Press Release

Breaking
February 24, 2011
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Apple dishes dirt on Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion); developer preview available

By on February 24, 2011 at 9:10 AM.

Apple dishes dirt on Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion); developer preview available

On the heels of today’s MacBook Pro unveiling, Apple announced that it would be making a preview of Mac OS X 10.7 — codenamed Lion — available to developers. The company writes that Lion “takes some of the best ideas from iPad and brings them back to the Mac.” Apple details several, previously disclosed, features — such as Mission Control, Launchpad, and multitouch gestures — along with a handful of new, unannounced feature additions:

  • A new version of Mail, with an elegant, widescreen layout inspired by the iPad; Conversations, which automatically groups related messages into one easy to read timeline; more powerful search; and support for Microsoft Exchange 2010;
  • AirDrop, a remarkably simple way to copy files wirelessly from one Mac to another with no setup;
  • Versions, which automatically saves successive versions of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, edit and even revert to previous versions;
  • Resume, which conveniently brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app;
  • Auto Save, which automatically saves your documents as you work;
  • The all new FileVault, that provides high performance full disk encryption for local and external drives, and the ability to wipe data from your Mac instantaneously; and
  • Mac OS X Lion Server, which makes setting up a server easier than ever and adds support for managing Mac OS X Lion, iPhone®, iPad and iPod touch® devices.

The new operating system has been given a “summer of 2011″ due date. A link to Apple’s new Mac OS X Lion page and the full press release are waiting for you after the break.
More →

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Tablets
February 15, 2011
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HTC introduces 7-inch Flyer tablet; 1.5GHz single-core, Android 2.4

By on February 15, 2011 at 4:12 AM.

HTC introduces 7-inch Flyer tablet; 1.5GHz single-core, Android 2.4

Today at Mobile World Congress, HTC announced the new, 7-inch, Flyer tablet; the company’s first foray into the tablet market place. The device’s specs are interesting — as the company has opted to forgo the dual-core processor route, instead using a single-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm chip along with a smaller 4,000mAh battery. The Flyer will also bring 1GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, micro-SD card slot, HDMI-out, DLNA support, and Android 2.4 into the 7-inch tablet arena. The device will be available globally, at an unknown price point, in Q2 of 2011. Hit the jump for the full press release. More →

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Breaking
February 11, 2011
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Official: Nokia to adopt Windows Phone as smartphone operating system [live video]

By on February 11, 2011 at 5:09 AM.

Official: Nokia to adopt Windows Phone as smartphone operating system [live video]

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s official. In a press release today, Microsoft and Nokia announced “plans to form a broad strategic partnership that would use their complementary strengths and expertise to create a new global mobile ecosystem.” This partnership will see Nokia, the world’s largest phone manufacturer, adopt Windows Phone as its “principle smartphone strategy” and the two companies will collaborate on marketing, search, maps, and development.

“Today, developers, operators and consumers want compelling mobile products, which include not only the device, but the software, services, applications and customer support that make a great experience,” said Stephen Elop, Nokia President and CEO. “Nokia and Microsoft will combine our strengths to deliver an ecosystem with unrivalled global reach and scale. It’s now a three-horse race.”

This certainly does bolster the global position of Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system. The two companies are hosting a live press conference at 5AM ET. The live video feed and aforementioned press release are waiting for you after the break. More →

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mobile
February 10, 2011
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Alltel adds Samsung Gem to lineup; Android 2.1, free with 2-year contract

By on February 10, 2011 at 11:29 AM.

Alltel adds Samsung Gem to lineup; Android 2.1, free with 2-year contract

If you’re on regional wireless carrier Alltel and are looking for a low-cost, Android handset, listen up. The wireless provider has just announced the addition of the Samsung Gem to its smartphone lineup. The Gem is an Android 2.1 device that features a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, 800MHz processor, 3.2 megapixel camera (complete with a Superman-logoish bezel), Wi-Fi (with hotspot capabilities), Bluetooth, GPS, micro-SD card slot (support for up to a 16GB card), and 124MB of on-board memory. The Gem will be free with a new 2-year contract after a $50 mail in rebate. Hit the jump for the full press release.

More →

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mobile
February 8, 2011
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AT&T announces full-touchscreen HTC Freestyle; quick-messaging Brew handset

By on February 8, 2011 at 3:59 PM.

AT&T announces full-touchscreen HTC Freestyle; quick-messaging Brew handset

Your friends over at AT&T have added a new, full-touchscreen, quick messaging device, based on the Brew mobile platform, to their handset lineup. Say hello to the the HTC Freestyle. The Freestyle sports a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, 3.2 megapixel camera with video recording capabilities, micro-SD card slot (support for up to a 32GB card), 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo Bluetooth, and the HTC Sense UI. The device will cost $99.99 with a signed two-year contract (after a $50 mail-in rebate). The Freestyle will be available in AT&T retail stores and online beginning February 13th. Not sure why you would pay $99 for this HTC set when you can get the Inspire — also launching February 13th – for the same price. Hit the jump to check out the full press release. More →

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Tablets
February 4, 2011
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LG’s Optimus Pad tablet coming at MWC; 9-inches, dual-core, Honeycomb?

By on February 4, 2011 at 8:44 AM.

LG’s Optimus Pad tablet coming at MWC; 9-inches, dual-core, Honeycomb?

Via a Korean press release, LG let it be known that it will be announcing the LG Optiums Pad tablet at Mobile World Congress (MWC) this month. The new tablet should be the European variant of the recently announced G-Slate; the spec-sheet of the G-Slate is as follows: NVIDIA Tegra 2, dual-core processor; 8.9-inch, WXGA display with 1280 x 768 pixel resolution and 3D capabilities; 32GB of internal storage; 6,400mAh battery; front-facing camera; full 1080p video playback; HDMI-out port; and Google’s Honeycomb (Android 3.0) operating system. We’ll be making the trip across the pond to bring you the latest and greatest from MWC as it happens. Make sure to keep it locked on BGR from February 14th to the 17th for all the news.

Thanks, DPS! More →

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mobile
February 2, 2011
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Virgin Mobile USA announces LG Optimus V; $150, pre-paid, available today

By on February 2, 2011 at 2:23 AM.

Virgin Mobile USA announces LG Optimus V; $150, pre-paid, available today

LG continues to pedal is low-cost Optimus handset to carriers, complete with an alphabet-soup of surnames. So it comes as no surprise that today, via a press release, pre-paid wireless carrier Virgin Mobile USA announced that it would be offering the LG Optimus V handset effective immediately. The device, which has a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, 3.2 megapixel camera, 3G, and Wi-Fi, will retail for $149.99 and can be paired with one of Virgin’s affordable unlimited data plans (which start at just $25). The phone, which can be purchased at RadioShack or at virginmobileusa.com, will also be able to leverage the carrier’s Virgin Mobile Live streaming music service; the second phone with such capabilities.  Hit the jump for the full press release. More →

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Breaking
January 20, 2011
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T-Mobile announces Galaxy S 4G

By on January 20, 2011 at 1:42 PM.

T-Mobile announces Galaxy S 4G

T-Mobile has just sent out a press release to let us know about its newest 4G smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S 4G. The Galaxy S 4G will have an 21Mbps HSPA+ radio, Android 2.2, and Super AMOLED display. The press release is pretty light on specs and, conveniently, doesn’t include a picture of the new device (the above image is the Vibrant). T-Mobile is promising to provide more details “in the coming week” — a price and release date would be nice — and we’ve got the full text of said release waiting for you after the break. More →

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mobile
January 3, 2011
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Vizio makes VIA Phone and VIA Tablet official

By on January 3, 2011 at 12:01 PM.

Vizio makes VIA Phone and VIA Tablet official

Following on the heels of a report by the Wall Street Journal, electronics maker Vizio has made its entry into the smartphone and tablet market official. In a press release, the company outlines its VIA Phone and VIA Tablet devices that are set to debut this week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Vizio’s VIA Phone will be a 1GHz device with a 4-inch “high-resolution” capacitive touchscreen, Wi-Fi b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth, micro-SD card slot, front-facing video camera, three external speakers, and an HDMI-out port. The VIA Tablet will also feature a 1GHz processor and will be paired with an 8-inch capacitive touchscreen display, Wi-Fi b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth, micro-SD card slot, front-facing video camera, three external speakers, and an HDMI-out port. Dèjá vu. Both the tablet and smartphone will have “a built-in IR blaster with universal remote control app for quick access to the entire home theater or nearly any other CE device in the home,” which sounds pretty nifty. Hit the jump to check out the full press release. More →

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Software
December 6, 2010
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Google taking Gingerbread out of the oven today? Android 2.3 release due?

By on December 6, 2010 at 8:10 AM.

Google taking Gingerbread out of the oven today? Android 2.3 release due?

Why not start off the week with an unconfirmed and tantalizing Android rumor, right? Thanks to one piece of known information, and one slightly more speculative nugget, the latest gossip has Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) due to drop sometime today. A few weeks ago, Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt quipped that his company’s next OS iteration, Gingerbread, would be available in “the next few weeks.” Combine that with an interesting one-liner from a Notion Ink press release:

“6th December is another big day for Android and you will find out how fast Notion Ink can work. (Eden is extremely compatible with 2.3).”

and you have all the ammunition you need for a sizzling internet rumor. If that still isn’t enough for you, Andy Rubin, Google’s VP of mobile platforms, is speaking at AllThingsD‘s D: Dive into Mobile event later this evening ( 6:30PM PT).

If you’re an Android enthusiast, throw salt over your left shoulder, keep your fingers and toes crossed, and charge up that Nexus One. Today could be a big day for you!

[Via Engadget] More →

30 Comments
Business
November 30, 2010
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Motorola to finally split on January 4th

By on November 30, 2010 at 5:23 PM.

Motorola to finally split on January 4th

Motorola announced Tuesday that its board has approved a reverse stock split ratio of 1-for-7, and the company will finally split into two separate entities on January 4th, 2011. In just over a month, Motorola will change its name to Motorola Solutions, Inc. and its mobile division will separate to form a new publicly traded company, Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. The reverse split will boost the value of Motorola’s current stock, which will be traded as MSI starting January 4th. New stock will be issued for Motorola Mobility, which will trade under the symbol MMI. “Today’s announcement marks another important milestone toward the upcoming separation that is expected to benefit Motorola, its stockholders, as well as each company’s respective customers and employees,” Motorola co-CEOs Greg Brown and Sanjay Jha said in a joint statement. “We look forward to taking advantage of the opportunities before us as we begin the new year as two independent, publicly traded companies.” Following the split, Brown will be CEO of Motorola Solutions while Jha will become CEO of Motorola Mobility. More →

7 Comments
TV
October 4, 2010
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Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello to start TV site with MMC

By on October 4, 2010 at 5:25 PM.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello to start TV site with MMC

Hot off the presses… Big news in the entertainment industry, our parent company has just announced a new and innovative TV property with Michael Ausiello as the editor in chief, formally of Entertainment Weekly. Michael has broken countless scoops in the TV and entertainment world, so this will be fun to watch. Full press release after the jump! More →

4 Comments
Breaking
September 20, 2010
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MMC announces strategic transaction with Europe's largest Internet company

By on September 20, 2010 at 6:38 PM.

MMC announces strategic transaction with Europe's largest Internet company

Hot off the wire: MMC, the parent company of BGR has announced a strategic transaction with the United Internet Group — Europe’s largest Internet company. With a name like Mail.com and more than 14 million registered users, you can see why the Germans see tremendous potential to expand the offering internationally. As part of the transaction, MMC will transition the Mail.com email services over to United Internet AG while MMC will be the primary provider of original digital content to the Mail.com portal. Additionally, look for MMC to rebrand itself in the coming weeks. It’s really exciting news, especially for a site like BGR… you’ll just have to stay tuned. Hit the link below for the full press release! More →

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