Some Nokia N900s have charger port issues in the UK
Available in the UK via O2, Vodafone and Orange, the Maemo-based Nokia N900 reportedly has some hardware issues related to the microUSB charging port. According to MobileNewsCWP, customers are reporting that the N900’s microUSB port can come away when the charging cable is disconnected, because the cable’s two prongs are too tight. Nokia UK has [...]
AT&T announces the LG Arena with Mobile TV, available on February 26
Available in Europe since spring last year, the LG Arena will soon be launched in North America, too, via AT&T. The second largest US carrier will offer the Arena online starting February 26, and in retail stores starting March 7. The LG Arena is AT&T Mobile TV-capable, which means that subscribers will be able to [...]
Google Shopper Android app lets you shop smarter
Google has launched yet another application for Android – this time, it’s one that should help you shop smarter. The app is called Google Shopper and uses your Android phone’s camera to scan “most barcodes”, as well as cover art of CDs, DVDs, video games and books. After you’ve scanned the desired product or barcode, [...]
Sprint WiMAX (4G) phone coming this summer (HTC Supersonic?)
We’ve been hearing about Sprint’s 2010 WiMAX phones since October last year, and it looks like the third largest US carrier might launch its first WiMAX handset in June the latest. According to Forbes, Sprint confirmed that a WiMAX phone will be available in the first half of the year, but it didn’t unveil further [...]
Samsung to invest more than $112 million in mobile software this year, launch cheaper smartphones
After unveiling the Wave S8500 (its first Bada smartphone) at MWC 2010, Samsung said that it plans to invest a lot in mobile software this year. In 2009, the company invested 130 billion Won (about $112 million) in mobile software. Now, Samsung CEO Choi Jee-sung mentioned that, this year, they will spend even more (most [...]
Samsung Wave S8500 to be the world’s first phone with new Picsel File Viewer
The recently announced Samsung Wave S8500 – Samsung’s first smartphone based on Bada OS – will come with the latest version of Picsel File Viewer, the popular mobile application that provides support for Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point) and Adobe PDF. Some of the features that the new Picsel File Viewer offers include: faster [...]
Pixi-like Palm WebOS smartphone coming to T-Mobile USA?
We already know that AT&T might soon launch the Palm Pre, and it looks like T-Mobile US is also getting ready to introduce a WebOS smartphone. Unlike AT&T, though, T-Mobile could launch a completely new Palm WebOS device. According to BGR, the handset resembles the Palm Pixi, and T-Mobile could launch it quite soon – [...]
#MWC10: Google Goggles to feature instant translation capabilities
Introduced in December last year, Google Goggles for Android might soon integrate instant translation capabilities. In fact, Google has already presented a prototype version of Goggles a MWC 2010: a photo of a text in German was taken with the Nexus One, which then instantly translated the text into English. The prototype software connected the [...]
Microsoft’s own Windows Phone 7 handset may be released in early 2011, made by Asus
A few days ago at MWC 2010, when Microsoft unveiled Windows Phone 7 Series, it demoed the new OS on an Asus-made smartphone, saying that the device won’t be commercially available. However, it looks like a different (or maybe similar) Asus smartphone is in the making, and Microsoft plans to launch it as “its own [...]
#MWC10: ZTE Smooth with Android 1.6 – another Palm Pre-like smartphone
One of ZTE’s Android smartphones presented at MWC 2010 is the ZTE Smooth – which, like the Alcatel OT-980, has a design that reminds me of the Palm Pre. I’m not sure if this is a good or a bad thing, but, hey, at least the ZTE Smooth looks fairly better than Alcatel’s handset. Feature-wise, [...]
#MWC10: Next-gen FX UI for Samsung and LG devices demoed on a Nexus One
Samsung and LG – South Korea’s largest phone makers – both have their own User Interfaces (TouchWiz and S-Class, respectively), which can be used combined with other OSes (Android, Windows Mobile etc). Now, TouchWiz and S-Class don’t have too many things in common, but it looks like Samsung and LG will soon use a similar [...]
Sony Ericsson should’ve made the Google Nexus One, but they refused
When you say “Google Nexus One”, you’re immediately thinking about Android and HTC (which manufactures the smartphone). Most probably, Google wanted HTC to build the Nexus One due to the fact that the Taiwanese company is one of the most respected smartphone makers in the world. However, it looks like Google has chosen HTC also [...]
Confirmed: Motorola BackFlip coming to AT&T on March 7, $99.99 on contract
Motorola has just confirmed that AT&T’s first Android smartphone, the Motorola BackFlip, will be available starting March 7, as rumored. Also announced in China and Italy, the Moto BackFlip will cost only $99.99 with an AT&T contract agreement for two years and after a $100 mail-in rebate. As mentioned several times before, the BackFlip runs [...]
WM 6.5.3 to become Windows Phone Classic; Windows Phone 6 Starter Edition announced for emerging markets
Since Windows Phone 7 Series is designed for high-end smartphones, Microsoft will still need an OS for mid and low-end devices. That’s why it will continue with Windows Mobile 6.5.3 – but it looks like it will rename it and call it Windows Phone Classic (via jkOnTheRun and I started something). Most probably, this will [...]
#MWC10: Facebook Zero for mobile phones – text-only Facebook
Facebook, probably the world’s largest social networking website, will soon be available in an ultra-simple version. During a MWC 2010 keynote, it has been revealed that the new version is called Facebook Zero and it’s, well, lighter than Facebook Lite, being designed for all types of cell phones, including basic ones. Facebook Zero doesn’t include [...]
Nokia reportedly launching Snapdragon based Symbian phone this year
Exactly one year ago, Nokia and Qualcomm announced that they would work together to develop and launch Symbian smartphones for the North American market, mentioning “mid 2010” as target for the release of their first device. Now, during MWC 2010, Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs has provided more details. According to Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, Nokia [...]
#MWC10 HTC Desire, Legend and HD Mini hands-on videos
HTC is one of the most interesting companies in the smartphone biz. So whenever a new announcement from them is coming, we can expect something interesting to write about. Be it a new user interface for Windows Mobile or Android, the first Android phone ever, the first Google phone ever etc; And while nothing as [...]
#MWC10: €100 Symbian smartphones promised for later this year
Only a couple of days after Symbian^3 was officially launched (as the first free and open source version of Symbian), Symbian Foundation’s Executive Director, Mr. Lee Williams, declared that “a few” Symbian handsets scheduled for 2010 will retail for only €100 (about $138). Lee Williams didn’t provide more details, but since the €100 smartphones will [...]
#MWC10: HTC Smart coming to O2 UK, Ireland and Germany in April
HTC Smart – the Taiwanese company’s first phone based on Qualcomm’s Brew platform – will be available in several European countries starting April, offered by Telefonica / O2. The HTC Smart will be launched by O2 in the UK, Ireland and Germany, as an “easy-to-use, affordable smartphone.” Like some of HTC’s Android and Windows Mobile [...]
#MWC10. Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini and X10 Pro. First impressions, hands-on video
Finally, with the introduction of Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini and Pro, the troubled vendor is displaying some innovative and original thinking, that made this company great once. I’m not saying that all of the recently launched Sony Ericsson phones are bad. But, despite their claims to the contrary, during last 2 years and even more, [...]