LG to launch Android-based tablet this year

Korean electronics company LG officially became part of the ever-growing Android clan earlier this year when they launched the TouchMax GW620 smartphone (available in the U.K.). Today, they've furthered their commitment with Google's mobile platform by announcing plans to release a digital media tablet built around it. According to Engadget, the company expects to have a product ready to ship in the fourth quarter of this year, unwilling to fall behind its fierce rival Samsung.

Unfortunately, there aren't yet any real details about the device just yet besides the fact that it will run Android. LG is also known to be working on a Windows 7 powered tablet. Dubbed UX10, the 10.1-inch device was shown off at Computex running on an Atom Z530 processor with 1GB of RAM. Other features included a 120GB hard drive, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, SD memory card slot, and HDMI output.

At that time Microsoft said the device would be maturing from prototype to general availability sometime soon, but now we're unsure if it suffered the same fate as the cancelled HP Slate. After all, Android is free, easy to integrate into a variety of hardware, and third-party app development for Google's mobile platform is thriving.

Apple: iPhone 4 calculates bars wrong, fix on the way

Apple's iPhone 4 launch last month has been touted as the single most successful launch in the company's history, with 1.7 million units shipped in just three days. But beyond the numbers the release itself has been marred by a series of issues with the device's wireless reception, which can significantly degrade depending on how users hold the phone. Despite numerous reports, and videos demonstrating the problem, Apple has maintained that there is no problem.

In a series of informal email exchanges with customers, CEO Steve Jobs further exacerbated the matter by telling them to "Just avoid holding it that way" and asking a disgruntled iPhone 4 owner to calm down, claiming "It is just a phone. Not worth it." (Update: Apple denied the latter email was sent by Jobs, but it does seem to have originated from his account. BGR has the details.) Now, with a class action lawsuit pending, Apple has come forward with a formal statement. Their answer? It's not a hardware design issue, just a problem with the algorithm used to calculate bars of reception.

According to Apple, all phones suffer from a certain amount of signal loss when gripped in certain ways. The problem is some iPhones were displaying more bars than they should have, and in fact the attenuation users are seeing is likely because the signal strength in a given area isn't very strong to begin with. In essence the firmware "fix" they are promising will change the way bars are represented to report signal more accurately.

That, however, doesn't explain the related performance problems like dropped calls some users have encountered and how they seem to disappear when using a bumper case or by simply avoid touching the dead spot on its left bottom corner. It looks like we'll have to wait "a few weeks" to see if the update does anything more than just make the signal bars more accurate. Apple also said that customers can return undamaged iPhones within 30 days of purchase for a full refund.

HP completes Palm acquisition, eyes webOS hardware

Hewlett-Packard announced today it has completed its acquisition of Palm at $5.70 a share, or about $1.2 billion. The world's largest PC maker now has a mobile operating system of its own and plans to use it in a wide variety of devices, continuing development of Palm's Pre smartphone line, but also starting work on new slate PCs and netbooks powered by webOS.

Palm's revamped mobile platform has received a lot of praise from reviewers for its intuitive interface and multi-tasking abilities. Unfortunately, a failed marketing strategy in conjunction with Sprint and the slow uptake from the developer community resulted in poor smartphone sales. With HP's full backing and global strengths, Palm's former chairman and CEO Jon Rubinstein is confident that webOS will be able to reach its full potential -- and I really hope it does.

Rubinstein will continue in charge of webOS software development and webOS based hardware products, reporting to HP's Personal Systems Group executive VP Todd Bradley. In the run up to Palm's acquisition, however, the company lost some of the talent behind its platform, including user interface wizard Matias Duarte, who joined Google's Android team as the new user experience director, and public relations VP Lynn Fox who jumped ship without a set destination.

Microsoft axes Kin phones, European launch cancelled

After an underwhelming launch response, Microsoft has essentially pulled the plug on its Kin phone project. The handsets began shipping only a few short weeks ago, and rumors last week suggested that only 500 devices were sold – yes, that's five hundred. According new reports, the folks who designed the Kin have been assimilated into the Windows Phone 7 team. Additionally, plans for a European release have been axed.

As for the US, Microsoft says it will continue to work with Verizon to sell existing phones. We're not sure whether that means production will continue for a while, or if they're just trying to move what's already in warehouses. For what it's worth, Verizon says the Kin "remains an important part" of its portfolio. That said, the carrier slashed prices by as much as 50% over the weekend, and that sure screams fire sale to us.

Even with the lower hardware prices, the Kin probably won't fly off shelves. Besides missing features, the biggest complaint we've heard is that the monthly fee is as high as more capable devices, such as the iPhone and Android-based smartphones, which also happen to be more appealing to the Kin's target demographic of teens and twenty-somethings.

Cisco reveals Android-based Cius tablet for business users

Most of the slate devices shown this year have been aimed at consumers, but Cisco has its sights set on the enterprise market. The company's business-oriented Cius tablet is designed to accompany corporate workers during those lonely nights on the road, boasting a "virtual desktop integration with anywhere, anytime access to the full range of Cisco collaboration and communication applications."

The Android-based 7-incher places a large emphasis on video conferencing features, including a front camera capable of capturing 720p video at 30 frames per second, along with a 5-megapixel camera on the rear for still images and streaming VGA quality video. There are also dual noise-cancelling microphones, as well as 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, with 4G coming in the future.

Other ports include gigabit Ethernet and USB, while an accelerometer adjusts screen orientation and a detachable battery pledges eight hours of life under "normal usage." As noted, the Cius supports a wide range of Cisco tools, including Quad, Show and Share, WebEx Connect, WebEx Meeting center, Presence, TelePresence, AnyConnect VPN Security and more.

Customer trials of the Cisco Cius will begin this fall, with widespread availability expected in the first quarter of 2011.

Android 2.2 'Froyo' update officially hits Nexus One phones

Good news, Nexus One owners. Google is finally rolling out Android 2.2, codenamed Froyo, to your devices in an over-the-air update. The latest version of the mobile platform brings several performance improvements to the table, as well as new features like support for push notifications, better support for Microsoft's Exchange software, a streamlined Android Market interface, and the ability to turn your phone into a portable Wi-Fi hotspot that can be shared with up to 8 devices.

Android 2.2 also brings faster app-switching and support for Adobe Flash 10.1, allowing you phone's web browser to fully run websites that use Flash for navigation, games and video. In order to access the update, you will receive a message on your phone's notification bar. Just download the update, wait for it to install, and you should be all set. According to Google, the update will be rolling out gradually to all Nexus Ones during the week.

No specific date has been set for when other devices will get the final version of Android 2.2. The HTC Evo 4G, HTC Droid Incredible, and HTC Desire (non-US) should all be getting the update in the coming months, as well as the Motorola Droid and the upcoming Motorola Droid X. Both manufacturers use a custom version of the Andriod user interface with their devices, so it usually takes longer for users of these phones to receive the latest updates

The update will be compatible with most Android phones released in 2010. If you have an older Android smartphone, like the T-Mobile G1, don't expect to get Froyo, as its hardware is said to be too limited to provide full support.

iPhone 4 costs $188 in parts, 1.7 million units sold in 3 days

After tearing the iPhone 4 to bits, research outfit iSuppli estimates the handset's parts to cost about $188, or $187.51 to be precise. That figure is for the 16GB model and doesn't include costs associated with manufacturing, research and development, logistics or advertising. Unsurprisingly, the most expensive component in the new iPhone is its high-resolution "retina display," which runs about $28.50.

In all, the latest numbers are similar to what we've seen for previous iPhones, and iSuppli believes this is because Apple is targeting the same budget. The 3GS was estimated to cost $179 in materials, but considering features like the upgraded screen, the new A4 processor ($10.75), a gyroscope ($2.60) and other additions, the iPhone 4's extra $8.5 seems perfectly reasonable.

At retail, the iPhone 4 costs $199 (16GB) and $299 (32GB) when paired with a two-year data plan from AT&T, or $499 and $599 for unsubsidized units. Steve Jobs has called it the most successful product launch in Apple's history, with 1.7 million units shipped in three days. By comparison, the company sold 1 million 3GS' in the same timeframe.

Samsung Galaxy S to debut on all major U.S. carriers, Sprint's version gets WiMAX

Samsung is making sure you won't have to worry about switching wireless carriers to get your hands on its hot new Android handset, codenamed Galaxy S. The device is expected to debut on all major U.S. carriers sporting a high end feature set that includes a 4-inch AMOLED touch screen display, 1Ghz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor, a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p video capture, 2GB of internal storage, Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi.

Verizon's version will be called Samsung Fascinate. It will come with a 16GB microSD card included, 3G mobile hotspot functionality, and the carrier's usual slate of branded features such as VZ Navigator and V Cast Music. On T-Mobile's network the Galaxy S will be called Samsung Vibrant and includes a 2GB microSD card preloaded with the movie Avatar and The Sims 3. T-Mobile will start selling the Samsung Vibrant from July 21, for $199 with a two-year contract.

Over on AT&T the phone will be called Samsung Captivate, including 16GB of storage and various customized features such as AT&T Navigator and AT&T Address Book. Last but certainly not least, Sprint's version of the Galaxy S will pack a few extra surprises. Dubbed Epic 4G, the device will be able to hop on Sprint's WiMAX network for faster download speeds (where available), and adds a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, six-axis sensor as well as a front-facing camera.

The device will be Sprint's second WiMAX phone and is a great alternative to the HTC Evo 4G if you just can't get used to software based keypads. Common to all editions of Samsung's Galaxy S is version 2.1 of Google Android, with 2.2 "Froyo" upgrades expected to come at a later time.

Apple's iOS 4 arrives for newer iPhone, iPod touch models

Attention iPhone and iPod touch owners: Apple's newly minted iOS 4 is now ready to be downloaded and installed on your device. The latest release will let you use folders to organize your apps, jump into the unified email inbox, download and read ebooks, and more. Some of its features are limited to new hardware in the upcoming iPhone 4, such as FaceTime video calling, while others (like multitasking) are available on last year's iPhone 3GS and third-gen iPod touch.

The iPod 3G and second-generation iPod touch are also supported, to a lesser extent, and an iPad-compatible version will arrive this fall, but those using the original 2007 iPhone and iPod touch models are out of luck. To download iOS 4 open iTunes (version 9.2 is required), plug your iPhone or iPod touch into your computer, and click on "Check for Update." The update is free for everyone to download, including iPod touch owners, unlike previous years.

Remember to backup your data just in case something goes awry, or if you want to be extra careful, you might want to consider holding off on updating for a day or two to make sure that there aren't any major issues. Last year, some early adopters of iPhone OS 3.0 found that the update was hurting battery life, or that they couldn't reactivate their phones on AT&T's network after installing the update, leaving them restricted to emergency calls and Wi-Fi Internet access.

If and when you do take the plunge, check out Pandora's updated iPhone app, which was one of the first to hit the App Store this afternoon with the promised multitasking support, allowing you to stream music in the background for free.

RIM testing BlackBerry companion tablet, readies OS 6

The Wall Street Journal is adding fuel to rumors that BlackBerry maker Research In Motion is quietly developing a slate device. In line with previous reports, the paper suggests that the tablet won't have its own 3G modem; instead it will function as a companion to BlackBerry phones and rely on tethering for internet access on the go. According to "people familiar with RIM's plans," the tablet is in an early stage of development and could be available by the end of 2010.

The device is expected to run RIM's latest operating system, version 6.0, which will have multi-touch functionality, allowing users to swipe through different screens loaded with icons for their applications and pinch to zoom images. There's also a new browser which renders pages much faster than the current version and supports tabs, as well as an universal search bar that allows users to look up everything on the device -- a la Google's Android. Little other details have been revealed other than the new software is aimed at addressing many of the complaints users have with BlackBerry devices.

A phone running OS 6.0 is expected by the end of September 2010, at the earliest. The new smartphone, which is currently in testing, will have a QWERTY keyboard that slides out from the bottom of the touch screen, a software keyboard in landscape mode, four gigabytes of storage space and a five megapixel camera.

Apple intros iPhone 4 at WWDC 2010, available June 24

As expected, Apple today announced the next iteration of their popular iPhone smartphone. Simply dubbed iPhone 4, the device introduces some new design elements like an integrated antenna system in the form of a stainless steel band that goes around the device, a flattened glass-like back for better reception, and a new high resolution "Retina Display". The latter is able to fit 326 pixels per inch of its surface, which is beyond the display capabilities of the human retina, and obviously a marked improvement over the 3GS -- or any other smartphone -- in both brightness and clarity.

The new display is 960 by 640 pixels, with an 800-to-1 contrast ratio. Like the iPad, it also has an LCD screen with IPS technology for superior viewing angles. Most of the specs we're already familiar with from previous leaks: A4 chip, larger battery, front-facing camera, micro SIM tray, 5-megapixel camera and LED flash on the back, noise cancellation mic, among other things. But Apple also threw in a new three-axis gyroscope, which paired with the iPhone's accelerometer and compass will offer six axis orientation for gaming and much more precise movement.


The camera on the back has been fitted with a backside illuminated sensor for low light photos, and besides capturing still images it can also record 720p high-definition video at 30fps. Users will be able to edit their videos with a mobile version of iMovie which will be available for $4.99 in the App Store. Also on the software side, Apple renamed its mobile operating system iOS 4 to reflect its spread to the iPod and iPad, announced iBooks for the iPhone, touted its iAds advertising platform, and unveiled its video calling software (Wi-Fi only for now) dubbed FaceTime.

Apple's iOS 4 will be free to all 3GS, 3G, and iPod Touch 2nd generation users on June 21st. As for the new iPhone 4, pre-orders start June 15 for the 16GB ($199) and 32GB ($299) models, with the phones available in stores roughly one week later on June 24. Besides the United States, Apple will launch the new iPhone in Germany, UK, France and Japan.

Kindle for Android coming this summer

What was hinted at in those leaked Dell Streak flyers is now official: Kindle for Android. Unfortunately, it's not quite ready to download. Amazon's free Kindle ebook reader -- already out for Mac, PC, BlackBerry, and iDevices -- won't launch until later this summer. When it does, users of Android 1.6 and above (with SD card) will have the ability to search, browse, and purchase (without exiting the app) any of the half million books in the Kindle Store. Like the other apps, Kindle for Android features Whispersync to keep your bookmarks, last page read, notes, and highlights synchronized across all your Kindle-enabled devices. Expect to see this demonstrated at Google I/O starting tomorrow.

Archos 7 Home Tablet release bumped to June

Archos' 7-inch Android-based tablet went up for presale last month with an expected ship date of late April, but as you well know, April is behind us, and the Archos 7 Home Tablet has yet to officially launch. According to the company, some people who preordered the bargain-priced slate may receive it by the end of May, but the new US release window is June.

If you're interested, the device is still available for preorder on Amazon at a reasonable $199. The Android 1.6 tablet packs a 7-inch 800x480 resistive touchscreen, a 600MHz ARM 9 processor, and 8GB of storage into a very trim package, measuring less than half an inch thick and weighing well under a pound. It's rated for 7 hours of video or 44 hours of audio and it can handle up to 720p playback.

The Archos 7 Home Tablet is preloaded with a handful of core apps for instant messaging, reading e-books and so on, but it's backed by Archos' AppLib store rather than the Android Marketplace -- though you can install the full store with a little knowhow.

Sprint's HTC EVO 4G pre-orders opening this month

Sprint's first 3G/WiMAX-compatible smartphone is not expected to ship until sometime this summer, but it looks like pre-orders are just around the corner. A screenshot leaked from The Shack's (formerly Radio Shack) internal website suggests pre-orders for the much-anticipated HTC EVO will start "later this month," and lists some of the specs we already know: 4.3-inch 480 x 800 TFT display, 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, rear-facing 8 megapixel camera with auto-focus and 720p HD video recording, and MicroSD support (up to 32GB).

Apple is widely expected to announce its 4th generation iPhone at its Worldwide Developer Conference next month, so any head start that Sprint and HTC can get should be beneficial. The device will run Android 2.1 and has built-in mobile hotspot functionality for up to 8 devices to share its speedy signal -- though it's unclear if Sprint will charge extra for the tethering service or include it like Verizon does with its Palm line.

Pricing is still unknown, but one of the many rumors pegs the device at around $200 with a two-year contract. There's no word on how much the plans for this HTC smartphone will cost.

Samsung releases Bada SDK for developers who want to ride the Wave

Samsung still hasn't managed to get the Wave or any other Bada handset to market yet, but it's doing the right thing by offering developers the software development kit first. Granted, with a planned June release Samsung isn't managing the same sort of massive lead-time that Microsoft has with its Windows Phone 7 SDK, but a few weeks of pressure-free coding are better than none. The first public SDK for Bada was just made available yesterday, and inside developers will find an Eclipse-based IDE, a phone emulator, and tutorials. You can get it all for yourself at the source link below, but make sure you get your reading glasses out before clicking through. You'll need to agree to not one, not two, but four separate sets of terms and conditions before you can get this 606MB download flowing, and a fifth before it'll install. Oh, and it's all C/C++ based, so if you've been living in the merry land of Java and C# lately you'd better brush up on pointer dereferencing and interface definitions.

Sony Ericsson X10 family to get Android 2.1 in 'Q4 2010'

The Xperia X10, one of the big mindshare-grabbing devices of the smartphone world, made us wait a cool six months between its November announcement and wide retail availability in April. One of the secret hopes while all that waiting was going on was that perhaps SE would surprise us and upgrade the dusty old Android 1.6 base installation to a fresh and creamy Eclair (2.1) or even a frosty Froyo (2.2) treat shortly after launch. Time to lay those dreams to rest, dear friends, as Sony Ericsson has come with an official schedule for upgrading the firmware on the Xperia X10 and its X10 mini and X10 mini pro siblings, which places the Android 2.1 delivery in the fourth quarter of 2010 -- and knowing the company that probably means closer to Christmas than Halloween. All we can say is you'd better really like that UX platform a great deal, because it'll be the only thing you'll be seeing for quite a while on Sony Ericsson's Googlephones.

Microsoft may be able to collect royalties on Android

Handset manufacturers may have to dole out hefty royalties for each and every Android-based device sold, BusinessWeek reports. The fees would be paid to Microsoft for licensing prior patent art, although no details are available concerning exactly what those patents may be.

To the detriment of Google and its free Android operating system, the additional cost and legal complexity may chill the adoption of Android. This would also have the effect of making other platforms such as Windows Phone 7 more attractive to manufacturers, especially since many of them already bundle some of their products with Microsoft's mobile OS anyway.

HTC, maker of Google's Nexus One, has reportedly reached a settlement with Microsoft already. Meanwhile, Microsoft has also been "talking" with other manufacturers to form royalty agreements.

It should be worth noting that Microsoft is not known for litigious patent abuse, only having proactively launched two patent lawsuits in the last three years. This news comes about two months after Apple announced a duel with HTC over the use of their intellectual property as well.

Nokia N8 goes official boasts beefy Specs, revamped Symbian 3 OS.

Nokia announced on Tuesday its latest smartphone, the multimedia-heavy N8, featuring a 12-megapixel camera and HD video recording. Its hardware specs could make any iPhone user jealous, but as the first phone to feature the latest iteration of the Symbian OS, the N8 will have to prove that Nokia's software is a worthy competitor, too.


Available in the third quarter of 2010, Nokia says the N8 will cost just under $500 for an unlocked carrier-independent model (i.e. no carrier subsidy announced yet), and would be able to work on AT&T and T-Mobile's US networks.

The Nokia N8 can take photos with its 12-megapixel camera (with flash) and shoots HD videos (720p). It also has a secondary video camera on the front for video calling. You can view your recordings on the phone's 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen or connect it to your home cinema system via the built-in HDMI port.

Connectivity-wise, the N8 features Wi-Fi (b, g, and the speedy n standard), in addition to Bluetooth 2.1. You also get GPS and A-GPS positioning systems, with Nokia's free and complete navigation solution, Ovi Maps. The N8 comes with 16GB of on-board storage (expandable via microSD cards up to 32GB) and also features an FM receiver and transmitter (which will eliminate the need for cables to listen to music from the phone in your car).


Nokia's real gamble though, is not with the N8 hardware, but with the operating system delivered on the device. The Symbian OS has been widely criticized for being sluggish, and lagging behind competitors like the iPhone or Google's Android OS.

But with the N8, Nokia is putting out its first phone featuring the revamped Symbian 3 OS, which includes several new features, such as multi-touch, flick scrolling, and pinch-to-zoom. Symbian 3 adds several other features found on competing smartphone platforms, like multiple home screens and home screen widgets (similar to Android) for Facebook and Twitter, among others.

Apple iPhone hacked to run Google's Android

David Wang, a hacker from the well-known iPhone Dev Team group, has posted a video of Android running on his iPhone 2G. This feat is most certainly a big step in the ongoing battle to free iPhone users from the clutches of Apple.

The blog post shows Android in action and if the video itself is any indication, the project looks very promising. A number of features are shown off during the demo, including a custom boot loader, the entire boot process, wireless Internet access, playing music and of course receiving a call. However, despite its very functional appearance, David describes it as "slightly buggy" and "alpha quality". This is most likely not something you'll see on your iPhone any time soon.

According to the commentary, the demonstration runs a little slow because a debug version of Android is being used. Having used a 2G for the video, David also informs us that porting the project over to the 3G should be pretty simple, but the 3GS will represent a greater challenge. Despite the polish needed, it will be very interesting to see where this leads in the future -- Could this represent the next level of jailbreaking?

New Dell super phone leaks.

If you've been tingling with anticipation over the forthcoming Windows Phone 7 handsets, Engadget just caught wind of a very promising Dell device. The phone, dubbed Lightning, is a portrait slider with a spec sheet to back up its name.

According to the leaked documents, Dell's Lightning boasts a 4.1-inch WVGA (800x480) OLED display, a 1GHz QSD8250 Snapdragon processor, 1GB of Flash memory with 512 MB of RAM and 8GB of storage via microSD (presumably built-in).


It also has a full QWERTY keyboard, a five-megapixel autofocus camera (possibly with flash), 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, GPS, an accelerometer, a compass, FM radio, as well as support for Flash, Silverlight, and various popular audio and video formats.

The Dell Lightning is destined for AT&T and T-Mobile, and is expected to arrive in the fourth quarter of this year along with a volley of other Windows Phone 7 devices.