Smartphones

mobile
May 11, 2012
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LG Eclipse superphone revealed, ready to take on Galaxy S III and HTC One X

By on May 11, 2012 at 10:45 AM.

LG Eclipse superphone revealed, ready to take on Galaxy S III and HTC One X

LG Eclipse Leaks

Purported details surrounding an unannounced high-end smartphone from LG have emerged alongside a leaked image, possibly revealing LG’s upcoming flagship smartphone intended to take on the Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC’s One X. BriefMobile on Thursday published an image of the LG LS970, rumored to launch on Sprint in the coming months as the LG Eclipse 4G LTE. According to accompanying specifications obtained from an unnamed source, the Eclipse will compete directly with high-end flagship phones from other vendors including the new Samsung Galaxy S III as well as the HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE. Highlights include a 4.67-inch, 1,280 x 768-pixel LCD display, a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, a 13-megapixel camera, 16GB of internal storage, 2GB of RAM, a 2,100 mAh battery and a case that is just 8.6 millimeters thick. No information regarding a possible launch time frame was provided. More →

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mobile
May 10, 2012
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Samsung definitely didn't copy Apple with the design of this phone

By on May 10, 2012 at 9:55 AM.

Samsung definitely didn't copy Apple with the design of this phone

Samsung SPH-L300 Smartphone Leak

As Samsung and Apple continue to sue each other all over the world, Apple has repeatedly asserted that the South Korea-based vendor builds “copycat” devices that make unlawful use of Apple’s patents and steal elements of Apple’s designs. Only one court has wholeheartedly agreed with Apple’s claims thus far, but the battles continue and will likely carry on for quite some time despite renewed settlement talks. An image of a new Samsung smartphone was published on Wednesday evening and while the specs that leaked alongside the unannounced device may or may not be accurate, one thing is certain: Apple will never claim Samsung copied its designs with this smartphone. More →

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Internet
May 9, 2012
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Mobile usage doubles, now accounts for 10% of worldwide Internet usage

By on May 9, 2012 at 7:15 PM.

Mobile usage doubles, now accounts for 10% of worldwide Internet usage

Mobile Internet Usage

The number of people accessing the Web through mobile devices has doubled since 2010 and now accounts for 10% of worldwide Internet usage. According to numbers compiled by Pingdom, Asia’s mobile usage amounted for 17.84% of the country’s total Internet usage, a 192.5% increase over the past 18 months. Africa’s mobile usage placed the region in second with 14.85%, usage in North America sat at 7.96%, followed by Australia, Europe and South America at 7.55%, 5.13% and 2.86% respectively. Pingdom notes that while worldwide mobile usage may only account for 10% of Web access, the number is growing at an extremely fast rate, and some countries’ Internet usage, such as India, is already nearing 50% from mobile devices. More →

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Gaming
May 9, 2012
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Angry Birds has been downloaded more than a billion times [video]

By on May 9, 2012 at 1:40 PM.

Angry Birds has been downloaded more than a billion times [video]

Angry Birds iPhone Android

Rovio on Wednesday announced that its Angry Birds franchise has surpassed one billion downloads across Android, iOS, Windows and Mac OS X, with 350 million downloads having been served in 2012 alone. The latest Birds installment, Angry Birds Space, was downloaded more than 10 million time in less than three days and a whopping 50 million times in 35 days, making it the fastest growing mobile game of all time. The immensely popular franchise generated $106 million for the company in 2011 and drew in 200 million active monthly users. Rovio’s video announcement follows below. More →

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mobile
May 9, 2012
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Sprint's HTC EVO 4G LTE launches May 18th for $199.99

By on May 9, 2012 at 9:50 AM.

Sprint's HTC EVO 4G LTE launches May 18th for $199.99

Sprint to launch HTC's EVO 4G LTE on May 18th for $199.99

Sprint on Wednesday announced that its upcoming flagship Android smartphone, the HTC EVO 4G LTE, will become available on May 18th for $199.99 on contract. While Sprint doesn’t yet have a nationwide 4G LTE network to support the new One-series smartphone, subscribers will find plenty of cutting-edge technology to tide them over until Sprint begins flipping the switch on LTE. Key features of the new phone include a 4.7-inch 720p HD display, a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor, an 8-megapixel camera with HTC’s Image Sense technology, and Sense 4 atop Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. BGR took a hands-on look at the EVO 4G LTE last month and called it an impressive smartphone with an aesthetic that may be a deal-breaker for some. Sprint’s full press release follows below. More →

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mobile
May 8, 2012
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Sprint confident about the future of Windows Phone 8

By on May 8, 2012 at 6:50 PM.

Sprint confident about the future of Windows Phone 8

Sprint confident about the future of Windows Phone 8

Sprint’s director of consumer acquisition, David Owens, said at the CTIA Wireless trade show on Tuesday that he’s “still bullish on Apollo,” possibly indicating the nation’s third-largest carrier plans to soon offer a wider selection of Windows Phone devices, PCMag reported. Owens at CES in January said the network’s only Windows Phone handset, the HTC Arrive, hadn’t “done well enough for us to jump back into the fire.” He did say, however, that Sprint would look into Windows Phone 8, known as Apollo, in the “August-September time period.” When asked about Samsung’s Galaxy S III, Owens said the carrier was “very pleased with the success of the Galaxy S II,” but he would not give further details about Samsung’s next-generation flagship phone. Owens did say that Sprint plans to release “12-15 LTE devices” between now and the end of the year, including smartphones, tablets, USB modems and hotspots. So far, the company has announced the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, LG Viper and the HTC EVO 4G LTE. More →

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Legal
May 8, 2012
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Apple and Samsung drop numerous patent claims, settlement talks continue

By on May 8, 2012 at 2:25 PM.

Apple and Samsung drop numerous patent claims, settlement talks continue

Apple and Samsung drop numerous patent claims

Apple on Monday filed litigation that narrows the number of patent infringement claims against Samsung by roughly half, and Samsung five hours later offered to drop five of its twelve asserted patents, FOSS Patents reported. The South Korean manufacturer has argued that Apple’s case is still far too big to go to trial later this summer, and wants the  the iPhone-maker to drop additional claims. The Cupertino-based company has accused Samsung of being uncooperative, claiming the company became the number one smartphone vendor in the world by copying and infringing on its technology, and is seeking billions of dollars in damages. Samsung responded, stating that its smartphones and tablets contain “innovative, independently developed technologies.” If a settlement is not reached, a trial between the two companies is scheduled to begin in July. More →

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mobile
May 8, 2012
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AT&T shared family data plans coming soon

By on May 8, 2012 at 1:00 PM.

AT&T shared family data plans coming soon

AT&T shared family data plans coming soon

AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega said he feels good about the future of the company’s shared family data plans. “I’m very comfortable with the plan that will be offered to our customers,” de la Vega told CNET at the CTIA Wireless trade show. The comments mark a 180-degree reversal from previous statements the CEO made in January. De la Vega had said the company had run into complications over IT and billing issues, as well as complications regarding how the carrier would subsidize devices. “We want to make sure we get it right,” he said in January. A shared data plan would allow families to buy a larger bucket of data that can be shared by multiple devices, like a pool of voice minutes. The executive wouldn’t comment further on specifics and only said plans will be available in the coming months, though AT&T may be looking to beat Verizon Wireless to the punch. More →

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Business
May 8, 2012
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RIM appoints new marketing, operating execs

By on May 8, 2012 at 9:45 AM.

RIM appoints new marketing, operating execs

RIM appoints new CMO and COO

Research In Motion on Tuesday named two new executives as the shake-up atop its organization continues. Recently-appointed chief executive officer Thorsten Heins said during his first day on the job that finding a new marketing boss and making drastic changes to the company’s marketing strategy were top priorities for the struggling smartphone maker. While the company’s marketing efforts have yet to pay off — though it does seem to be trying new things, at least — a new chief marketing officer has now been named. Frank Boulben, former executive vice president of strategy, marketing and sales for LightSquared, has been appointed CMO effective immediately, and joining him is new chief operating officer, Kristian Tear, who comes from Sony Mobile where he was the company’s executive vice president. “Kristian and Frank bring extensive knowledge of the rapidly changing wireless global market and will help RIM as we sharpen our focus on delivering long-term value to our stakeholders,” RIM CEO Thorsten Heins said in a statement. “Most importantly, both Kristian and Frank possess a keen understanding of the emerging trends in mobile communications and computing.”

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mobile
May 8, 2012
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AT&T CEO blames Google for slow Android updates, Google fires back

By on May 8, 2012 at 9:00 AM.

AT&T CEO blames Google for slow Android updates, Google fires back

AT&T CEO blames Google for slow Android updates, Google fires back

When asked about the slow roll-out of updates for its Android-powered smartphones and tablets, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson claimed Google was at fault and the carrier could do nothing about it. “Google determines what platform gets the newest releases and when,” the executive said. “A lot of times, that’s a negotiated arrangement and that’s something we work at hard. We know that’s important to our customers. That’s kind of an ambiguous answer because I can’t give you a direct answer in this setting.” The Mountain View-based company has fired back, however, and said the CEO’s statements are not accurate.  More →

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Business
May 8, 2012
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Wireless carriers continue to battle phone subsidies

By on May 8, 2012 at 7:45 AM.

Wireless carriers continue to battle phone subsidies

Wireless carriers continue to battle phone subsidies

Wireless carriers have traditionally made money off lengthy two-year service agreements, rather than physical device sales. In the age of smartphones, however, carriers are footing the bill for expensive handsets that result in smaller margins, while phone makers such as Apple reap the benefits. To combat traditional phone subsidies, carriers in the U.S. have continued to raise monthly rates and employ new and higher fees. In Europe, service providers are taking more aggressive measures, with some carriers refusing to subsidize devices for new customers. The carriers’ latest cries of resistance are drawing applause from investors and analysts alike, who say carriers could benefit more from the smartphone boom if they raise contract prices and slow the rate at which customers buy new phones. More →

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Gaming
May 8, 2012
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Angry Birds generated $106 million for Rovio in 2011

By on May 8, 2012 at 1:15 AM.

Angry Birds generated $106 million for Rovio in 2011

Angry Birds generated $106 million for Rovio in 2011

Rovio on Monday announced the company’s financial results for 2011. The mobile game developer generated $106.3 million in sales based on the success of its Angry Birds games and strong merchandising business. “The strong growth in revenue clearly demonstrates the popularity of the Angry Birds brand.” Mikael Hed, Rovio CEO said. “The heavy investments made in 2011 to all business areas will be seen in future products. To ensure continuous success we need to be creative and stay focused on entertaining our millions of fans by continuously developing new and innovative products and services.” Rovio’s three Angry Birds offerings in 2011 — Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Rio — were downloaded 648 million times and featured 200 million active monthly users. The company expects business to continue to grow well into 2012. “We are very optimistic about 2012 due to significant investments in product development, cutting-edge branding, brand protection and corporate infrastructure,“ the CEO said. Rovio’s press release follows below. More →

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mobile
May 7, 2012
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More than 50% of U.S. mobile users own smartphones

By on May 7, 2012 at 8:15 PM.

More than 50% of U.S. mobile users own smartphones

Over 50 percent of US mobile users own smartphones

The majority of mobile subscribers in the United Stated now own a smartphone according to the latest numbers from Nielsen. The research firm found that 50.4% of all U.S. mobile subscribers owned smartphones in March, up from 47.8% in December 2011. Consumers purchasing new phones picked smartphones more often than featured phones, with Apple called the top manufacturer and Android as the top platform. During the first quarter of 2012, 48% of smartphone owners had an Android-powered device, while 32% of devices ran iOS and 11.6% were on the BlackBerry platform. The dated Windows Mobile OS owned a 4.1% share of the market, ahead of Windows Phone at 1.7%. More →

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