and rear 2-megapixel cameras.The battery life is advertised at 25-hours for music, 6-hours for games and 7-hours for browsing the web and there's 4GB of external storage and a MIPS-based 1GHz processor powering things.There's also access to Gameloft titles and Google-endorsed apps.Rubin-approvedThe tablet is even claiming an endorsement from Android chief Andy Rubin who said in the press release: "I...
Monday Shortbread
By TechReport, published 12-05-2011
Eight is Enough Bloomberg: Oracle accuses hp of false advertising in revised Itanium suit paidContent: Samsung and HTC hit by wiretapping lawsuit over tracking software The NY Times: Expect some toning down of antipiracy bills, says movie industry supporter Julian Assange: 'iPhone, BlackBerry, Gmail users - you're all...' BGR reports AT&T 4G LTE now live in New York, Phoenix; tests show blistering speeds up to 40Mbps The Verge: Google releases Galaxy Nexus factory image, lets you restore your phone WSJ: Analysts predict dip in game software sales for the year CVG reports Battlefield 3 PC update coming December 6 Read more...
Google employees getting a bite of Ice Cream Sandwich on the Nexus S
By phoneArena, published 12-05-2011
A few Google employees took to various social media outlets to brag about receiving an internal OTA update that puts Ice Cream Sandwich on the Nexus S. Apparently they must have taken their joy to the web a bit too early, because over the course of the day, most of the postings have been deleted.
Galaxy Nexus volume update: Are you fixed?
By SlashGear, published 12-04-2011
Samsung and Google began rolling out the Galaxy Nexus volume bugfix late last week, though it seems not all users of the Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone have yet received it. The update, ITL41F, hit our UK Galaxy Nexus on Saturday morning, but other owners have taken to Twitter and Google+ to complain that they’re yet to see [...]
Galaxy Nexus visits FCC again, but with AT&T bands
By SlashGear, published 12-02-2011
There’s still no definitive word yet as to when Google’s new flagship Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will arrive on Verizon, but it looks like the carrier won’t be the only one to get the device for long. New FCC documents have surfaced revealing another Galaxy Nexus version that’s destined for AT&T. [...]
Verizon Google Nexus may be getting Android 4.1 before release
By phoneArena, published 12-02-2011
Leaked screenshots show a Verizon Galaxy Nexus which has gotten an OTA update bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to version 4.1, and some believe this may be the last update before being released...
Google releases Galaxy Nexus stock image for easy reinstall
By GSMArena, published 12-02-2011
Google has released a factory image for its pure-blood Galaxy Nexus GSM/HSDPA+ device and made it available to anyone. The image can be used to easily recover the stock Ice Cream Sandwich software on the Galaxy Nexus in case of a manipulation gone wrong. This should come in handy to both experienced modders and newbies alike. If something goes wrong while flashing a custom rom, for...
New Galaxy Nexus commercial calls on "social MCs"
By phoneArena, published 29-11-2011
We are definitely liking the ads that Google is producing for its newest pure Google experience phone, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The newest ad shows off Google+ Hangouts in an interesting way...
Bug-less Samsung Galaxy Nexus lands at UK retailer
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
One UK retailer is reporting that it has received stock of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in which the volume bug is fixed. Clove claims that the new handsets have received a software update to fix the erratic decibel dives that seemed to surface when the Galaxy Nexus ran on a 2G network. Expansys those horizonsA second retailer, Expansys, has issued a statement saying that it expects its updated Galaxy Nexus stock to arrive on 30 November. "The Galaxy Nexus is due in stock tomorrow (30th November)," the statement reads. "The new stock has had a Google approved firmware update applied to it by Samsung's distributors in order to fix the bug with volume control that affected some original stock."Sadly there's no word from Samsung yet on when existing Galaxy Nexus owners can expect ...
Review: Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
InterfaceWe've finally got our hands on the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus, so we've taken an in-depth look at Google's latest OS: Android 4.0, or Ice Cream Sandwich to its friends.Google has told us that this is one of the biggest overhauls of the operating systems since it unleashed the Android project three years ago - and there's certainly a lot to plough through. From enhanced contact menus to improved keyboards and NFC capabilities, even the most ardent Android users will have to spend some time getting used to the new OS - so let's dive in.InterfaceThe most noticeable change with Ice Cream Sandwich is the interface - it might follow the same principles as the Android of old, but the way it's used is radically different in a number of ways.Firstly, Android 4.0 is designed to work without b...
Galaxy Nexus to get Flash Player update in December
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
Adobe has announced that Flash Player 11.1 will hit the Galaxy Nexus before the year is out. A blog post on the company's Adobe AIR and Flash Player team blog announced that the "minor" update will make its way to the handset in December. "To be clear, the Galaxy Nexus does not initially support Adobe Flash Player 11.1 and AIR 3.1," wrote Greg DeMichillie, senior director of product management for interactive development at Adobe."We will provide a minor update to the runtimes to support the Galaxy Nexus in December." News FlashThere was some net-fuelled uproar last week when it emerged that Google's flagship Ice Cream Sandwich device did not come with the player built in. The reason for the hold up, says DeMichillie, is Adobe's partners' "varied schedules that ...
Galaxy Nexus to get Flash Player update in December
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
Adobe has announced that Flash Player 11.1 will hit the Galaxy Nexus before the year is out. A blog post on the company's Adobe AIR and Flash Player team blog announced that the "minor" update will make its way to the handset in December. "To be clear, the Galaxy Nexus does not initially support Adobe Flash Player 11.1 and AIR 3.1," wrote Greg DeMichillie, senior director of product management for interactive development at Adobe."We will provide a minor update to the runtimes to support the Galaxy Nexus in December." News FlashThere was some net-fuelled uproar last week when it emerged that Google's flagship Ice Cream Sandwich device did not come with the player built in. The reason for the hold up, says DeMichillie, is Adobe's partners' "varied schedules that ...
Hack brings Google Wallet to the Samsung GALAXY Nexus
By phoneArena, published 29-11-2011
The Android community has found a way to get Google Wallet to work on a Samsung GALAXY Nexus, albeit unofficially. The process, however, requites quite a lot of tinkering with the software...
Tuesday Shortbread
By TechReport, published 29-11-2011
Eight is Enough Mobile Tech Today: AMD struggles to reinvent itself, fight Intel CPU World reports early Ivy Bridge sample tested VR-Zone: Even more Ivy Bridge details leak Fudzilla reports retail DRAM prices hit new low and AMD first with 28nm desktop graphics 9to5Mac: Apple's next-generation Apple TV moves closer to reality, assigned J33 codename Eurogamer: Kinect 2 so accurate it can lip read BGR: Google Wallet comes to Samsung Galaxy Nexus (unofficially) Bethesda Blog: Skyrim 1.2 update Read more...
Acer launches Liquid Express, its first NFC phone
By TechRadar, published 28-11-2011
Acer has launched the Acer Liquid Express, its first smartphone to come with near field communications (NFC). As well as the contactless payments know-how, the Acer Liquid Express comes with a 3.5-inch screen, an 800MHz Qualcomm 7227 processor, 5MP camera and Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). Although it may be the first of Acer's NFC handset, the company promises it won't be the last, saying that all of its forthcoming Android smartphones will rock the technology.Late to the partyWhile most of its competitors scrambled aboard the NFC bandwagon after the announcement of the Google Nexus S and all its contactless payment promises a the tail end of 2010, Acer has hung fire until now. But will it have hurt the brand? Probably not, since most mobile wallet schemes are yet to take off in a big way. St...
Acer launches Liquid Express, its first NFC phone
By TechRadar, published 28-11-2011
Acer has launched the Acer Liquid Express, its first smartphone to come with near field communications (NFC). As well as the contactless payments know-how, the Acer Liquid Express comes with a 3.5-inch screen, an 800MHz Qualcomm 7227 processor, 5MP camera and Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). Although it may be the first of Acer's NFC handset, the company promises it won't be the last, saying that all of its forthcoming Android smartphones will rock the technology.Late to the partyWhile most of its competitors scrambled aboard the NFC bandwagon after the announcement of the Google Nexus S and all its contactless payment promises a the tail end of 2010, Acer has hung fire until now. But will it have hurt the brand? Probably not, since most mobile wallet schemes are yet to take off in a big way. St...
Hands On: Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich
By Thinkdigit, published 27-11-2011
This is a huge deal. Ice Cream Sandwich is the biggest upgrade to Google's Android OS since Android 2.2 hit in May 2010, and possibly the most important update ever. From what I've seen so far in a day with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone, Android users should be demanding their share of Ice Cream—and it should absolutely make a difference in your phone purchases. Google lent me an international developer unit of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the first ICS phone. This isn't the LTE device that [...] Read the entire article
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
This week we've reviewed Google's new Galaxy Nexus - the first Android 4.0 handset as well as the new, souped up Apple MacBook Pro.We've also checked out a brand new 46-inch LCD from Philips as well as Sony's whacky personal 3D viewer. Read on for all the reviews posted on TechRadar this week. Philips 46PFL9706H reviewThe Philips 46PFL469706H is a milestone in TV design. Picture quality on an LCD TV was simply not possible until now, and it's all made possible by the new 'moth eye' filter. It uses tiny nodules to mimic similar structures found on moth's eyes and is used to eliminate reflections on the screen, resulting in a greatly enhanced perceived contrast range. You have to see it to truly believe it, but it takes this TV from being a great contender to a market leader. There are a few...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
This week we've reviewed Google's new Galaxy Nexus - the first Android 4.0 handset as well as the new, souped up Apple MacBook Pro.We've also checked out a brand new 46-inch LCD from Philips as well as Sony's whacky personal 3D viewer. Read on for all the reviews posted on TechRadar this week. Philips 46PFL9706H reviewThe Philips 46PFL469706H is a milestone in TV design. Picture quality on an LCD TV was simply not possible until now, and it's all made possible by the new 'moth eye' filter. It uses tiny nodules to mimic similar structures found on moth's eyes and is used to eliminate reflections on the screen, resulting in a greatly enhanced perceived contrast range. You have to see it to truly believe it, but it takes this TV from being a great contender to a market leader. There are a few...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
This week we've reviewed Google's new Galaxy Nexus - the first Android 4.0 handset as well as the new, souped up Apple MacBook Pro.We've also checked out a brand new 46-inch LCD from Philips as well as Sony's whacky personal 3D viewer. Read on for all the reviews posted on TechRadar this week. Philips 46PFL9706H reviewThe Philips 46PFL469706H is a milestone in TV design. Picture quality on an LCD TV was simply not possible until now, and it's all made possible by the new 'moth eye' filter. It uses tiny nodules to mimic similar structures found on moth's eyes and is used to eliminate reflections on the screen, resulting in a greatly enhanced perceived contrast range. You have to see it to truly believe it, but it takes this TV from being a great contender to a market leader. There are a few...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 26-11-2011
This week we've reviewed Google's new Galaxy Nexus - the first Android 4.0 handset as well as the new, souped up Apple MacBook Pro.We've also checked out a brand new 46-inch LCD from Philips as well as Sony's whacky personal 3D viewer. Read on for all the reviews posted on TechRadar this week. Philips 46PFL9706H reviewThe Philips 46PFL469706H is a milestone in TV design. Picture quality on an LCD TV was simply not possible until now, and it's all made possible by the new 'moth eye' filter. It uses tiny nodules to mimic similar structures found on moth's eyes and is used to eliminate reflections on the screen, resulting in a greatly enhanced perceived contrast range. You have to see it to truly believe it, but it takes this TV from being a great contender to a market leader. There are a few...
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By MaximumPC, published 25-11-2011
This week we've reviewed Google's new Galaxy Nexus - the first Android 4.0 handset as well as the new, souped up Apple MacBook Pro. We've also checked out a brand new 46-inch LCD from Philips as well as Sony's whacky personal 3D viewer. Read on for all the reviews posted on TechRadar this week. Philips 46PFL9706H review The Philips 46PFL469706H is a milestone in TV design. Picture quality on an LCD TV was simply not possible until now, and it's all made possible by the new 'moth eye' filter. It uses tiny nodules to mimic similar structures found on moth's eyes and is used to eliminate reflections on the screen, resulting in a greatly enhanced perceived contrast range. You have to see it to truly believe it, but it takes this TV from being a great contender to a market leader. There are a ...
Unlocked Galaxy Nexus Now Available in the US
By MaximumPC, published 25-11-2011
Google’s latest flagship phone the Galaxy Nexus is all set to hit the States sometime in December. But for those who don’t want to, or simply can’t, hold their breath for that long, we have some good news. The world’s first Ice Cream Sandwhich device is now up for sale in the U.S. through Expansys. Hit the jump for more. The Galaxy Nexus we’re talking about here is fully unlocked and so will cost more than a carrier-subsidized version, which will arrive next month from Verizon carrying a $199 price tag with a two-year contract. The price of the unlocked Galaxy Nexus, in case you’re interested, is listed as $749.99 on Expansys.com. Before you go ahead with the purchase, we’d like to inform you that the handset currently suffers from a serious bug that leads to abrupt loss of v...
Review: BlackBerry Curve 9380
By TechRadar, published 24-11-2011
Overview, design and feelAfter playing it cool for a few years, RIM has apparently decided that there's something to this touchscreen phone lark after all, releasing a budget all-touch device in the shape of the BlackBerry Curve 9380. In the last few months we've seen a touchscreen added to the Bold in the form of the BlackBerry Bold 9900, an update to the Torch line in the BlackBerry Torch 9810, and a new, all-touch addition to the Torch family in the BlackBerry Torch 9860. Now it's the Curve family's turn, even though we thought it was doing fine without touch in our BlackBerry Curve 9360 review. Instead of taking the Bold route and adding touch capability to the screen above the keyboard, RIM has been somewhat more aggressive with the BlackBerry Curve 9380. The keyboard's gone completel...
Galaxy Nexus LTE shows off its extra bulk
By SlashGear, published 24-11-2011
Google has given us a glimpse of just how extra-chunky adding LTE and a slightly larger battery makes the Galaxy Nexus, adding a 360-degree viewer of the fuller-figured Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone to its product page. Whereas the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus on sale in the UK since last week is 8.9mm thick, the LTE version [...]
Samsung Galaxy Nexus to get volume bug fix
By TechRadar, published 23-11-2011
Both Samsung and Google have admitted that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus suffers from a bug that sees the handset randomly muting and the volume slider only occasionally working as it's meant to when on 2G. Google released a statement earlier saying, "We are aware of the volume issue and have developed a fix. We will update devices as soon as possible." Samsung illuminated further: "We are aware of the volume issue and have developed a fix. We will update devices as soon as possible," the company said. Wait a minute… While neither company has yet given a hint about when we can expect the software update to land, it's no doubt reassuring for Galaxy Nexus owners to discover that this annoying glitch isn't hardware related.If it had been, Samsung and Google may have had to recall...
Samsung Galaxy Nexus to get volume bug fix
By TechRadar, published 23-11-2011
Both Samsung and Google have admitted that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus suffers from a bug that sees the handset randomly muting and the volume slider only occasionally working as it's meant to when on 2G. Google released a statement earlier saying, "We are aware of the volume issue and have developed a fix. We will update devices as soon as possible." Samsung illuminated further: "We are aware of the volume issue and have developed a fix. We will update devices as soon as possible," the company said. Wait a minute… While neither company has yet given a hint about when we can expect the software update to land, it's no doubt reassuring for Galaxy Nexus owners to discover that this annoying glitch isn't hardware related.If it had been, Samsung and Google may have had to recall...
Samsung Galaxy Nexus to get volume bug fix
By TechRadar, published 23-11-2011
Both Samsung and Google have admitted that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus suffers from a bug that sees the handset randomly muting and the volume slider only occasionally working as it's meant to when on 2G. Google released a statement earlier saying, "We are aware of the volume issue and have developed a fix. We will update devices as soon as possible." Samsung illuminated further: "We are aware of the volume issue and have developed a fix. We will update devices as soon as possible," the company said. Wait a minute… While neither company has yet given a hint about when we can expect the software update to land, it's no doubt reassuring for Galaxy Nexus owners to discover that this annoying glitch isn't hardware related.If it had been, Samsung and Google may have had to recall...
Samsung confirms Nexus volume fix but freezes shipments
By SlashGear, published 23-11-2011
Samsung UK has joined Google in promising a software fix for the volume bug in the Galaxy Nexus, suggesting that the company “will update devices as soon as possible”; however, more retailers have apparently reacted to the issue by freezing shipments of the ICS smartphone. Samsung took to Twitter to confirm its awareness of the volume issue, indicating [...]
Samsung GALAXY Nexus volume issues are software related, fix coming soon
By phoneArena, published 23-11-2011
Google has confirmed that the volume issues plaguing some Samsung GALAXY Nexus smartphones are related to the software of the device, and that an upcoming fix should take care of them...
Galaxy Nexus volume bug fix in pipeline
By SlashGear, published 23-11-2011
The erratic volume bug affecting Galaxy Nexus owners has been acknowledged by Google, with the company promising that a fix has been developed and should be released soon. Some users had complained that the volume on the Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone would mute or fluctuate, apparently at random; the search giant told AndroidPolice that it was “aware of [...]
December launch for Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus “confirmed”
By SlashGear, published 23-11-2011
There’s been much weeping and gnashing of teeth over the U.S. launch of Google’s Galaxy Nexus, expected to land first in an LTE version for Verizon. According to Business Insider, Verizon has missed the rumored November 28th release date and will launch the phone in December. The 8th is the latest in a long, long [...]
Google updates Verizon Nexus page, 32 GB internal storage is back
By phoneArena, published 22-11-2011
Google has updated its product time once again, and not only have they returned the 32 GB model to Verizon's variant of the Galaxy Nexus, but the 16 GB version has disappeared...
Nexus Prime is the name of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus
By GSMArena, published 22-11-2011
Just a few days ago Google released an official video featuring a Verizon-branded Galaxy Nexus. It was more than enough to prove the third installment of the Google phone is indeed coming to Verizon's network. Today we have an addition to that story. A leaked Best Buy ad shows the Verizon's Galaxy Nexus will be actually called Samsung Nexus Prime, most probably for easier differentiation among...
Galaxy Nexus Review
By SlashGear, published 22-11-2011
A new Nexus is a big deal in Android land, and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has plenty to live up to. As close to an official Googlephone as we ever get, they demonstrate not just how Android’s creators think smartphone development should progress, but set the benchmark by which the platform as a whole is [...]
Adobe Flash Coming To Android 4.0 In 2011 As Last Update
By MaximumPC, published 21-11-2011
Early adopters of Google’s new flagship phone, the Galaxy Nexus, were a little concerned when Adobe Flash didn’t come pre-loaded on the device, and was nowhere to be found in the Android Market. With the recent announcement that Adobe was walking away from mobile Flash, many users expected this to be the abrupt end of the line. Now Adobe has explained its position in a more nuanced way than before, and users won’t be left out in the cold just yet. In the case of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a version of Adobe Flash Player will be developed, and should be in the Android Market before the end of the year. However, this is the last major update the software will get. Adobe is super-serious this time. Really. Whatever the next major release of Android is, there will be no Flash ...
Galaxy Nexus Permanent Root accessed, painless process revealed
By SlashGear, published 21-11-2011
When we talk about gigantic releases of smartphones, the hero phone line for Google’s mobile OS Android, otherwise known as Nexus, has its name up there with the iPhone – and now the newest family member, the Galaxy Nexus, has had its heart unlocked with a full permanent root, its body now ready for hacks [...]
Galaxy S II with Ice Cream Sandwich Alpha Build hands-on
By SlashGear, published 21-11-2011
Now that the Galaxy Nexus is out and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is released to the open source community, we’re seeing the first iterations of the system being crafted into specific device-worthy builds – what we’ve got for you here today is a look at Google’s newest mobile OS on none other than the [...]
Updated: Google: Flash for Ice Cream Sandwich yet to be released
By TechRadar, published 21-11-2011
Update: Adobe has confirmed that it will indeed be releasing Flash Player for ICS.It said in a statement sent to Pocket-Lint, "Adobe will release one more version of the Flash Player for mobile browsing, which will provide support for Android 4.0, and one more release of the Flash Linux Porting Kit -both expected to be released before the end of this year." And that's your lot - after Android 4.0 support, there will be no more versions of Flash Player built by Adobe, although it will continue to offer "critical bug fixes and security updates". Google has confirmed that Ice Cream Sandwich lacks Flash support and will continue to do so until Adobe makes the necessary updates to the software. Despite Adobe deciding to axe Flash for mobile devices, the company is still expected...
Updated: Google: Flash for Ice Cream Sandwich yet to be released
By TechRadar, published 21-11-2011
Update: Adobe has confirmed that it will indeed be releasing Flash Player for ICS.It said in a statement sent to Pocket-Lint, "Adobe will release one more version of the Flash Player for mobile browsing, which will provide support for Android 4.0, and one more release of the Flash Linux Porting Kit -both expected to be released before the end of this year." And that's your lot - after Android 4.0 support, there will be no more versions of Flash Player built by Adobe, although it will continue to offer "critical bug fixes and security updates". Google has confirmed that Ice Cream Sandwich lacks Flash support and will continue to do so until Adobe makes the necessary updates to the software. Despite Adobe deciding to axe Flash for mobile devices, the company is still expected...
Google: Flash for Ice Cream Sandwich yet to be released
By TechRadar, published 21-11-2011
Google has confirmed that Ice Cream Sandwich lacks Flash support and will continue to do so until Adobe makes the necessary updates to the software. Despite Adobe deciding to axe Flash for mobile devices, the company is still expected to make the media-friendly format work for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, currently the only ICS phone around. A Google spokesperson said, "Flash hasn't been released for ICS yet so as far as we know, Adobe will support Flash for ICS." No flash in this panThere's no mention of a timescale for the Flash release, however, but we'd imagine that Adobe is all over it, especially as we're anticipating a slew of ICS-toting devices to launch over the coming months. The lack of Flash support didn't escape our attention during TechRadar's indepth Samsung Galaxy Nexu...
Verizon leak has Galaxy Nexus with 32 GB of storage
By phoneArena, published 21-11-2011
This is quickly becoming a case of he said/she said. On Sunday, Google quietly changed the specs on the official Galaxy Nexus website killing the 32 GB LTE option, but a new Verizon leak brings it back to life...
Ice Cream Sandwich custom ROM now available for the Nexus S
By GSMArena, published 20-11-2011
Earlier this week when Google released the source code for Ice Cream Sandwich we knew it won't be long before developers start coming up with custom ICS ROMs for other Android devices. And one such ROM has just surfaced. Created by xda-developer member 'kwiboo', this custom ROM is currently only meant for the Nexus S and its variants. From what we can tell, the ROM is pretty stable with...
Google updates Galaxy Nexus specs, may have killed 32GB model
By phoneArena, published 19-11-2011
Google quietly updated the specs for the Galaxy Nexus on the official website, the good news is that the official specs now show a bigger battery, but there is possible bad news in the changes as well...
Woz gets a Galaxy Nexus straight from Google
By phoneArena, published 19-11-2011
Steve Wozniak has found the loophole in the system in order to get a Galaxy Nexus before it has even been given a proper release date in the USA: be an engineering genius who was in on the ground floor of the PC revolution...
Steve Wozniak poses with his new Galaxy Nexus at Google Building 44
By SlashGear, published 19-11-2011
It would appear that aside from those here in the United States that dropped a mint on an internationally shipped Galaxy Nexus and those of you living in the UK where they’re already in stores, it’s just the publishers who were amongst the lucky to review the device and none other than Apple co-founder Steve [...]
The changing face of Google Nexus brand
By phoneArena, published 18-11-2011
Google has slowly ceded control over what has traditionally been known as a pure Google experience device while pushing the Nexus closer to a mass market device. But, have the trade-offs changed the meaning of Nexus?...
Review: Samsung Galaxy Nexus
By TechRadar, published 18-11-2011
Overview, Design and Feel.The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the world's first phone to run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and comes with a plethora of top end tech, including a huge but still massively high resolution screen.There are some gadgets in geek-world that are announced and we just cannot wait to touch. Nokia's N95, the original iPhone, the T-Mobile G1 and Palm's first Pre. And the Galaxy Nexus fits firmly in that category.The big selling point here is not so much the handset – it's what powers the Galaxy Nexus. Google has redrawn its Android OS in probably the biggest overhaul since it launched exactly three years ago. brightcove : 1244183571001Ice Cream Sandwich fuses together last year's Gingerbread OS for phones and Honeycomb for tablets and gives us a whole new, futuristic And...
AT&T gauges interest in the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Google+
By phoneArena, published 18-11-2011
AT&T was running a poll on Google+ whether its customers will be interested in getting the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Now that's what we call democracy, and the carrier requested everyone who means it to +1 it...
Samsung confirms Android 4.0 ICS update for Galaxy S II
By Thinkdigit, published 18-11-2011
Samsung has confirmed that its Galaxy S II smartphone will receive the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update very soon. However, Samsung has not yet revealed exactly when it will start rolling out the update. "Hi, good news—the Galaxy S II will be receiving ICS, but there are no dates confirmed as yet. We will keep you posted," the company said via its @SamsungUK Twitter feed. The announcement comes days after Samsung and Google jointly unveiled the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream [...] Read the entire article
Google supplies bevy of introductory videos starring the Verizon Galaxy Nexus
By phoneArena, published 17-11-2011
U.S. variants of the Galaxy Nexus haven't been announced yet, but you can see the Verizon LTE version star in a new series of preview videos Google recently posted to their Galaxy Nexus YouTube channel...
Verizon's LTE version of Samsung GALAXY Nexus a bit more hefty than GSM version
By phoneArena, published 17-11-2011
After Google outed the tech specs on the LTE version of the Samsung GALAXY Nexus, it came as no surprise that the inclusion of the LTE radio brought a little extra heft to Verizon's variant of the phone; sure, at 9.47mm we are not suggesting Jenny Craig, but the GSM model is a more svelte 8.97mm thin...
Google Galaxy Nexus is coming to Verizon, confirmed
By GSMArena, published 17-11-2011
Thanks to the newest Galaxy Nexus video into the phone's official YouTube channel, we now know the gadget is coming to Verizon too. The latest video shows a Verizon-branded Galaxy Nexus with the 4G LTE logo at the back. So, no more wondering or speculations - the Galaxy Nexus is coming to Verizon. Since this video is still online, we expect the official announcement to come...
Google goes poetic in new Galaxy Nexus commercial
By phoneArena, published 17-11-2011
Along with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the UK, Google has released a new commercial for the device entitled "Calling all..." which shows off the more poetic side of Google...
Samsung Galaxy Nexus officially on sale in UK
By phoneArena, published 17-11-2011
As of 8 AM this morning GMT, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus officially went on sale in the UK through Phones4U, but will come to other major carriers in the next few days according to Google...
Sprint offering Black Friday deals over Thanksgiving weekend
By phoneArena, published 17-11-2011
Sprint has some Thanksgiving specials that it wants you to gobble up, starting the Friday after Turkey day and ending on that Sunday; some of the devices receiving special pricing include the Google Nexus S and the HTC EVO 3D...
Galaxy Nexus goes on sale
By SlashGear, published 17-11-2011
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has gone on sale, with the UK getting the first opportunity to buy the third official Google Phone complete with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Retailer Phones 4U grabbed the exclusive on the 4.65-inch Super AMOLED HD smartphone, offering the handset from free with a £36 ($57) per month, two-year agreement. [...]
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich source posted by Google
By SlashGear, published 14-11-2011
This week it appears that Google is nearly ready to start shipping out those Galaxy Nexus devices as the source for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich has been posted and is now available for download by anyone and everyone. The version that’s been posted is the same that we’ve seen sitting on the Samsung Galaxy [...]
Customers of Three UK to get Galaxy Nexus free with two year contract
By phoneArena, published 14-11-2011
Official pre-order pricing for Three UK shows that outside of the Verizon LTE version the Galaxy Nexus may be priced to sell. This may herald a sea change in Google's strategy for the Nexus brand...
Samsung Galaxy Nexus release date revealed
By TechRadar, published 14-11-2011
Both Phones4U and 02 have confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is set of a mid-November launch.O2 was first to reveal that it is to stock the Android handset in the most fitting way possible – by posting its announcement on its Google+ page.Although it didn't specify a date in the original post it did tell one commenter that it would be out 17 November.While Three and Vodafone have said they will also stock the Samsung Galaxy Nexus neither have committed to a date.Nexus newsPhones4U has also revealed that it will be selling the Nexus 3 as of 17 November, which all-but seals the deal that this is the handset's official release date.Instead of using Google+, however, it sent out an update which read: "pre order for your chance to have it delivered before 9am on launch day 17 Novembe...
Google to hold Android event on Nov 16th
By phoneArena, published 14-11-2011
Seems like Google has more aces up its sleeve even after the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich/Galaxy Nexus unveiling, as a new invitation pin-points November 16th…
Google giving away ten GALAXY Nexus phones starting Saturday at 9am Pacific time
By phoneArena, published 11-12-2011
Google is giving away ten copies of the Samsung GALAXY Nexus in the next ten days and to be eligible to win the phone, you must follow @ggoglenexus and be prepared to answer hard questions; only one entry is allowed per person per day as the contest starts Saturday at 9am Pacific time...
Android 4.0 Face Unlock Defeated With A Picture
By MaximumPC, published 11-11-2011
At Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) launch event, the new Face Unlock feature was called ‘beta’, and it turns out with good reason. At a recent Samsung demo event, one reviewer had the chance to play with the Galaxy Nexus and test out the Face Unlock feature. After setting up the device to recognize him and unlock the phone, he was able to unlock the device with a picture of himself on a second phone. Oops. Users have been wondering if this was possible, or if Google had worked out some sort of fix for this ago-old facial recognition problem. The demo filmed by the blogger was quite striking, with the device unlocking almost immediately. Clearly, this is not meant to be an ironclad security method. it is important to note that there are currently a few different builds of ICS runnin...
Video shows Face Unlock on Galaxy Nexus tricked by photo
By phoneArena, published 11-11-2011
Google said it wouldn't be possible to trick Ice Cream Sandwich's new Face Unlock feature with a photo of a person, but new video is showing that it can be done...
Samsung GALAXY Nexus battery life test suggests impressive mileage
By phoneArena, published 11-11-2011
The LTE-enabled Samsung GALAXY Nexus might have a relatively better battery life, according to a test conducted by a lucky individual who got to play with Google's next reference device. After over 5 hours...
Hands on: Huawei Vision review
By TechRadar, published 11-08-2011
Huawei has finally confirmed it will be bringing the Huawei Vision to UK shores, and we managed to nab some hands on time with the new phone.It's meant to be a mid-range smartphone, bringing an Android 2.3-powered handset with a £25 a month contract price, according to Huawei.In truth, it's an interesting proposition in the smartphone market, as it's got all the specs you'd imagine to compete in the market, but without the known brand name behind it.At the dimly-lit launch event we checked out the new phone - and to its credit, is actually rather well-crafted with a sleek unibody design that tapers to 9.9mm at its thinnest point.It's definitely a successor to the Huawei Blaze in the design stakes - both have a rounded metallic feel, but the Blaze comes with a more plastic-based chassis (a...
Google and Samsung continue to bungle the Galaxy Nexus launch
By phoneArena, published 11-07-2011
Google is missing big opportunities with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus because of mismanagement and a lack of information or marketing surrounding the upcoming release...
Review: HTC Radar
By TechRadar, published 11-02-2011
Overview, design and feelThe HTC Radar is the latest smartphone to run Windows Phone 7.5, following on from the HTC Titan. With a smooth unibody design, HD video recording and 5MP camera, will it be enough to make Windows Phone a success?If HTC was at school right now, you can't help feeling it'd be getting an A for effort. The Taiwanese manufacturer is certainly churning out handsets like nobody's business. For the last few years, it's been concentrating mainly on Android - but now Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is here, it's going for gold. Probably much to the annoyance of Nokia, which adopted WP as its main operating system months ago, but is still being pipped to the post by HTC when it comes to getting handsets on the shelves.Little brother of the HTC Titan and the second handset from HTC t...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 31-10-2011
iPhone 5 rumours: iPhone 4S and new rumoursAs it happened, there was no iPhone 5 after all, but the company did announce the iPhone 4S.However, the iPhone 5 is still on the cards - we're expecting it to debut in mid 2012. You can check out the latest rumours about iPhone 5 below.First though, why not read our complete iPhone 4S review?Also check out our iPhone 4S video review:brightcove : 1224629147001Here are the new iPhone 5 rumours we've gathered together since the iPhone 4S launchiPhone 5 release dateUPDATE: For the latest on new iPhone 5's release date, check out our regularly updated article iPhone 5 release date.Given the pattern Apple's iPhone launches, we're expecting the next-gen iPhone 5 to debut in mid to late 2012. We reckon it's most likely to be shown off at Apple's Worldwid...
LG Optimus 2X will not be getting a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich
By GSMArena, published 29-10-2011
This one is surely much tougher to get over than in the case of Google Nexus One, folks. After all, the latter is almost two years old now. It appears that LG Optimus 2X - officially the first smartphone to feature a dual-core CPU, will not be getting an official update to Google's latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Here is what LG responded to a question regarding the Optimus 2X...
Google says Siri like Star Wars, Android more like Star Trek
By SlashGear, published 28-10-2011
While the rest of the world was running around crashing its head into a wall in excitement over the just-revealed Galaxy Nexus and finalized Ice Cream Sandwich from Google, we had a sit-down with several Android authorities, one of whom, Matias Duarte to be exact, had a rather interesting take on the difference between voice [...]
Updated: 20 best mobile phones in the world today
By TechRadar, published 28-10-2011
Best mobile phone: OverviewWhat's the best mobile phone? Our verdict on the best smartphone / best phones - constantly updated We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best one for you?If you've read our list of the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our continually-updated comparison of the top 20 best smartphones you can get in the UK.The last update saw the Samsung Galaxy S2 nabbing the top spot - the combo of Android 2.3 and a beautiful screen in a tightly packaged body saw it head straight to the top of the pile.But now Apple has finally brought out another version of the iPhone (if you want a sneaky peek, you can read our iPhone 4S review) so ...
Hands on: Motorola Atrix 2 review
By TechRadar, published 28-10-2011
Hands on: Motorola Atrix 2 reviewThe original Motorola Atrix smartphone was a powerful device that doubled as a pseudo laptop or AV centre - you could connect it to an HDTV in your living room or the LCD on your desk and run a Linux variant with full keyboard and mouse. The Atrix 2 adds a few twists, and is a powerful phone that falls in the same league as the Samsung Galaxy S2.One of those new twists is an 8-megapixel camera, now becoming standard on the hottest Android models. We decided to put this upgraded camera through some serious tests, knowing it is the one major improvement to the original Atrix phone, which had a 5MP camera.First, an overview of the new model. The Atrix 2 matches up with the specs of the original Atrix - which we're a little disappointed in to be honest, as we'd...
10 coolest Android Ice Cream Sandwich features
By Thinkdigit, published 28-10-2011
Last week Google and Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Nexus, the first phone designed specifically with Android 4.0 (aka Ice Cream Sandwich) in mind. Ice Cream Sandwich will, naturally, make its way to other handsets when it's released to the public sometime in November. As such, we're taking a look at the latest Google Android mobile operating system. Ice Cream Sandwich contains many new features, but we've highlighted 10 of the tastiest, ranging from wireless sharing to new widget management. Chec [...] Read the entire article
Study: Fragmented Android Users "Get Screwed"
By MaximumPC, published 27-10-2011
The fragmentation that exists on the Android platform is an annoying side effect of Google's open-source ecosystem, and we'll be reminded of that once Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) slowly rolls out to certain devices, while others are left out in the cold. Such will be the case of the Nexus One, a phone Google said is simply "too old" for a major OS update. But do Nexus One owners have it all that bad? Not according to a study posted on The Understatement blog. Michael Degusta, the study's author, says he "tracked down every update that was released" for every Android phone shipped in the U.S. up through the middle of last year, and it turns out Nexus One owners have had it better than most, though the overall "picture isn't pretty." Other than the G1 and MyTouch, Degusta says virtually...
Ice Cream Sandwich is officially a no go for Google Nexus One
By GSMArena, published 27-10-2011
As the first device to bear the Nexus moniker, the Google Nexus One is still a highly revered Android smartphone. Sadly however, its owners will not be able to (officially) enjoy an update to the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. According to Hugo Barra - Android's product management director at Google, the hardware of the device is "simply too old to run the new operating...
The Nexus One Will Not Be Getting a Tasty Ice Cream Sandwich
By MaximumPC, published 26-10-2011
The venerable Nexus One was launched in early 2010 and set the stage for a new breed of faster Android devices. Sales were lackluster, but a certain contingent of Android lovers embraced the Nexus One, and many still use it today. Google, however, is less smitten with this phone of yesteryear. The Big G announced today that the Nexus One will not be getting an official update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Nexus One launched with Android 2.1, and was later updated to Android 2.2. Early this year it was bumped up again to Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Google is saying that the device is just too old to properly run ICS, but did not give any specifics. The processor is rated at 1GHz, and hold up fairly well, though the GPU is sluggish by today’s standards. Probably the sticking point is...
Google Nexus One not getting ICS, but Nexus S will in a few weeks
By phoneArena, published 26-10-2011
Google has confirmed that the Nexus S will be getting the update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in the next few weeks, but that the Nexus One will never get the official update because it simply isn't powerful enough...
Google: No Ice Cream Sandwich for Nexus One
By SlashGear, published 26-10-2011
Google’s original Nexus One will not get an official upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, it has been confirmed, with only the Nexus S getting the latest version of the smartphone platform. While the Nexus S will get updated “within weeks” of Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) going live, Google’s Hugo Barra confirmed to the [...]
Samsung Galaxy Nexus on sale in UK, shipping November
By SlashGear, published 25-10-2011
It appears that the first place to formally offer up the Galaxy Nexus for sale is Phones4u in the UK, complete with shipping date of November 16th. For those of you who are unaware of the world of Android, this Galaxy Nexus device is Google’s next hero device, the one to run their next-level mobile [...]
Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Nexus review
By TechRadar, published 25-10-2011
Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Nexus reviewWe managed to nab some time with the most hotly-anticipated phone of the moment - the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.Featuring a whopping 4.65-inch screen with a dizzying 1280 x 720 resolution, we're talking about a phone that really pushes the boat out when it comes to display technology.It's 'only' Super AMOLED, rather than the Plus technology we've seen on Galaxy S2, but it's still pin-sharp - almost at iPhone levels but on a much larger scale.It lacks the lightweight feel of the Galaxy S2, but at 135g it's hardly a hefty monster - it sits nicely in the pocket and has a solid feel to it too.The back has a pleasant mesh feeling to it as well - like many other Samsung handsets, the mottled effect helps the phone from getting hot in the hand.It's a thin phone as ...
Hands on: Ice Cream Sandwich review
By TechRadar, published 25-10-2011
Hands on: Ice Cream Sandwich reviewIce Cream Sandwich, or Android 4.0, is the next release from Google to help it keep its position at the sharp end of the smartphone market.Designed to bring its phone and tablet operating systems together, ICS features a huge amount of new code from Google to create new features, easier methods of use and more.Let's dive in and see what the software is all about in our hands on: Ice Cream Sandwich Android 4.0 review.Home screenGoogle has done a lot more with the home screen than ever before, offering up more interactive widgets (plus the ability to resize them as well) with over 30 offered up from launch, with a glut more to come.Google has said that it wants the main theme of ICS to be customisation, allowing users to be as in-depth or minimalist as they...
Hands on: Samsung Epic 4G Touch review
By TechRadar, published 25-10-2011
Hands on: Samsung Epic 4G Touch reviewHow do you make one of the best phones ever released even better? With the US-only Samsung Epic 4G Touch, which was released recently in the US by Sprint, the super-thin (9.59mm) and super-light (128.9 grams) device is remarkably similar to the Samsung Galaxy SII, our Android-leading current 5-star phone.Even the demigods at Apple might need to worry a little about the Epic 4G Touch. Sure, the iPhone 4S has a bright and crisp screen, with a fast A5 processor. Yet, the Epic 4G Touch goes a few steps beyond those specs. Outfitted with a 1.2GHz Exynos processor, the Epic is one of the fastest phones we've ever tested. Apps pop up suddenly. Flipping between widgets, there's none of the annoying pause of some earlier Android models. Games like NOVA 2, a sci...
O2 to get Galaxy Nexus in November
By phoneArena, published 25-10-2011
Google had mentioned that it would be launching the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus with partners around the world, and now O2 has unveiled itself as one of those partners with a new teaser page...
Motorola Plans To Update Some Devices To Android 4.0 Within Six Weeks
By MaximumPC, published 24-10-2011
The bane of every Android user’s existence is the update cycle. Just because Google has updated the platform doesn’t mean that every device maker will be able to get an update to every phone in short order; or at all. That’s why Motorola’s new statement via Twitter is so surprising. In a series of Tweets, the OEM has confirmed that 6 weeks after the code is available, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will be in the hands of some Moto users. After a little clarification, Motorola has confirmed that there will be updates for three devices in the specified time frame. The devices called out are the Droid RAZR, Bionic, and Xoom tablet. At that point, the company says it will make a decision on other devices. We would be surprised if other phones like the Droid X2 and Photon 4G don’t al...
In Depth: Android Jelly Bean: 10 things we want to see
By TechRadar, published 24-10-2011
Android Jelly Bean: 10 things we want to seeSo we've had a few days to digest Google's enormous update to Android, with the release of its "Ice Cream Sandwich" Android 4.0 software adding a huge amount of new functionality and visual polish to the mobile OS. But what about the Android 4.5 or Android 5? Google pumps out Android updates faster than we can scoff double-choc Magnums, and it's already been reported that work on the next version of Android is under way, with the so-called "Android Jelly Bean " update next on the radar.So what would we like to see in Andoid Jelly Bean? Can Android 4.0 be topped, or would we all be better off with HTC Sense, TouchWiz, or surrendering to the weight of public opinion and buying an iPhone 4S? Here's what we'd like Google to include in...
Samsung Galaxy Nexus Hands-on
By phoneArena, published 22-10-2011
This week saw the introduction of the third Google phone – the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. As you probably know, Nexus phones are designed to offer a pure Android experience, unaltered by any custom software. They are used to showcase a brand new version of the Android operating system, while also offering top-notch hardware along the way. All of this is true for the Galaxy Nexus – the device comes pre-installed with what might be considered the biggest evolution of the OS until now in Ice Cream Sandwich, while also sporting a mesmerizing HD Super AMOLED screen, powerful dual-core processor and what not. But still, some may argue that not all about the Galaxy Nexus is good in terms of hardware and design...
All of our Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich-Samsung Galaxy NEXUS coverage in one place
By phoneArena, published 21-10-2011
The joint event featuring Google and Samsung at AsiaD, we can safely say, brought two major novelties that will affect Android and the industry for years in the future…
Google Music set for November launch?
By TechRadar, published 20-10-2011
An iTunes-style store for Google Music could be launching in the US as early as next month, according to reports, with numerous deals signed with music labels.According to the Guardian the music store add-on, which will sit alongside the company's cloud music service, is close to opening in the US with EMI apparently signed on and Universal about to commit. Sony and Warner are also deep in negotiations.Speaking at the launch of the Nexus Prime in Hong Kong, head of Android development for Google Andy Rubin hinted that the music service was nearly ready to cross the Atlantic, explaining: "I think we're close… it will have a little Google in it. We won't just be selling 99-cent tracks."No chargeAt the moment Google is not charging for its service – which is similar to iTunes Matc...
Samsung Galaxy Nexus hands-on: First look
By GSMArena, published 19-10-2011
Well, Google didn't just unveil a new version of their mobile OS early this morning. They also unveiled their next Google phone, a new galaxy by the name of Nexus. And just a glance on that Super AMOLED screen in 720p HD resolution is enough to tell you it means business.
Android's Andy Rubin slaps down Siri
By TechRadar, published 19-10-2011
Andy Rubin, the Head of Android at Google, has taken a swipe at the Siri personal assistant feature on the new Apple iPhone 4S.Following the launch of Android 4.0 Honeycomb on in Hong Kong, Rubin today said that your smartphone shouldn't be for talking into, but for communicating with people."I don't believe that your phone should be an assistant," said Rubin during an interview."Your phone is a tool for communicating. You shouldn't be communicating with the phone; you should be communicating with somebody on the other side of the phone."Projecting the futureRubin did applaud Apple's foresight in bringing the tech to the market at the right time, but was keen to point out that Siri isn't a new idea. "To some degree it is natural for you to talk to your phone. We'll see ...
Why Google went with Texas Instruments silicon for the Galaxy Nexus Android ICS poster child
By phoneArena, published 19-10-2011
Whether it is because TI's OMAP 4460 plays well with LTE basebands, because it has excellent Image Signal Processor and the IVA3 multimedia accelerator, or just because of office politics, TI's OMAP family enters the spotlight with the Galaxy Nexus...
Galaxy Nexus spotted with Verizon 4G LTE
By SlashGear, published 19-10-2011
Google and Samsung jointly announced last night the much anticipated Galaxy Nexus, which will be the first smartphone to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Although no particular carrier was mentioned for the device, it’s long been rumored that Verizon opted out of the Samsung Galaxy S II to get first dibs on the Galaxy [...]
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich: What's New?
By DigitalVersus, published 19-10-2011
Samsung and Google have now officially presented their Galaxy Nexus smartphone, the first handset to run on Android 4. So what's new in the updated version of Google's mobile OS?...
Samsung Galaxy NEXUS vs S II vs Motorola DROID RAZR vs iPhone 4S: spec comparison
By phoneArena, published 19-10-2011
The last 24 hours, or let's just call it the last couple of weeks, have been kind of crazy. After the iPhone 4S was unveiled, now we have two brand new top notch devices in the Android camp and a major update of Google's platform. You know what that brings up...
Google re-launces the Nexus website
By phoneArena, published 19-10-2011
Right after their announcements of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Google has re-launched the Nexus website where anybody can register to find out more information…
Hands on: Motorola Razr review
By TechRadar, published 19-10-2011
Hands on Motorola Razr review: HandlingMotorola has stayed true to its roots with its latest release – the Motorola Razr. Named after the popular clamshell handset which was released back in 2004, Moto is relying on seven years of brand building in the hope that its newest handset can compete against a new wave of smartphones – including the recently announced Samsung Galaxy Nexus.When it comes to looks, the Motorola Razr is nothing like its past namesake. Moto has dropped the clamshell look for a chassis that's ultra-thin – it's a mere 7.1mm. Motorola is claiming this makes it the thinnest smartphone in the world and we are not going to argue. In the flesh, it is positively waif-like. It's dexterous enough, though, to not feel like you are going to snap the thing.Looks-wise, Moto ha...
Motorola Razr Android 4.0 update confirmed for 2012
By TechRadar, published 19-10-2011
Alain Mutricy of Motorola has confirmed that the Motorola Razr will launch in the UK with Android 2.3, with an update of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich coming in 2012.There's been much talk as to whether the Motorola Razr would get Ice Cream Sandwich from the off, considering the OS was launched by Google this week and will be coming to the Google Nexus Prime, which is made by Samsung.Mutricy tackled the question at a press conference in Berlin, with TechRadar in attendance, and explained the reasons why it will be a few months until it gets Android 4.0.Early 2012"This phone has been built on Gingerbread but Android 4.0 will come in the early 2012. "What is important is that all the innovation we are talking about will able to be imported onto the ICS features."The features Mut...
Android 4.0 updates due 'weeks' after Galaxy Nexus launch
By TechRadar, published 19-10-2011
Ice Cream Sandwich could find its way onto Android smartphones within weeks, according to Google's Andy Rubin.Rubin confirmed to AllThingsD that the updated operating system will be released "a matter of weeks" after the latest Ice Cream Sandwich phone - the Samsung Galaxy Nexus - is released in November.It's not known which OEMs will push the update, or which handsets it will be deployed on, but Google has said that it will be landing on all Gingerbread devices.Galaxy questWe're currently chasing manufacturers for news of updates, including Samsung, whose Galaxy S2 smartphone and Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet should be frontrunners for the new update. HTC, meanwhile, has said that it's "currently reviewing its features and functionality to determine our upgrade plans."The biggest...
Android 4.0 upgrades just “weeks” after Nexus release says Rubin
By SlashGear, published 19-10-2011
Ice Cream Sandwich should begin appearing on existing Android smartphones “a matter of weeks” after the Samsung Galaxy Nexus goes on sale in November, Google’s Andy Rubin has confirmed. Rubin didn’t specify which Android OEMs were expected to push out v4.0 first, while speaking at AllThingsD this morning, but did suggest that the delay between the [...]
Google And Samsung Make Galaxy Nexus Official
By HotHardware, published 19-10-2011
As expected, Samsung Mobile and Google officially announced the Galaxy Nexus in Hong Kong last night. In the past, we've known this phone by a few names including the Nexus Prime and Droid Prime. This phone will be the world's first smartphone to feature Google's latest version of Android – version 4.0 which has also been called Ice...
Updated: Samsung Galaxy Nexus: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 19-10-2011
Galaxy Nexus: what you need to knowThe first Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone has been announced and it's called the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.Want to know more about the handset? Here's everything we have so far. Samsung Galaxy Nexus UK release date The Samsung Galaxy Nexus UK release date is November, if an erroneous flyer from Japanese Network DoCoMo is to be believed. We definitely know it'll be available on Vodafone as the network has been in contact with TechRadar to confirm. We also know that it's coming to Threeand O2.Samsung Galaxy Nexus pricePhones4U is the first to offer up a Samsung Galaxy Nexus UK price, and, while we knew it would be sold at a premium, we didn't expect you'd be paying a whopping £46 per month to get the phone for free – though we're not currently sure how m...
Gary Marshall: Ice Cream Sandwich won't save Android tablets
By TechRadar, published 19-10-2011
Have you had the chance to look at Ice Cream Sandwich, aka Android 4.0, yet? It looks lovely, and boasts a wealth of new features. The camera app has been massively improved, the smartphone UI is much better, speech recognition has been beefed up and Android Beam looks pretty nifty. Best of all, the idea of unlocking your phone with your face - with your FACE! - makes me giggle like a child.There are the usual issues - HTC's being vague about whether it will upgrade everything; the Ice Cream Sandwich-toting Nexus S will cost Apple money in the UK - but I reckon it's safe to make a couple of predictions here.One, Android 4.0 smartphones will fly off the shelves.And two, Android 4.0 tablets won't.Different strokesDo you know how many Android tablets were sold worldwide in the last twelve mon...
Android Ice Cream Sandwich-GALAXY Nexus event full video appears
By phoneArena, published 19-10-2011
Yesterday, Google and Samsung stirred the industry with some huge announcements - Google brought Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a major redefinition of the Android experience…
Nexus S will get Android Ice Cream Sandwich, Gingerbread phones "theoretically" in the mix too
By phoneArena, published 19-10-2011
Google's Gabe Cohen has confirmed that the company is working on porting Android Ice Cream Sandwich to last year's poster child for Android 2.3 Gingerbread - the Nexus S: "Currently in the process for releasing Ice Cream Sandwich for Nexus S. Theoretically should work for any 2.3 device.", have been the exact words...
Android Beam brings touch to share on NFC-enabled Androids
By phoneArena, published 19-10-2011
When we first heard about the newly announced Galaxy Nexus coming with NFC our first thought was Google Wallet. After the Android ICS demo, though, this quickly changed to Android Beam…
Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) Hands-on
By SlashGear, published 19-10-2011
Android is now three years old, and with v4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Google has given it perhaps the biggest update yet. With elements pulled in from Gingerbread and Honeycomb, ICS also has plenty of new functionality debuting on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. We’ve spent some hands-on time with Android 4.0 on the new Nexus, so [...]
Motorola Droid Razr: 4.3'' OLED Screen But Thinner Than The Nexus
By DigitalVersus, published 19-10-2011
At the same time as Google and Samsung were jointly launching the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the first phone to feature the new version 4.0 of the Android OS, Motorola—which...
Samsung and Google unveil Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Galaxy Nexus
By Thinkdigit, published 19-10-2011
Samsung and Google yesterday unveiled Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), and the platform lead device for it – the Galaxy Nexus (Nexus Prime has been dropped as a name). For now, no pricing details accompanied the announcement, and the phone will only be available from November in Asia, Europe, and the U.S, and will grace shelves gradually in other territories across the globe. Details about when an ICS update will rollout for other Android devices have not been revealed either. Sams [...] Read the entire article
Google's successes and disappointments with the Nexus/Ice Cream Sandwich announcement
By phoneArena, published 19-10-2011
Google and Samsung took a lot of care to study the Apple iPhone announcement and hit the topics that many found disappointing from Apple and show off the strides the Nexus is taking to pass the competition...
First official Ice Cream Sandwich promo video
By phoneArena, published 19-10-2011
Google and Samsung have announced the Galaxy Nexus and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and that means it is time to start promoting the new goodies with a new video and homage to Tron...
Galaxy Nexus Hands-on
By SlashGear, published 19-10-2011
Samsung and Google unveiled the Galaxy Nexus and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in Hong Kong today, and we grabbed some hands-on time with the new dual-core smartphone. Just 8.94mm thick, with a Contour Curve design, huge high-resolution display and choice of LTE or HSPA+ versions, the Galaxy Nexus is a fitting flagship to continue [...]
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich announced
By GSMArena, published 19-10-2011
The Google and Samsung is currently underway in Hong Kong. We're expecting to see the announcement of the Galaxy Nexus anytime now. Andy Rubin just made the Google Nexus official. You can read about it in detail here. Ice Cream Sandwich now has a cool looking lockscreen and homescreen with new font and animations. The UI looks a lot similar to Honeycomb and to all the leaks we saw...
Samsung Galaxy Nexus and ICS announcement: Live Coverage!
By phoneArena, published 19-10-2011
This is our Live Coverage article, dedicated to the official unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and Ice Cream Sandwich - the latest version of the Android operating system by Google. Hop in to enjoy our up-to-the-minute updates of what's happening over in Hong Kong...
Samsung Galaxy Nexus leaks ahead of tomorrow's ICS event
By GSMArena, published 18-10-2011
Looks like Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo just couldn't wait any longer and announced Google's next Nexus phone, the Galaxy Nexus, hours before its official unveil at the joint Google and Samsung event in Hong Kong. Luckily for us geeks, the carrier has let some of the promo materials for the Galaxy Nexus slip between its fingers and now we can finally see official full-size shot of the...
Leaked Image Of Droid RAZR Appears
By HotHardware, published 18-10-2011
Tomorrow could be a very good day for Android fans. First up, Motorola is holding a press conference where the Xoom 2 tablet and a phone called the Droid RAZR are expected to be announced. Then, later in the evening, Samsung and Google have scheduled a press event in Hong Kong where the Nexus Prime and Ice Cream Sandwich are expected to be...
Best Buy's Cellebrite system displays Verizon's Google Nexus Prime
By phoneArena, published 15-10-2011
We have seen The Google Nexus Prime on Verizon's Cellebrite system, on Verizon's Device Manager and on Big Red's latest MAP pricing; now, the eagerly awaited handset that brings the debut of Ice Cream Sandwich, shows up on the Cellebrite system of Best Buy...
Latest MAP information from Verizon shows November 10th launch for the Google Nexus Prime
By phoneArena, published 15-10-2011
The latest release of Minimum Advertised Prices from Verizon hints at a November 10th launch for the Google Nexus Prime and also hints at the $299.99 contract price for the handset; also expected the same day and at the same price is the HTC Rezound, formerly known as the HTC Vigor...
Verizon's Device Management System shows off HTC Rezound
By phoneArena, published 15-10-2011
With all Verizon eyes looking at the Google Nexus Prime and the Motorola DROID RAZR, the HTC Rezound is sneaking up from behind with some pretty high-end specs of its own; the device formerly known as the HTC Vigor is Beats Audio model which means it comes with a special pair of earphones...
Ice Cream Sandwich And Nexus Prime Event Rescheduled For October 19
By HotHardware, published 14-10-2011
Last week, we told you that Google and Samsung were postponing an event out of respect for Steve Job's recent passing. Now, the two companies are ready to reschedule this event. On October 19, Samsung and Google are expected to reveal the Nexus Prime smartphone and Google's latest version of Android known as Ice Cream Sandwich. The October...
Ice Cream Sandwich launch event: 19 October
By TechRadar, published 14-10-2011
As if more proof that Ice Cream Sandwich launch was imminent, Google has erected the relevant Android sculpture over at its head office in California. The video description confirms the 19 October launch for the new OS, taking place at 10AM Hong Kong time (3AM UK time), and was posted on Google's brand new @Android Twitter account. The video shows the jolly new Android arriving in its packaging, before being unwrapped and put up by a team of at least ten, answering the age old question of how many Google employees it takes to put up an Android sculpture. Fever pitchWe had expected the new OS to launch earlier this week but Google, and its hardware partner Samsung, decided to postpone the launch, citing "timing" as the reason; most have speculated that this is due to Steve Jobs pass...
Samsung Galaxy Nexus to be announced October 19th
By GSMArena, published 14-10-2011
We've all been aware of the continued partnership between Samsung and Google with regard to the birth of the third Googlephone, following on from the Samsung Nexus S, for some time now. The Nexus Prime or Galaxy Nexus as it has more recently been known, was set to take center-stage alongside the official launch of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest edition of Google's mobile...
Samsung confirms Oct 27th event, but it's for the Galaxy Note, not Nexus Prime
By phoneArena, published 13-10-2011
Samsung postponed its October 11th CTIA event, which - rumor was - had to bring the Nexus Prime and Google’s new Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, and since then speculations circled…
Nexus Prime hits Singaporean retail site with pics galore
By TechRadar, published 10-12-2011
The Google Nexus Prime has surfaced on a Singaporean retailer website, bringing a host of (possibly spurious) photos to its listing.Well, we say a host - we mean four. There's a front-on shot, which shows off the shape of the handset with its Ice Cream Sandwich-y filling, followed by a side image (which looks suspiciously like the cleaned up version of Samsung's teaser video). There's also a nice picture of the handset's behind, which arguably tells us the most out of all the pics. There's definitely a camera (we're thinking 5MP or 8MP) and a single flash. Spec-lessUnfortunately, none of the specs are filled in on the pre-order listing; but we're anticipating a humungous dual-core 1.5GHz processor, a Super AMOLED display (around 4.7-inches) and, of course, Android 4.0 aka Ice Cream Sandwic...
Updated: Nexus Prime rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 10-12-2011
Nexus Prime rumours: What you need to knowGoogle's third Nexus Android phone, officially announced back in May, is expected to be manufactured by Samsung, with many, many recent rumours claiming a model known as the "Nexus Prime" - or the Samsung GT-I9250 - will be the new flagship Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone. Samsung itself has already confirmed that a phone under the name "Nexus Prime" exists, thanks to a list of settings discovered on its own site - but the odd mixture of specifications it contained led some to believe it was simply a placeholder. And whether it'll actually launch under the name Nexus Prime is still debatable, but the Nexus Prime UK release date will be late October or early November 2011. On 11 October it was rumoured that the Nexus Prime UK re...
Ice Cream Sandwich Nexus Prime event now 18 October?
By TechRadar, published 10-12-2011
Samsung and Google may get together to show off the Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) and its flagship Nexus Prime handset on 18 October, according to the latest murmurings. Droid Life cites sources working on the new launch slot, who say that the companies plan to co-incide with the AsiaD: All Things Digital event in Hong Kong, taking place next week. According to these shady characters, Google and Samsung will take to the stage in Hong Kong at 9AM on 19 October - rather inconveniently, that's 2am on 19 October UK time. A sleepless night aheadAfter delaying the event from its original CTIA slot this week, it was rumoured that the two tech giants would schlep over to London to unveil the handset and software on 27 October. But a loose-lipped Samsung exec then told T3 that we'd "have an ...
The Samsung-Google joint Nexus Prime-Android Ice Cream Sandwich event rescheduled for Oct 19th?
By phoneArena, published 10-12-2011
Samsung might have broken a couple of Android fan hearts when the company said it will cancel its October 11th joint event with Samsung. After all, it was expected to bring none other but…
Samsung-Google Unpacked event allegedly rescheduled for 19th
By GSMArena, published 10-12-2011
After Steve Job's death, Samsung and Google decided to postpone their 'Unpacked' event, saying that 'it wasn't the right time to announce a new product'. However, no information was given as to which date the event was postponed to. But we are now hearing that it won't be far from now. According to Engadget, the event has been rescheduled to October 19 and the venue has been shifted to...
Photos from the Samsung Galaxy Nexus found on Google+
By GSMArena, published 10-12-2011
It would appear that shots found on Picasa albums shared between two Google engineers, Roman Kirillov and Chris Yerga, are taken from the camera of the yet-to-be announced Google phone, the Nexus Prime. The photo's EXIF data states that the cameras used to take these images are in fact from the 'Galaxy Nexus' or as we've been calling it, the Nexus Prime. Unfortunatley, whether the cameras have...
Nexus Prime name and release leaked by Samsung
By SlashGear, published 10-11-2011
This week in the UK the Samsung Galaxy S II was awarded Phone of the Year by T3, and there the person accepting the award, UK Samsung Sales Director Andrew Glass, let loose the official name for the next Google hero phone: Nexus Prime. This normally wouldn’t be such a big deal for a smartphone, [...]
Google Nexus Prime launch 'sooner than you think'
By TechRadar, published 10-11-2011
Samsung looks likely to be launching the Google Nexus Prime, the first Ice Cream Sandwich-toting phone, in the near future according to the UK sales director.The phone was supposed to be launched at CTIA today, but after Steve Jobs' death the announcement was postponed to a future date.But Andrew Glass from Samsung let slip that the new phone was in the offing to T3:"You will have an announcement of the Nexus Prime very shortly and will be seeing it in shops sooner than you think."Yeah, we knowThe Nexus Prime is hardly a secret with all manner of pictures, specs and release dates leaked out for the last few months, meaning we've got a pretty good picture of what the next Nexus phone will look like.The new phone will likely pack a huge 720p 4.5-inch screen, with a dual-core 1.5GHz p...
Are Android Ice Cream Sandwich and Nexus Prime delayed due to an Apple patent dispute?
By phoneArena, published 10-11-2011
Now, here’s a possibility presented by Russian analyst Eldar Murtazin - Samsung and Google didn’t postpone their October 11th event because of Steve Jobs, but they rather did so because of the patent war with Apple
Google, Samsung Delay Nexus Prime, Android 4.0 Launch To Honour Jobs
By DigitalVersus, published 10-11-2011
Money might make the world go round, but it isn't everything: in memory of the death of Steve Jobs, the iconic founder of their arch rival, Google and Samsung...
November 3rd pegged as launch date for Google Nexus Prime; Verizon pumped about DROID RAZR
By phoneArena, published 10-11-2011
A source from the "inside" tells Phandroid that Verizon has high hopes for both the Motorola DROID RAZR and the Google Nexus Prime; the latter is scheduled to launch November 3rd with an official announcement coming before that date...
Samsung delays Nexus Prime launch, as a tribute to Steve Jobs
By Thinkdigit, published 10-10-2011
Samsung was due to launch the platform lead device for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tomorrow, the Samsung Nexus Prime, at its Unpacked 2011 event in San Diego. The Korean giant has now announced it would be delaying the launch, as a tribute to Apple’s co-founder, Steve Jobs, who passed away untimely last week, and whose funeral is later this week. The announcement was made together with Google - “Samsung and Google have decided to postpone the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event&nb [...] Read the entire article
GSM version of Google Nexus Prime passes through the FCC
By phoneArena, published 10-08-2011
The GSM version of the Google Nexus Prime has visited the FCC which is another item that you can draw a line through on your "things-to-do" checklist; of course, a thumbs up from the FCC is not a guarantee that a phone will be launched soon...
Nexus Prime unveil may be October 27th in the UK
By phoneArena, published 10-08-2011
We heard earlier that Samsung and Google had decided to postpone the UNPACKED event at CTIA where it was expected we'd see the launch of Ice Cream Sandwich and the Nexus Prime, now that event may be held on October 27th in the UK...
Nexus Prime launch date moved to late October?
By TechRadar, published 10-07-2011
Having pulled the Samsung: Unpacked event from its 11 October slot at CTIA, Google and Samsung may be moving the Nexus Prime launch across the ocean for a 27 October event in London.It's looking more and more likely that the event will see not only the unveiling of Samsung's Google Nexus Prime smartphone, but of Google's latest Android operating system, known as Ice Cream Sandwich.Delaying the inevitableEarlier, a statement from both companies said: "We agree that it is just not the right time to announce a new product."The move is thought to be a gesture towards rival Steve Jobs, who passed away earlier this week.It's been quite a day for the two companies, with an Ice Cream Sandwich YouTube placeholder page swiftly pulled from the net, and a video of the new handset in action app...
Updated: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich: everything you need to know
By TechRadar, published 10-07-2011
Google has dropped some interesting information about Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Android - Android 4.0 at its Google I/O conference. We'll update this article with more information on the new Android 4.0 release as soon as we get it. It talked about the new OS during the Opening keynote speech of the Google I/O conference in San Francisco. Real Ice Cream Sandwiches aren't exactly prevalent in the UK - we have wafers - so if you want to see a real Ice Cream Sandwich, you'd better do some scrolling. As we reported from Google's keynote at Mobile World Congress, Google's mantra for the Android 4.0 OS is "one OS everywhere" – it will be a single 4.0 version of Android running across phones and tablets, unlike Android 3.0 Honeycomb that only runs on tablets.That's why it'...
Rumor: Samsung and Google to pimp Galaxy Nexus on October 27 in UK
By SlashGear, published 10-07-2011
The tech world is certainly one of ups and downs. This morning we have seen a lot of action on the Samsung and Google front with the Galaxy Nexus or Nexus Prime. We mentioned already today that the smartphone had landed on a new spy video and mentioned in that story that the device was [...]
Unpacked event delayed, Nexus Prime and ICS to shine later
By GSMArena, published 10-07-2011
We were so close to Samsung's Unpacked event at CTIA next Tuesday, but both Google and Samsung have for some reason decided to postpone the event to an unspecified later date. It's unclear why both companies would decide to do such thing with all the immense hype currently surrounding the Nexus Prime and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Here's the official statement: Samsung and Google...
Samsung, Google Postpone Launch Of Nexus Prime
By HotHardware, published 10-07-2011
Yesterday, we told you about the Nexus Prime, a hot new smartphone that was expected to be unveiled next week. Now, we're getting word that Google and Samsung may be delaying the arrival of this highly-anticipated smartphone. In a statement released today, the two companies said they won't be showing off the Nexus Prime at the Samsung Unpacked...
Google and Samsung cancel the Nexus Prime/Ice Cream Sandwich "Something BIG is coming" event
By phoneArena, published 10-07-2011
Google and Samsung just came out with a joint statement that they won't be holding the Samsung Mobile UNPACKED event at CTIA next Tuesday, which was dubbed "Something BIG is coming" in a teaser recently, and was widely expected to see the announcements of the Samsung Nexus Prime and Android Ice Cream Sandwich...
Samsung postpones Google Galaxy Nexus debut
By SlashGear, published 10-07-2011
Samsung and Google have yanked their CTIA Fall product launch, the event expected to debut the Samsung Galaxy Prime aka Nexus Prime. “Samsung and Google decide to postpone the new product announcement at CTIA Fall” the two companies said in a terse statement. “We agree that it is just not the right time to announce [...]
Samsung and Google pull Nexus Prime, Ice Cream Sandwich launch
By TechRadar, published 10-07-2011
In a shock move, Samsung and Google have cancelled their planned joint product announcement next week. The combined statement from the two tech giants reads, "Samsung and Google decide to postpone the new product announcement at CTIA Fall. "We agree that it is just not the right time to announce a new product. New date and venue will be shortly announced."GestureIt's likely that the companies decided to postpone as a mark of respect to rival Steve Jobs, who passed away earlier this week. So, no Google Nexus Prime and no Ice Cream Sandwich coming next week. We'll keep you posted on when the replacement event is scheduled. For now, console yourself with the sneak peek at the handset which leaked earlier today.
Samsung Nexus Prime with Ice Cream Sandwich emerges on video
By TechRadar, published 10-07-2011
No sooner had Google unwittingly confirmed the Ice Cream Sandwich launch for next week, than a video of the Samsung-made Nexus Prime handset leaks on to the web.It's the first time we've seen the handset or the upcoming version of Android in any kind of detail, having had to make do with Samsung's teasers and a bad snap of the corner of the handset up until now. It seems cliché to say, but the handset does seem to have a very iPhone-inspired look in this ill-lit video, although we can't see the back panel which Samsung's teaser implies is curved and tapers at one end. Prime timeLooks like we won't have many buttons to play with when we get our hands on the device, with the navigation powered by soft buttons under the main display. The screen should come in at around 4.6-inches and eve...
Updated: Ice Cream Sandwich: everything you need to know
By TechRadar, published 10-07-2011
Google has dropped some interesting information about Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Android at its Google I/O conference. We'll update this article with more information on the new Android as soon as we get it. It talked about the new OS during the Opening keynote speech of the Google I/O conference in San Francisco. Real Ice Cream Sandwiches aren't exactly prevalent in the UK - we have wafers - so if you want to see a real Ice Cream Sandwich, you'd better do some scrolling. As we reported from Google's keynote at Mobile World Congress, Google's mantra for the OS is "one OS everywhere" – it will be a single version of Android running across phones and tablets, unlike Android 3.0 Honeycomb that only runs on tablets.That's why it's a Sandwich y'see.Will Ice Cream Sandwich...
Updated: Google briefly confirms Ice Cream Sandwich release date
By TechRadar, published 10-07-2011
Ice Cream Sandwich - the latest calorifically-named version of the Android operating system - will be launched on 11 October, according to a brief glimpse of a placeholder page on Google's YouTube channel.Update: Google and Samsung have cancelled their joint event next week. More here.Samsung's upcoming Unpacked event is due to take place on the same day; the hot tip for that event is the unveiling of the Nexus Prime, which is set to be the flagship Ice Cream Sandwich phone - so all the pieces fit.The timing of the livestreaming of the event on Google's own YouTube channel would be enough to confirm the launch, but the "Android ICS Launch" titled placeholder page reported by TechCrunch is a dead giveaway.Vanilla OSHowever, the placeholder page has now been removed and replaced with...
Google briefly confirms Ice Cream Sandwich launch date
By TechRadar, published 10-07-2011
Ice Cream Sandwich - the latest calorifically-named version of the Android operating system - will be launched on 11 October, according to a brief glimpse of a placeholder page on Google's YouTube channel.Samsung's upcoming Unpacked event is due to take place on the same day; the hot tip for that event is the unveiling of the Nexus Prime, which is set to be the flagship Ice Cream Sandwich phone - so all the pieces fit.The timing of the livestreaming of the event on Google's own YouTube channel would be enough to confirm the launch, but the "Android ICS Launch" titled placeholder page reported by TechCrunch is a dead giveaway.Vanilla OSHowever, the placeholder page has now been removed and replaced with a typically Googley message that says: "This live event is no longer availab...
iPhone 4S, Nexus S and the disappointment of the 2 year update cycle
By phoneArena, published 10-07-2011
Many were disappointed at the recent unveiling of the iPhone 4S, not unlike the disappointment that Google faced last year with the unveiling of the Nexus S. Should we be disappointed, or is this the cycle we can expect?...
Teaser video suggests Android ICS launch date
By phoneArena, published 10-07-2011
We knew that Google and Samsung had planned to unveil the Nexus Prime and Ice Cream Sandwich at CTIA on Tuesday, but now the official Android Developers YouTube page suggests ICS may even be released on Tuesday as well...
Samsung's Nexus Prime tipped again today, this time a PowerVR GPU gets in the mix
By phoneArena, published 10-07-2011
A supposedly Google source has debunked the TI OMAP CPU and 5MP camera for the upcoming Nexus Prime handset made by Samsung, reiterating that it will sport 1.5GHz Exynos with a GPU from Imagination Technologies...
Galaxy Nexus Google Hero Phone, now with much more ideal specs
By SlashGear, published 10-06-2011
Everyone loves idillic specs on their yet-unannounced gadgets, that’s why when we heard this morning’s news about the Android-laden Galaxy Nexus having a 5-megapixel camera and a Verizon exclusive deal, we just weren’t satisfied – thus we found our OWN source, one with a much better outlook on things. Everyone has these unnamed inside-scoop-having officials [...]
EXCLUSIVE: We get the allegedly proper Nexus Prime specs
By GSMArena, published 10-06-2011
Today is a busy day for Nexus Prime - it's been all over the news more than twice. Just hours earlier, we told you about a 'trusted source' who told BGR the phone's key specifications. Well, they may turn out to be completely and utterly wrong. We were contacted by a tipster from inside Google, who claims to be familiar with the next Nexus phone and he basically put the previously speculated...
Alleged Nexus Prime specs surface ahead of announcement
By GSMArena, published 10-06-2011
After the mixed feelings that the announcement of the iPhone 4S brought us, it's time to focus our attention to the next Google phone, dubbed the Nexus Prime. A trusted source has told BGR some interesting bits of info regarding the specifications of the next Google phone, which could be also known Samsung Galaxy Nexus. According to the trusted source, the Nexus Prime will pack a 1.2GHz OMAP...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 10-06-2011
iPhone 5 rumoursAs it happened, there was no iPhone 5 launched by Apple this week, but the company did announce the iPhone 4S. However, the iPhone 5 is still on the cards - we're expecting it to debut in late 2012. You can check out the latest rumours about iPhone 5 below our complete coverage of the new iPhone 4S.Check out our iPhone 4S video preview:brightcove : 1200452098001Apple iPhone 4S UK release date announcedApple has announced that the iPhone 4S UK release date will be 14 October, with pre-orders opening on 7 October. Our article on the iPhone 4S release date has more info.iPhone 4S: which networks will offer it?The iPhone 4S UK release date has been announced as 14 October, meaning swathes of queues outside the Apple Stores around the country - but most people will want to know ...
Samsung Nexus Prime and Android 4.0: The Big Smartphone News of 2011?
By DigitalVersus, published 10-06-2011
Many technology journalists were eagerly awaiting news of the launch of the latest iPhone on October 4, but there's a new date in everybody's diary: October 11. That's when Google...
Samsung Begins Teasing the "Nexus Prime"
By HotHardware, published 10-06-2011
Exactly one week after the "big" iPhone 4S event, Samsung and Google will introduce Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0?) and the Nexus Prime. At least, that's what their invitation leads us to believe. This will be the next "big" event, and the alternative one for Android lovers, as opposed to iOS lovers. In the teaser video that Samsung has...
Samsung Nexus Prime pictured clear as day
By SlashGear, published 10-06-2011
It’s less than a week now from the final reveal of whatever Samsung has in store for us near the Autumn edition of CTIA, and would you look at that, someone’s posted a photo of the next Google hero phone, clear as a bell. What’s actually going on here is a cleaning up of the [...]
Samsung offers a sneak peak of what could be the Nexus Prime
By GSMArena, published 10-05-2011
Those of us who were disappointed by yesterday's 'Let's talk iPhone' event by Apple are now looking forward to Samsung and Google's 'Unpacked' event scheduled for October 11 in San Diego. It seems though that we will be in for a treat after looking at the teaser video that Samsung has just released. The video initially starts off with things that go great with each other such as milk and...
Samsung Nexus Prime coming October 11th with Android 4.0 ICS
By GSMArena, published 29-09-2011
Brace yourselves, fellas, for October will be one hell of a month for the mobile industry. The next iPhone will break cover on 4th, HTC will follow up with a phone of their own on the 6th and now we have confirmation that Google's next flagship will be announced a week later - on October 11th. Yeap, we are just two weeks away from seeing the Samsung-made Nexus Prime. The Korean company has...
Next Samsung Unpacked set for CTIA on October 11th
By phoneArena, published 24-09-2011
Once again, it is time for Samsung to put on one of its Unpacked events and this time the October 11th date happens to be the same as the opening day for the CTIA show in San Diego; perhaps we will see the public unveiling of the Google Nexus Prime...
In Depth: Are patent wars defining Android's future?
By TechRadar, published 23-09-2011
Are patent wars defining Android's future?INQ has enjoyed modest success in the mobile phone market, firstly as the manufacturer of the early 'Skype phones' and more recently the Android-powered INQ Cloud Touch.The latter smartphone featured an innovative UI on top of the normal Android OS, and was considered the main selling point of the device - but last month INQ took the curious step of releasing its interface to the Android market for free.The interface basically takes the normal Facebook app for Android, splits it into separate parts (such as People, Events and Notifications) and also comes with a full screen widget to show you pictures and statuses together in a constantly updating scrolling window.We spoke to recently departed CEO Frank Meehan to see why the move was made and how t...
Galaxy S2 dominates most desired current phone poll
By TechRadar, published 23-09-2011
The Samsung Galaxy S2 appears to have overtaken the iPhone 4 as the most desirable phone on the market, with TechRadar readers voting overwhelmingly for the Android handset. Responding to a question about what phone readers would replace their current mobile with, the S2 and iPhone 4 were clear leaders - picking up 70 per cent of 5,391 votes between them. But it was the Galaxy S2 that topped the poll with a massive 47 per cent of the vote, miles ahead of Apple's handset on 23 per cent. iPhone 5Of course, when the iPhone 5 is formally unveiled in the next couple of weeks, we'd expect the phone weather vane to spin quickly back towards the Apple camp. Third place on 11 per cent was the HTC Sensation, with Sony Ericsson's recent mini-renaissance illustrated by equal fourth place and four per ...
Nexus Prime rumours: What you need to know
By TechRadar, published 22-09-2011
Google's third Nexus Android phone, officially announced back in May, is expected to be manufactured by Samsung, with many, many recent rumours claiming a model known as the "Nexus Prime" - or the Samsung GT-I9250 - will be the new flagship Android phone. Samsung itself has already confirmed that a phone under the name "Nexus Prime" exists, thanks to a list of settings discovered on its own site - but the odd mixture of specifications it contained led some to believe it was simply a placeholder. And whether it'll actually launch under the name Nexus Prime is still debatable, but the signs are all pointing to an October or November launch for the next official Android flagship phone, made by Samsung, running the newest Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android, which may or may ...
Nexus Prime: What you need to know
By TechRadar, published 22-09-2011
Google's third Nexus Android phone, officially announced back in May, is expected to be manufactured by Samsung, with many, many recent rumours claiming a model known as the "Nexus Prime" - or the Samsung GT-I9250 - will be the new flagship Android phone. Samsung itself has already confirmed that a phone under the name "Nexus Prime" exists, thanks to a list of settings discovered on its own site - but the odd mixture of specifications it contained led some to believe it was simply a placeholder. And whether it'll actually launch under the name Nexus Prime is still debatable, but the signs are all pointing to an October or November launch for the next official Android flagship phone, made by Samsung, running the newest Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android, which may or may ...
Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray
By TechRadar, published 22-09-2011
Overview, design and feelIt's been a busy old year for Sony Ericsson. As it struggles to regain a foothold in the market it was once sucha major player in, it's been firing out more Android-based Xperia smartphones than long-lost relatives on an episode of Jeremy Kyle. And they're not half bad either.The Xperia Arc has been the flagship of 2011's bunch. Arriving in the spring, it became the skinny poster girl for the Swedish-Japanese hybrid, showing off its amazing screen presence with the help of the Sony Reality Display (the bit that reproduces colour on the screen and makes it look great) but in the Xperia Ray, Sony Ericsson has gone for a smaller model.Before we go any further, there is one point we have to make clear: this phone is small. And thin. Think smaller and thinner than you e...
Google Wallet App Hands-on [Video]
By SlashGear, published 22-09-2011
Though the update for the masses isn’t technically released until Friday, we did some jimmy-rigging and honest finagling to get that Nexus S 4G Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread from the streets so we could bring you Google Wallet before it’s even fully activated. You know basically how it works already – you enter your cards in, [...]
Details on LG's Nexus Prime rival emerge
By TechRadar, published 21-09-2011
More detail has emerged on the forthcoming flagship LG LU6200 – the Android Ice Cream Sandwich phone that will be competing with the likes of the rumoured Google Nexus Prime from Samsung.LG are keen to put a troubled time in smartphones behind them, and they will hope that the LU6200 can be the handset that gets them back among the big guns, although it will no doubt have a snappier moniker by then. LG has put up a page in Korean with the full specs and we now know that it will sport a whopping 4.5 inch 1280x720 HD screen with IPS screen panel technology - the same seen in the iPhone 4's Retina Display. Gig of RAMUnder the hood, the LG handset will boast a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, an impressive 1840mAh battery and an Galaxy S2-matching 1GB of RAM. Internal storage is set at 4GB, altho...
Updated: 10 best touchscreen phones for 2011
By TechRadar, published 21-09-2011
10 best touchscreen phones for 2011Our best touchscreen phone article is constantly updated.Quite simply, touch screen technology is the innovation we now expect to see in some shape or form from every new smartphone that launches. Swapping a button-bashing existence for a softer sensing interface we can press, swipe, pinch and zoom, means we can now do a little bit more than simply stare into that pint-sized screen of ours.If the only QWERTY keyboard you want to see on a daily basis is the one nestled next to your office computer, here's our pick of the best touchscreen smartphones available right now in the UK.1. Samsung Galaxy S2The Galaxy brand has restored our faith in Samsung's ability to make great phones, and with Google's Android OS and some impressive touchscreen technology, the ...
Google Wallet signs Amex, Discover and Visa
By phoneArena, published 21-09-2011
Joining MasterCard on Google Wallet will be Visa, Discover and American Express following Tuesday's announcement that the trio have been signed by Google; so far, the only phone that will work with the service is Sprint's Google Nexus S 4G...
Android 2.3.7 update brings Google Wallet to Nexus S 4G
By GSMArena, published 20-09-2011
The Google Wallet service has finally started rolling out to users of the Nexus S 4G on Sprint's network. However, before you start using it, you will need to update your phone to the latest firmware. Google has dropped the Android 2.3.7 update, which upgrades your phone's firmware from GRJ90 to GWK74. You may get the notification asking you to update or you can go to Settings > About...
Sprint And Google Launch NFC "Wallet" Payments On Nexus S 4G
By HotHardware, published 19-09-2011
An easier way to pay? Depends on how many merchants sign up, how many phone makers sign up, and how many phones ship with an NFC module within. But this is one heck of a start. Google and Sprint just announced a monumental launch for Google Wallet, the NFC-based pay system that is launching exclusively on the Nexus S 4G to start. Google Wallet...
Samsung GT-I9250 is the next Google Android phone, the Nexus Prime
By Thinkdigit, published 09-09-2011
If reports are to be believed, Samsung's upcoming smartphone GT-I9250 is going to be the next Nexus phone, Nexus Prime. Reports further state that the Samsung I9520 aka Nexus Prime will feature the next iteration of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich and is expected be launched in October. [RELATED_ARTICLE]However, according to a GSMArena report, the official name of the next Google flagship will be Samsung Galaxy Nexus not Nexus Prime. The device will have a 4.65-inch display with HD resolution rathe [...] Read the entire article
Week in Tech: Brilliant new tech that's just around the corner
By TechRadar, published 09-09-2011
We've spent a lot of time in Deus Ex: Human Revolution lately, and we reckon its vision of a yellow-hued dystopian future is way off the mark. This week we've seen the future of everything, and it's all brilliant.First up there's Ice Cream Sandwich, the next generation of Android. It's an important release because it unifies the codebase - no longer will there be one Android for smartphones and another for tablets - and you won't have to wait much longer to get your paws on it. According to Google's Eric Schmidt, it's coming in late October or early November - and there will be a new Google phone to go with it, the Google Nexus Prime.Ice Cream Sandwich isn't the only new OS on the horizon. There's Windows 8, too, which of course we've covered in great detail. The latest news on Microsoft's...
U.K. retailer puts the Google Nexus Prime on its site
By phoneArena, published 09-08-2011
Despite speculation about a name change, U.K. online phone retailer Handtec has already put the Google Nexus Prime up on its web site, revealing a sleek looking device with a metallic bezel and an edge to edge 4.6 inch screen; no pricing or launch date is revealed as the phone is listed as "coming soon"...
Nexus Prime on Android 4.0 Coming This Autumn?
By DigitalVersus, published 09-08-2011
The first smartphone to come loaded with the latest Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android could be the Google Nexus Prime, made by Samsung. After the Nexus One (HTC)...
'Confirmed' Nexus Prime likely just Nexus S
By TechRadar, published 09-08-2011
You know that thing on the internet where something pops up that seems to hint something and everyone thinks it is it but then it isn't after all? Well, that seems to be what's happened with the 'confirmed' Nexus Prime.According to readers with the know-how (and time) over on PocketNow, the information in the user agent profile over on Samsung's wap page (where the original information was found) is identical to that of the Nexus S.Does that mean Samsung is going to release a phone with the same specification list as the Nexus S to show off Ice Cream Sandwich? Seems a little unlikely, if we're honest.SwitcherooThe model number is the only change between this and the Nexus S (from the GT-I902 to the GT-I9250) meaning it could feasibly be any phone Samsung is planning, although probably just...
Android Ice Cream Sandwich coming October or November
By TechRadar, published 09-07-2011
The next big update to Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, will be released in October or November this year according to Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt.Ice Cream Sandwich will combine elements of the current Gingerbread smartphone and Honeycomb tablet software in order to create one united OS for the Android platform.We've known for a while that it is coming before the end of the year, but in an interview with Salesforce CEO Mike Benioff, Schmidt was a little more specific."We have a new operating system, internally known as Ice Cream Sandwich for some reason, which is being released in October/November, which everyone's really excited about," he said.FragmentedGoogle has been heavily criticised for how fragmented the Android operating system can be, with many devices all runni...
Nexus Prime Confirmed via Leaked Code from Samsung
By SlashGear, published 09-07-2011
It’s time to get your conspiracy hats on, ladies and gentlemen, because the next big hero phone from Google is right around the corner, the name once again being confirmed today by none other than Samsung. This device has been said to be the first device to be coming out with Android’s next generation “Ice [...]
Samsung GT-I9250 'confirmed' as Google Nexus Prime
By TechRadar, published 09-07-2011
Samsung's upcoming GT-I9250 smartphone has been pretty much confirmed as the Google Nexus Prime based on the handset's user agent profile (UAP) hosted on a Samsung-owned website. Sitting on the wap.samsungmobile.com domain, the UAP is titled nexusprime.xml and makes reference to the model number GT-I9250 – we already guessed that this would be the Nexus Prime, leaving the GT- I9220 as be the Samsung-branded version of the phone. The other sliver of information gleaned from the file is that the handset will have a 480x800 WVGA resolution display – which fits with the rumoured Super AMOLED screen we've been hearing so much about. The prime of lifeSadly there's no indication of whether or not the remaining speculated specs are accurate – we still have our fingers crossed for a 1.5GHz du...
Updated: Windows 8: everything you need to know
By TechRadar, published 09-07-2011
Windows 8: what you need to knowThe Windows 8 picture is becoming clearer. Following on from the slides allegedly leaked in June 2010 by a software engineer at HP, Microsoft has outed far more details about the interface design. Microsoft says Windows 8 is a reimagining of Windows, "from the chip to the interface" and has launched an Engineering Windows 8 blog. The corporation has promised that a pre-release Windows 8 build will be available to the public. Microsoft says that "a Windows 8-based PC is really a new kind of device, one that scales from touch-only small screens through to large screens, with or without a keyboard and mouse." Opinion: Windows 8 could make you rethink buying iPad 3Indeed, the new OS appears to have two completely separate interfaces - one, a trad...
Google employee proposal involves Maps plus custom Android app and scores a "yes"
By phoneArena, published 09-06-2011
Google's engineer Ari Gilder managed to both be romantic while proposing to his girlfriend Faigy, and remain true to his geeky self in the process. He gave his girl a Nexus One with a custom app that had a Google Maps route planned on it, featuring different stops with meaning for their relationshlip...
Explained: How to pay with your iPhone
By TechRadar, published 09-03-2011
Taking payments with your iPhoneYour mobile phone started out as just that, a phone. Then it was a phone and a crummy camera and Tetris player in one. As phones got more advanced - smarter, if you will - they've evolved to take over more and more functions that used to require their own devices. An iPhone can be an ereader, video camera, GPS navigation system, music player, games console… even a level to help you hang pictures straight. But has it ever bought you lunch? New technologies, apps and add-ons let smartphones both receive and make payments, and the next generation of phones in the coming years will go further than ever to letting your mobile replace your wallet. Taking cards on iPhone Cash transactions are getting rarer with debit and credit cards being accepted nearly anywher...
Android 2.3.6 is being sent out to the Google Nexus S and packs voice search fix
By phoneArena, published 09-02-2011
Google Nexus S handset owners are being treated to a brand new update that finally addresses some of the annoying problems that some people are seeing with Voice Search randomly acting up. Actually, affected owners say that Google Voice Search...
Google Nexus S gets the Android 2.3.6 update, voice search fix
By GSMArena, published 09-02-2011
Google has just issued another update for its Nexus S smartphone, which brings the version number up to 2.3.6. And while that kind of change might make you believe that the update is quite a big deal, it's actually pretty minor. Android 2.3.6 is a bugfix release, which comes to solve the voice search issues that have plagued the Nexus S recently. Many users reported voice search would activate...
Google Nexus S working hard on the space shuttle
By phoneArena, published 09-01-2011
A pair of Google Nexus S smartphones have been working hard on the last manned space shuttle mission, upgrading three satellites on the ship; Google engineers were able to build the sensor logging app used on the satellites...
Samsung GT-I9220 and GT-I9250 could BOTH be Nexus Prime?
By TechRadar, published 31-08-2011
The similar model numbers of the newly Wi-Fi certified Samsung GT-I9250 and the help-page owning GT-I9220 are making us wonder if both could be the impending Google Nexus Prime superphone.A Samsung-hosted support page for the Samsung GT-I9250 has just been discovered, which tells us very little other than that the GT-I9250 exists. Meanwhile, the Samsung GT-I9220, which has just received Wi-Fi certification, is one we've seen before, having made an appearance on a leaked roadmap of the company's remaining 2011 line-up. Monster specIt came with specs suggesting a mega 4.6-inch Super AMOLED screen and a dualcore processor somewhere between 1.2 and 1.5GHz. The Wi-Fi certificate doesn't tell us much, other than that the handset will play nice with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks. Such simil...
Support page for the Samsung GT-I9250 spotted, is it the Google Nexus Prime?
By phoneArena, published 31-08-2011
A web page is up and running that appears to be a support site for the Samsung GT-I9250 which is rumored to be the Ice Cream Sandwich flavored Google Nexus Prime; the model has recently passed its Wi-Fi certification and the existence of the page could indicate an upcoming launch...
Verizon picking the DROID Prime instead of the Galaxy S II
By GSMArena, published 30-08-2011
Verizon Wireless has backed off the deal on the Samsung Galaxy S II and is not going to offer it. The good news is this has happened for a reason - Verizon will jump on the next best thing - Samsung DROID Prime. The next Google phone is believed to be made by Samsung and should be announced soon as Nexus Prime. The Nexus Prime is supposed to pack similar or even better specs as the Galaxy S II...
Thank you, Samsung, for confirming Nexus Prime
By GSMArena, published 26-08-2011
Samsung legal department has sent a Cease and Desist letter to a person claiming it is in possession of leaked Nexus Prime firmware. The Korean manufacturer wants it back, because it's obviously an exclusive Samsung property and not to be released to the public. Yes, that's the confirmation you've been looking for - the third Google phone - Nexus Prime - will be once again made by...
Samsung Nexus Prime confirmed by legal team
By SlashGear, published 26-08-2011
Samsung’s legal team may have inadvertently confirmed rumors that the company is indeed working on the next Google phone dubbed the Nexus Prime. Rumors that the Nexus Prime would be the first handset to sport Android Ice Cream Sandwich emerged back in June. In an attempt to squash another rumor, the Samsung legal team issued [...]
Updated: Windows 8: everything you need to know
By TechRadar, published 24-08-2011
The Windows 8 picture is becoming clearer. Following on from the slides allegedly leaked in June 2010 by a software engineer at HP, Microsoft has outed far more details about the interface design. Microsoft says Windows 8 is a reimagining of Windows, "from the chip to the interface" and has launched an Engineering Windows 8 blog. The corporation has promised that a pre-release Windows 8 build will be available to the public. Microsoft says that "a Windows 8-based PC is really a new kind of device, one that scales from touch-only small screens through to large screens, with or without a keyboard and mouse." Opinion: Windows 8 could make you rethink buying iPad 3Indeed, the new OS appears to have two completely separate interfaces - one, a traditional (and, on the surface of it, unchanged) W...
Is a Samsung-made Nexus Prime coming in October?
By GSMArena, published 19-08-2011
The rumors that Samsung will be producing the next generation Google phone are heating up. Today's edition suggests that the next Google phone, the Nexus Prime, will launch in October and will be the first device to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Reportedly, it will pack a 4.5" screen with 720p resolution - probably the new generation SuperAMOLEDs we heard of yesterday. If that's true, it...
Mobiado Grand Touch offers Android experience to the rich
By GSMArena, published 19-08-2011
Mobiado has been around for quite some time now, establishing itself among the premier makers of ultra luxury mobile phones. With its latest creation, dubbed Grand Touch, the Canadian company adds, for the first time, an Android device to its portfolio. As you can probably tell from the picture above, the new Mobiado droid is no other but a Google Nexus S, which has gone through some...
Samsung's Ice Cream Sandwich phone detailed again
By TechRadar, published 18-08-2011
What looks to be Samsung's roadmap for the rest of 2011 has made its way on to the internet, including details of the GT-I9220, Samsung's first Ice Cream Sandwich handset. Alongside the much-anticipated Android upgrade, it comes rocking a massive 4.65-inch Super AMOLED screen with 1280x720 pixel resolution. Aside from the fact that it sports a 5MP camera, other details on this telecommunications behemoth are scarce, but we suspect it may well turn out to be the next flagship Android handset – Google Nexus Prime, anyone?Time will tellPrevious leaks and speculation have suggested the handset will come with a dualcore 1.5GHz or 1.2GHz processor, 1080p video recording and 1GB of RAM. There's no guarantee that the GT-I9220 model will be the next Nexus handset, of course, so take all this with...
Google Nexus S 4G priced at $30 through Sprint, but Amazon and Best Buy still go even lower
By phoneArena, published 18-08-2011
So, you are looking for a 4G smartphone, but you still can't make up your mind and choose one. Well, here is an offer that might interest you – Sprint has once again dropped the price of the...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 17-08-2011
iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast - indeed, it's become somewhat of a storm with the industry convinced that the new handset will make its debut in early September. Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.Check out what TechRadar is hoping makes it into the next iPhone, in our video wish list.iPhone 5 release dateThis year's WWDC was about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OSOn 20 April 2011, it emerged that the iPhone 5 release date may be September 2011. This date was cited by three sources who spoke to Reuters. On 6 May it was reported that Apple manufacturer Pegatron has reportedly been given a massive order by Jobs and co to produce ...
Swype will make its newest version an exclusive first for Sprint's Nexus S 4G owners
By phoneArena, published 16-08-2011
A new version of the madly popular virtual keyboard tech Swype will be provided exclusively for the Nexus S 4G owners on Sprint. Personal dictionary, automatic caps on proper nouns, and selecting text with gestures are all coming first to the Google phone on Sprint...
What Motorola means for the Nexus Prime
By phoneArena, published 15-08-2011
Andy Rubin has shed some light on what we can expect from Google's acquisition of Motorola, and what it means for the future of the Nexus Prime. Spoilers: it doesn't mean much...
TabCo outed as Fusion Garage Grid 10
By TechRadar, published 15-08-2011
After weeks of hype, the TabCo mystery has been unmasked as the Fusion Garage Grid 10.As TechRadar revealed earlier today, it's a 10.1-inch tablet powered by a dual core Tegra 2 chipset, and runs on the Android kernel - although Fusion Garage is keen to state that it's not simply an Android re-skin.The Grid 10 features the new 'Grid Desktop' user interface, offering up clusters of applications in place of applications, and can also run Android applications as well.What is interesting is it's Bing APIs integrated within the Grid 10, meaning default search is Microsoft's offering instead of Google.Phone and tablet together Fusion Garage is so apologetic over the first tablet it created - the JooJoo - that anyone that bought the tablet will be given a free Grid 10.The tablet is designed to sy...
Opinion: Googorola means Apple should start worrying
By TechRadar, published 15-08-2011
Google buying Motorola Mobility, the handset arm of Moto, caught everyone by surprise, but it was quickly assumed to be about the search giant suiting up for the imminent patent war.And that's really what it's all about - Android is crucial to Google as a future cash stream as we increasingly stuff more portable devices into our bag.However there's a more pressing question on the minds of consumers: what will this mean for actual devices? As the news of the announcement broke, many questioned why Google didn't pick up a more popular brand - HTC would be the obvious choice, given its close links to the formation of Android and escalating prominence.Patents aside (the Taiwanese firm holds far fewer than Moto) it still wouldn't make sense for Google to pick up the firm. HTC has a much higher ...
Rubin: Motorola won't be automatic Nexus brand
By TechRadar, published 15-08-2011
Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google, has said the Nexus project for phones will still be offered out to all Android partners despite the search giant purchasing Motorola Mobility.Speaking on an investors conference call, Rubin highlighted how the Nexus project is run and confirmed that Motorola would be separate to the Android development process within Google:"We have a strategy where we have created both Nexus and lead devices (for tablets) category. We use this to help focus our team's work; every year, around Christmas time, we select a manufacturer to work with to release a device."Huddling up"That includes things like semi-conductor companies too; then the teams huddle together in one building to work on developments, and that process goes on for around nine to 12 m...
Google got itself a Motorola: will this change the Android landscape?
By phoneArena, published 15-08-2011
Google will keep the Nexus brand, and will run Motorola as a separate reporting entity. The main reason for the acquisition seems to be Motorola's 17 000 patents, and 7 500 patent applications, which should put Android litigation to rest...
Gary Marshall: Googorola: all about patents, but is it good for Android?
By TechRadar, published 15-08-2011
Some will call it Googorola. Others, Motogoogle, or maybe Moogle. But whatever you call it, Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility is the biggest thing to happen in mobile since Nokia climbed into bed with Ballmer. So what's going on?It's all about the patents, it seems. Thestreet.com nailed it two weeks ago: "With 17,000 patents, Motorola Mobility is the best mobile partner Google's Android could ever wish for as industry hostilities heat up... not only does Motorola have far more patents than its nearest competitors, [but] it appears to have more of the key patents that may help the Android camp in a battle against Apple."Android has become something of a patent battleground - Eric Schmidt was getting annoyed about firms who "are not responding with innovation [but] with lawsuits" las...
Updated: Major phone manufacturers praise Googorola deal
By TechRadar, published 15-08-2011
Major phone manufacturers are praising the decision of Google to buy Motorola for $12.5 billion, with the likes of HTC, Sony Ericsson and LG all seeing the purchase as an indication of defence of the Android family. The snapping up of Motorola is fairly clearly Google's major play in the ongoing patent battle, with Moto's 14,600 phone patents (and a further 6,700 patent pending) giving it a huge leg up against the likes of Microsoft and Apple. Google has recently declared its anger at two of its rivals banding together to buy patents in what is claims is a "hostile, organized campaign against Android". The purchase of Motorola could well represent a turning point in the dispute, and the major manufacturers appear to see it the same way. Defending Android"We welcome the news of today's acqu...
Google to buy Motorola for $12.5bn
By TechRadar, published 15-08-2011
Google has bought Motorola Mobility, the handset development arm of the brand, for $12.5 billion (£7.5 billion).The online search giant has purchased the handset brand for $40 per share a premium of 63% of the share price on Friday.Google has pledged to run the operation as a separate division to Android, meaning it will still be providing the platform as an open offering.Larry Page, CEO of Google, said, "Motorola Mobility's total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers." Patent warWhile many consumers will see the acquisition by Google as the br...
Android 4.0: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 08-12-2011
We've had Android 2.3 Gingerbread. We've had Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Next up: Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Google's Android operating system. Although it's possible that Ice Cream Sandwich will be given a lower version number, such as Android 2.4, we think the scale of the upgrade makes it more than a mere point release - so our money's on Android 4.0. No matter what number Google gives it, the next version of Android brings new features, new hardware and new ways to play with your Android kit.Here's what you need to know.Android 4.0 release dateGoogle says the Android 4.0 release date will be around Thanksgiving in the US, which means it should ship just in time for the all-important Christmas shopping binge this year.Android 4.0 phonesSpecs for what could be the Google Nexus 3 ...
WPAppItUp contest winners get HTC Mazaa with WP7 Mango
By GSMArena, published 08-11-2011
It's not unusual for devs at a conference or competition to walk away with some cool stuff - which is exactly what the winners of the WPAppItUp competition did. They got a brand new HTC Mazaa running Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. And no, you can't have one. Microsoft said that the Mazaa is a developers phone (think Nokia N950 rather than the Google Nexus phones) and will not be available for sale...
Ice Cream Sandwich debut moved up to October to compete with the Apple iPhone?
By phoneArena, published 08-09-2011
According to a source for BGR, Google is moving up the release date of Ice Cream Sandwich and the first devices to have it installed as a means to combat the expected launch of the Apple iPhone 5; one possible ICS device could be a next-generation Nexus handset...
Rumour: October release for Ice Cream Sandwich?
By TechRadar, published 08-09-2011
Google could be planning to launch the first Ice Cream Sandwich Android devices in October, if the latest anonymous source is to be believed. According to the tipster, the Android-owning search giant doesn't want potential Ice Cream Sandwich customers coming out of their contracts and being lured by the iPhone 5, which is also tipped to arrive in September or October, depending on who you talk to. Further new details are scant, but the Ice Cream Sandwich OS is likely to land on a new flagship Android device, be it a smartphone or a tablet. YummyAnnounced earlier this year, the new OS is intended to sit on both phones and slates. Google described it as its "most ambitious release to date", bringing the most delicious bits of both Honeycomb and Gingerbread to one salacious operating system. ...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 08-01-2011
iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already. Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.Check out what TechRadar is hoping makes it into the next iPhone, in our video wish list.iPhone 5 release dateThis year's WWDC was about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OSOn 20 April 2011, it emerged that the iPhone 5 release date may be September 2011. This date was cited by three sources who spoke to Reuters. On 6 May it was reported that Apple manufacturer Pegatron has reportedly been given a massive order by Jobs and co to produce 15 million handsets ready for the phone's autumn launch.On 19 July Apple seemingly confirmed the presence of a new iPhone ...
Nokia X7 - Superb looks, but doesn't have much else? [Review]
By Thinkdigit, published 08-01-2011
If you have Rs 20k to spend on a touchscreen smartphone, the choices are just endless. A gamut of solid Android phones - Samsung Galaxy S (S-LCD version), Samsung Google Nexus S and the LG Optimus Black, are available. Plus, let us not forget that the ageing Apple iPhone 3GS is now available for around Rs 19k after the recent price reduction. The Nokia N8 is hovering in the vicinity, but age seems to be catching up with it. The Samsung Wave II with the updated Bada OS is yet another option. As y [...] Read the entire article
Best Buy exclusively offers AT&T's version of the Nexus S starting today
By phoneArena, published 24-07-2011
The Samsung built Nexus S is now being offered by Best Buy for the AT&T network; an exclusive for the big box retailer, the pure Google experience can be yours for just $99.99 with a signed two year contract; the AT&T version of the device is available only in black...
Sprint says that the software update for the Nexus S 4G will begin rolling out on July 25th
By phoneArena, published 22-07-2011
Previously believed to be available earlier this month, the upcoming software update for Sprint’s Google Nexus S 4G is now officially scheduled to arrive on Monday, July 25. As we all know, there are some handset owners...
AT&T finally gets its version of the Google Nexus S - going on sale July 24th
By phoneArena, published 21-07-2011
After arriving on the scene more than half a year ago, AT&T customers can now rejoice in knowing that the carrier is getting its own specific version of the beloved Google Nexus S. Actually, this AT&T optimized Nexus S...
TechRadar Phone Awards: Phone Awards 2011: winners announced
By TechRadar, published 21-07-2011
The TechRadar Phone Awards 2011 have come to an end and now we can finally announce the winners.This year the awards comprised both readers' votes and categories judged by some of the biggest names in the technology world.To say that we were pleased with our reader response to the awards would be an understatement. Garnering over 130,000 votes, the awards have been a runaway success, so we can only say thank you to you all for being such an opinionated bunch!The Phone Awards have been TechRadar's most popular awards so far and it just goes to prove that the mobile phone market is positively burgeoning, full of technological innovations, warring factions and fanboys who live to see what the next OS update will bring.So, without further ado here is the list of the biggest and best phone tech...
Samsung Nexus S Lands at AT&T, Costs a C-Note with Activation
By HotHardware, published 21-07-2011
We just received word that Samsung's Nexus S smarphone from Google is landing at AT&T this weekend. Starting Sunday, July 24th, you'll be able to trot into your local Best Buy brick-and-mortar store and pick one up for $99.99 with a new, two-year activation. Feeling impatient? You can place your pre-order today in Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 20-07-2011
iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already. Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.Check out what TechRadar is hoping makes it into the next iPhone, in our video wish list.iPhone 5 release dateThis year's WWDC was about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OSA new report from China later stated that Q3 (which still includes July) is now the earliest we will see the iPhone 5, after the disaster in Japan pushed back supply of key components.On 20 April 2011, it emerged that the iPhone 5 release date may be September 2011. This date was cited by three sources who spoke to Reuters. On 6 May it was reported that Apple manufacturer Pegatron has re...
Hands on: Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray review
By TechRadar, published 15-07-2011
At the recent Sony Ericsson Christmas in July showcase we spotted the latest handset from the company's joint venture: the Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray.The new phone is another phone that marks the brand's rise from the smartphone doldrums - sure, the Xperia Play and Xperia Neo might not have been the greatest phones to ever leave the factory, but the Ray offers some decent tech in a low-price package.The Xperia Ray is an altogether smaller affair than the likes of the Xperia Arc and Play, with a 3.3-inch screen on the front, powered by the same Bravia engine we've seen on a number of other SE handsets, coming along for the ride.The highlight of the phone is undoubtedly the screen - with a FWVGA offering (which translates into 854x480 pixel count) the resolution is absolutely pin-sharp - only ...
Sprint lowers the price of the Google Nexus S 4G to $100 on-contract
By phoneArena, published 14-07-2011
If you’re a customer who would rather prefer to get the best of both worlds with a powerful handset at a great price, then you should look no further than at the Google Nexus S 4G right now – that’s because it recently...
PayPal showcases mobile-to-mobile NFC payments app
By TechRadar, published 13-07-2011
PayPal has unveiled a forthcoming smartphone application which will allow users to make payments to each other by tapping two NFC-enabled handsets together.The service, which joins Google Wallet as an NFC-based payment service, will make its debut later this year on the Samsung Nexus S Android phone, which has a near field communications chip on-board.The app requires one user to request payment, the phones are then held back-to-back until the NFC connection has been made. The second user then enters a password and the money is transferred.PayPal says it will roll the app out to more Android phones as NFC tech becomes more popular on new handsets.Evolving"There's a lot of technologies evolving around mobile payments, and NFC is just one of those," said Laura Chambers, senior director of Pa...
Sifting through Samsung Mobile Romania tweeted rumors about the Nexus 3 (Prime)
By phoneArena, published 07-12-2011
Despite rumors that production of the next Google Nexus phone may be by either HTC or LG, Samsung Mobile Romania tweeted that at Samsung will at least be providing the screen for the Nexus and that production won't start until late 2011, although the tweets have been debunked as rumor by Samsung Mobile Romania themselves...
HTC challenges Apple to fight it out in the shops, not the courts
By TechRadar, published 07-12-2011
HTC has responded to Apple's latest legal action against it, denying that the patent infringement claims hold any water. As we reported yesterday, Apple has filed a new complaint with the International Trade Commission (ITC), seeking to block the sales of certain HTC devices, claiming that they infringe on Apple's copyrights. The HTC devices that stand accused in the UK include the HTC Wildfire, HTC Desire, HTC Hero, and the HTC Flyer, the company's first Android tablet effort. Nah, mateHTC "vehemently denies" Apples claims, in a statement that accuses Apple of trying to compete in the courts rather than taking it to the shop floor. Grace Lei, HTC's general counsel, said, "HTC is dismayed that Apple has resorted to competition in the courts rather than the market place."HTC continues to ve...
HTC Desire Android 2.3 update to land in July
By TechRadar, published 07-12-2011
HTC has announced that its long-awaited Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for the HTC Desire will be rolled out by the end of July. The company once again took to its Facebook page to announce that testing on the update has gone well and reveal the new deadline. "We have more news about our build of Gingerbread for Desire. Our testing has gone well so we will begin rolling out the update by the end of July," the update reads. A chequered pastThe tale of the Gingerbread update for the original HTC Desire has been fraught with twists and turns.In February of this year, there was dancing in the streets as HTC announced that the aging HTC Desire would get the Android 2.3 upgrade, along with the Desire HD, Desire Z and Incredible S, saying that the update would roll out in Q2 (April-June).Three go...
Google Nexus Prime confirmed by Samsung?
By TechRadar, published 07-12-2011
Samsung has inadvertently confirmed that it will be the creator of the next Google Nexus device.A (translated) Tweet sent from the Samsung Mobile Romania account said the company is planning to get the phone on the market for 'late 2011':"The production will be started now, most likely [to arrive] in late 2011. It [Nexus 3] will bring Android 4.0 on the market."Real or no real?Of course, given this is a translation it shouldn't be taken as totally factually accurate, which could mean that it's more of a commentary on the situation, something the the Samsung Mobile Romania account is now saying in response to user queries:"Hello! It's about a discussion around the rumor of releasing the new Nexus. We haven't got any official info!"The original Tweet has (unsurprisingly) been deleted - but l...
Google Nexus Plus: Somewhat of a Reality?
By SlashGear, published 07-12-2011
When I say Nexus Plus, you know I mean Nexus+. We’ve got a rumor here published by one above-average unbelievable source, that being a “G00gle Plus” account on Facebook that publishes information like a real source only to get followers – and heck, why not? Such things can be fun, right? Only here’s the catch: [...]
A closer look at the Nexus Prime's possible dedicated Google+ button
By phoneArena, published 07-11-2011
There are a number of things to worry about with this rumor, and we'll go through the whole lot as we look at the claim that the next Nexus phone will be made by HTC and have a dedicated Google+ button...
Skype for Android gets video calling update
By TechRadar, published 30-06-2011
Skype has updated its Android app bringing video calling to the smartphone party. The new version, Skype for Android 2.0, allows HTC Desire S, Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo, Xperia Pro (good luck with that, it's not actually out yet) and Google Nexus S owners to make free video calls over both Wi-Fi and 3G. As well as calling other Skype-toting Android phones, you'll be able to video-chat with Skype users on iPhone, Apple Macs, Windows PCS and web-cam-enabled Smart TVs. Android VHSAlong with the video functionality, the app interface has had a bit of a spruce up, with a new main menu for easy navigation and a thrilling new 'mood message box' where you can update your current mood status. If you're lucky enough to own one of the launch handsets, you can download the updated app from the Android ...
Nexus S is now enabled to use Google Talk's video chat service over T-Mobile's network
By phoneArena, published 28-06-2011
Apparently, the issue appears to stem from a special P2P mode with Google Talk’s video chat service, which was blocked by T-Mobile. Granted that it has taken Big Magenta more than a month to finally come up with a solution...
BlackBerry Bold Touch UK release date revealed
By TechRadar, published 28-06-2011
Three and Carphone Warehouse have both estimated BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 UK release dates, suggesting that the touchscreen BlackBerry will arrive this summer. Three has listed the hybrid QWERTY handset as arriving in September, while Carphone Warehouse is a bit more optimistic, expecting the Bold Touch to land in August. RIM is yet to release a smartphone into the market this year, concentrating its efforts on the QNX-running BlackBerry PlayBook tablet instead. PotentialThe company's fortunes have not fared too well in the meantime, with its stock dropping like a lead balloon after poor financial results and the threat of job cuts imminent. The BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900, though, is not a bad little handset, with the small-but-crisp touchscreen and physical QWERTY combo proving a bit of...
Vodafone nabs exclusive red Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo
By TechRadar, published 28-06-2011
Vodafone is set to be the only network to offer the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo in fetching cherry red. The handset, unveiled by Sony Ericsson at Mobile World Congress 2011 in February, will be available on other networks in blue and is yet to receive its official UK release date, with Vodafone simply listing it as 'coming soon'. Not soon enoughThat means there's still a bit of a wait ahead for fans of the Xperia Neo, which seemed likely to go on sale way back in April. Unfortunately, supplies have been restricted by manufacturing delays caused by the earthquake in Japan earlier this year, and the Neo is yet to launch in the UK. The Android 2.3-running Neo shares a lot of specifications with its stablemate, the Xperia Arc – 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, 4-inch reality display and HDMI-out, so ...
Google's third Nexus will be made by Samsung
By GSMArena, published 28-06-2011
Roughly a couple of weeks ago, we told you about the rumored specs of the upcoming third Nexus phone from Google. Now, we have a couple of additions for you from the same source. As always, bare in mind...
Samsung-made Google Nexus Prime incoming?
By TechRadar, published 27-06-2011
Supposed details of the next Google Nexus handset have been leaked, suggesting that the handset could be a Samsung-made phone.What we previously suspected would be called the Google Nexus 3 could in fact be dubbed the Google Nexus Prime, featuring a "Super AMOLED HD" display. The presence of Super AMOLED anything makes it pretty clear that the manufacturing partner will be Samsung, which made the Google Nexus S, rather than LG as popular rumours speculated. Mr WhippySpeaking to BGR, sources confirmed that the processor will be an OMAP4460 affair, running Ice Cream Sandwich (possibly to be known as Android 4.0).And that's not all; the source also suggested that there could be a whole host of "exclusive" Ice Cream Sandwich flagship devices made by each manufacturer, all released at around th...
Samsung's Nexus Prime could be Google's first Ice Cream Sandwich phone
By phoneArena, published 27-06-2011
According to sources for BGR, the first Ice Cream Sandwich phone will most likely be made by Samsung and feature a Super AMOLED HD display with 720p resolution, no physical menu keys and have a TI OMAP 4460 under the hood...
HTC: No 3D TV? Then you won't want a 3D phone
By TechRadar, published 27-06-2011
With the HTC Evo 3D UK release date falling in July or August – just a month or so after the HTC Sensation hit our shelves – you'd be forgiven for thinking that HTC could be doing itself out of some high-end sales. But that's not how HTC sees it, arguing that, although spec-wise the Sensation and Evo 3D are very similar beasts, what they offer is quite different. Graham Wheeler, director of commercialization and product management at HTC, explained at a press briefing that TechRadar attended: "We see the Evo 3D as future-proofing and helping to drive the 3D market ahead."3D won't necessarily come to all products, but we do see more 3D products coming – we'll save future announcements for the future."3D TVWhen asked if HTC thought that the Evo 3D would steal some of the newly-released...
Samsung Nexus Prime to be first Ice Cream Sandwich phone?
By SlashGear, published 27-06-2011
Samsung looks to be crafting the next official Google Phone, which could launch as the Google Nexus Prime complete with Android Ice Cream Sandwich and a 720p HD resolution display. According to BGR‘s sources, the Samsung uberphone will do away with physical buttons and instead use a 1280 x 720 “Super AMOLED HD” display. Meanwhile, the [...]
Hands on: HTC Evo 3D review
By TechRadar, published 27-06-2011
Once a passing gimmick, 3D seems to be here to stay. HTC is heralding the move from the cinema screen to the handheld with the launch of the HTC Evo 3D, sacrificing svelte light-footedness for a dual-camera wielding chunk of a handset. HTC's first 3D phone is also its first Evo-branded handset to reach the UK's fair shores; we got up close and personal to see if the extra dimension is worth all the fuss. It's certainly not the lightest smartphone on the block; all that extra heft required for the dual-cameras and 3D-capable screens means a bit of extra weight. The Evo 3D is noticeably heavier in the hand than the iPhone 4, for example. There's also more to get your mitts around, with the Evo 3D chassis coming in slightly longer and chunkier than its HTC stablemate, the Sensation. At first ...
HTC Evo 3D unveiled for UK
By TechRadar, published 27-06-2011
HTC has finally deigned to reveal its UK version of the HTC Evo 3D, a dual-camera-toting Android 2.3 media superphone. The handset has been designed to put the camera back into cameraphone, with a big unmissable shutter button and handy 2D to 3D slider on top of the sizable chassis. On the back sit the two 5MP cameras for photographing and videoing in 2D and 3D, with dual LED flashes joining the photographic party. The cameras are slightly better quality than the HTC Sensation's lone snapper – with f/2.2 aperture they should perform pretty niftily in low-light conditions. Watch itAs well as capturing 3D video, HTC is making plans for Hollywood's 3D fare to make its way to the Evo 3D by way of HTC Watch, the company's video service. The company couldn't yet say whether any 3D content was ...
Google Wallet coming to iPhone 5?
By TechRadar, published 24-06-2011
The Google Wallet mobile payment platform could feature on the new iPhone after Eric Schmidt admitted that Google is looking to port the software to other manufacturers.The executive chairman says that if Apple develop their own version of the NFC tech that features in the Google Nexus S then his company will be looking to integrate Google's new payment infrastructure.When asked about moving the tech to other platforms Schmidt said that "most vendors" will have the necessary "near field communications" chip in their devices by next year.iPhone 5?Speaking at the Cannes Lions Advertising festival, the former CEO said that Google would bring the tech to Apple, which is rumoured to be adding an NFC chip to the iPhone 5.Other OEMs like LG and Sony Ericsson have already committed to adding NFC c...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 22-06-2011
iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already. Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.But first, our colleagues on T3.com have rounded up the latest rumours in the iPhone 5 video below.iPhone 5 release dateThis year's WWDC was about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OSA new report from China later stated that Q3 (which still includes July) is now the earliest we will see the iPhone 5, after the disaster in Japan pushed back supply of key components.On 20 April 2011, it emerged that the iPhone 5 release date may be September 2011 rather than June/July. This date was cited by three sources who spoke to Reuters. As iOS 5 is set to be out in the...
Android 4.0: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 21-06-2011
We've had Android 2.3 Gingerbread. We've had Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Next up: Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Google's Android operating system. Although it's possible that Ice Cream Sandwich will be given a lower version number, such as Android 2.4, we think the scale of the upgrade makes it more than a mere point release - so our money's on Android 4.0. No matter what number Google gives it, the next version of Android brings new features, new hardware and new ways to play with your Android kit.Here's what you need to know.Android 4.0 release dateGoogle says the Android 4.0 release date will be around Thanksgiving in the US, which means it should ship just in time for the all-important Christmas shopping binge this year.Android 4.0 phonesSpecs for what could be the Google Nexus 3 ...
Week in Tech: A week of ups and downs for Android
By TechRadar, published 17-06-2011
Last week the tech world thrilled to news of new Apple things, but this week it's Android's turn in the spotlight - for good reasons and for bad. There's some tasty new kit on the horizon, but existing HTC Desire owners have been diddled around. And we don't mean that in a good way.Tasty tech first. Specs have emerged of the forthcoming Nexus 3, the Google-branded smartphone that acts as a flagship for the Android platform. Designed to run Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest and most stupidly named version of Android yet, the Google Nexus 3 promises a "monster-sized" screen, a dual-core 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz TI OMAP 4460 or Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1080p HD video capture via a 5MP camera and no buttons. Sources say the handset's navigation will be entirely software-based, just like a certain p...
Yahoo App discovery tools for Android and iOS launched
By TechRadar, published 16-06-2011
Yahoo has revealed two new search tools to help you find your way round the Android Market and Apple App Store.Called AppSearch and App Spot the search services help you find apps both on a PC and through your smartphone.AppSearch is the PC version. Load this up and it will, according to Yahoo, "zero-in on any app by showing matching app titles with a full comprehensive description, price, overall star rating from users, and screenshots in one spot to help you with your decision: to download or not to download."Enhanced mobile experienceFor those who prefer to do their app searching through their phones, then AppSpot is an application that will allow you to do just that."For an enhanced mobile experience, Yahoo! AppSpot delivers daily, completely personalised recommendations of the iPhone ...
HP Pre 3 UK release date announced
By TechRadar, published 16-06-2011
Details of the HP Pre 3, the first Palm-less Pre to be released, have been thin on the ground of late but the handset has finally been given a UK release date, thanks to a posting on Play.com.Announced back in February, the HP Pre 3 has a Qualcomm CPU running at 1.4GHz, the biggest QWERTY keyboard ever seen on a Pre, a 3.6-inch 480x800 WVGA screen, 5MP camera with LED Flash, forward facing camera, video calling and it is also packing HP's WebOS.Palmed offPlay.com has put the HP Pre 3 up for pre-order and it will be available for £349.99 unlocked. As for the all-important date, the HP Palm Pre UK release date is 8 July. Which gives you less than a month to figure out if this is the smartphone for you.When TechRadar got a hands on with the HP Pre 3 back in February, we were pretty impressed...
HTC will have to cut apps for Desire 2.3 update
By TechRadar, published 16-06-2011
HTC has published further details on the Desire Android 2.3 update that it's promised, and it looks like a more streamlined platform is coming.According to its Facebook page, the phone manufacturer has stated that it will be looking to strip out some of the apps to free up space for the install:"To resolve Desire's memory issue and enable the upgrade to Gingerbread, we will cut select apps from the release. "Look for status updates starting next week. We apologize for any confusion."Next week or later?You could interpret this status update as confirmation the new software will begin seeding next week - or it could simply be that will be when HTC will issue more information about Gingerbread for HTC Desire.If we take a look at some of the applications up for the chop, it's likely the first ...
Vodafone, O2, Orange and T-Mobile team up for NFC
By TechRadar, published 16-06-2011
The UK's biggest networks have announced a new joint venture to bring Near Field Communication technology in phones to the masses.The new initiative, comprising of Vodafone, O2 and Everything Everywhere, is designed to make an open platform for other businesses to implement NFC payment systems.In essence, it means NFC-enabled mobile phones will become widespread, and everything from tickets to food to transport can be linked into a user's phone.Credit, debit and loyalty cards will all be accessible with one beep, or customers can use the same linked account to pay for things online.The new joint venture will also likely see an explosion in location-based offers, with users sharing their position sent coupons and offers of nearby relevant shops if they opt-in to such schemes.The next stepTo...
Is the Nexus 4G Google's third phone? Specs get detailed
By GSMArena, published 16-06-2011
Take this with a pinch of salt because there is no official source, people. The guys over at BGR claim that they have gotten some details on the specs of the third Nexus phone by Google. And it is almost needless...
Google Nexus 3 specs detailed
By TechRadar, published 15-06-2011
Specs for what could be the Google Nexus 3 have surfaced, revealing a dual-core behemoth running Ice Cream Sandwich, with a "monster-sized" screen. The leak comes by way of BGR, whose source revealed that the handset, dubbed the Google Nexus 4G for the Yanks, will come with a dual-core 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz OMAP 4460 or Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.That "monster-sized" display will be a 720p HD affair, along with 1080p HD video capture through the 5MP rear-mounted camera with superior low-light capabilities.Bye bye buttonsIt's goodbye to buttons on the next Nexus superphone though, as the sources revealed that navigation on the handset will be purely software-based. There will be a 4G version of the handset, although we're unlikely to see that here in the UK where we're still at least a year a...
Reports claim details of Google Nexus 4G
By phoneArena, published 15-06-2011
Everyone wants the inside scoop about the next Google experience superphone, and one site claims to have the specs on the upcoming Nexus 4G...
HTC Sensation to land on O2 and Orange on 8 July
By TechRadar, published 15-06-2011
Vodafone may have enjoyed a couple of months' exclusivity on the HTC Sensation, but it's finally making its way to other networks on 8 July. Although no networks have independently thrown their hats into the ring, Phones 4U has revealed that it will start selling the Sensation on O2 and Orange contracts. Deals through the retailer will start at £30 a month which nabs you a free handset, 500 minutes, 3,000 texts and 500MB of data on a 24-month Orange contract. Making senseBut that is £5 more a month than Vodafone's £25/month two-year contract, which also gets you the Sensation for free. You can pre-order the Orange and O2 HTC Sensations from Phones 4U today for delivery on 8 July. Vodafone will continue to sell the sensational handset as well, with all the dual-core 4.5-star Android good...
Opinion: HTC Gingerbread farce is undermining Android
By TechRadar, published 15-06-2011
Apparently, HTC's engineers were schooled at Hogwarts - the phone manufacturer has managed to create a secret stash of memory on every HTC Desire in the world in less than 24 hours.That's the only explanation I can come to after watching the Android 2.3 car crash on HTC's Facebook page. Yesterday's news that the HTC Desire, one of its most popular phones and the handset that propelled it (and Android) to the forefront of the smartphone game, wouldn't be getting Android 2.3 was devastating to many that were waiting for all the goodies the new version would bring.But I was willing to accept the explanation: HTC discovered there wasn't enough memory on board, and it would be the stupidest move conceivable to tout an update that it knew couldn't ever be delivered, so it made sense to own up so...
HTC: Actually, we WILL bring Android 2.3 to Desire
By TechRadar, published 15-06-2011
HTC has changed its mind again and confirmed that it will be bringing the Android 2.3 update to the HTC Desire.Just 24 hours after delivering the grim news that it wouldn't be able to upgrade the popular Desire to Gingerbread, the Taiwanese manufacturer has posted this on its Facebook page:"Contrary to what we said earlier, we are going to bring Gingerbread to HTC Desire."ConfusionThis has obviously brought relief to the many, many users of the top-selling HTC phone who thought the promise of 18 months support for Android upgrades wasn't going to be upheld, but has understandably caused confusion for customers.TechRadar has contacted HTC for further information on how the phone, which yesterday was deemed to have 'too little memory' for Android 2.3, has suddenly got the necessary specs to ...
Nokia to close UK online shop
By TechRadar, published 15-06-2011
Nokia is closing its British online store by the end of June 2011, following similar closures in other European countries. The Nokia affiliate team broke the news in an email to its affiliate network, stating that no payments will be made to partners after 30 June. "This message is to inform you that Nokia is closing their affiliate programme… in keeping with a strategic business decision to close down the Nokia UK online shop," the email reads. Nok nok noking on heaven's door (some more)Nokia UK told TechRadar: "We are planning to close the current UK online store to simplify our channel structure and focus our resources on our key trade customers."But Nokia Spain told it like it was when its online store closed last month: "Prices are too subsidised by the carriers and sales were low, ...
HP looks to get in on the NFC action
By TechRadar, published 14-06-2011
HP, the new owner of Palm, is said to be considering building Near Field Communications (NFC)-toting mobile handsets that could be on the market by the end of the year. Bloomberg reports that two people "familiar with the company's plans" have said that HP is interested in developing phones and tablets that can make contactless payments using NFC.It comes as no huge surprise that a phone manufacturer is looking to get in on the next big thing in mobile technology.Neatly Folded CatsNFC in phones has been around for several years, but didn't really take off in the smartphone sphere until Google announced that its flagship Android handset, the Google Nexus S, incorporates an NFC chip.Since then, phone makers have been scrabbling to add the functionality to new handsets; with the marketing mig...
Updated: Android 2.3 release date: when will you get it?
By TechRadar, published 14-06-2011
Android 2.3 has been announced by Google, and now owners of smartphones such as the Nexus One and the HTC Desire are eagerly awaiting the update.Tthe first phone to go on sale with Android 2.3 is the successor to the Nexus One, the Google Nexus S.Google Nexus One Android 2.3 updateThe Nexus One has already been confirmed as getting the Android 2.3 update in early Q1 2011.The following announcement over on the official Google Nexus Twitter page confirmed the upgrade: "The Gingerbread OTA for Nexus One will happen in the coming weeks. Just hang tight!"UPDATE: As of 23 February 2011, the Google Nexus One Android 2.3.3 update is rolling out.Google Nexus S Android 2.3.3 updateUPDATE: The Nexus S is also getting its update to Android 2.3.3 as of 23 February 2011.HTC Desire Android 2.3 update - n...
Rumour: HTC moving to slim, plasti-metal chassis
By TechRadar, published 13-06-2011
HTC's next smartphone behemoth could use plastic-and-metal moulding technology to offer a super-skinny casing. Rumours that the much-loved phone manufacturer has placed orders with Chenming Mold Industrial (CMI) have come by way of sometimes-correct Digitimes, which cites component maker insiders as its sources. It's a case of two becoming one at CMI where they've developed NanoMolding Technology (NMT) which creates mouldings made of combined metal and plastic, rather than cases which are made of both metal and plastic pieces, like that of the HTC Sensation. Pletal metsticAside from providing a slinky slim casing, the combination of the metal and plastic would allow HTC to combat the issues that pure metal presents for the radio antenna – i.e. interference and dropped calls, something HT...
Updated: 10 best touchscreen phones for 2011
By TechRadar, published 06-10-2011
Our best touchscreen phone article is constantly updated.Quite simply, touch screen technology is the innovation we now expect to see in some shape or form from every new smartphone that launches. Swapping a button-bashing existence for a softer sensing interface we can press, swipe, pinch and zoom, means we can now do a little bit more than simply stare into that pint-sized screen of ours.If the only QWERTY keyboard you want to see on a daily basis is the one nestled next to your office computer, here's our pick of the best touchscreen smartphones available right now in the UK.1. Samsung Galaxy S2The Galaxy brand has restored our faith in Samsung's ability to make great phones, and with Google's Android OS and some impressive touchscreen technology, the S2 continues that trend.Housed with...
Samsung embracing hacker community for Galaxy S2
By TechRadar, published 06-07-2011
Samsung appears to have decided that the way it's going to encourage the most innovation on its smartphones is to get the hacking community involved.Unlike the likes of Apple and Microsoft, which favour a walled-garden approach to phone development, Samsung has sent a free Galaxy S2 to the CyanogenMod team.For those who don't know, CyanogenMod is a different version of the Android OS developed for specific phones such as the Google Nexus S and HTC Desire, and is pretty popular among phone modifiers.Upping the stakesSamsung has realised this and seems keen to help, rather than hinder, the hacking community develop its products. We hope this speeds up the attempts to bring CyanogenMod to the Samsung Galaxy S, which has been in development for aeons, it seems.It's an odd move for Samsung on p...
Leaked LG teaser pic shows new Optimus, could it be the Nexus 3?
By GSMArena, published 06-06-2011
A new LG teaser pic shows a mysterious Optimus device - the same as the recently leaked photo of the next Google Nexus. The best part is this info reportedly comes from an LG employee from the Indonesian...
Updated: Best Android phone - which should you buy?
By TechRadar, published 06-02-2011
Our verdict on the best Android phones - constantly updatedThere's one key way in which Android is massively different from its Apple-branded smartphone competition - the number of phones out there running Google's hot mobile OS. Samsung makes loads of them. Sony Ericsson makes a few. Then you've got Android-powered phones from Acer, LG, Huawei and many others, while HTC releases more in a month than all the rest added together manage in a year.The many variations in screen size, processor power, software features and design makes finding the best Android phone for you extremely tough.Do you physically and emotionally need a QWERTY keyboard? Are you the sort of oddball who prefers the rough pressing needed to make resistive touchscreens work? Do you actually like Orange widgets?To help fin...
Samsung Nexus S: Decent, but we expected much more...[Review]
By Thinkdigit, published 06-02-2011
The Samsung Nexus S is a phone that requires no introduction. Ever since HTC introduced the first Google branded phone aka the Nexus One, people have been craving a successor. For a variety of reasons (and not all of them quite valid in our opinion), a pure Android installation is something that every handheld geek craves, and there are people who will buy an HTC or Sony Ericsson handset only to root it. And this is what the Nexus S offers - a pure Android experience without any routing required [...] Read the entire article
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 06-02-2011
iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 5G, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already. Will the 5th generation iPhone deliver ultra-fast mobile internet? What other specs will it feature? Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.But first, our colleagues on T3.com have rounded up the latest rumours in the iPhone 5 video below.iPhone 5 release dateThe Apple Worldwide Developers' Conference 2011 date has been announced as 6 June 2011, so it's possible we'll see the iPhone 5 break cover there. However, Jim Dalrymple at The Loop says that this year's WWDC will be about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OS.This fits with Apple's established rhythm of iPhone releases, with new models appe...
Alleged first image of the next Nexus branded smartphone is leaked
By phoneArena, published 28-05-2011
With the summer season just about at full swing by now this weekend, something juicy managed to come around to show off its face. Alleged to be the next Google Nexus branded smartphone, we’re getting a first glimpse...
Next Google Nexus will be either HTC, or LG built
By GSMArena, published 28-05-2011
The Nexus line is the true and original Google phone and we've seen two already. And now we came across a photo of a third Nexus phone in its testing stage. The phone looks HTC-made and lacks the menu/home...
Google Wallet launches as PayPal sues over tech secrets
By TechRadar, published 27-05-2011
As expected, Google launched its NFC-payments scheme called Google Wallet an event in New York last night and, to celebrate, PayPal has launched a lawsuit against Google. PayPal claims it schooled Google in mobile payments while negotiating a deal for the search giant to use the PayPal system on Android phones, but that Google took all that lovely information and launched its own independent product. PayPal's lawsuit is all about trade secrets – corporate espionage! – surrounding an allegation that Google's vice president of payments, Osama Bedier, gave away confidential PayPal tech secrets which he was privy to as his time as a Paypal exec.IncestuousGoogle also has another ex-PayPal-er on its books, Stephanie Tilenius, Google's vice president of electronic commerce, who PayPal claims ...
Google Wallet announced, Sprint's Nexus 4G will be the first phone to take advantage of it
By phoneArena, published 27-05-2011
Google announced its mobile payment service, which will go live at various retailers in New York and San Francisco over the summer. The first NFC-equipped device to take advantage of it will be Sprint's Nexus S 4G...
Google's Mobile Payments Service to Launch in Summer, Dubbed Google Wallet
By HotHardware, published 27-05-2011
As expected, Google unveiled its mobile payments service on Thursday. Google Wallet will launch in trials this summer in New York, Portland, and San Francisco, with other cities to follow. Google Wallet requires an NFC-equipped smartphone, and the trials will begin using Sprint's Nexus S 4G. If for no other reason than that the phone is CDMA...
Google Wallet on Android: iOS and Windows Phone Must Be Next
By SlashGear, published 26-05-2011
On May 26th, 2011, Google announced a partnership with financial groups Citi, MasterCard, and First Data, mobile networks like NXP, Sprint, and Samsung (the last two obvious since their hero device in this project is the Nexus S 4G,) and retail locations like American Eagle, Subway, and Macy’s. These partnerships all converge on a single [...]
Google Wallet for Android to launch today
By TechRadar, published 26-05-2011
A leaked memo from a US retailer confirms that Google is launching a near field communications (NFC) payment taking plan, dubbed Google Wallet, at an event later today. We already knew that the search giant has plans for NFC, particularly since it sparked a rush for Android manufacturers to include the necessary chip in a host of recent handsets by including NFC in its flagship Google Nexus S. But now we know the name of the scheme – Google Wallet – and that it will be launching in the US this summer, with at least one big-name retailer, The Container Store, on board. Contactless payments on 34th StreetOther rumoured retailers to be taking part are Macy's and American Eagle, although it's not clear if the scheme will be US-wide or just in select cities. It's also a safe bet that we'll ...
Google Wallet mobile payment platform to be announced today
By phoneArena, published 26-05-2011
A leak from the Container Store all but confirms what Google's announcement event today will be all about. Hot on the heels of including an NFC chip in its poster Android handset, the Nexus S, Google will be launching the supporting infrastructure for mobile payments...
Google set to unveil Android NFC payment details
By TechRadar, published 25-05-2011
Google is set to dish the dirt on its plans to turn your Android smartphone into a digital wallet at a special event in New York on Thursday.The company is expected to discuss how Android phones boasting the 2.3 Gingerbread operating will be able to pay for goods and services by swiping their phone on a reader device.The NFC tech embedded in Android phones like the Google Nexus S will allow users to check-out, redeem coupons and earn loyalty points by flashing their phones at the checkout, according to reports.Retail partnersAlthough Google has declined to comment at the time of writing, sources familiar with the matter say that the company has already lined-up a select few retail partners.US stores Macy's, Subway and American Eagle Outfitters are believed to be among the participating sto...
99.7 percent of Android devices vulnerable to unencrypted Wi-Fi attack
By Thinkdigit, published 18-05-2011
Folks over at Ulm University in Germany have determined that all Android phones running any version below Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread are vulnerable to attacks over unencrypted Wi-Fi networks. And since only the Nexus S, and a few other devices have that update onboard, that pretty much means the entire Android user base (99.7%) is at risk. The German researchers published their findings in a paper entitled "Catching AuthTokens in the Wild: The Insecurity of Google's ClientLogin Protocol.&qu [...] Read the entire article
Google Talk's video chat over 3G blocked by T-Mobile
By phoneArena, published 17-05-2011
T-Mobile has been blocking Google Talk's video chat over 3G on the Nexus S which leaves Sprint's Nexus S 4G as the only device able to use the feature whenever the user wants to...
Updated: Android 2.3 release date: when will you get it?
By TechRadar, published 16-05-2011
Android 2.3 has been announced by Google, and now owners of smartphones such as the Nexus One and the HTC Desire are eagerly awaiting the update.Tthe first phone to go on sale with Android 2.3 is the successor to the Nexus One, the Google Nexus S.Google Nexus One Android 2.3 updateThe Nexus One has already been confirmed as getting the Android 2.3 update in early Q1 2011.The following announcement over on the official Google Nexus Twitter page confirmed the upgrade: "The Gingerbread OTA for Nexus One will happen in the coming weeks. Just hang tight!"UPDATE: As of 23 February 2011, the Google Nexus One Android 2.3.3 update is rolling out.Google Nexus S Android 2.3.3 updateUPDATE: The Nexus S is also getting its update to Android 2.3.3 as of 23 February 2011.HTC Desire Android 2.3 updateWe'v...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 16-05-2011
iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 5G, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already. Will the 5th generation iPhone deliver ultra-fast mobile internet? What other specs will it feature? Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.But first, our colleagues on T3.com have rounded up the latest rumours in the iPhone 5 video below.iPhone 5 release dateThe Apple Worldwide Developers' Conference 2011 date has been announced as 6 June 2011, so it's possible we'll see the iPhone 5 break cover there. However, Jim Dalrymple at The Loop says that this year's WWDC will be about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OS.This fits with Apple's established rhythm of iPhone releases, with new models appe...
Google Nexus S has its price slashed to under £320
By GSMArena, published 15-05-2011
The typical lifespan of a modern smartphone is 4 months, that is when referring to RRP (recommended retail price) at least. The Google Nexus S with its pure Android experience has now passed that marker...
Wirefly offers pure Google at a discount; Nexus S 4G priced at $99.99
By phoneArena, published 15-05-2011
The Nexus S 4G offers stock Android 2.3 with a 1GHz Hummingbird processor under the hood; new Sprint customers can pick up the device at Wirefly for $99.99 with a 2-year contract...
Exclusive: Samsung explains Galaxy S2 spec change
By TechRadar, published 13-05-2011
Samsung has spoken to TechRadar to outline the reasons why it switched the specs of the Galaxy S2 so close to its UK launch.The first big surprise was the improvement in processor power, from a 1GHz dual-core option to a 1.2GHz dual core Exynos CPU instead. Simon Stanford, the UK and Ireland MD for Samsung's mobile division, said it was about showing leadership:"That's a case of showing our technical superiority, we should be doing that, we are hugely ambitious organisation, so if we're going to launch something as great as the Galaxy S2, we're going to launch it with the best technology packed in we possibly can."There at the start"We can't say our phones have got the latest hardware if it will be superseded quite soon, and this is just the start."We will always do that, that's why we wan...
Netflix app for Android is finally for real, but only to select devices so far
By phoneArena, published 13-05-2011
Specifically, if you happen to own with the HTC EVO 4G, T-Mobile G2, HTC Incredible, Google Nexus One, or the Google Nexus S, you’ll be happy to know that you can download the app right now through the Android Market...
White Nexus S For AT&T Spotted Briefly On Samsung Site
By SlashGear, published 05-12-2011
The Sprint Nexus S 4G smartphone has just launched earlier this week, hitting the shelves of Sprint and Best Buy on May 8th. Rumors have been floating that Samsung was working on an AT&T version of this pure Google phone, and today further evidence has surfaced. A white Nexus S showed up on Samsung’s website today for a brief moment before being pulled. The guys at PocketNow were able to get a screenshot of the page, which clearly indicated the carrier would be AT&T. Listed as ‘pearly white’ the device is actually two-toned, with the back side being white and the front face being black. It is also listed with the model number GT-I902A instead of SGH-Ixx7 as is normally expected from a Samsung smartphone sold directly through the carrier. This could mean that...
Ofcom: 4G might not solve UK data issues
By TechRadar, published 05-12-2011
Ofcom has published its report into 4G into the UK, looking into the real-time effect the next-gen tech will have on data users.The study aims to "understand the realistic capacity improvements of 4G relative to 3G" and has found that despite the data speed and traffic management improvements, the inevitable explosion in smartphone, dongle and tablet usage might mean networks will still struggle to keep up.Ofcom is keen to point out that while by 2020 we can expect speeds of nearly 3Gbps, the ability to get anything like those speeds out to users will rely largely on networks solving the issue of concentrated amounts of data use, such as at train stations or in office blocks.Getting ready for 4G"Our results show that 4G gains in cell spectrum efficiency will not be enough to keep pace with...
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play game sales disappoint
By TechRadar, published 05-12-2011
New figures suggest that PlayStation certified games on Android are not selling at quite the rate most expected.Currently it is only the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play that can access PlayStation certified games, which does limit how many can be sold, but a month after launch and some of the titles are selling in their hundreds or very low thousands.PlayStation Lifestyle has published sales figures for a variety of the games available in the store and they are as follows:Cool Boarders 2: 100-500Destruction Derby: 500-1,000Jumping Flash: 50-100MediEvil: 100-500Syphon Filter: 100-500Revolutionary deviceAll of these games are available through the Android Market, where the number of installs are shown, and they all have a price tag of £3.99 – which is quite pricey for Android.Sony Ericsson is p...
HTC offered Sense-free Honeycomb Flyer for Google I/O giveaway?
By SlashGear, published 05-12-2011
Samsung’s 5,000 strong Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition giveaway at Google I/O this week won them a few fans, but behind the scenes it seems there was plenty of controversy over who would get to give out freebies to the attending developers. Inside word among developers, Android coder Al Sutton tells us, is that HTC wanted to give every attendee an HTC Flyer as well as an unspecified smartphone from its range; however, Google decided to go with Samsung instead. According to Sutton’s sources, HTC was offering the Flyer without its Sense modifications to the Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS that it will launch with; in fact, it would have supposedly been offered with Honeycomb on the giveaway units. Samsung did the same thing with its Galaxy Tab 10.1, the slate coming without the Live...
Exclusive: Samsung officially confirms NFC-enabled Galaxy S II
By TechRadar, published 05-12-2011
TechRadar has spoken to Samsung over claims it will be releasing an NFC-enabled Galaxy S2.The Korean brand has been reported by Mobot.net as confirming a different version of the phone is incoming through a customer services rep, and we spoke to head office for the official word:"Samsung Mobile UK can confirm an NFC version of the Galaxy S II will be launch later this year, to support the roll out of our network partners' NFC services."Galaxy S II NFC release date uncertainReports that the NFC Galaxy S2 will be landing in June would therefore be wide of the mark, with the launch seemingly set to coincide with NFC services rolling out across the country later in the year.With the Galaxy S2 already available in the UK in its current non-NFC guise and still costing a premium at £500, TechRad...
Hasbro Android Robot Toys get I/O video playtime
By SlashGear, published 05-12-2011
Our new favorite monkey robot, Kibot, may be stuck in Korea, but Hasbro has wider ambitions for its Nexus S powered Robot Toys. On show at Google I/O this week, the Android-bots are basically self-powered motorized cradles into which the Samsung smartphone docks, hooking up via Bluetooth. You can then hold races and use object recognition, just as in the video after the cut. While it would be easy to slap some wheels onto a dock and call it a day, Hasbro has gone further than that. Each robot has feet rather than wheels, and they use object-recognition via the Nexus S’ front-facing camera, as well as other sensors in the phone, to react to their environment. Shots are sent to Google’s cloud servers where they’re processed in real-time; the robot then knows whether to ge...
Unlocked & no-contract required Google Nexus One is selling for $270
By phoneArena, published 05-11-2011
Although some would tend to argue whether or not it’s past its time under the spotlight, one thing is certain for sure, the Google Nexus One is just one of those devices that will always have a cult following with it...
At IO 2011 Google Paints the Android Vision
By SlashGear, published 05-11-2011
Day one of Google IO has come to a close. After sifting through my notes and processing much of what I saw and heard, it’s clear the theme of day one was Android’s potential. All though Google did highlight some key features and made Ice Cream Sandwich official, they were vague about many of the specifics about future Android releases. What they did do however was tell a broader story about where Android can go. Google’s emphasis from the very beginning with Android was to provide a framework for the OS and the devices then let the market dictate where it goes. The problem with that strategy was that the market needed more direction than Google originally expected. This led them to get more involved in processes and spec decisions than they had originally desired. T...
Google confirms there will be a Nexus 3
By TechRadar, published 05-11-2011
Google's Andy Rubin has confirmed that the Nexus smartphone brand is set to continue, with a Nexus 3 destined to come on to the market at some point.Speaking at the Google I/O conference to Android and Me, Rubin confirmed that the Nexus brand is here to stay and that it represents the best of what the market has to offer.Setting the bar"The Nexus has been the thing that we used to set the bar, and there's always going to be new ones coming out in the market," explained Rubin."We'll make an announcement at some point in the future."The Samsung Nexus S was the first smartphone to be given Android 2.3, so we're anticipating some tasty Ice Cream Sandwich action on the Nexus 3 when it is released.As for a Google Nexus 3 UK release date, if it's anything like the Nexus One and the Nexus S then i...
Internal emails from Google allegedly show desperation over Skyhooks/Motorola deal
By SlashGear, published 05-10-2011
Google and Skyhooks are fighting in court over Google blocking Skyhooks from being used on Android devices. The move came after Skyhooks, and Motorola signed a deal that some claim Google feared. Google later blocked the use of Skyhooks for Motorola claiming that the GPS data was “contaminated.” The fight landed in court with Skyhooks alleging that Google blocked the use of Skyhooks service as a way to control the GPS data that Android users access. Skyhooks claims that once Google realized its own GPS tracking tech wasn’t competitive that Google moved to undermine Skyhooks and destroy its position in the market. The court case rages on today and as part of the legal proceedings some internal email documents from Google have been pulled into the fight. These emails sho...
Google Actively Recruiting Marketing Head for Mobile Wallet Efforts
By SlashGear, published 05-09-2011
Using your smartphone as your wallet, and being able to ditch the plastic cards may be getting closer. Google has been showing for some time that it is actively pursuing expanding NFC in many areas, and it looks like they have taken another step in that direction. They are actively recruiting an EMEA head of commerce marketing, and planning on expanding that division. Eric Schmidt said earlier this year that one of Google’s strategic initiatives is to support adoption of mobile payments for Android, and they are making progress with the Nexus S 4G out yesterday supporting NFC. Mobile payments (paying using your cell phone instead of a credit card) are commonplace around the world, especially in Asia, but they have been slow to take off in the US. Google seems to be looking to chang...
Sprint shaves off another $50 off the Samsung Epic 4G - now priced at $150
By phoneArena, published 05-09-2011
Previously, we saw the handset get a $50 price drop to $200 on-contract back in January, and now that the Google Nexus S 4G is now available with Sprint, it’s only natural to see it get chopped yet again. Now priced at $149.99...
SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up, May 9th 2011
By SlashGear, published 05-09-2011
The biggest news this week is Google I/O, coming up tomorrow. We will be there live, so be sure to stay tuned for all the exciting announcements, and of course our analysis. In other news this morning, the Apple brand may be one of the most valuable in the world, even more than Google. And we know people love Apple products, but, let’s not fight about them, mmmkay? And we are continuing to follow the Sony PlayStation Network story, as Sony has just announced that it will be the end of May before they get up and running fully again. Plus, NVIDIA and Icera, news about the Nexux S 4G, yet another Android tablet, and one that’s a little different, and lots lots more. Exciting news from NVIDIA and Icera, and our own Ben Bajarin’s incomparable analysis of said news. The Nexu...
SlashGear Covering Google I/O Live
By SlashGear, published 05-09-2011
Google I/O is happening less than 24 hours from now, Tuesday and Wednesday May 10th and 11th. There is sure to be exciting news coming out of the event, and SlashGear will be there in force to cover it for you. We will be giving you up to the minute coverage, both on the site and on our Facebook page. Be sure to like us on Facebook if you haven’t already to be the first to hear about any breaking news. Our team at the conference will be posting on Facebook and Twitter first, and then we will be giving you more detailed information here on SlashGear. Continue past the cut to see what you can look forward to from Google I/O. We know that there will be more information about the new Android Ice Cream Sandwich, plus a likely annoucement about Chrome. We also expect to hear about an upd...
Google Nexus S 4G maintenance release packs "enhancements to improve performance"
By phoneArena, published 05-09-2011
Although it’s not anything major, the latest maintenance release for the pure Google device for Sprint carries along only some “enhancements to improve performance.” However, it’s not explicitly stated as to what those enhancements...
Nexus S 4G smartphone lands at Sprint and Best Buy
By SlashGear, published 05-09-2011
In late April, the launch of the Sprint Nexus S 4G smartphone was confirmed for May 8. May 8 was yesterday and the smartphone hit store shelves with Sprint and Best Buy locations offering the device up for buyers. The Nexus S 4G operates on the Sprint WiMax network and has a really cool contour display. The screen of the smartphone has a slight curve to it that mimics the curve of the phone itself. The case of the phone is rounded and smooth with a glossy black color. The smartphone has some other really cool features too. The curved screen is a Samsung Super AMOLED offering and the device runs Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread. It has a 1GHz single core processor and has GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, and NFC tech integrated. The smartphone has 16GB of internal storage. The rear camera is a 5MP unit wit...
Sprint makes Nexus S 4G available today for $199 with 2-year pact
By phoneArena, published 05-08-2011
If stock Android is your thing, the Nexus S 4G is now available from Sprint; the device is loaded with the latest build of Google's open source OS, Android 2.3.4 which means it goes straight to the head of the line when Ice Cream Sandwich is ready...
Samsung/AT&T Event, Infuse 4G Announced [Update: Available May 15]
By SlashGear, published 05-05-2011
We’re here at the Samsung AT&T event, and the big announcement is…the Samsung Infuse 4G. Philip Berne has called this phone “remarkably light”, weighing less than the Nexus S, even with a screen that’s half an inch larger, and with a bigger battery. Plus, it has that stunning, tear-inducing Super AMOLED Plus display that we love so much on the Droid Charge. If AT&T can get this on the market super quick, they might be the first to do so. A few more specs here: This phone sports a 4.5-inch screen, running Android 2.2 Froyo, and with a RM Cortex A8 1.2GHz processor. It has an 8MP camera on the back and 1.3MP camera on the front. This most definitely is the precursor to the Samsung Galaxy S II. It will be $200 on contract and will be coming out on Ma...
Android 2.3.4 rolling out across the UK
By TechRadar, published 05-05-2011
The latest version of Gingerbread, Android 2.3.4, is now landing on handsets across the UK, bringing with it video chatting features as standard.Our Google Nexus S has finally pinged and informed us that the new 2.3.4 version of the software is ready for download - although we're still waiting to hear if the Vodafone version is getting the same treatment.The new Android 2.3.4 version offers mostly bug fixes - which could go some way to sorting the random freezing some users are reporting with their new Nexus S handsets.The other big improvement is video calling - Google has now integrated Google Talk into the phone's contacts and calling system in a similar way to Android 3.0 on tablets.Better than Apple?You'll be able to make the calls over 3G or Wi-Fi (in your FaceTime, Apple) and can co...
Best phone screen: display tech explained
By TechRadar, published 05-05-2011
Mobile phones have progressed dramatically since the days their displays needed only to show you the number of the person calling. Once we added text messaging and even email, we need a bit more space to see what we'd written.We added colour to give them a bit more interest. When we started adding cameras to the phones, we wanted the screens to be sharper, so we could see the terrible, pixelated VGA photos we'd taken.Once the ability to store video arrived, we needed them to be smooth, with good refresh rates.In the era of touchscreen smartphones, we expect them to be as good as computer screens, offering crisp text, vibrant images, blur-free video and enough brightness to see outdoors, all under a responsive touch layer.Predictably, several different options have arisen, especially when i...
Best mobile screen: display tech explained
By TechRadar, published 05-05-2011
Mobile phones have progressed dramatically since the days their displays needed only to show you the number of the person calling. Once we added text messaging and even email, we need a bit more space to see what we'd written.We added colour to give them a bit more interest. When we started adding cameras to the phones, we wanted the screens to be sharper, so we could see the terrible, pixelated VGA photos we'd taken.Once the ability to store video arrived, we needed them to be smooth, with good refresh rates.In the era of touchscreen smartphones, we expect them to be as good as computer screens, offering crisp text, vibrant images, blur-free video and enough brightness to see outdoors, all under a responsive touch layer.Predictably, several different options have arisen, especially when i...
Video chat comes to Android via Google Talk on Gingerbread devices
By Thinkdigit, published 05-04-2011
Another reason to go for a Gingerbread-flavored phone, if you're buying an Android device this year. Video and voice chat support on Android phones is being rolled out first, on the developer-friendly Nexus S. In the months to come, Android 2.3+ devices will be the first to feature the updated app, which enables video and voice calls over 3G or Wi-Fi networks on Google Talk. The app connects you to other Google talk users with Android tablets and PCs - the only folks being left out of the fun a [...] Read the entire article
Android 2.3.4 update is live for Nexus One, no Gtalk calls though
By GSMArena, published 05-03-2011
The Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread update is already available over-the-air for Google Nexus One users. Unfortunately it does not bring the updated Google Talk app with video and voice chat, just some...
Nexus One gets Android 2.3.4 OTA upgrade, but with no Google Talk voice and video
By phoneArena, published 05-03-2011
The Nexus One is about to get an OTA upgrade to Android 2.3.4, but unlike the version of the software that Nexus S users received, the former device will receive the software without Google Talk voice or video...
Google To Bring NFC-Based Coupons To Android Phones
By SlashGear, published 05-02-2011
Google has been rolling out NFC (Near Field Communication) trials in various cities in its effort to eventually let your Android device replace your wallet. They are partnering up with outside companies to deliver not only NFC-enabled devices but also to help retailers prepare to take NFC transactions. A French point-of-sale device manufacturer, Ingenico, has confirmed that they are working with Google to develop NFC applications and terminals for retailers. Ingenico CEO Phillippe Lazare further confirms that Google wants to deliver coupons directly to a customer’s phone via NFC based on the customer’s location. Such a scenario would mean that customers could walk into a store and receive a coupon directly on their device for that store. Upon checking out, the customer can to...
HP Veer in white breaks cover for AT&T
By SlashGear, published 05-02-2011
We have asked in the past if the market is too crowded for HP’s Palm webOS to be successful. The answer to that question is still an unknown, but I think there is little room for webOS unless that software is tied with some very appealing hardware and the whole mess works very well together. From what I see, the hardware isn’t that appealing in this device though. These are the first shots that have surfaced online of the Veer in white. The Veer 4G has a white case and a black front with a smallish 2.6-inch 400 x 320 resolution screen. The Veer is set for its official launch next week according to Pocketnow. With the official unveil expected next week, the launch of the device should be coming before long. One of the key things that isn’t known about the handset at this poi...
Google Talk Enables Video Chat On Android Smartphones
By HotHardware, published 30-04-2011
Google recently launched Google Talk with video and voice chat for Android phones. With the service, users will be able to video or voice chat with their friends and family directly from an Android phone. Calls can be placed over 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi connections. According to Google, the new features will first roll out to the Nexus S phones over...
Manual update instructions for Google Nexus S to Android 2.3.4!
By SlashGear, published 29-04-2011
I’m many things and none of them is patient. I want what I want right now. Don’t judge, you know you are the same way. If you have a Nexus S smartphone and you have been checking over and over to see if the OTA update for your device to Android 2.3.4 was available for you yet, you can stop waiting. The official 2.3.4 update file has been found and you can get the directions for installing it manually below. The big new feature of the is version of Google for users is added video chat capability. The user can now video chat via Google Talk with the 2.3.4 update. The update process even looks fairly simple. The downside to anything manual is if you make a mistake, you could be risking your smartphone. Follow the directions below from Gottabemobile and let us know how things work o...
Google Rolling Out Native Video Chat for Android Phones
By MaximumPC, published 28-04-2011
Google has announced today that native video chat is coming to the Android phone platform. The new version of Google Talk will be bundled in the new Android 2.3.4 update, which is currently rolling out to the Google Nexus S. Video chat debuted on Honeycomb with the Motorola Xoom, but this is the first time we've gotten confirmation the feature was coming to phones. Of course, the Nexus S user base is very small, so the majority of users will be waiting until their carrier and manufacturer roll out the 2.3.4 update. The video chat functionality will work over 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi. But users will be able to call more than just Android devices. Video calls will tie in with Google's existing video chat capability in Gmail. The app will allow sharing of links and videos while cha...
Android 2.3.4 hitting Nexus S OTA with Gtalk video calls [Video]
By SlashGear, published 28-04-2011
Google has begun OTA distribution of Android 2.3.4, and as expected one of the features it enables is video calling in Gtalk. The video functionality – rumored earlier this week – is for Google’s Nexus S, and functions not only over WiFi but 3G/4G connections, presuming your carrier allows it. The OTA update will supposedly be hitting the Nexus S “in the next few weeks” and then arriving on other Android 2.3+ devices “in the future”; it will also bring bug-fixes for the original Nexus One. There are more details on Gtalk video calls in the help center. Meanwhile, Google is promising another surprise for Nexus users, though right now it’s not saying exactly what that might be. No word on if there’s a manual way to trigger the Android 2...
Buying Guide: 20 best mobile phones in the world today
By TechRadar, published 28-04-2011
Our verdict on the best mobile phones / best smartphones - constantly updated We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best mobile phone for you when you realise it's time to phone the network and trouble them for an upgrade?If you've read our list of the latest mobile phones, seen the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our constantly-updated list of the top 20 best mobile phones you can get in the UK.And now, after a glut of top-end mobile phones steaming out from Mobile World Congress 2011, we've just brought you our biggest update ever to this definitive chart.The big surprise was the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc nabbing top spot - the combo of Andro...
Samsung announces retail availability of the Nexus S and Galaxy Pro in India
By Thinkdigit, published 28-04-2011
A press conference in Chennai yesterday saw Samsung India announce the retail availability of the Samsung Google Nexus S in India, for Rs. 29,590. We heard similar news nearly a month ago, when Samsung announced it would be bringing the Nexus S to India "soon," at a price of Rs. 30,400. Ever since, numerous retailers across the country have had the phone on their shelves, apart from of course, online retailers who've been stocking the device since late March. Whatever the case, you [...] Read the entire article
Nexus S 4G Official: May 8th for $200
By MaximumPC, published 26-04-2011
Sprint has made it official. The Google Nexus S 4G will be launching on the carrier on May 8th. Customers will be able to pick up the device for $200 on a 2-year contract. The Nexus S 4G is much like its T-Mobile based sibling, but with the addition of a 4G WiMAX radio for faster data where available. The Nexus S phones are based on Samsung's Galaxy S line of devices. Much of the internal hardware is the same. The Nexus S 4G has a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, 512MB of RAM, a 5MP rear camera, and a VGA front-facing sensor. The screen is a Samsung Super AMOLED panel, but has a curved glass covering. This has been dubbed the "contour display". It also has a NFC chip for short-range wireless communication. The thing that makes the Nexus S so interesting is that it runs an unmolested versi...
DROID Charge unboxing and hands-on
By SlashGear, published 26-04-2011
It’s pretty good timing for Verizon’s DROID Charge by Samsung to arrive today, just when our Samsung Galaxy S II review goes live. Both smartphones share a couple of important features, most notably the 4.3-inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display. Unlike the previous AMOLED and Super AMOLED technology, the new Super AMOLED Plus allows you to see the display much better out in sunlight thanks to 50-percent more sub-pixels (this means twelve sub-pixels instead of eight). Looking at the display makes us want to weep like a 12-year old boy on Christmas morning. The Droid Charge has LTE to differentiate it, the second 4G smartphone to Verizon’s line-up. Read on for our first-impressions. Although the display may be the same as on the Galaxy S II, the DROID Charge is otherwise a m...
Sprint Confirms Nexus S 4G Coming On May 8
By HotHardware, published 26-04-2011
May 8th is just a couple of days before Google I/O kicks off in San Francisco, and it'll also be the first day that you can buy a 4G-enabled version of the Nexus S. Sprint has today confirmed that the Nexus S 4G from Google will go on sale in all Sprint channels starting on May 8, with a $199.99 price attached to the phone (along with a 2-year...
Google Nexus S 4G is officially set with a May 8th release & $200 on-contract pricing
By phoneArena, published 26-04-2011
Finally, Sprint came out to officially announce May 8th as the day when the handset will begin to go on sale through all Sprint channels. Even though some people might have been able to gobble up pre-orders of the device...
Samsung Galaxy S II Review
By SlashGear, published 26-04-2011
Samsung has a lot riding on the Galaxy S II. When your displays, chips and memory are found in the flagship devices of OEMs around the world, you have to expect consumers will demand more from the hardware that bears your brand. The Galaxy S II (aka Galaxy S 2 or GSII) has even more to live up to: the original Galaxy S spawned several carrier variants that helped it become the best-selling Android smartphone in the US last year, and positioned Samsung as one of the key names to beat in the segment. So, with dual-core – and freshly overclocked – processor at the ready and a huge, Super AMOLED Plus display providing some eye-catching glitz, the Galaxy S II wades into the crowded smartphone market. New Android king or pretender to the throne? Check out the full SlashGear review af...
Sprint Nexus S 4G confirmed for May 8
By SlashGear, published 26-04-2011
Sprint has confirmed that the Nexus S 4G will go on sale come May 8, with the WiMAX-toting smartphone priced at $199.99. The CDMA version of the Nexus S – which runs unmodified Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread on a 1GHz single-core processor with a 4-inch curved Super AMOLED display – requires the usual two-year agreement and data plan. There’s also native support for Google Voice, which Sprint announced was incoming alongside the Nexus S 4G and for which early invites started being issued late last week. Otherwise it’s the same Nexus S we know and love, only with an extra turn of 4G speed. That means a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and an LED flash, a front-facing camera for video calls, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth and GPS. There’s also NFC and 16GB of internal stor...
Verizon’s DROID Incredible 2 by HTC coming April 28
By SlashGear, published 26-04-2011
Verizon Wireless has confirmed pricing and availability for the DROID Incredible 2 by HTC, the CDMA version of the Incredible S we reviewed last month. The DROID Incredible 2 will drop on April 28, priced at $199.99 with a new, two-year agreement and mandatory data plan. Inside is Qualcomm’s 1GHz single-core processor, driving Android 2.2 Froyo with HTC Sense on top. There’s also a 4-inch WVGA touchscreen, an 8-megapixel camera with autofocus and an LED flash on the back, and a 1.3-megapixel fixed-focus camera on the front for video calls. 720p HD video recording, Adobe Flash Player support, SRS WOWHD audio and integrated noise-cancelation round out the main specs, though you also get 3G mobile hotspot sharing and all the usual Android apps. We rather liked the Incredible S&#...
Google set to unleash Gtalk video calling on Android 2.3.4
By TechRadar, published 26-04-2011
Google may release a new version of Gingerbread, Android 2.3.4, at Google I/O next month, complete with the ability to make video calls through Gmail.The speculation comes after a Samsung-affiliated Twitter user tweeted that he had "Just had a video call using gmail on Nexus S. Impressive quality @googlenexus Gingerbread 2.3.4" and hash-tagged it "io2011". Although Android does have a proprietary video calling facility on Android 2.3, it can only be used to call Android phone-to-phone, much like Apple's original FaceTime app.Like FaceTime, but notApple has since introduced a desktop version of its in-house video calling system, and Google looks likely to follow suit with the supposed new feature seeing Android users able to video call desktop Gmail users and potentially non-Android phones ...
Buying Guide: 20 best mobile phones in the world today
By TechRadar, published 21-04-2011
Our verdict on the best mobile phones / best smartphones - constantly updated We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best mobile phone for you when you realise it's time to phone the network and trouble them for an upgrade?If you've read our list of the latest mobile phones, seen the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our constantly-updated list of the top 20 best mobile phones you can get.And now, thanks to a glut of top-end mobile phones steaming out from Mobile World Congress 2011, we're bringing you our biggest update ever to our definitive chart.So what's changed? We've lost seven of the 20 from the previous ranking, the top ten has seen a hu...
Google Chrome notebooks set for summer release
By TechRadar, published 21-04-2011
Google has plans to release its Chrome OS-running notebooks in summer 2011, if anonymous sources are to be believed. The eponymous search engine has already started touting its CR-48 notebook prototype, which we weren't entirely convinced by due to its reliance on the internet browser and slight operational lag.Google is hopefully taking some time to iron out these niggles, with Neowin reporting that the devices are set to be released for purchase in late June to early July 2011. Another subscription?The same sources told the technology news site that Google will yet again be trying a somewhat experimental distribution model. Remember when it tried to sell the Google Nexus One direct to consumers and the whole scheme fell flat on its face?Well, this time it's trying to lease the Chrome not...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 20-04-2011
iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 5G, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already. Will the 5th generation iPhone deliver ultra-fast mobile internet? What other specs will it feature? Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.iPhone 5 release dateThe Apple Worldwide Developers' Conference 2011 date has been announced as 6 June 2011, so it's possible we'll see the iPhone 5 break cover there. However, Jim Dalrymple at The Loop says that this year's WWDC will be about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OS.This fits with Apple's established rhythm of iPhone releases, with new models appearing in late June or early July each year. So it's a safe bet that the iPhone 5 release date (UK a...
Eric Schmidt gets huge salary boost
By SlashGear, published 20-04-2011
Eric Schmidt may have to get his personalized stationary reprinted, now that Larry Page has taken over as Google CEO, but the new Executive Chairman of the Google board shouldn’t have any issues paying for fresh letterheads given the whopping salary boost that comes with the position. As CEO, Schmidt was earning a single dollar per year; as Executive Chairman, that jumps to $1.25m along with some juicy bonus potential. In fact, Schmidt’s target bonus is 400-percent of his base salary. In 2011 he could potentially take away a $6m bonus, depending on Google’s overall performance, according to the SEC filing that reveals the figures. Schmidt had followed in Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin in taking just $1 in annual salary each year since 2005. The three exec...
Microsoft Reveals Details of Mango
By SlashGear, published 14-04-2011
Microsoft has given the most detailed look yet into Mango, the newest version of Windows Phone, at its annual show for Web and phone developers, Mix11. Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore also assured us all that the rocky start that Microsoft has had in the phone platform is now behind it, and this new OS will be rolled out without glitches. Read more about the details of Mango after the cut. The new OS includes the ability to let apps run in the background. Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Windows Phone program management, demonstrated this capability by playing music via Spotify while he used other programs on the phone. Belfiore also demonstrated a new Qantas traveler app, which allows you to pin data about a specific flight to the home screen of the phone. A ti...
Best Buy is now offering pre-orders online for the Google Nexus S 4G
By phoneArena, published 13-04-2011
As it stands right now, you’ll need to cash out $199.99 with your signature on a 2-year agreement to pick this one up as a pre-order, however, it’s slated to be mailed some time around April 18th and 21st – albeit, there is...
Hands on: HTC Sensation review
By TechRadar, published 04-12-2011
In the three short years it's taken HTC to rise from an unknown manufacturer to market-leading company, we've seen a number of high-end handsets from the brand - and now the HTC Sensation adds dual-core functionality in a sleek package.What's impressive about the phone when you first pick it up is the size - it's a 4.3-inch screen but the footprint of the phone isn't much bigger than the HTC Incredible S.The screen is technically the same size as the Desire HD, in that it measures 4.3-inches diagonally, but in reality it's a little smaller thanks to packing in qHD (540x960) resolution, which basically means 16:9 movies will play without any black bars above and below.The unibody sculpting of the device is in keeping with a number of other handsets in the HTC range - it's most reminiscent o...
Hands on: HTC Sensation review
By TechRadar, published 04-12-2011
In the three short years it's taken HTC to rise from an unknown manufacturer to market-leading company, we've seen a number of high-end handsets from the brand - and now the HTC Sensation adds dual-core functionality in a sleek package.What's impressive about the phone when you first pick it up is the size - it's a 4.3-inch screen but the footprint of the phone isn't much bigger than the HTC Incredible S.The screen is technically the same size as the Desire HD, in that it measures 4.3-inches diagonally, but in reality it's a little smaller thanks to packing in qHD (540x960) resolution, which basically means 16:9 movies will play without any black bars above and below.The unibody sculpting of the device is in keeping with a number of other handsets in the HTC range - it's most reminiscent o...
Hands on: HTC Sensation review
By TechRadar, published 04-12-2011
In the three short years it's taken HTC to rise from an unknown manufacturer to market-leading company, we've seen a number of high-end handsets from the brand - and now the HTC Sensation adds dual-core functionality in a sleek package.What's impressive about the phone when you first pick it up is the size - it's a 4.3-inch screen but the footprint of the phone isn't much bigger than the HTC Incredible S.The screen is technically the same size as the Desire HD, in that it measures 4.3-inches diagonally, but in reality it's a little smaller thanks to packing in qHD (540x960) resolution, which basically means 16:9 movies will play without any black bars above and below.The unibody sculpting of the device is in keeping with a number of other handsets in the HTC range - it's most reminiscent o...
Google Nexus S 4G visits the Feds
By phoneArena, published 04-10-2011
What appears to be the Google Nexus S 4G made a trip to visit the FCC, and after receiving thumbs up from the Feds, the handset could be getting ready to be launched; speculation centers on a April 24th release for the "Pure Google" model...
Ooh-la-la, ad for the Nexus S hits French television
By phoneArena, published 04-06-2011
French television viewers have been able to catch a glimpse of the Nexus S during an advertisement that actually reveals nothing about the phone except that it is "pure Google"...
AT&T in line to add the Google Nexus S to its Android offerings?
By phoneArena, published 04-04-2011
A page at Samsung.com reveals information on a device that appears to be an AT&T variant of the Google Nexus S; although there has been no announcement by the carrier, the use of the AT&T name on the page would indicate the carrier's involvement in the launch of the model...
Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
By TechRadar, published 04-04-2011
Sony Ericsson's original Xperia X10 was a brave first go at an Android phone, offering a large screen, a collection of social media enhancements and a stylised version of Google's rapidly growing mobile operating system.However, the X10 was hindered by delays, held back by glitchy software and arrived running the already ageing Android 1.6 - and only received an update to 2.1 recently. It was, to put it mildly, a bit of a mess.The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc obliterates all of those awkward memories in a flash. It's running the very latest Android 2.3.2 version of the OS. It's arrived on time. It's fast, and it's very, very stylish indeed. And it's not that expensive for a single-core Android phone in 2011 at £430 SIM free or £30 per month on contract - can Sony Ericsson's Reality Display, ...
Rep training on Google Nexus S 4G to begin April 18th with consumer launch set for April 24th?
By phoneArena, published 04-02-2011
A photograph of some sort of publication for phone reps reveals that Samsung is planning on releasing the Google Nexus S 4G for training on April 18th; a source for Android Central says to expect the consumer launch of the handset one or two weeks later, most likely on April 24th...
HTC reconfirms Honeycomb Flyer update (whenever Google lets them have it)
By SlashGear, published 04-02-2011
HTC has been promising a Honeycomb update for the HTC Flyer from the start, but recent talk of Google limiting access to Android 3.0 had left some would-be tableteers concerned that the 7-incher might be stuck with Gingerbread. HTC assured us that would not be the case at the time, but it bears repeating, and so they’ve taken to Twitter to reiterate that “we will be offering a Honeycomb upgrade when it’s made available.” The company’s decision to launch with Gingerbread – heavily reskinned with a new version of HTC Sense, just as the eventual Honeycomb upgrade will be – was believed to be a time-saving move, to allow the company reach the market quicker. HTC is expected to announce a further two, larger slates – potentially at its press eve...
In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping
By TechRadar, published 04-01-2011
If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credit card, think again; Google's plans for real-world shopping are much more ambitious than that, according to Google's Osama Bedier, vice president of platforms for mobile and new ventures. It's not just about avoiding the ads for things we already own that 75% of us see online, although Bedier would clearly like to make that more efficient. And when he says that 20% of people are more likely to buy something that a friend or family member has recommended it sounds like the FTC's privacy penalties for Buzz haven't discouraged Google from considering the opportunities in social networking. What Bedier wants to do is use the smartphone - which he calls "th...
In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping
By TechRadar, published 04-01-2011
If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credit card, think again; Google's plans for real-world shopping are much more ambitious than that, according to Google's Osama Bedier, vice president of platforms for mobile and new ventures. It's not just about avoiding the ads for things we already own that 75% of us see online, although Bedier would clearly like to make that more efficient. And when he says that 20% of people are more likely to buy something that a friend or family member has recommended it sounds like the FTC's privacy penalties for Buzz haven't discouraged Google from considering the opportunities in social networking. What Bedier wants to do is use the smartphone - which he calls "th...
In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping
By TechRadar, published 04-01-2011
If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credit card, think again; Google's plans for real-world shopping are much more ambitious than that, according to Google's Osama Bedier, vice president of platforms for mobile and new ventures. It's not just about avoiding the ads for things we already own that 75% of us see online, although Bedier would clearly like to make that more efficient. And when he says that 20% of people are more likely to buy something that a friend or family member has recommended it sounds like the FTC's privacy penalties for Buzz haven't discouraged Google from considering the opportunities in social networking. What Bedier wants to do is use the smartphone - which he calls "th...
Google puts Android on lock-down: Non-fragmentation contracts, standardized ARM chips, more
By SlashGear, published 31-03-2011
Google’s approach to Android 3.0 Honeycomb, the version of its OS designed for tablets, has drawn criticism recently over the search giant’s refusal to release the source code to OEMs; now, it seems, that could be part of a push to reduce fragmentation. According to DigiTimes‘ sources, Google is considering “standardizing” not only the Honeycomb software but collaborating with ARM to standardize the chipsets Android 3.0 will run on. Meanwhile, BusinessWeek claims execs from multiple big name companies have confirmed that Google now insists on “non-fragmentation clauses” from partners hoping to have the earliest access to Android code, limiting the changes they can make to the UI, services and apps, and even which companies they can partner with. ...
Support for QR Codes Dropped from Google Places
By MaximumPC, published 30-03-2011
Google's Android platform has made use of quick response codes (QR codes) since the original G1 was launched back in 2008. More recently, Google began pushing the square barcodes as an element of their Places system, going so far as to encourage retailer to display Google-provided QR badges. Now Google has ended support for QR codes in places. The Google Places dashboard no longer generates the codes for businesses. Instead, Google says, "We’re exploring new ways to enable customers to quickly and easily find information about local businesses from their mobile phones." By all accounts that means near field communication (NFC) technology. NFC is built into the Google Nexus S and other upcoming Android devices. NFC allows a device to wirelessly exchange information by being held up to ano...
Vodafone opens up HTC Desire S pre-orders
By TechRadar, published 30-03-2011
Vodafone has announced that it is offering the HTC Desire S for pre-order, ahead of the hotly-anticpated phone arriving on its UK release date of 8 April. The HTC Desire S will be available for no additional cost on the company's £30, two-year plan which includes 600 minutes, unlimited texts and half a gig of mobile data. According to TechRadar's HTC Desire S review, the phone is worthy of consideration, picking up four stars and earning praise for its slick UI and great call quality. But...However, the review did suggest alternatives, adding: "we can't help but have our gaze drawn to the HTC Incredible S and the Samsung Galaxy S2."Vodafone has also announced that it will be offering the Samsung-built Google Nexus S in either its original black chassis or an exclusive white version. That ...
Vodafone opens up HTC Desire S pre-orders
By TechRadar, published 30-03-2011
Vodafone has announced that it is offering the HTC Desire S for pre-order, ahead of the hotly-anticpated phone arriving on its UK release date of 8 April. The HTC Desire S will be available for no additional cost on the company's £30, two-year plan which includes 600 minutes, unlimited texts and half a gig of mobile data. According to TechRadar's HTC Desire S review, the phone is worthy of consideration, picking up four stars and earning praise for its slick UI and great call quality. But...However, the review did suggest alternatives, adding: "we can't help but have our gaze drawn to the HTC Incredible S and the Samsung Galaxy S2."Vodafone has also announced that it will be offering the Samsung-built Google Nexus S in either its original black chassis or an exclusive white version. That ...
LG rumoured to make Google Nexus S tablet, possible lead device of Android 2.4
By Thinkdigit, published 30-03-2011
There is a distinct purpose served by the Google Nexus phones, they are the lead devices for their platforms at release, showcasing just what the new versions can do – its features, its capabilities – in a completely vanilla form. To that end, it is not very surprising that a Google Nexus tablet is rumoured to be in the pipeline. The rumours are quite fair – after HTC and Samsung, Google has given LG the chance to make the Google Nexus tablet. LG has shown it can handle the [...] Read the entire article
Google Nexus S is believed to launch April 14th in Canada through various carriers
By phoneArena, published 28-03-2011
From the sound of it all, the Google Nexus S is alleged to launch in Canada starting on April 14th through a network of various carriers around the country. Sure it’s rather late in terms of release considering that it...
Google Partners with Citigroup and MasterCard for Android NFC Payments
By MaximumPC, published 28-03-2011
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Google has entered into an arrangement with Citigroup and MasterCard to enable mobile payments on Android phones. The technology, which is currently being tested, would make use of wireless near-field communication (NFC). Customers would be able to wave their device over a reader to pay for items. Security concerns aside, this would certainly be convenient for users of the system. But it’s not just about neat technology for us, it is also about data. The NFC system would give retailers considerably more data on their customers. Surprisingly, Google is not expected to take a cut of sales. Sources indicate that the NFC payments will require a special app to be installed and registered on a device to work. Not all phones have the NFC...
HTC Desire S Review
By SlashGear, published 28-03-2011
The original HTC Desire became one of the most popular Android smartphones of 2010, a compelling balance of screen-size, functionality and pricing that convinced us in our review and continued to convince buyers throughout the year. Now, HTC is back with the follow-up, the HTC Desire S. Question is, with dual-core Android phones already on the market, does the “S” stand for “sequel” or just “surpassed”? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. Hardware The original Desire was HTC’s own-brand version of the Nexus One, the first Google Phone; since then, Google has partnered with Samsung on the Nexus S, leaving HTC to follow its own path with the Desire S. Smaller than the Desire, at 115 x 59.8 x 11.63 mm, and 5g lighter at 130g, the Desi...
Google working with Citigroup and MasterCard on NFC mobile payment solution - WSJ
By Thinkdigit, published 28-03-2011
Ever since Google launched the Nexus S with a Near Field Communications (NFC) chip, the industry has been abuzz with speculations on the future of mobile payments, and Google’s role in it. A report by the Wall Street Journal has revealed that Google is working with Citigroup and Mastercard to develop its mobile payment system, turning Android devices like tablets and smartphones into electronic wallets that can be swiped (or in this case, waved) via reader at retail and other outlets. A [...] Read the entire article
Google readying Android NFC payment system with MasterCard and Citigroup?
By SlashGear, published 28-03-2011
Google is reportedly partnering with MasterCard and Citigroup on NFC payment technology, using VeriFone NFC-enabled payment terminals to turn Android handsets into electronic wallets. According to the WSJ‘s sources, those with Citigroup-issued debit and credit cards would be able to use a new Android app – initially for the Nexus S, but then for subsequent NFC-equipped phones – rather than their physical cards when the service launches later in 2011. According to the sources, Google would not get a cut of any transaction fees, but instead gain access to an increasing amount of purchaser data. That would allow for more focused advertising, along with Google-powered coupons and services, together with retailers having better insight into the shopping habits of their cust...
Google preparing LG-made Nexus Tablet, blocking 3.0 slate updates, tips insider
By SlashGear, published 28-03-2011
Google is reportedly working with LG on a “Google Nexus Tablet”, a Honeycomb reference design which – like the Nexus line of smartphones – would be first to receive OS and interface updates. According to Mobile-Review, the slate (the official name of which is currently unknown) is already being readied for a mid-summer or early-fall release. No specifications have been shared, nor potential carrier partners, and it’s not clear whether Google will be attempting to sell the Nexus Tablet direct to consumers or via subsidized deals. The search giant’s motivation is presumably to have a slate device with which it can shape the evolution of the tablet segment, much as it did with the original Nexus One for phones. Meanwhile, there’s also talk that Goog...
Google Nexus Tablet on the way, might come out mid-summer?
By phoneArena, published 28-03-2011
With recent talk about Google delaying the public release of the Honeycomb source code, some tech analysts like Russian Eldar Murtazin concluded that the reason for this lies in a yet unannounced Google Nexus Tablet…
Steve Jobs: “No Interest” in Radiation Detection App
By SlashGear, published 24-03-2011
If you are concerned with radiation levels coming from your cell phone, you can measure it if you have a BlackBerry or an Android phone, but not (officially) with your iPhone. Israeli developer Tawkon has been repeatedly rejected by the Apple App Store, and now has been personally refused by Steve Jobs in a two-word email: “No Interest”. So now, Tawkon has posted instructions online through Cydia and on its website to download the app. The app measures cellular radiation emissions from your phone, and points to areas in your home or office where you may be exposed to higher radiation levels. The app was available on BlackBerry’s App World last spring, and posted on Google’s Android Market in September. But despite “great discussions with senior Apple executi...
HTC Incredible S Review
By SlashGear, published 24-03-2011
The first of HTC’s new range from Mobile World Congress last month, and tracing a direct line back to a handset almost 12 months old, the HTC Incredible S should on paper leave us cold. Packing neither the huge screen of the Touch HD, nor running the latest OS like the imminent Desire S, it’s a single-core phone in what’s fast shaping up to be a dual-core world. Thing is, underdog devices have a habit of surprising you, and the Incredible S is no different. Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. Hardware It’s tough for an all-black smartphone to stand out of the crowd, but by a combination of distinct design and a little razzle-dazzle the Incredible S does at least make an attempt at differentiation. The 120 x 64 x 11.7 mm chassis – which tips th...
More details about Sprint's integration with Google Voice (video demo)
By phoneArena, published 24-03-2011
Along with the announcement of the Google Nexus S 4G for the Now Network on Monday, Sprint also let it be known that it's about to embrace Google Voice as an integrated feature for all its phones, including the Nexus S 4G...
Nexus S 4G Hands-on
By phoneArena, published 23-03-2011
The Nexus S 4G is a phone for the Android purist with a Sprint contract, but what sets it apart from the original is 4G connectivity, and the tight integration of Google Voice...
EVO View 4G Revealed at Sprint Event [CTIA 2011]
By SlashGear, published 22-03-2011
At the Sprint event on Day 1 of CTIA 2011, a lovely humid Tuesday in Orlando, Florida, the stage was a round staircase leading up to two pedestals covered with golden sheets until whammo! They were thusly revealed. This is a 3G/4G Android tablet with dual cameras, video call functionality, high definition video capture on the back, a Flash-enabled email. On this 7-inch screen you be able to use the Scribe, a pen device that’ll work out of the box with this tablet – does this seem familiar to you? It’s because this is the US version of the HTC Flyer. We got the opportunity to see this tablet back at Mobile World Congress 2011 under the alternate branding HTC Flyer, here it’ll be called the EVO View 4G and as far as we know, it’ll essentially be the same devic...
HTC EVO 3D Revealed at Sprint Event [CTIA 2011]
By SlashGear, published 22-03-2011
At a utterly lovely Sprint media event at CTIA 2011, gold and yellow tones abound, Sprint has announced what they hope will be a heavy contender in this massively competitive 2011 season for Android. It began with a lovely floaty Andy video in full 3D, showing him float about, transforming things from flat to 3D. It was instantly apparent that the device would be the next step in the EVO line. The first announcment was the HTC EVO 3D, the first 4G device with a dual-core and 3D capability with no glasses needed. This device, they say, will be performing like a PC with gaming, movies, and all manner of video. 3D 5-megapixel camera on the back, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a QHD display on the front, and hotspot enabled. The hotspot will work with 8 devices, this and the tablet announced makin...
Sprint To Get Nexus S 4G
By HotHardware, published 21-03-2011
When we reviewed the Nexus S 4G, we said we wish the phone would be available through additional channels (at the time, it was an unlocked phone that had T-Mobile service sold through Best Buy). Now, our wish has been granted: Today, Sprint and Google announced plans to bring the Nexus S 4G from Google to Sprint this spring. The phone will...
Nexus S 4G coming to Sprint, to be the first with fully integrated Google Voice
By phoneArena, published 21-03-2011
Sprint's CTIA keynote is one of the main events of CTIA, kicking off tomorrow, but information about the carrier's Nexus S 4G WiMAX-capable handset already leaked out on their own website. It only took…
HTC ThunderBolt Review
By SlashGear, published 18-03-2011
The HTC ThunderBolt is a first but not a first: the only 4G smartphone on Verizon’s LTE network, but certainly not the first 4G smartphone we’ve seen and following a hardware pattern that dates back nine months or so to the HTC EVO 4G on Sprint and takes in AT&T’s Inspire 4G on the way. With various different interpretations of what exactly 4G is, however, there’s more to this than labels and branding. Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. Hardware If you’ve used an HTC smartphone recently then the ThunderBolt’s design won’t surprise. Like the EVO 4G and Inspire 4G before it, there’s a 4.3-inch WVGA touchscreen display in a mostly metal chassis. At 4.75 x 2.44 x 0.56 inches, Verizon’s phone is narrower and shorter than...
HTC Incredible S Coming Soon In Red?
By SlashGear, published 18-03-2011
Why should handsets only come in black or white? Its true that your protective case will ultimately usurp whatever color your handset is, but that’s not stopping HTC from possibly pushing out a lovely red version of their HTC Incredible S. A Danish electronics retailer showed off a new SKU with the red hot image below. The Danish site lists the item as not yet available but with no further information on date of availability and price. Titled “HTC INCREDIBLE S – RED”, there’s definitely no mistaking it for any other device. It looks pretty much identical to the black Incredible S, but with the entire back and trim in a deep red. The Incredible S features a four-inch 480×800 Super LCD display, 8MP camera, HD video, 1GHz Qualcomm processor, 768MB RAM, HT...
Android browser is '52 per cent faster than iPhone'
By TechRadar, published 17-03-2011
A new independent study has found that the Android Chrome browser is 52 per cent faster than the iPhone's native Safari. Using the Android browser on Gingerbread (2.3) on a Google Nexus S and Safari on iOS 4.3 running on an iPhone 4, web optimisation firm Blaze found that Android loaded websites 52 per cent faster than iOS. iPhone's Safari managed to load websites faster than Chrome only 16 per cent of the time, leaving Android winning out on 84 per cent of the 1,000 test sites. 16 per cent of the time it works faster all the timeIn practice, there's not much between the two OSes' load times – Android's median load time came in at 2.1 seconds, while the iPhone managed 3.25 seconds. It's also worth noting that Blaze, which undertook the tests, worked on "a fast Wi-Fi connection" at times ...
Android browser is '52 per cent faster than iPhone'
By TechRadar, published 17-03-2011
A new independent study has found that the Android Chrome browser is 52 per cent faster than the iPhone's native Safari. Using the Android browser on Gingerbread (2.3) on a Google Nexus S and Safari on iOS 4.3 running on an iPhone 4, web optimisation firm Blaze found that Android loaded websites 52 per cent faster than iOS. iPhone's Safari managed to load websites faster than Chrome only 16 per cent of the time, leaving Android winning out on 84 per cent of the 1,000 test sites. 16 per cent of the time it works faster all the timeIn practice, there's not much between the two OSes' load times – Android's median load time came in at 2.1 seconds, while the iPhone managed 3.25 seconds. It's also worth noting that Blaze, which undertook the tests, worked on "a fast Wi-Fi connection" at times ...
Android browser is '52 per cent faster than iPhone'
By TechRadar, published 17-03-2011
A new independent study has found that the Android Chrome browser is 52 per cent faster than the iPhone's native Safari. Using the Android browser on Gingerbread (2.3) on a Google Nexus S and Safari on iOS 4.3 running on an iPhone 4, web optimisation firm Blaze found that Android loaded websites 52 per cent faster than iOS. iPhone's Safari managed to load websites faster than Chrome only 16 per cent of the time, leaving Android winning out on 84 per cent of the 1,000 test sites. 16 per cent of the time it works faster all the timeIn practice, there's not much between the two OSes' load times – Android's median load time came in at 2.1 seconds, while the iPhone managed 3.25 seconds. It's also worth noting that Blaze, which undertook the tests, worked on "a fast Wi-Fi connection" at times ...
Updated: Android 3.0: all the latest updates
By TechRadar, published 16-03-2011
Information about Android 3.0 - Android Honeycomb - is coming thick and fast now as a raft of Android 3.0 tablets are lined up for release this year.Here's what we know about Android 3.0 so far. On 20 October, we reported that Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets were rumoured to be heading out to engineers in time for Christmas. This resulted in a huge range of tablets arriving at CES 2011, with UK release dates later in the year, but none of the tablets on show were actually running Android 3.0.Android 3.0 release dateAndroid 3.0 release date is looking like early 2011.In a video on All Things Digital posted on 7 December 2010 Google's Andy Rubin showed off a prototype Motorola Android 3.0 tablet and confirmed that the Android 3.0 release date will be "some time next year".As of mid-February 20...
Updated: Android 3.0: all the latest updates
By TechRadar, published 16-03-2011
Information about Android 3.0 - Android Honeycomb - is coming thick and fast now as a raft of Android 3.0 tablets are lined up for release this year.Here's what we know about Android 3.0 so far. On 20 October, we reported that Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets were rumoured to be heading out to engineers in time for Christmas. This resulted in a huge range of tablets arriving at CES 2011, with UK release dates later in the year, but none of the tablets on show were actually running Android 3.0.Android 3.0 release dateAndroid 3.0 release date is looking like early 2011.In a video on All Things Digital posted on 7 December 2010 Google's Andy Rubin showed off a prototype Motorola Android 3.0 tablet and confirmed that the Android 3.0 release date will be "some time next year".As of mid-February 20...
Google Purportedly Testing NFC Payment Machines In NY/SF Stores
By HotHardware, published 16-03-2011
Google may be opting out when it comes to joining the social networking game, but they're saying yes to mobile payments. The Samsung-built Nexus S was one of the first NFC-enabled smartphones to ship in America, and now Google is reportedly ready to start testing a mobile payment trial at stores in NY and SF. The Bloomberg article on the matter...
Google to Test Mobile NFC Payments
By MaximumPC, published 15-03-2011
According to a report from Bloomberg, Google is preparing to start a mobile payment trial in New York and San Francisco. The system, which Google will be rolling out with VeriFone Systems Inc., will let users pay for purchases with their smartphones. The special registers would make use of near-field-communication (NFC) technology, which is still rare in mobile phones in the US. The Nexus S is currently one of the only US phones with an NFC chip included, but Visa is reportedly planning to roll out a microSD NFC card consumers could use on existing phones. It has been the lack of NFC hardware that has kept mobile payments from taking off, but this push from Google could entice manufacturers to begin including the tech in phones. The next iPhone has been rumored to either have, or definitel...
The State of Tech in Japan’s Recovery
By SlashGear, published 15-03-2011
We’ve already written about the terrifying situation in Japan this past week, and how SlashGear readers can help the ongoing aid effort. Now, Japanese manufacturers are beginning to add up the impact the earthquake and tsunami have had on tech production, affected both by physical damage to facilities as well as ongoing power shortages and transportation break-down. Components used in everything from Apple’s iPad 2 through digital cameras, mobile devices and computers have been impacted, with some estimates putting recovery several quarters out. Read on for more details. Flash storage, DRAM, LCD panels, microcontrollers and other materials will all be impacted, according to iSuppli, though high existing stock levels of some components are expected to smooth the transition som...
HTC Pyramid Revealed as Android 3.0 Honeycomb Phone
By SlashGear, published 15-03-2011
Take a peek at a phone that’s basically blowing the doors off of the Android world with it’s unconventional release of itself stocked with Android 3.0 Honeycomb. This version of Google’s mobile OS is only supposed to be for tablets, it being released recently with the Motorola XOOM. This phone, on the other hand, is giant, but it’s not quite tablet sized. This phone instead is much closer to the upcoming HTC ThunderBolt or the recently released HTC Inspire 4G – it’s like they’re all made by the same manufacturer! Inside this lovely phone, you’ll find a 1.2GHz processor that’s yet unnamed, a big huge 8-megapixel camera on the back, and a tiny camera on the front for video chat sized to the tune of 1.3-megapixels. The back also features...
NFC to be tested by Google in the Big Apple and San Francisco
By phoneArena, published 15-03-2011
To test its NFC mobile payment system, which is supported on the Nexus S, Google will make purchases at participating retailers that will be equipped with special Verifone cash registers...
Amazon Kindle lands at Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy UK
By SlashGear, published 14-03-2011
If you are a fan of reading and are looking to get your hands on the Amazon Kindle in the UK without having to wait for the eReader to ship from Amazon you can get it at two new retail locations. The latest Amazon Kindle hit Best Buy and Carphone Warehouse in the UK on March 11. It is in all UK Best Buy locations and in 400 different Carphone Warehouse stores across the country. This is the new third generation Kindle with the 6-inch screen with Pearl E ink technology inside. The screen is designed with no backlight so you can read it in bright rooms with no glare. The screen tech lets the battery last longer as well. The device will be in the stores in WiFi only and in 3G versions. The onboard storage is enough for about 3,500 books and more than 550,000 titles are available from the Ki...
iPhone 5 will not have NFC, says source
By TechRadar, published 14-03-2011
The Apple iPhone 5 will apparently not have near field communications (NFC), according to reports in The Independent. Quoting sources from 'several of the largest mobile operators in the UK' the Indy suggests that Apple has told them not to expect NFC. NFC is a similar technology to that found in Oyster Cards allowing people to wave their phone at readers and make a connection – allowing you to pay for goods for instance, or register at an event. GoogleIt was widely expected that the Apple iPhone 5 would bring the NFC technology, following in the footsteps of rival Google who brought it in for its last handset the Google Nexus S. "The new iPhone will not have NFC, Apple told the operators it was concerned by the lack of a clear standard across the industry," said The Independent's source...
iPhone 5 will not have NFC, says source
By TechRadar, published 14-03-2011
The Apple iPhone 5 will apparently not have near field communications (NFC), according to reports in The Independent. Quoting sources from 'several of the largest mobile operators in the UK' the Indy suggests that Apple has told them not to expect NFC. NFC is a similar technology to that found in Oyster Cards allowing people to wave their phone at readers and make a connection – allowing you to pay for goods for instance, or register at an event. GoogleIt was widely expected that the Apple iPhone 5 would bring the NFC technology, following in the footsteps of rival Google who brought it in for its last handset the Google Nexus S. "The new iPhone will not have NFC, Apple told the operators it was concerned by the lack of a clear standard across the industry," said The Independent's source...
Hulu for Android Coming Soon to “Select 2.2 Phones”
By MaximumPC, published 13-03-2011
Android fans sick and tired of watching Apple suck up all the best content deals might finally be in luck, Hulu Plus appears to be poised and ready to launch on “select” devices sporting version 2.2 or higher. The news of the upcoming release wasn’t slipped by Hulu officials themselves; rather the tip was picked up by an intrepid reader who noticed the change on the company’s home page. Before you get too excited however, it’s important to note that “select Android OS 2.2 phones” is likely to be a very small list at this point. Streaming deals on Android devices have always been a fleeting proposition due to lax DRM restrictions on the platform. Devices likely to be approved for Hulu plus will no doubt be those with baked in hardware DRM. The exact list of which models fall i...
Updated: 10 best touchscreen phones for 2011
By TechRadar, published 03-11-2011
Our best touchscreen phone article is constantly updated.Quite simply, touch screen technology is the innovation we now expect to see in some shape or form from every new smartphone that launches. Swapping a button-bashing existence for a softer sensing interface we can press, swipe, pinch and zoom, means we can now do a little bit more than simply stare into that pint-sized screen of ours.If the only QWERTY keyboard you want to see on a daily basis is the one nestled next to your office computer, here's our pick of the best touchscreen smartphones available right now in the UK.1. HTC Desire HDSporting a massive 4.3-inch Super LCD touch screen display, the HD has plenty of room for slick manoeuvre around HTC's overhauled Sense UI. Incorporating the same 480X800 WVGA resolution as the origi...
Best Buy chops the price of the Google Nexus S in half to $100 for 2 weeks only
By phoneArena, published 03-11-2011
From now until March 23rd, Best Buy has the beloved smartphone priced in half to the 2-year contract price of only $100. At that rate, you’re presented with a high-end device that you know will always be up-to-date...
Microsoft Won’t Patch IE8 Before Pwn2Own Hacking Contest
By MaximumPC, published 03-06-2011
Microsoft is either supremely confident in it’s latest revision of Internet Explorer 8, or they’ve already come to terms with the reality that if you put enough hackers in one room, no amount of patching will save them. Either way the software giant announced on March 4th that it wouldn’t be issuing any security patches before the annual Pwn2Own hacking event which runs from March 9th to 11th in Vancouver Canada. If this holds true, they will be the only major browser contender to do so. The targeted browsers include Internet Explorer 8, Apple’s Safari 5, Google Chrome 9, and Mozilla’s Firefox 3.6. On the mobile front hackers will also be looking at Windows Phone 7, the iPhone 4, Blackberry OS, and the Nexus S running Android. Traditionally Internet Explorer and Safari have been...
Samsung Nexus S with Gingerbread Review
By HotHardware, published 03-01-2011
Google's Nexus S smartphone has a lot of attractive features, but the one that attracts the most attention is the fact that this smartphone is the first to ship with the latest version of the Android smartphone operating system—version 2.3. Otherwise known as Gingerbread, this OS is said to be the fastest version of Android yet. In addition...
T-Mobile Discontinues FlexPay Option
By SlashGear, published 03-01-2011
T-Mobile is discontinuing the FlexPay option for a more conventional deposit method. This move could be the result of the high numbers of customer turnover T-Mobile has suffered recently. The new Deposit Product method will go into effect on March 13th. T-Mobile’s customer credit class will determine how much they will have to pay before activation. The range goes from $50 to $400 and the initial deposits will be returned to the customer after a year of good standing on the account. One major exception is those that are required to leave a deposit will not be able use the equipment installment plan if the option is available to them. This change is company-wide as T-Mobile hopes to stop the loss of more customers. If a customer chooses not to have their credit checked or do not want to...
In Depth: Why 2011 is the year of mobile payments
By TechRadar, published 28-02-2011
Imagine waving your phone in front of a cash desk to buy fuel or food. Or zooming into the drive-thru lane and paying with a smartphone instead of a credit card. That's the promise of mobile payments, an emerging technology that will depend greatly on software, hardware chipsets in the phone, and an infrastructure that aids both merchants and consumers.In this case, the word "emerging" is important. Some providers, such as Fonwallet.com, are using software to initiate transactions. Some, such as Mpayy use text messaging as a way to buy goods on a website or send funds from one user to another.MPAYYMENTS: Using text messages to pay for goodsPhones such as the Nokia 6212 have the capability to conduct transactions using a Near-Field Communication chip, but have not made much progress beyond ...
OTA Android 2.3.3 update for the Nexus S and Nexus One rolls out
By GSMArena, published 23-02-2011
Google announced in a tweet that an over-the-air update to Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread has been rolled out for the Google Nexus S and the Google Nexus One. It's been a long wait for Nexus One owners...
Honeycomb ported to the Google Nexus One, still an early build
By phoneArena, published 21-02-2011
One of the guys at XDA-Developers decided to practice his rooting skills on the Google Nexus One...
Motorola ATRIX 4G review
By SlashGear, published 20-02-2011
You have to be a pretty special device to win Best Device of CES, and this year Motorola’s ATRIX 4G took away the coveted crown. It’s not hard to see why, either: the 4-inch Android smartphone not only pairs NVIDIA’s dual-core Tegra 2 processor with a beautiful qHD display, but offers some compelling accessories such as a laptop-style docking station that wants to replace your MacBook Air. Plenty of promise, then, but does the ATRIX 4G deliver the speed, data and flexibility AT&T promise? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. Hardware It’s tough to pick holes in the ATRIX 4G’s spec sheet; Motorola has put together a solid list of hardware that pushes several of the limits we’ve seen on recent Android devices. Build quality is solid pla...
SlashGear Week in Review – Week 8 2011
By SlashGear, published 20-02-2011
Welcome to the latest edition of the SlashGear Week in Review. This week was MWC 2011 in Barcelona, Spain so there are hoards of phone announcements from the show. The Smasung Galaxy S II went official last Sunday packing in a 4.27-inch screen with WVGA resolution and a 1GHz processor. On Monday we landed some hands on time with the Galaxy S II and put that time on video for you to check out. We think that the smartphone is hugely impressive. Pandora is looking to do more than music in preparation for its IPO. Pandora is said to be looking at expansion into talk and sports programming. The LG Optimus 3D smartphone got official Monday. The phone packs in a 1GHz dual-core processor, 5MP dual lens camera for 3D video and a 4.3-inch screen. RIM announced a pair of new PlayBook 4G tablet mode...
Catch up: this week's most popular posts
By TechRadar, published 19-02-2011
It's been mobile phone mayhem this week with a host of new smartphones being shown off at the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.And even though Apple wasn't there to show off a new iPhone, that hasn't stopped more iPhone 5 rumours cropping up.Read on for this week's most popular stories on TechRadar…Top five news storiesRumour: iPhone nano being developed by AppleApple could be developing a budget iPhone in order to ward off competition from Google Android handsets.A prototype version of a smaller, cheaper Apple handset than the iPhone 4 is said to exist, although this is no guarantee such an iPhone will ever make it to market.The mysterious little iPhone is apparently a third smaller than the iPhone 4, with no home button on the front of the handset, which certainly sits well wi...
Tap to Share Capability Coming to Android in Newest Update
By MaximumPC, published 18-02-2011
HP made a point of showing off their tap to share capability at the announcement for the HP TouchPad and Pre3, but Google's newly minted version of Android enables a similar capability. It may have gotten lost in the shuffle, but by employing the new Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth APIs, Android users of the future will be able to enjoy some impressive feats of content sharing. The changes are coming in Android 2.3.3, and will require an NFC chip. For the time being, only the Nexus S will be a candidate for this technology. It is the only phone with Gingerbread, and an NFC chip at this time. The new APIs will allow for seamless pairing over Bluetooth of two devices by tapping them together. No more awkward syncing up required. HP's version of tap to share was only demoed pushi...
Hands on: Red Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo
By TechRadar, published 18-02-2011
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo hasn't been released yet, but TechRadar managed to bag some time with the new colour variant.The Xperia Neo is a refresh of last year's Vivaz, but with a much better chassis and an Android, rather than Symbian, OS powering things along.It's Android 2.3 as well, meaning you'll not only be getting a touch of the Timescape overlay that brings easier to see social networking, but the latest and fastest (plus less battery-sapping) of Android.The Xperia Neo is a made of shiny plastic, but that doesn't stop it having a more premium feel - the weight of the device is offset by the lighter covering.TechRadar brought you our exclusive hands-on Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review earlier this month, but the blue version looked a lot more anodised than you'd expect from its pl...
Hands on: White Google Nexus S
By TechRadar, published 18-02-2011
All of those of you that wanted an upgraded Google Nexus S - your wish has been granted, if you consider a new colour an upgrade.TechRadar got a little look at the new handset on test, and if you're in the market for something different when it comes to a new mobile, then the White Nexus S will at least set you apart.First impressions make it feel like all Google and Samsung have done is chuck a while plastic cover on the back of the phone, but thankfully it's a little more than that.Firstly, the whole inside of the phone is now white when you pop the cover off, as well as the extraneous buttons - and these are the things that are actually different on view when you consider the differences between the white and black version.Sat side by side, you probably wouldn't notice the difference be...
All Android 3.0 features coming to phones
By TechRadar, published 18-02-2011
After all the will-they-won't-they of Google's Android 3.0 OS coming to mobile phones, a Google employee has tweeted that all the features will indeed make their way to Android phones. Further details are scarce, although an updated version of Gingerbread is set for an imminent release making Honeycomb apps compatible with its smaller-screen compadres. Whether all the features will be included in this apparently incremental update, or whether some will be saved for the next version (Ice cream?) remains to be seen. Good old TwitterThe full tweet from Dan Morrill, Android Open Source & Compatibility Tech Lead, reads: "Honeycomb runs all existing Android apps; all the APIs & features will come to phones in some form. Just a matter of time." While we probably won't see all Honeycomb's features...
Across the pond: This week on TechRadar
By MaximumPC, published 18-02-2011
It's been mobile phone mayhem this week on TechRadar with a host of new smartphones being shown off at the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. And even though Apple wasn't there to show off a new iPhone, that hasn't stopped more iPhone 5 rumours cropping up. Read on for this week's most popular stories on TechRadar… Top five news stories Rumour: iPhone nano being developed by Apple Apple could be developing a budget iPhone in order to ward off competition from Google Android handsets. A prototype version of a smaller, cheaper Apple handset than the iPhone 4 is said to exist, although this is no guarantee such an iPhone will ever make it to market. The mysterious little iPhone is apparently a third smaller than the iPhone 4, with no home button on the front of the handset, which ...
Samsung offers desktop dock for Google Nexus S, asks $40 for it
By GSMArena, published 18-02-2011
Samsung just announced a desktop dock for the Google Nexus S. We were wondering how advanced it may be so we jumped straight to its specs page. It turns out, it's a fairly standard phone dock, being just a notch...
Nexus S desktop dock is being made available for $39.99 via Samsung's web site
By phoneArena, published 17-02-2011
On Samsung’s web site, Google Nexus S owners can cough up $39.99 to buy the desktop dock for the handset. Naturally, it presents you with a more prestigious way of connecting your highly prized Android 2.3...
Updated: Android 3.0: all the latest updates
By TechRadar, published 17-02-2011
Information about Android 3.0 - Android Honeycomb - is coming thick and fast now as a raft of Android 3.0 tablets are lined up for release this year.Here's what we know about Android 3.0 so far. On 20 October, we reported that Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets were rumoured to be heading out to engineers in time for Christmas. This resulted in a huge range of tablets arriving at CES 2011, with UK release dates later in the year, but none of the tablets on show were actually running Android 3.0.Android 3.0 release dateAndroid 3.0 release date is looking like early 2011.In a video on All Things Digital posted on 7 December 2010 Google's Andy Rubin showed off a prototype Motorola Android 3.0 tablet and confirmed that the Android 3.0 release date will be "some time next year".As of mid-February 20...
MWC 2011: Clever Bluetooth sticker brings NFC to any smartphone for £20
By TechRadar, published 16-02-2011
A French company has developed a near field communications sticker that gives any Bluetooth-enabled smartphone NFC capabilities, including contactless payments. That means you could feasibly enjoy Nexus S-style NFC without having to shell out for a new smartphone.There aren't many NFC-enabled smartphones around at the moment – the Google Nexus S and Samsung Galaxy S2 are the notable ones – although many are rumoured to be en route to shop floors, including Apple's iPhone 5. Bargain-field communicationsBut if you don't fancy a £500 upgrade or a £35 contract hanging over you for the rest of your life, the simple £21 Twinlinx MyMax NFC sticker could be all you need.Using the handset's Bluetooth connection, the sticker can either be used with external readers (like Oyster gates and cont...
Nexus One update for Android 2.3 Gingerbread might land in the next few days?
By phoneArena, published 15-02-2011
Since the end of December, we’ve been hearing that the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for the Google Nexus One would be available in “the coming weeks.” Sadly though, those weeks easily turned into a month...
Eric Schmidt Speaks at Mobile World Congress 2011, Answers Many Questions
By SlashGear, published 15-02-2011
Eric Schmidt, while speaking at the special Google keynote series at Mobile World Congress 2011 began by showing a video editing app called Movie Studio. The overarching theme here seems to be control of the technology rather than the technology controlling the user. Using apps to bring you where you want to go rather than just finding results on what time it is in the place you wish you were. He mentioned monetization of provisional software (like lots and lots of money from Google Adsense via Android,) and moved on into disruption. Disruption here is essentially the switch from non-internet commerce to an internet-based economy where supply is essentially infinite. Schmidt noted that he believes that computer science can turn fundamental transparency can help fix all the world’s ...
Movie Studio tablet App at Google Event During Mobile World Congress 2011
By SlashGear, published 15-02-2011
We’re here at the Google presentation speeches here at Mobile World Congress 2011, and the music is loud. After presenting a monumentally impressive moving infographic showing the increase of Android Activations worldwide since launch, Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google continued the statistics, everything leading up to “the world’s fastest growing mobile platform,” a powerful claim indeed. Schmidt notes that he believes that we will eventually grow to serve technology – that we are losing the battle against cold, lifeless contact between real humans. He goes on about how mobile is decimating PC, how connection speeds are increasing, and how the future is serendipity – gaining accomplishments, knowledge, and relationships you did not know about before you hoppe...
Rumour: Apple to expand iPhone 5 screen to 4 inches
By TechRadar, published 15-02-2011
Following persistent rumours of plans for a smaller, cheaper Apple iPhone nano, the latest Apple rumour this week is that the Cupertino-based tech giant is planning to release an iPhone 5 with a larger, 4-inch screen.Details of Apple's next gen model reportedly leaked from component suppliers via Digitimes suggesting that Apple will release a larger-screened iPhone in order to compete with the growing threat from Android in the 4-to-7-inch smartphone market, such as Samsung's' Galaxy S and Google's Nexus S.We need a bigger screenThat's according to component suppliers, who told DigiTimes that the production lines for Apple's next gen iPhone have begun testing."The component suppliers noted that the production lines for Apple's next generation iPhone have begun testing, and Apple is interes...
Mobile World Congress 2011: What You Need to Know
By MaximumPC, published 14-02-2011
Top stories from Mobile World Congres 2011: Shootout: Samsung's Galaxy S2 vs. LG Optimus 3d First details on Windows Phone 7 Update Windows Phone 7 + Kinect = ?? Hands On: LG's Optimus 3D phone Hands On: LG's Optimus Pad The Samsung Galaxy S II, Galaxy Tab 10.1, LG Optimus 3D and Sony Ericsson Xperia Play grabbed the big headlines at Mobile World Congress 2011. If you thought CES was fun, the annual Barcelona event will have had early adopters reaching for their wallets and breathlessly hunting for preorder opportunities. CES and MWC set the trend for the year ahead in mobile technology. So we should expect thinner, dual-core smartphones a-plenty, more vibrant displays, bigger displays, 1080p video, 3D video, LTE, HSPA+ and Near Field Communications (NFC). Tablets will be similarly ...
Samsung Google Nexus S review: Royal droid
By GSMArena, published 02-11-2011
Another year, another heir to the Droid throne - and Google are trying to be democratic about it. Which is a roundabout way of saying they're not monogamous. For the Nexus One, Google teamed up with HTC. This time around, they...
Review: Samsung Wave II GT-S8530
By TechRadar, published 02-10-2011
The Samsung Wave II follows up an earlier device of the same name, the original Samsung Wave. The first Wave launched a new operating system on the world, Bada, and we saw it again in the Wave 723.Sitting underneath a familiar TouchWiz user interface, Bada gives Samsung the opportunity to have its own app store. Samsung is clearly hedging its bets, because it's also very friendly with Android as we've seen in handsets like the Galaxy S and the Google-branded Nexus S, and with Windows Phone 7 as we've seen in the Omnia 7. There's plenty going on in terms of specifications in the Wave II. Headlining things along with a very slightly revised version of Bada is the Super Clear LCD 3.7-inch screen. These aside we've got a 1GHz processor, Wi-Fi, HSDPA, GPS and five-megapixel camera with 720p vid...
Review: Samsung Wave II GT-S8530
By TechRadar, published 02-10-2011
The Samsung Wave II follows up an earlier device of the same name, the original Samsung Wave. The first Wave launched a new operating system on the world, Bada, and we saw it again in the Wave 723.Sitting underneath a familiar TouchWiz user interface, Bada gives Samsung the opportunity to have its own app store. Samsung is clearly hedging its bets, because it's also very friendly with Android as we've seen in handsets like the Galaxy S and the Google-branded Nexus S, and with Windows Phone 7 as we've seen in the Omnia 7. There's plenty going on in terms of specifications in the Wave II. Headlining things along with a very slightly revised version of Bada is the Super Clear LCD 3.7-inch screen. These aside we've got a 1GHz processor, Wi-Fi, HSDPA, GPS and five-megapixel camera with 720p vid...
Updated: Mobile World Congress 2011: what to expect
By TechRadar, published 02-10-2011
After the sheer madness and reams of shiny gadgets of CES 2011, we barely have time to pause for breath before the annual mobile phone-a-thon of Mobile World Congress 2011 is upon us.While CES saw a near-record number of top end mobile phones released from the Las Vegas jamboree, MWC 2011 still promises to be the place to see all manner of new handsets and tablets.So we've trekked across the digital rumour-space and looked for all the info on what to expect from the Barcelona event - keep coming back as we'll be constantly updating it whenever some new morsel of info or spy shot comes into view.MicrosoftLast year we saw Microsoft unleash Windows Phone 7 officially onto the world in a Barcelona hotel, with Steve Ballmer calling the announcement a 'mile post' in the launch of the company's n...
Mobile Review: Google's New Android Flagship is the Samsung Nexus S
By DigitalVersus, published 02-10-2011
The new Nexus S is the only phone on the market right now to feature the latest version of Android, Gingerbread 2.3. The new handset is a successor to...
Vodafone's register site for the Google Nexus S is live - available in black & white
By phoneArena, published 02-09-2011
Vodafone customers are eagerly waiting to finally fetch themselves the Android 2.3 Gingerbread powered Google Nexus S – and they’re only getting closer to that reality. Today, the carrier announced that they’ll...
Handful of operators around the world will soon be selling the Google Nexus S
By phoneArena, published 02-08-2011
Not only is Vodafone going to be offering the highly prized smartphone shortly, but it appears that a handful of carriers around the world will be selling the device in the coming weeks. From the looks of it all...
Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Ace review
By TechRadar, published 02-08-2011
Samsung's entrance into the smartphone market may have been slow, but it's got the bit between its teeth now, and the new Samsung Galaxy Ace is the latest effort to show that it can make a real success of its Android range.Following the popular Galaxy S and Galaxy Apollo, the Samsung Galaxy Ace is actually dubbed the successor to the original Galaxy Portal, and if that's the case it's come on leaps and bounds since that release nearly 18 months ago.The Samsung Galaxy Ace design is interesting – it's somewhere between premium and budget, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. One thing is certain though – Samsung's not discreet when it comes to creating something that looks like an iPhone, with the plastic metallic band around the squared edges looking very similar to Jobs' latest rele...
This Week's Reviews & Last Week's Top Fives: Google Nexus S Smartphone
By DigitalVersus, published 02-08-2011
It's set to be another busy week on DigitalVersus, with cameras, hard drives, video games and even an A3 printer up for review! Scroll down to see exactly what we've...
Rumor: Android 2.4 Coming April, Still Called Gingerbread
By MaximumPC, published 02-07-2011
According to a leak to Pocket-Now, Google will be pushing out an update to the Android platform in April. This will be version 2.4, but will not be the rumored Ice Cream release. Rather, this will be a second iteration of Gingerbread. It is the same situation that we saw last year with Android 2.0 and 2.1 both being branches of Éclair. Apparently, this update will be all about dual-core support. Apps that are being made for Android 3.0 Honeycomb are designed to work on dual core processors, Gingerbread, as it stands, does not have the ability to run those apps. Android 2.4 would allow those dual-core apps to be run on phones with single-core processors. This pending release may be why the Nexus S remains the only phone running Gingerbread. Manufacturers are waiting for the new version of ...
Android 2.4 to replace 2.3, retain Gingerbread flavour?
By TechRadar, published 02-07-2011
Viewsonic has revealed Google's plans for Android 2.4, which involve keeping the Gingerbread name and effectively replacing Android 2.3. The American company has been spilling the Android beans because it says it will be the first to release an Android 2.4-toting device, in the form of the ViewPad 4 which should be out in April. The update will allow single-core handsets to work with Honeycomb apps which have been created for dual-core devices, mainly tablets.The rumour does level with news from last week which suggested that the next Android release would bring bits of Honeycomb to smartphones.Gingerbread, take twoGingerbread Android 2.3 handsets aren't exactly flooding the market at present, with the Google Nexus S currently the only one available. This new development could indicate tha...
Gingerbread rebaked as Android 2.4 in April for dual-core app support?
By SlashGear, published 02-07-2011
ViewSonic has tipped Google’s hand on an incoming update to Android, though it’s not the Ice Cream Sandwich we’ve been waiting for. According to Pocket-lint‘s source at the company, Google’s engineers expect to release Android 2.4 in April 2011 under the Gingerbread name, with the only change being support for dual-core apps on single-core devices like the Nexus S. The update would mean that titles coded to run on Android 3.0 Honeycomb devices, like Motorola’s XOOM tablet, which have dual-core processors, would also be compatible with handsets using single-core chips. That’s not currently the case with Android 2.3 or earlier, potentially opening up another fragmentation issue for the Nexus S and other devices. Interestingly, the speculation ̵...
Latest version of Fring for Android brings support for Gingerbread & new features
By phoneArena, published 02-04-2011
The latest version of Fring for Android finally brings forth support for Android 2.3 Gingerbread – meaning, you can now experience all the video chat love on your the Google Nexus S. Aside from the added support...
O2 to launch NFC mobile wallets this year
By TechRadar, published 02-04-2011
O2 has revealed its plans to launch a mobile wallet service using NFC technology in the second half of 2011.The network operator has trailed NFC payment services using a Nokia handset, but no doubt hopes to take advantage of the NFC capabilities of the latest Android smartphones like the Google Nexus S, as well as its rumoured inclusion of a chip in the iPhone 5. London 2012O2 has said that it will apply for an e-money operating licence from the FSA, which will allow the network to offer money transfers between customers, as well as contactless payments at 60,000 venues around the UK. The e-money operating licence will allow uses to 'bank' money with the network, which can then be spent or transferred using the NFC chip. The network operator is keen to get the mobile payments service up an...
Updated: Android 3.0: all the latest updates
By TechRadar, published 02-04-2011
Now that Android 2.3 features are official, information about its successor, Android 3.0 – Android Honeycomb – is starting to emerge.Here's what we know about Android 3.0 so far. On 20 October, we reported that Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets are rumoured to be heading out to engineers in time for Christmas. This has resulted in a huge range of tablets arriving at CES 2011, with UK release dates later in the year.Android 3.0 release dateAndroid 3.0 release date is looking like early 2011.UPDATE: In a video on All Things Digital posted on 7 December Google's Andy Rubin showed off a prototype Motorola Android 3.0 tablet and confirmed that the Android 3.0 release date will be "some time next year".Android 3.0 features and specificationsAs we reported earlier in July, a Russian podcast detai...
Updated: Android 3.0: all the latest updates
By TechRadar, published 02-04-2011
Now that Android 2.3 features are official, information about its successor, Android 3.0 – Android Honeycomb – is starting to emerge.Here's what we know about Android 3.0 so far. On 20 October, we reported that Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets are rumoured to be heading out to engineers in time for Christmas. This has resulted in a huge range of tablets arriving at CES 2011, with UK release dates later in the year.Android 3.0 release dateAndroid 3.0 release date is looking like early 2011.UPDATE: In a video on All Things Digital posted on 7 December Google's Andy Rubin showed off a prototype Motorola Android 3.0 tablet and confirmed that the Android 3.0 release date will be "some time next year".Android 3.0 features and specificationsAs we reported earlier in July, a Russian podcast detai...
Hands on: Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review
By TechRadar, published 02-03-2011
If you cast your minds back to the murky depth of Christmas, you'll recall TechRadar brought you word of two new phones on their way - the Sony Ericsson Anzu and Hallon.The former has emerged as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, but the latter one was a mystery - only the fact it was a reboot of the Vivaz form factor was available as a clue to what it would be.But you can rely on TechRadar to come up with the goods - and we've got you an early hands on Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review to take a look at.The phone shares very few similarities with the original Vivaz - only the form factor and key arrangement remain to help you see any evolution in the line.Unlike the Xperia Arc, the 'human curvature' form factor remains here - the back is rounded to make it easier to hold in the hand, although wh...
In Depth: iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo
By TechRadar, published 02-02-2011
Pitting iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs MeeGo doesn't seem like a fair fight. It's akin to putting a couple of our TechRadar writers in a boxing ring with the Klitschko brothers. With Apple's iPhone/iPod/iPad OS, Google's Android, plus the Symbian, Microsoft and Blackberry platforms, do we really need any more pretenders to the mobile OS throne?Yes - because 'competition drives innovation' (or so the saying goes). Android improvements will make iOS better and vice-versa. While lower-league operating systems will have to work harder to stand out, they'll help to ensure that the big two don't get complacent. And yes again - because beyond the smartphone battleground, the next big tech confrontation is about to be fought on tablet devices. It's not just a straight iPad vs Android face-off, either....
Updated: Android 2.2 release date: when will you get it?
By TechRadar, published 02-02-2011
If you're waiting impatiently for the Android 2.2 update to arrive on your mobile, then bookmark this page, because we'll be keeping it up to date with all the latest Android 2.2 release dates. The latest news is that Vodafone has announced the availability of Android 2.2 on the HTC Wildfire. T-Mobile has also followed suit.Nexus OneFirst off, the Nexus One Android 2.2 update has finally landed. "This update will be rolled out gradually to phones – and most users will receive the notification by the end of the week," Google said on 29 June. However, Vodafone UK Nexus One users were upset they weren't able to get the update at the same time – but that's now been rectified according to the network, with the new update coming over the next week or so for all those on contract.HTC Desire -...
The Daily Slash: January 29 2011
By SlashGear, published 29-01-2011
Welcome to the future of the smartdevice – no, it’s not Android 3.0 Honeycomb, we’re getting to that later – it’s Horizontal Symmetry. Grab a review or two from Chris Davies: the ZyXEL MWR211 Mobile Router and the AT&T MiFi 2372. A hacked NOOKcolor receives Android 3.0 Honeycomb on the same day we recieve official invites from Google to attend an Android Honeycomb Event – things are getting pretty sweet around Android Community. Take a peek at our LG Optimus 2X Full Walkthrough and Hands On. Discover the ease in downloading the hardware update released today for the Samsung Continuum on Verizon. See the first Motorola released Atrix 4G commercial – very lovely music and everything. All this and MORE on The Daily Slash! R3 Media Network Edito...
SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: January 28 2011
By SlashGear, published 28-01-2011
What’s the difference between a Windows 7 tablet and a steel hammer? Ask Fujitsu – they’ve got the answer. What’s better than listening to Aphex Twin? Listening to Aphex Twin on mushrooms. What’s a bigger reason for shuffling Google CEOs – their competitors, or China? Finally, what’s the biggest overnight news for Notion Ink’s Adam tablet? Is it a Honeycomb update, an FCC teardown, a root that allows Android Marketplace access, or their customer service possibly stalling past their 7 day return period? This question can only be answered by YOU. And what’s this – a review of a AT&T MiFi 2372 by none other than Chris Davies?! All this and MORE on SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up! R3 Media Network Editor’s Choice Small Update I...
Is Nokia considering an Android phone?
By TechRadar, published 28-01-2011
Could 2011 be the year we see Nokia make an Android handset or hop on board the Windows Phone 7 bandwagon?CEO Stephen Elop set online tongues a-wagging with a passing comment about the manufacturer's plans after disappointing Q4 2010 financial results. While discussing the financials, Elop said, "In addition to great device experiences we must build, capitalise and/or join a competitive ecosystem. "The ecosystem approach we select must be comprehensive and cover a wide range of utilities and services that customers expect today and anticipate in the future."Like Fern Gully, but with phonesWhen Elop says 'ecosystem', we can safely assume he means 'operating system' or even 'app platform', with Symbian^3 dividing opinion and failing to ignite US success for the Finns. Nokia is already workin...
Nexus S random reboot fix expected in 1-2 weeks
By phoneArena, published 28-01-2011
Random reboots have plagued the Nexus S for quite a while after its launch, but now light is seen at the end of the tunnel as an OTA fix is expected within one to two weeks. A Google employee at the company's Mobile Help forum…
BlackBerry Curve Touch picture and specs leaked
By TechRadar, published 28-01-2011
Phone companies just can't keep their documents from falling into internet-friendly hands, and RIM has been particularly clumsy this year. After a host of handset leaks earlier in the month, the company's product roadmap has now made its way to BlackBerry blog Crackberry. Some of the products are old news – the Playbook, for example – and some are merely the CDMA versions of the leaks we've already seen (the Sedona is the Curve Apollo, the Montana is the Dakota and the Storm 3 is the Monaco). Pacific Coast HighwayBut the handset code-named Malibu is a mysterious new one, clarified in a further slide as the Curve Touch, an "accessible all-touch BlackBerry". The touchscreen is a 3.25-inch job, with 480x360 HVGA resolution and an 800MHz Qualcomm processor. Like most new and current BlackB...
BlackBerry Curve Touch picture and specs leaked
By TechRadar, published 28-01-2011
Phone companies just can't keep their documents from falling into internet-friendly hands, and RIM has been particularly clumsy this year. After a host of handset leaks earlier in the month, the company's product roadmap has now made its way to BlackBerry blog Crackberry. Some of the products are old news – the Playbook, for example – and some are merely the CDMA versions of the leaks we've already seen (the Sedona is the Curve Apollo, the Montana is the Dakota and the Storm 3 is the Monaco). Pacific Coast HighwayBut the handset code-named Malibu is a mysterious new one, clarified in a further slide as the Curve Touch, an "accessible all-touch BlackBerry". The touchscreen is a 3.25-inch job, with 480x360 HVGA resolution and an 800MHz Qualcomm processor. Like most new and current BlackB...
Google promises Nexus S reboot bug fix soon
By TechRadar, published 28-01-2011
Google has got to the bottom of the Google Nexus S reboot issue and promised a fix in the near future.The Nexus S has been a relative success in its first weeks of launch, but certain devices (including TechRadar's own) have been hit with a random reboot problem, where the phone would shut down and restart of its own accord.Our experience found that the music player was often the cause, but others experienced the same thing with calling, or just doing nothing at all.Google's acknowledgment of the problem has been sporadic, with the official forums seeing the issue 'declined' as a real problem on some threads.Glad Ry Guy ain't ShyBut Ry Guy from the Android team has now not only confirmed Google has found the issue, but has also come up with a fix:"The initial results of our tests look very...
LG Optimus 2X gets March UK release date
By TechRadar, published 28-01-2011
The LG Optimus 2X is the latest to hit pre-order on Play.com, with UK pricing of £469.99.That figure exactly the same as that of a Swedish retailer which popped the LG Optimus 2X up for pre-order just before Christmas, which means the Brits aren't losing out in the exchange rate cross-over, for a change. The much-lusted-after Android handset is also listed with a UK release date of 18 March. Dual-coreAs the world's first dual-core smartphone, the LG Optimus 2X is rocking an Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, promising full HD playback and supersonic speed operation. The price puts it in the same bracket as the Google Nexus S, although there's not yet any confirmation on whether the Optimus 2X will be running Android 2.3 like the Google-branded handset. The March release date will also see the LG O...
Nokia: sales are up but profits are dropping
By TechRadar, published 28-01-2011
Nokia has revealed its financial results for the last quarter of 2010, and it's not looking too rosy for the Finnish phone manufacturer. Although sales increased in 2010 compared to 2009, the company's operating profits fell by 9 per cent for the entirety of the year, with a 22 per cent drop in Q4 profits compared to 2009. Sales of regular mobile phones fell by 5 per cent but smartphone devices more than made up for the dip with a 13 per cent increase in sales year on year, thanks in part to recent high-profile launches like the Nokia N8 and Nokia C7. Faster changes aheadStephen Elop, Nokia's CEO, admitted that Nokia is facing a tough year: "Nokia faces some significant challenges in our competitiveness and our execution. In short, the industry changed, and now it's time for Nokia to chang...
Updated: 40 best iPhone games - paid apps
By TechRadar, published 28-01-2011
There are now tens of thousands of games on the App Store, covering every genre. Huge studios battle it out with bedroom coders, providing iOS gamers with a mix of blockbuster titles and novel creations full of innovation and personality. Below we list our 40 favourite paid-for games for iPhone and iPod touch; if we've missed your top game, let us know what it is in the comments!Don't forget that universal apps also work natively on the iPad.1. Angry Birds - £0.59The moral of Angry Birds is that if you're a hungry pig, don't steal eggs from crazed birds with a death-wish, who also happen to own a massive catapult. If you're one of the 17 people who've not yet sampled this artillery classic, you fling angry birds at ramshackle structures, aiming to dispatch the pigs lurking within. Ingenio...
Facebook: We're not launching an HTC Facebook phone
By TechRadar, published 27-01-2011
Facebook has responded to rumours that it is partnering with HTC on a Facebook-branded handset by smartly denying it. We reported on the rumours yesterday, which indicated that HTC would unveil two high-end handsets made in partnership with the social network. However, Facebook's head of business development, Dan Rose, told journalists this morning, "This is really just another example of a manufacturer who has taken our public APIs and integrated them into their device in an interesting way."The rumours around there being something more to this HTC device are overblown." You'll be sayin' no, no, no, no, no Although Rose seems to confirm that HTC is working on a handset that heavily integrates Facebook functionality (perhaps even the ability to call friends within Facebook), when asked if ...
Orange and T-Mobile to debut NFC mobile payments this summer
By TechRadar, published 27-01-2011
Orange and T-Mobile, under the joint banner of Everything Everywhere, will be rolling out NFC-enabled SIM cards this year for mobile payments in association with Barclaycard.Customers will be able to use their mobile phone to simply swipe and pay for items at a range of outlets, which already number over 40,000, from Q2 2011.This will include Pret a Manger, EAT, Little Chef, McDonalds and Co-Op, and Everything Everywhere has confirmed to TechRadar that more outlets are likely to be announced by the time the technology rolls out.No touching, can't get madA spokesperson said: "Outside of payments, we also support the vision of mobile contactless lifestyle services. "We see a future where a consumer can use the mobile phone to spend on the high street, get discounts and redeem in store as wel...
Pope Benedict Encourages Internet Togetherness, Sharing via Social Networks
By SlashGear, published 25-01-2011
When you’re at the head of an ancient religion still prevalent throughout the western world in an age where it’s possible to grab information from across the planet in a moment’s time, you’ve got to choose your words carefully. If you’re the Pope of Catholicism, you’ve got to recognize that the bulk of the people that follow you are looking at your speeches that are published via the Internet. Thusly, you must speak in a way about this mode of information transfer in a way that’s both critical and kind. I give you Pope Benedict on the Internet. It’s in a speech delivered yesterday that Benedict spoke highly and lowly of the Internet, especially centering his speech around what he calls “so called social networks,” saying they...
Cutting-Edge Mobile Displays: We Handicap 8 Technologies
By MaximumPC, published 25-01-2011
The perfect mobile display has yet to be invented—but that isn’t stopping eight competing technologies in the quest for bragging rights Every mobile display technology seems to promise the same benefits: Great readability, even in daylight. Fast pixel-transition speeds for displaying video. A wide color gamut for visual fidelity. And, of course, low power consumption for longer battery life. Because competition is so fierce, every display manufacturer cloaks its offering with some silly trademarked name so you can’t tell which technology it’s actually based on. To mitigate the confusion, here’s a look at the core technologies behind the trade names. We’ll take a deep-dive into today’s four most common mobile display types, and preview four up-and-comers showing promise. A-Si...
White Google Nexus S surfaces, looks pasty
By TechRadar, published 25-01-2011
In an entirely classy move, Google looks set to release a white version of the Google Nexus S. The Samsung-made smartphone is in no way (read: in all ways) cheapened by its white makeover, which highlights the typical Samsung curves that will forever remind us of the cheap and cheerful Genio range. It's not a complete whiteout for the Google Nexus S, though, with the front panel remaining stoically noir. A whiter shade of paleWe can't see much reason for the white-over to be honest, other than for Google to bite its thumb at Apple for the latter's seeming inability to bring a white iPhone 4 to market. There's no official confirmation from Samsung on whether we'll see a UK release date for the pale and pasty handset, which surfaced on German website BestBoyz earlier today. We'll be keeping ...
Galaxy Ace surfaces on Samsung site
By TechRadar, published 25-01-2011
Samsung Indonesia might finds itself in a bit of trouble with the powers that be after adding the as-yet unannounced Samsung Galaxy Ace (S5830) to its website. The product page features a comprehensive gallery and specifications on the mid-range Android handset, including the fact that it will be running Android 2.2 (Froyo). The Ace, which will be joining the Samsung Galaxy line-up, features a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 5MP camera with LED flash and an 800MHz processor. The only card I need is…With the tag line "Become an Ace", the phone presumably transforms even the basest mobile phone user into a dazzlingly skilled smartphone ninja. We're assuming that the 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, FM radio player and Samsung Kies software for syncing the handset somehow help with that. When it ...
Nexus S leaked in white
By phoneArena, published 25-01-2011
The Nexus S by Google and Samsung was one of the hottest announcements of December and it is still in the wish lists of many. But it seems that Europe will be the first to get a white version of the Nexus S, according to a picture leaked on German tech blog BestBoyZ…
Updated: Mobile World Congress 2011: what to expect
By TechRadar, published 25-01-2011
After the sheer madness and reams of shiny gadgets of CES 2011, we barely have time to pause for breath before the annual mobile phone-a-thon of Mobile World Congress 2011 is upon us.While CES saw a near-record number of top end mobile phones released from the Las Vegas jamboree, MWC 2011 still promises to be the place to see all manner of new handsets and tablets.So we've trekked across the digital rumour-space and looked for all the info on what to expect from the Barcelona event - keep coming back as we'll be constantly updating it whenever some new morsel of info or spy shot comes into view.MicrosoftLast year we saw Microsoft unleash Windows Phone 7 officially onto the world in a Barcelona hotel, with Steve Ballmer calling the announcement a 'mile post' in the launch of the company's n...
Motorola Defy makes its way to Indian shores, Google Nexus S to follow soon?
By Thinkdigit, published 25-01-2011
Update: The Motorola Defy has now been officially launched in India by Motorola, and is priced at Rs. 18,500 (MRP). Specifications remain the same, and the rugged dust and scratch-proof phone is coming to shelves near you with Android 2.1 pre-installed. However, a Froyo (v2.2) update is apparently due out soon. Original article: 21-01-11 16:23:33 Motorola Defy According to recent reports, it looks like the super-rugged can-take-any-abuse Motorola Defy is finally going to make its way int [...] Read the entire article
The Daily Slash: January 24 2011
By SlashGear, published 25-01-2011
Without giving away the whole surprise, we’ve got some big things in store for you readers over the next few weeks. New voices, free stuff, a whole new look for one of our outlets, and a variety of mini-updates you’re going to flip over. Today we’re bringing you a wild assortment of updates from all corners of the tech world, most of which are previews of devices you’ve almost certainly already got your eye on. Behold the coming of the next generation – stick with us as we cover it. R3 Media Network Editor’s Choice ADW Launcher EX Updated, Several Awesome Additions Added Motorola Xoom Launching for $699 at Best Buy February 17th Android Code NOT Copied, Florian Mueller Story Found Bunk 75% of AOL subscribers “don’t realize” they don’t need it 6...
Google Nexus S is Italy bound next month & priced at 549 euros
By phoneArena, published 24-01-2011
Still considered to be a relatively difficult catch outside of the US, the Google Nexus S will soon make its presence known in Italy starting next month. As other parts of the world are still waiting patiently...
Nexus S still has reboot issue; nasty bug cuts off phone calls randomly
By phoneArena, published 24-01-2011
Some Nexus S owners are still experiencing the symptoms of a nasty bug which reboots the handset during phone calls; Google has been testing a fix for the problem, but so far has not been successful in getting a "cure" out to the handset's owners...
Eric Schmidt “wants to be a talk-show host” claim insiders
By SlashGear, published 24-01-2011
As odd rumors go, Eric Schmidt leaving Google to take up a new role as a talk-show host is pretty out there, but that’s just what the NYPost‘s sources are claiming. The Google CEO – who will step down on April 4 and be replaced by Larry Page – has reportedly “been looking for a TV job for over a year” according to sources at CNN, and in fact filmed a pilot for the network back in August 2010. Unfortunately, it sounds like Schmidt could do with working on his TV skills; according to the insider “the pilot he filmed with Liza was a complete disaster.” That hasn’t dissuaded the exec, however. ”Eric wants to be a talk-show host. He’s been working with Liza to develop a show, but he has not yet been picked up by any network...
Catch up: this week's most popular posts
By TechRadar, published 22-01-2011
iPhone 5 is going to be completely redesigned, invisible tanks are heading to the battlefields and the BlackBerry Storm 3 isn't so invisible now that images have leaked. These are just some of the top stories this week on TechRadar.Over in reviews, our in-depth look at Google TV proved popular as did our Motorola Flipout review and our updated Google Nexus S review.Read on for this week's most popular stories on TechRadar…Top five news storiesiPhone 5 set to be 'completely redesigned'Clues about Apple's forthcoming iPhone 5 have been leaked online, claiming that the new device will have a new powerful CPU and feature another redesign.Engadget is quoting 'extremely accurate' sources in saying that not only will the new device land in the summer (in line with every iPhone launch for the pa...
Super AMOLED Plus screens to rival Retina Display
By TechRadar, published 21-01-2011
Samsung is making some big steps into improving the screens on its mobile phones, with some more information revealing the technology behind the panels.There's real buzz surrounding the next generation of Samsung handsets as the screens are set to be as pin-sharp as those seen on the iPhone 4 and iPod touch.This is because Super AMOLED Plus will allow a screen quality over 300ppi. Currently the Retina Display shows content at 326ppi.I can see clearly nowOne of the first handsets to get the Super AMOLED will be the Samsung Galaxy S2, which is likely to be shown at Mobile World Congress 2011.Samsung has been one of the largest suppliers of OLED screens to the mobile industry over the last 18 months, with its first Super AMOLED technology winning rave reviews in the likes of the first Galaxy ...
Motorola Defy to come to India by January 24th, Google Nexus S to follow soon?
By Thinkdigit, published 21-01-2011
Motorola Defy According to recent reports, it looks like the super-rugged can-take-any-abuse Motorola Defy is finally going to make its way into the Indian market, and is expected as early as January 24th, next week. [RELATED_ARTICLE]Dust proof and water resistant, the Motorola Defy also has a scratch-proof Gorilla Glass screen, making it suitable smartphone contender in the harsh Indian environments. The screen’s bezel is much hyped by Motorola for being remarkably thin, allowing for [...] Read the entire article
Google Nexus S is expected to see SMS bug fix "in the next few days"
By phoneArena, published 20-01-2011
For some owners of the Google Nexus S who are deeply plagued by a nasty SMS bug that would send messages to the wrong contacts, your worries will soon be over very shortly since a fix is on its way...
Samsung Galaxy S2 gets more specs and new codename
By TechRadar, published 20-01-2011
The Samsung Galaxy S2 rumours keep rumbling on in, with more purported specs breaking loose. As well as an exciting new codename – Seine, presumably after the Parisian river – the handset's camera has received a spot more detail. The sensor is rocking 8-megapixels and it's capable of recording full HD (1080) video. We're assuming that the 4.3-inch Super-AMOLED display can playback in pretty good quality too. Personal cloud nineNocut News, the Korean site that broke this new round of leaks, also alludes to "Personal Cloud Computing" which could see the handset come with some online storage space as well as its built-in memory and microSD cards. The rest of the leaked specs are pretty much known quantities – Android 2.3, a NFC chip, 1GB of RAM and a dual-core Samsung Orion processor ar...
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