cellphone news: July 2011

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Microsoft sued for patent infringement over Kinect controller tech

Microsoft is being sued for patent infringement over motion-sensing technology used in its blockbuster gaming accessory, the Microsoft Kinect. Ohio-based Impulse Technology has filed a complaint alleging that Microsoft’s Kinect controller infringes on seven of its technology patents. One patent referenced in the lawsuit covers "wide variety of games where the movement of a player is tracked in three dimensions…and certain exercise games where the motion of the player is tracked to effect movement of a virtual avatar, and the exertion of the user...

Canon's second quarter profits dip 20 percent amid supply constraints, strong yen

Canon had some good news and some bad (but not unexpected) news in its second quarter earnings released today. On the upside, the company has raised its profit outlook for the rest of the year, and says that the recovery from the earthquake that forced it to halt camera production has been "quicker than expected." That halt to production did take a considerable toll on the company, however, and contributed to a 20 percent drop in net profits to ¥53.86 billion, or $685.7 million, compared to a year ago -- a figure that was compounded by a strong...

Casio's Bluetooth 4.0 G-Shock is water and shock-resistant, FCC-approved

The latest G-Shock watch from Casio boasts the usual array of shock and water-resistant claims, and now it can add FCC acceptance to the list, having passed through that government agency's approval process. So, why did this wristwatch hit the FCC in the first place? Well, the rugged little timekeeper is packing Bluetooth 4.0 in its bag of tricks, which lets the wearable gadget communicate with your smartphone. No word on a release date, but Casio did mention a fairly broad "some time in 2011" window when it was first announced back in March....

Sprint details Q4 CDMA Direct Connect launch plans and handsets, quietly waves goodbye to iDEN

We're guessing that this isn't the riveting Q4 announcement that Dan Hesse promised us last week at Sprint's Kansas headquarters, but it's a shock to the system nonetheless. The outfit's legacy iDEN network is still kicking around (and in turn, eating up valuable resources to run it), and while we're told that those push-to-talk users are some of the most loyal, it looks as if 2012 will be the year they're forced to try something new. The company's CDMA-based Direct Connect alternative is officially slated to launch this winter, with those...

Download iOS 4.3.5 For iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad 2, 1, And Pod touch [DIRECT LINKS]

Just months before iOS 5 is released and ten days after iOS 4.3.4 came out, one wouldn’t expect to ever hear about iOS 4.3.5. It now turns out that yet another update for iOS 4.3 has been uploaded to Apple’s servers, allegedly fixing a critical security issue. No concrete information about this update has been provided about this update, other than it seems to fix an issue with certificate validation, as pointed out on Apple’s change log: A security issue has been resolved with certificate verification. iOS development has been on fire lately,...

HTC Bliss leaked image confirms our report of female-focused Android phone

We had a very strong feeling that the Bliss (or what the TIMN staff calls HTC's Lady Phone) was indeed a real handset when we first reported on it back in May, but we also had doubts that HTC would specifically design a phone for the XX chromosome set. Well, the picture above of the so-called Bliss, dug up by PocketNow, pretty much puts all our doubts to rest. Matching our initial description to a T, the phone in the leaked picture is adorned in a sea foam green (remember it's supposed to be "calming!") and is said to be released...

Redsn0w Can Jailbreak iOS 4.3.5 On iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad, iPod touch. Here’s How To Use It! [Tutorial]

Apple has unexpectedly pushed out an incremental update for iOS 4.3.x, and it is dubbed as iOS 4.3.5. This minor release is no more than a security update, aiming to patch issues with certificate verification. The good news is that we have tested it and can confirm that the current version of Redsn0w can jailbreak the just released iOS 4.3.5 on iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad 1, and iPod touch 4G/3G. But it will be limited to tethered boot, which means you will have to reconnect your device to your computer every time you reboot your iOS device. iPad 2...

Apple’s Siri-based iOS voice controls dubbed ‘Assistant’

It has been about 15 months since Apple acquired Siri for a reported $200 million, and it looks as though we won’t have to wait much longer to see the deal bear fruit. In line with earlier reports, 9to5 Mac has been sent evidence that Apple will introduce voice controls in iOS 5. At present, the voice control features within iOS are lumped together in a service called “Assistant,” though this is not confirmed to be the launch name. A screenshot said to have come from an iPhone test unit shows a toggle to activate the Assistant service — and old...

Apple releases iOS 4.3.5, inches towards iOS 5

Less than ten days after iOS 4.3.4 parachuted in to fix that nasty PDF exploit, Apple's gone and dropped another. So what'll Cupertino's latest fix today? Build 8L1 -- or 8E600 on 4.2.10 if you're rocking CDMA -- apparently nixes a vulnerability with "certificate validation," or you know, Apple's just really fond of keeping all you hackers on your toes. Either way, time to fire up iTunes, unless of course, you're already living in the future. Update: Turns out you can still (tethered) jailbreak with Redsn0w. Peep the more coverage link below....

Bring Web Apps To Your Desktop With WebRunner For Firefox (Windows & Mac)

While primary attention is still being given to desktop apps, we are slowly and steadily seeing focus shift to powerful web apps thanks to the advancement of web browsers and technologies like HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. This is evidenced by OS-level projects like Chrome OS and Joli OS as well as products like Mozilla Prism or the built-in feature on Internet Explorer 9 & Google Chrome which allows users to integrate web applications with the desktop. While Mozilla Prism died sometime last year, its spirit lives on in the form of WebRunner...

Download iOS 4.2.10 For CDMA Verizon iPhone 4 [Direct Link]

iOS 4.2.10 has just been released by Apple for CDMA based iPhone 4 running on the Verizon network. According to the official change log, this minor update fixes a security vulnerability with certificate validation in iOS. This comes only about ten days after iOS 4.3.4 and iOS 4.2.9 was released to patch JailbreakMe 3.0 exploit found in Mobile Safari which was used to jailbreak iPad 2. So if you are planning to keep untethered jailbreak on iOS 4.2.8, stay away from iOS 4.3.5/4.2.10 and iOS 4.3.4/4.2.9 as far as possible. Also make sure you install...

Apple releases iOS 4.3.5 for iPhone, iPad, more

Apple on Monday released iOS 4.3.5 for iOS devices to address a security vulnerability. The update comes just 10 days after Apple issued iOS 4.3.4 to address a security hole related to PDF support. The new update was released with the following notes: iOS 4.3.5 Software Update Fixes a security vulnerability with certificate validation. IOS 4.3.5 is available immediately through iTunes for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2, iPad and the last two iPod touch models. Apple has also released iOS 4.2.10 at the same time for Verizon Wireless’ CDMA...

ASUS Eee Pad SL101 slides through the FCC, still misses promised May release

Sure, it's not unusual for gadgets to miss their shipping targets, suffering months-long delays as they jump through the varies hoops necessary before a release. Fortunately, ASUS can now check FCC approval off the Eee Pad Slider's to do list, with the Honeycomb QWERTY tablet receiving a green light from the feds late last week. ASUS has already confirmed August availability in the UK (after previously promising a May ship date), so we can only hope that the same timeframe applies stateside as well. We're also curious to see whether or not ASUS...

HTC’s Chief Innovation Officer, Horace Luke, resigns for personal reasons

BGR has exclusively learned that Horace Luke, former Chief Innovation Officer at HTC, has left the company as of April 30th 2011. ”Horace Luke, HTC's chief innovation officer, has left HTC for personal reasons. Horace nurtured a culture of innovation at HTC and instilled a strong consumer design-focus among our employees who continue to raise the bar in designing products that capture our customers' imagination,” HTC told BGR in a statement. “We are grateful for Horace's many contributions to HTC and wish him well in his future endeavors. Scott...

PSA: Apple using slower SSDs in some MacBook Air models (video)

When you head to Apple's online store to configure your MacBook Air, you'll find options to increase processor speed or SSD capacity -- depending on the model you select, of course. There's no mention of flash drive speed, however, though it's now clear that not all SSDs are created equal at Apple -- not only when it comes to capacity, but also performance. Jonathan over at TLD discovered a fairly significant discrepancy when benchmarking both MacBook Air models over the weekend. The 128GB Samsung SSD in his 11-inch Air was able to achieve...

Mac mini review (mid 2011)

For those familiar with last year's Mac mini, what you're peering at above isn't likely to strike you as jarring. Heck, it may even seem somewhat vanilla at this point. In truth, Apple did exceedingly little in terms of design changes with the mid 2011 Mac mini, but given the relatively recent cosmetic overhaul, it's not like we were genuinely expecting anything above a top-to-bottom spec bump. And that, friends, is exactly what we've received. The mini remains quite the curious beast in Cupertino's line -- it's the almost-HTPC that living...

Images of official Facebook for iPad app leaked

Images of Facebook’s unannounced iPad application have been leaked by TechCrunch. Reportedly, the official application has been hidden inside the iPhone app all along. We’re impressed by what we see in the leaked photos so far; there is clearly a robust gallery feature and the news feed is rich with profile photos and status updates. TechCrunch‘s MG Siegler, who has already tested the application, says that it offers an “HTML5-rich experience” and that Facebook for iPad is a vast improvement over the mobile Web interface currently available....

Motorola MOTOKEY XT, MOTOKEY Mini EX108 and WX294 hit Brazil

Motorola has released three new feature phones in Brazil - the TIM's exclusive QWERTY bars MOTOKEY XT EX118 and MOTOKEY Mini EX108 plus the dual-SIM WX294. The two QWERTY bars MOTOKEY XT EX118 and MOTOKEY Mini EX108 are available only through the carrier TIM both on one-year contracts or with pay-as-you-go plans. The MOTOKEY XT EX118 is the mightiest of the three, featuring a 2.4-inch capacitive QVGA touchscreen, a 3 megapixel camera, FM radio, a five-row portrait QWERTY keyboard and a microSD card slot. If you decide to get it on...

Gigabyte G1 Assassin motherboard is a last-gen gamer's dream come true

For a motherboard, the G1 Assassin from Gigabyte sure is gaudy and actually rather interesting. First off, that Killer E2100 networking solution from Bigfoot has been integrated into the board, as has Creative's X-Fi audio. The three-year-old X58 chipset at its heart is starting to look a little long in the tooth but, with support for three-way SLI or four-way CrossFireX, 24GB of RAM, and Intel's Extreme Edition processors, you probably won't miss Sandy Bridge too much. Starting at around $450 the Assassin isn't for everyone, but hardcore...

Monday, July 25, 2011

AT&T confirms LG Thrill 4G pricing, release 'in the coming weeks'

Pricing for the LG Thrill 4G popped up on Radio Shack's corporate systems a few days ago, at $80 with a two-year contract. AT&T just shared its official Thrill pricing, however, with the glasses-free 3D smartphone commanding a healthy $99 at the company's retails stores when it ships "in the coming weeks." That timeframe meshes nicely with the August 7th launch date that a pair of Radio Shack insiders shared with us last week, though until we receive confirmation otherwise, it's within reason to expect that devices will begin to ship before...

AT&T confirms Gingerbread coming to entire 2011 Android lineup (and Samsung Captivate)

The HTC Status was the only device with Gingerbread on AT&T's lineup for a small slice of time, but that's quickly coming to an end. The carrier has confirmed that Android 2.3 will be pushed to its entire 2011 postpaid lineup, beginning with an OTA rollout of the Motorola Atrix 4G today (though and the HTC Inspire 4G "in the coming weeks." In addition to the phones released this year, Samsung Captivate users will be able to enjoy the upgrade as well. There's no hard details on the timing for everyone else, but at least anyone with a 2011...

Leaked Sprint release table bears a tablet: the unknown ZTE V55

There's a whole batch of previously unsuspected launch dates on this leaked Sprint document, but our looking glass is drawn to the very bottom of the list. Here you'll spot a red arrow, subtly added by us, pointing at the words "ZTE V55 TABLET." Could it be the very same 10-incher we spotted at CTIA? It certainly could, but there are two irksome discrepancies. Firstly, the CTIA slate was scheduled for the second half of this year, which is earlier than the 2012 date suggested on the leak. Secondly, the CTIA tablet was LTE compatible, whereas...

Unnamed Samsung Android slider headed for AT&T

If Samsung’s Android lineup is feeling a little sparse on AT&T, don’t worry… there’s about to be a new flagship in town. We have just exclusively received a photo of an unnamed Samsung device complete with sliding QWERTY keyboard that’s headed to AT&T in the coming months. While we don’t have much to go on, the device will sport the four-button Android layout as opposed to Samsung’s typical three-button layout at AT&T’s request, and the QWERTY keyboard even reflects that.Source: http://www.bgr.com/2011/07/25/unnamed-samsung-andro...

MacBook Air review (mid 2011)

There comes a time when that giant, corporate-issued laptop stops fitting into your lifestyle. When dragging around a Kensington roller case just won't do. When you start to hear the siren lilt of something thinner, lighter, and maybe a bit more alluring. For years the MacBook Air has been that svelte temptress hollering your name, but it's always been a bit too slow -- all show and no go. It didn't have the power and the longevity to make it a serious contender for your serious affections. No more. With its latest refresh, Apple has taken...

AT&T promises Gingerbread for every postpaid Android phone released this year

Hot on the heels of the Atrix 4G's official update to Android 2.3, AT&T is now publicly committing to upgrade every postpaid Android smartphone that it has introduced in 2011 to Gingerbread. Delivery method (cabled versus over-the-air) and timing will vary by device, but Atrix owners obviously already know that they're at the top of the list — and the carrier's saying that the HTC Inspire 4G will follow "in the coming weeks." Other models called out for updates include the LG Phoenix (which, you may recall, is AT&T's own version...