2.2.

Security
May 18, 2011
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Google to patch Android credentials vulnerability

By on May 18, 2011 at 2:29 PM.

Google to patch Android credentials vulnerability

Well that didn’t take long. Yesterday, we told you about an Android vulnerability found in ClientLogin that could have serious security ramifications. Using a dummy open access-point, a nefarious third party could passively — via Wi-Fi — collect authentication tokens to password protected services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google Calendar stored on affected Android devices. Speaking with Mobilized’s Ina Fried, the Android-maker has stated that it is taking action, and fast. “Today we’re starting to roll out a fix which addresses a potential security flaw that could, under certain circumstances, allow a third party access to data available in calendar and contacts,” Google told the publication. “This fix requires no action from users and will roll out globally over the next few days.” The vulnerability will still be present in the company’s Picasa online photo offering, but Google stated that it is working to patch that service as well.

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Mobile
May 13, 2011
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HTC Merge available from third-party retailers, not Verizon Wireless

By on May 13, 2011 at 7:59 PM.

HTC Merge available from third-party retailers, not Verizon Wireless

A Verizon Wireless spokesperson has shed some light on the fate of the HTC Merge — an Android 2.2 handset first discovered last September. The device, which was officially announced by HTC in February, has fallen in and out of obscurity for months. Now, according to the latest report, users may finally get a chance to purchase the handset. Speaking with blog Phone Scoop, a Verizon representative explained, “The HTC Merge was approved for use on the Verizon Wireless network and is being sold by third party distributors, but not in Verizon Wireless stores.” The full-QWERTY smartphone also contains a SIM card slot — for use overseas — making it one of Verizon’s “world phones.” The company did not indicate if the handset would eventually make its way to Verizon’s retail outlets. More →

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Apps & Software
April 20, 2011
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Verizon's Samsung Fascinate fitted with Froyo

By on April 20, 2011 at 1:02 PM.

Verizon's Samsung Fascinate fitted with Froyo

Fascinate owners, the day hath finally cometh. Verizon Wireless has announced that its iteration of Samsung’s original Galaxy S handset, known as the Fascinate, will be updated to Froyo (Android 2.2). Documentation indicates that the code bump — labeled i500.ED01 — will bring support for Flash 10.1, improve JavaScript performance, and pack a handful of other small tweaks. Interested parties can navigate to Settings, About Phone, System Updates on their handset to order-up an over-the-air Froyo delivery beginning tomorrow. More →

32 Comments
Mobile
April 12, 2011
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AT&T to launch LG, Android smartphone in prepaid and postpaid flavors

By on April 12, 2011 at 11:29 AM.

AT&T to launch LG, Android smartphone in prepaid and postpaid flavors

Via a press release today, AT&T announced that it will be offering two, Android-based LG handsets in both the prepaid and postpaid variety. The postpaid Phoenix and prepaid Thrive both sport a 600MHz processor, 3.2-inch touchscreen display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, aGPS, 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera, microSD card slot, and 7.2Mbps HSDPA radio. Both smartphones, which run Froyo (Android 2.2) will be available on April 17th with the Phoenix retailing for $49.99 with a signed two-year agreement and the Thrive retailing for $179.99 contract-free. Prepaid customs that purchase a Thrive must sign-up for one of three new, prepaid data-plan offerings also announced: $25 for 500MB, $15 for 100MB, or $5 for 10MB. The full press release is after the break. More →

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Mobile
April 6, 2011
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Intel pegs T-Mobile G2X for April 15th release

By on April 6, 2011 at 9:39 PM.

Intel pegs T-Mobile G2X for April 15th release

Blog Android Central has been slipped a scintillating sliver of information suggesting that T-Mobile’s G2X handset will launch on April 15th. The full-touchscreen, NVIDIA Tegra 2 device was announced back in March, but its release date has been somewhat of a mystery. The G2X will run an unmodified version of Android 2.2, sport a 4-inch display, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera, HDMI-out, and a host of other high-end features. The handset will also contain a 21Mbps HSPA+ radio. If you live in the States, your tax returns aren’t due until the 18th this year, so there will be no excuses for you not to pick up a G2X come the 15th. Until then, check out our two hands-on posts from CTIA. More →

33 Comments
Mobile
April 6, 2011
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Image of AT&T’s LG Optimus One hits the Internet

By on April 6, 2011 at 8:50 PM.

Image of AT&T’s LG Optimus One hits the Internet

Blog PocketNow has acquired an image of what is presumed to be AT&T’s variant of the LG Optimus One. The popular, mid-level device — which sports a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, 800MHz processor, and largely unmolested version of Android 2.2. — is available on a half-dozen regional and national U.S. carriers. We would expect the device to be released under the moniker Optimus A — as is customary: Optimus + first letter of carrier name — but with AT&T, you never really know. If you read our report from earlier this morning, you’ll know that Android handsets costing under $150 are projected to be big business in 2011. More →

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Mobile
March 29, 2011
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Verizon Wireless ‘LTE Smartphone’ now known as Samsung DROID Charge

By on March 29, 2011 at 7:11 PM.

Verizon Wireless ‘LTE Smartphone’ now known as Samsung DROID Charge

Remember that vaguely named “LTE Smartphone” being flaunted at CES by both Samsung and Verizon Wireless? According to intel gather by blog PocketNow, it looks like that very same handset will henceforth be known as the DROID Charge. Originally codenamed Stealth, the DROID Charge (also known as the SCH-i510) packs a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Plus display, 1GHz Hummingbird processor, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with 720p video recording, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, LTE/CDMA radios, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth, aGPS, HDMI-out, and Android 2.2. Neither Verizon nor Samsung have confirmed the device’s new nickname, and “April” is a popular release-date rumor circulating the intertubes. More →

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CTIA
March 22, 2011
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Hands on with AT&T’s LG Thrill 4G [video]

By on March 22, 2011 at 4:32 PM.

Hands on with AT&T’s LG Thrill 4G [video]

We knew if we looked long enough and hard enough we would find it! In spite of the handset’s absence from both the official AT&T and LG booths at CTIA, we found the company’s latest 4G offering hanging out at a media meet and greet just moments ago. We were not allowed to really poke and prod the Thrill all that much — it was running an international version of LG’s 3D-optimized, Android operating system — but we did get to handle the device a bit and snap some stills for you to scrutinize. The 3D experience the Thrill provides, which AT&T seems very proud of, really is nice. The stereoscopic display emits a bright and clear picture in both 2D and 3D modes and the handset will be optimized for 3D gaming — we saw a short demo of a 3D golf game and were told it will ship with the YouTube 3D app. As far as the overall feel of the device is concerned: the Thrill really is extremely sturdy — if you’ve been lucky enough to fondle the Optimus 3D they are nearly identical. A little disappointing that the device will ship with Froyo (Android 2.2), but A&T assures us that it will be upgraded to Gingerbread (Android 2.3) shortly after launch. The device will hit AT&T store shelves sometime this summer when, hopefully, it will have its 4G situation worked out. Hit up the gallery below to see the device for yourself and make sure to click through the read link to see a video demo provided by an AT&T representative.

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16 Comments
Mobile
March 17, 2011
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T-Mobile to release LG G2X, G-Slate on April 20th, suggests rumor

By on March 17, 2011 at 6:43 PM.

T-Mobile to release LG G2X, G-Slate on April 20th, suggests rumor

According to blog TmoNews, T-Mobile will release the G-Slate tablet and G2X smartphone next month on April 20th. The blog notes that the two LG devices should be given firm release date on the nation’s fourth largest provider next week at the CTIA Wireless conference in Orlando, FL. The LG G2X will be a T-Mobile branded Optimus 2X and the G-Slate is the Honeycomb device we saw announced at CES back in January. We know the G-Slate will be sporting an HSPA+, 4G radio, but details on the G2X are still unknown.

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Mobile
March 16, 2011
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Samsung brings Galaxy Player to U.S.

By on March 16, 2011 at 1:45 PM.

Samsung brings Galaxy Player to U.S.

At the company’s 2011 product lineup event today, Samsung announced the U.S. availability of the 4-inch and 5-inch Galaxy Player. First spotted at Mobile World Congress last month, the two devices closely resemble the European Galaxy S smartphone currently in market. The duo will look to capture both the mind and market share of those consumers who would otherwise be looking to purchase Apple’s iPod touch or Microsoft’s Zune. Both devices will run Google’s Froyo (Android 2.2) operating system — upgradeable to Gingerbread (Android 2.3) — and will sport Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, DLNA support, 8GB of on-board storage, 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera, VGA front-facing camera, and microSD card slot (support for up to 32GB cards). The 5-inch model will have a WVGA TFT-LCD display while the 4-inch model will boast a 4-inch Super Clear LCD screen. The burning question we all want the answer to, when can we buy one and how much will they cost, was not disclosed in the announcement. Hit the jump to read the official press release. More →

23 Comments
Tablets
March 12, 2011
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Wi-Fi Galaxy Tab to retail for $399 on April 4th, report suggests

By on March 12, 2011 at 8:01 AM.

Wi-Fi Galaxy Tab to retail for $399 on April 4th, report suggests

Information acquired by blog Droid-Life suggests that Samsung’s 7-inch, Wi-Fi only, Galaxy Tab may retail for $399 and become available on April 4th. The svelte price point, and imminent release date, come courtesy of a flier that was purportedly being handed out by a Samsung representative at a recent technology trade show. The 7-inch Galaxy Tab is getting a little long in the tooth, but the $399 price tag is quite attractive. Samsung is expected to debut an 8.9-inch, Galaxy-branded tablet later this month at CTIA in Orlando, and we presume concrete information about the Wi-Fi only device will be provided then. More →

27 Comments
Mobile
March 8, 2011
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Verizon’s Samsung Stealth gets pictured; April release date rumored

By on March 8, 2011 at 11:01 PM.

Verizon’s Samsung Stealth gets pictured; April release date rumored

Formerly known as the SCH-i520, the Samsung Stealth made a brief appearance at the Consumer Electronics show back in January. Announced along with ten other LTE devices by Verizon Wireless, the Stealth was forced to play second fiddle to the ThunderBolt, BIONIC, and XOOM. But today, we get to pay a little homage to the forgotten, 4G handset, thanks to several images of the device frolicking in the wild acquired by blog TechnoBuffalo. If you recall correctly, the device boasts a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Plus screen, 1GHz Hummingbird processor, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with 720p video recording, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, LTE/CDMA radios, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth, aGPS, HDMI-out, and Android 2.2. TB‘s tipster notes that the battery on the device seemed to perform quite well, yielding a full day of use with LTE enabled, and that the device should hit store shelves in mid-April. Pick your poison: ThunderBolt or Stealth. Hit the jump to check out some additional images of the Samsung handset. More →

36 Comments
Mobile
February 25, 2011
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HTC Merge coming to ‘multiple’ North American carriers this spring; Android, CDMA world phone

By on February 25, 2011 at 1:21 PM.

HTC Merge coming to ‘multiple’ North American carriers this spring; Android, CDMA world phone

Here’s one straight out of left field. In a brief press release, HTC announced that its Merge handset — a device we thought was dead and buried — will be making its way to North America, via “multiple carriers,” sometime this spring. The Merge is most certainly going to land on Verizon Wireless and will compliment VZW’s global, Android handset lineup — which already consists of the DROID 2 Global and DROID Pro — quite nicely. The Merge isn’t the most powerful handset on the block, but it certainly isn’t a slouch — 3.8-inch touchscreen display, full QWERTY slide-out keyboard, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with 720p video recording, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and Android 2.2. Many have been waiting for this handset to drop since we first spotted it back in September (gallery). Is this the Android set you’ve been waiting for, or is it a little too late? The full press release is after the break.

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