Rotten Core: Nokia lose huge market share in their homeland

There's a state of unease within Nokia at the moment and unsurprisingly so. With the first Nokia-Microsoft lovechild now out in the market (the Lumia 800, you might have heard of it) and an aggressive marketing strategy in place to drum up interest in Windows Phone-laden Nokia's coming fresh out of the factory, the Finnish company have been waiting with bated breath to see how consumers will receive this new-era Nokia.

They've shown a resilience to the tough times they've faced already and since the partnership announcement in February, many wondered just how this shift would affect the company's image. By bringing Microsoft in, they've inherently changed the way they operate and the way fans of the brand expect them to operate. Sure they brought the Asha lineup to maintain support for their Symbian products and the N9 is taking point in markets where the Lumia 800 isn't, but now Windows Phone is Nokia and as Stephen Elop so boldly said at Nokia World, the Lumia 800 is "the first real Windows Phone device."

Not only could a statement like that upset the likes of HTC, LG and Samsung, all of whom license Windows Phone from Microsoft, but the hardcore fans of what we could call the 'old' Nokia also might not welcome the change, and that is a notion that has the potential to hold water in this case.

The Finns have been proud of the globally recognized giant that is Nokia and it's probably one of the key things those from outside of the country associate with it, but a recent report from Helsinki's Taloussanomat shows that pride only takes support so far. In the last 12 months, Nokia have lost 45% of the market share taking their dominance from 76% right down to 31%.

Of course they still have the top spot, but the gap has dramatically narrowed, with the majority of their sales now in the possession of Samsung who have risen sharply from a mere 3% to 25% in the same amount of time. Apple then take third place with 16% in Q3 2011, with Sony Ericsson and Huawei sharing 11% each, leaving the remaining 6% of the market currently to ZTE.

This doesn't automatically spell the end for Nokia of course, far from it, but it still must be unnerving for them. The financial quarter in question actually precedes the announcement of the Lumia and Asha handsets, but as such, it does indicate that the change was necessary. It makes more sense for Nokia to have changed tack altogether, than continue along the road they were currently on and let's not forget the Finnish market is important for Nokia, but relatively speaking, it's a small one, with Finland's entire population around the 5 million mark.

Once the holiday season and the final financial quarter conclude we should get at least an initial indication of the impact the Lumia 800 is making. Until then however it's a case of crossing fingers and seeing if Nokia are able to reassure the old fans, as well as attracting new ones.

Source

Qualcomm announces new Snapdragon S1 and S4 chipsets

Qualcomm is expanding its Snapdragon lineup - adding chipsets to both the entry-level S1 line and the Krait lineup. Krait is a brand new design that will scale to up to 2.5GHz with one, two or four cores. It promises better power efficiency than current architectures.

The S4 badge will be carried only by the best of the best Snapdragon chipsets with Krait CPU architecture and next-gen Adreno graphics (dual or quad core GPUs).
There are eight new chipsets, which are joining the already announced MSM8930 and MSM8960 (single and dual-core CPUs respectively) and the Snapdragon APQ8064 (with a quad-core CPU and Adreno 320 GPU), which will supposedly power the rumored HTC Zeta.
The first products with Snapdragon S4 chipsets are expected to show up in early 2012 - starting with the single and dual core versions but we'll be seeing quad-cores later on too.
Qualcomm also announced four S1 chipsets, which are aimed at entry-level smartphones but have been upgraded to offer better performance than we're used to see in this segment. Specs for the S1 line are scarce but we can expect up to 1GHz CPU clock speed and Adreno 200 GPUs. There's a focus on 3G connectivity too, to bring entry level smartphones out of the 2G era.

Anyone can steal a Subaru Outback with an Android phone

Don Bailey and Matthew Solnik from iSec Partners demonstrated how to break into a car and hack into its remote control system.

Their research was shown at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, and they unlocked a Subaru Outback and started the engine from a distance using an Android handset and the so-called 'war texting'. You need to set your own GSM network around the car for that, and then intercept the password authentication text messages between the server and the car, all in just a few hours.

Actually the researchers are not worried about stealing cars, but rather that the same remote control systems with text messaging updates are in traffic lights and security cameras, as well as the power grid and water supply infrastructure. If anyone with skills, an Android handset and some relatively inexpensive wireless network equipment can hack into the remote control system of popular car brands, what's to stop someone from doing it on a grander scale, they argued.

"I could care less if I could unlock a car door. It's cool. It's sexy. But the same system is used to control phone, power, traffic systems. I think that's the real threat.", said Don Bailey for CNN.

source: TGDaily via Engadget

Nokia N8 was used to shoot at the world's biggest stop-motion animation set

The Nokia N8 is still the best king in smartphone cameras with its 12-megapixel Carl Zeiss lens. But is it fit enough to shoot at the world's largest stop-motion animation set spreading on over 11,000 square feet? Answer is yes, but it took not one, but three Nokia N8s to produce this breath-taking minute and a half production called Gulp. The marine-themed stop-motion film Gulp narrates the story of a fisherman going out in the sea only to meet adventure.

Interestingly, when shooting the film the three Nokia N8s were used only for capturing stills, not video. The numerous images were then stitched together giving the illusion of motion in a 25fps video. Aardman and Nokia, which are behind this film, have previously broken the record for the world's smallest stop-motion animation with the movie Dot.

So heeeeere's Gulp :



source: Nokia

Angry Birds for Windows Phone 7 is updated and even packs 90 new levels

Hello ! Good news for Phones Land Readers and for any Windows Phone 7 owners out there that quickly went through all the available levels with Angry Birds! It's because the popular game from Rovio is being updated to version 1.1, which brings forth 90 new exciting levels.

With a total 225 levels now, up from the previous 135, gamers will now have access to episodes 10 and 11, which were branded as “coming soon”.

Additionally, the other new difference with this updated version is the new load screen. For $2.99, the price is very reasonable.

And even though the number of levels with the update is still behind the iPhone’s mark of 270 levels, we’re sure that mobile phone owners are still nonetheless going to be entertained and delighted with the new update.

source: WP Central via WMPoweruser

Apple iPhone 5 could be coming with an "Assistant"?

A leaked screenshot obtained by 9 to 5 Mac shows a voice control called Assistant that is not part of the iOS 5 beta version. This would make it a possible feature for the allegedly upcoming Apple iPhone 5. Based on the leak, it would appear that Assistant does more than just convert the spoken word into written text on the handset's display.

A source for 9 to 5 Mac said that the feature is still being developed and might not be completed in time for inclusion into the next-gen Apple iPhone. Based on some SDK info, it would appear that Assistant would work similar to the Siri technology that Apple recently acquired. Assistant would integrate with the OS on your iPhone to allow certain tasks to be completed by uttering a simple sentence. For example, you could say, "Setup movie with Robespierre" and the app would check your location, offer you tickets to a movie from the closest theater, and send good ol' Robespieere an email apprising him of the information.

The service would be crowd-sourced and Apple will give users the option of sending their data securely to Cupertino so that the manufacturer can improve the service. The Assistant feature is expected to "talk back" to the user. And even when your Apple iPhone is locked, an option will allow you quick access to the feature.

Recent survey shows that Games are the most installed apps

A recent survey reveals that Games are the most installed apps category
"Games" was the number one category of apps installed on smartphones in the U.S. during Q2
The survey looked at those who had downloaded at least one app in a 30 day stretch of Q2 and found that 64% of them had downloaded at least one game in that period to lead the pack. Second belonged to apps in the "Weather" category which were installed by 60% of smartphone users during the qualifying time period. Social Networking sites (of course they're in the top 3) came in third with a 56% reading.


In a very interesting breakdown of the numbers, iOS users spend an average of 14.7 hours per month on games compared with 9.3% of Android users and only 4.7% of those using a Windows Phone 7 smartphone. With its strong business-centric appeal, there is no surprise that BlackBerry users averaged only 4.5 hours per month playing games, tying the platform with Featurephone users. The average monthly game use in the industry was 7.8 hours per month in the most recent survey.

source: Nielsen via BGR

Starbucks app for Android video

Starbucks had finally released its app for Android powered handsets. The app can turn your handset screen into the barcode on your Starbucks card and get scanned at the register to pay for your drink. There are also some other features of the app, including the ability to help you find a specific Starbucks location using Google Maps.

Starbucks made a little video showing you what the Starbucks app can do. Simply pick up your Android phone, head over to the nearest Starbucks location and let the coffee retailer's app do its magic.



source: YouTube via AndroidCentral

March of Heroes is Gameloft's first game with the Unreal engine

 

Gameloft is surely one of the best mobile game developers out there. It just revealed a trailer for one of its first games with the new Unreal engine graphics technology, and said it will be available for both Android and iOS.

The game is called March of Heroes and is a first-person shooter, everyone's favorite type. The graphics are breathtaking, so we can't wait for this title to hit the application stores.

When will March of Heroes be released, and how much it will cost are minor details that Gameloft didn't consider necessary to share. Have a look at Gameloft's official March of Heroes trailer in the video below.

Source: GSMArena

Windows Phone 7 is now the "most secure" smartphone OS

Android and iOS have Windows Phone 7 squarely beaten when it comes to phone sales. But the recent security threats and privacy issues surrounding Android and iOS works in Microsoft's favor.

Microsoft claims that WP7 is inherently more secure because of memory compartmentalization: "We keep applications away from the bones of the OS. When an application fires up, the OS will give it a dynamically allocated security bubble, for lack of a better word, and every app has its own one of those."

These so called 'security bubbles' are in contrast to both Android and iOS, in which some apps have been found to steal information from one another. Microsoft says that "there's no other smartphone on the market that's as secure."

What do you guys think? 
Will this make Windows Phone 7 competitive with iOS and Android, or WP7 can never get to their level?

Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below.

source: Silicon Republic via WMPoweruser

Sprint pleads to the FCC to block AT&T – T-Mobile merger

Since AT&T said they plans to purchase T-Mobile for $39 billion, Sprint has been scared of the deal for its negative impact on the US market. Of course, we all know that the real reason they're scared is because the nation's third largest carrier is concerned about its own survival as a profitable company.

Efforts to prevent the merger are being taken and now Sprint has officially pleaded to the FCC asking it to block T-Mobile's acquisition from AT&T. If both companies merge, they would cover 43% of the nation's wireless subscribers with Verizon providing for another 39% of the market. That potential duopoly might hurt fair competition amongst carriers and cause a rise in service costs.

If the merger gets approved by the FCC, Sprint is likely to become the underdog of wireless carriers with a market share far behind that of the leading duo – AT&T and Verizon.

What do you guys think? Should the merger take place? Or would the potential duopoly affect you in a negative way? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below.

First image of the next Nexus branded phone got leaked

After Sprint customers recently managed to get comfy with the Google Nexus 4G, now it seems that we’re beginning to see the first tide of worthwhile news regarding a true successor to the Nexus line of Android powered phones. We’re getting a first glimpse of the handset in its prototype stage.

You can see that the front is completely clean looking with no sight of any physical or capacitive buttons that we tend to associate with Android phones.

A Google employee who works in the Android development team says that HTC and LG want to get in on the action of producing the Nexus 3. The new smartphone will not be available until December, with Android Ice Cream Sandwich of course.

What do you guys think? Should HTC produce the new Nexus? Or is LG is the better choice? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play will have Minecraft before anyone else

Are you one of the lucky owners of the first dedicated Android gaming phone, you have reason to be happy about the fact that SE keeps its promise about having games on your mobile phone before anyone else can play them.

Such is the case with the very popular game Minecraft, he game that has more than 8 million registered users building awesome things with just simple blocks.

Mojang said :"When playing on smartphones you will have a different screen size compared to PC, different hardware, different attention spans and thus the game needs to be customized to fit the mobile specifications"

That means Minecraft will be specifically coded to take advantage of the gamepad on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, which might mean we most likely won't see it soon on other Android devices.

What do you guys think? Will Minecraft make you think about buying the SE Xperia Play ? Or the game won't be as cool as the desktop version? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below.

source: Gamasutra

Apple is against Amazon's claims that the term “app store” is generic

Apple is against Amazon's claims that the term “app store” is generic. The exact statement: “Apple denies that, based on their common meaning, the words ‘app store’ together denote a store for apps,” the company commented in a filing for the federal court in Oakland, California.



The term “app store” has been trademarked by Apple, but other companies such as Microsoft joined the fight against Apple for such a trademark.



What do you guys think? Did Apple trademark a very generic term? Or the other companies just want in on the cash? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below.

source: Bloomberg

Google Talk's video chat over 3G blocked by T-Mobile

If you want  Google Talk's video chat to work, you will need an Android phone with a front-facing camera and the 2.3.4  build of Google's OS. For example the T-Mobile Nexus S and the Sprint Nexus S 4G. If you want to use the feature anywhere where your carrier has coverage, you can only use the Sprint model. Why? Because T-Mobile is blocking the video chat feature over its 3G pipelines.

If a T-Mobile Nexus S user tries to use the Google Talk video chat, he/she gets a message saying "You must be connected to a WiFi network to start a video chat."

Most future Android phones are equipped with front-facing cameras. Once the new handsets are launched with Android 2.3.4 and the other models receive upgrades to that build, the number of phones able to use Google Talk's video chat will grow in number tremendously.




What do you guys think? Are you with Google on this one? Or T-Mobile is right to do whatever they want with their network? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below.

source: AndroidCentralForums via Google

Apple iPhone 4 and the App Store are both listed in the 2011 Book of World Records

The Apple iPhone 4 and the App Store each received notice, becoming record-holders in the 2011 Book of World Records for breaking records having to do with mobile gaming. For example, with analysts estimating that 1.5 million units of the iPhone 4 having been sold on launch day, the smartphone now holds the record for the "Fastest-Selling Portable Gaming System".  The 1.5 million units sold blows away the competition like the Sony PlayStation Portable selling 200,000 models on its 2005 launch date and the Nintendo DS ranging up sales of 900,000 units during its first week of existence in November 2004.

The App Store also received notice as the "Most Popular Application Marketplace" and the "Largest Downloadable Video Game Store."

Rovio's Angry Birds also received recognition , it is now listed as the "Top Paid-For App Store Game in Most Countries." As of last October, Angry Birds was the top paid-for game in the App Store in a record 67 territories around the globe. Rovio's Peter Vesterbacka told the Global Mobile Internet Conference that total downloads of the game across all platforms had reached a whopping 140 million.

source: GuinnessWorldRecords via AppleInsider

iRobot will use Android tablets to power service robots

iRobot CEO Colin Angle hopes to create a market for mid-range service robots. And is there something better than a robot serving as your daily helper? The robot, named AVA, will be powered by Android tablets! The Android tablet, a Motorola XOOM in this case, will serve as the processing and sensory core, while the iRobot machinery underneath will provide the mobility and physical functions.

Colin Angle explains how the tablet and AVA came together: "We in the robot industry realized this is a fantastic head for a robot...what was missing was the body." With the front-facing camera, microphone, speakers, and accelerometer, the XOOM has everythings needed.

Some keen readers might remember that AVA was initially demonstrated with an iPad at CES. Colin explains that the change was made for features like voice and video chat. "We're tablet-agnostic...Right now, Android has what we need," explains Colin.

Android powered Motorola was chosen over Apple's iPad.
What do you guys think?
Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below.

source: CNET

Google has Good Humor; next OS release nearly confirmed as Ice Cream Sandwich

The next build of the Android OS is expected to be nicknamed Ice Cream Sandwich. This continues the tradition of naming each new build of Google's open source OS after a dessert in alphabetical order. So far, we have seen Cupcake, Donuts, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb and now Ice Cream Sandwich.

While not officially announced by the Mountain View based company, in a reply to an emailed question about an unknown issue by an AOSP forum member, Google's Romain Guy replied, "A bug fix will be provided in Ice Cream Sandwich." We could get confirmation at the approaching Google I/O.

While the thought of ice cream and bugs doesn't really sound too good, makes us wonder what dessert will be used after this one.

source: AndroidCentral

Apple-Samsung lawsuit a battle over Samsung Galaxy S3 and the iPhone 5, both slated for fall release

Russian tech blogger Eldar Murtazin has been stirring the rumor pot quite a few times about things that mostly turn out true in the end.


We learn from his take on the Apple-Samsung lawsuit that the battle is actually not over a few colored icons and a rectangular shape, but a precursor to a much broader struggle on Apple's side. It looks like Samsung is aiming for a 6-8 months timeframe between flagship Android phone releases from now on, which will be aided by an even tighter integration with Android hence Google, becoming Apple's chief threat.


It's plausible, let's not forget that Samsung said they would overtake Nokia in units sold by 2014 before the Nokia Windows Phone ordeal came out. Also, Samsung has a very strong department, with great technologies in the works, like the Super AMOLED displays. Samsung also supplies a lot of parts for the iPhone production already.

What do you guys think ?
Apple feeling scared? Or just another rumor about the iPhone killer ?
Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below.

source: Mobile-Review (translated), Stereopoly (translated)

HTC could have a 16 megapixel WP7 phone to sell

HTC has never been a competitor into the megapixel race, but this could change soon. According to a short video ad HTC is preparing a 16 megapixel cameraphone running on Windows Phone 7.

The mysterious phone is similar to the Desire S, but it’s just the way HTC phones look these days.
The only other available detail concerns the phone’s flash – it’s a dual-LE one.





If this video is authentic, then HTC might be on the way to start a mobile camera revolution...again. We guess we’ll have to wait and see how things will turn out.


Source

Is your iPhone taking pictures without your permission?

The Apple forum thread has generated three pages of users sharing this complaint: while on Facetime a random picture appears, that the iPhone seems to have captured on his own. If you search for it, you won't find it in the Camera Roll and this issue seems hard to reproduce due to the random occurrence.

Here is a description of this issue:

“My boyfriend and I have both recently experienced this problem several times - when one of us is calling the other via FaceTime, an old picture freezes on our screen, while the person receiving the call only sees a black screen. It's kind of creepy, because it brought up photos of both of us at work, where I have used FaceTime a few times but he never has. We're just wondering how/why this is happening, and if there is a fix. It's not terribly inconvenient, but it's definitely unsettling, where is seems that even if we haven't taken a picture or used FaceTime, the camera is keeping images.”

Although it sounds unlikely, could your iPhone be spying on you? We wouldn't want to go into any conspiracy theories, but we would love to hear more about this, Have any of you experience such thing? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Apple Discussions via Huffington Post

University student has $50,000 per year income by jailbreaking iOS devices

Some people might find it hard to hear that an individual can earn around $50,000 per year by just offering the wonderful services of jailbreaking iOS devices.

George Mason University student, Kevin Lee, uses his special skills to make a huge income for a currently senior. He started off jailbreaking Apple devices for friends and family members, but it soon became a part time job, having from 5 customers a week to 40.

Craigslist is his best friend, but it’ll be interesting to see if he can eventually increase his operations to handle more workload. For a college student, making a solid $50,000 per year isn’t too bad at all – especially when he’s doing something that he enjoys.

Source: Washington Post via IntoMobile

Nokia files second complaint against Apple

Nokia has filed a second complaint against Apple with the International Trade Commission (ITC).

Nokia says that "key features" of Apple products infringe on 7 of the Finnish based firm's patents. The features related to the patent are related to multitasking, data syncing, call quality, positioning and Bluetooth technology.

Paul Mellion, Nokia's VP of intellectual property, said, "Our latest ITC filing means we now have 46 Nokia patents in suit against Apple, many filed more than 10 years before Apple made its first iPhone. Nokia is a leading innovator in technologies needed to build great mobile products and Apple must stop building its products using Nokia's proprietary innovation."

The ITC recently ruled against Nokia in a previous filing made by the company against Apple. The Finnish company would not give up so easy and wants Apple to pay for what they did. Nokia also has patent infringement claims against Apple pending in the U.K., Netherlands and Germany and expects some of these claims to come to trial within the next few months.

Source 1: Bloomberg
Source 2: TmoNews

Aircell is the first in-flight smartphone (Android powered)

The open model of Google's Android is everywhere. One part is in-flight communication, where Aircell has announced the first in-flight smartphone.

It's called the Aircell Smartphone and it operates on the 800MHz spectrum, which is reserved for Aircell's wireless communication. Aircell reports that the device will enable passengers to "place and receive voice calls aboard business aircraft as easily and conveniently as they do with mobile phones on the ground." And that desire for familiarity is probably what led them to choose Android.

Aircell's new device will be available later this year. As the device is a drop-in replacement for the Axxess systems currently on many business flights, we expect the Aircell Smartphone to be implemented fairly quickly.

Source

Nokia due to compensate its CEO Stephen Elop with $6 million for moving from Microsoft

Nokia's annual 20-F form shows that the Finnish giant is due to pay its current CEO Stephen Elop over his move from Microsoft is more than $6 million.

Nokia already paid Elop $3.18 million as a compensation for lost income, and is scheduled to pay a further $3.0 million later this year.

In case you were wondering, as a CEO of Nokia, Elop has a base salary of $1.45 million per year.

Stephen Elop has been a Nokia CEO for mere months, but these are some of the most turbulent times in Nokia's history. Since Elop's appointment, it was announced that Nokia is to make Windows Phone its main smartphone strategy, and that Symbian is not part of the Finnish company's long term plans. As for MeeGo, Nokia announced that it will be developed as a side project.

Does anyone think money is being wasted, or that Elop deserves them ? Let us know in the Comments Section !

Source

Qualcomm shows off the new Snapdragon MSM 8660

It seems that Qualcomm plans to take mobile gaming to the next level, your are about to see the new Adreno 220 's gaming capabilities. Adreno 220 is the new powerful GPU found in the third generation of The Snapdragon processors, and they mean serious business. Graphics are now surpassing the details of a Playstation 2 gaming console.

The game demo could be seen on MWC at Qualcomm's booth, where the 3D action game was running on a 55-inch HD LCD display.



So, do you think mobile phone gaming is going to far? Or this shoould just be the beginning ? Tell us what do you think in the Comments Section !

Source

Photo of iPhone 5 screen shows larger diagonal

Latest rumor is a 4-inch screen Apple iPhone 5, but it's not the only one, there is also talk about a 3.5-inch screen in a smaller phone (iPhone 5 mini). There are mockups of both versions on the internet - you shouldn't put too much stock into them, but they can give you a general idea of the next iPhone.

The iPhone 5 should be official this June (Apple keeps to their product schedule). Aside from the screen, the 5 is rumored to have a dual-core Apple A5 CPU, better graphics and NFC.

There can only be one, so what would you prefer - same size iPhone with bigger screen, or same size screen with smaller iPhone?

Source

Phone app gets a student out of a speeding ticket

College student Sahas Katta was scared when he received his first speeding ticket. In 2010, he got pulled over by an officer and accused of doing 40 mph in a 25 mph zone. Even though the student was sure he wasn't speeding, he handed his license and registration with no comments. Luckily for him, Sahas later realized that he had My Tracks by Google running on his Motorola DROID all along, which eventually helped him avoid getting fined.

When the student had to defend himself in traffic court, he presented the log of his trip, which clearly showed a maximum speed of only 26 mph. It turned out the officer could not recall when his laser gun was calibrated for the last time, which questioned the credibility of the laser gun data.

Even though most people do not stand a chance in traffic court, the student was declared not guilty.


Source

Minecraft coming to iOS, and soon to Android

Love Minecraft ? If you own an iOS Apple device or an Android phone, you'll be glad to know that Minecraft is coming to iPhones and iPads later this year. Even an Android version is also in the works for this year.

While there is a number of unofficial ports for iOS, this will be the first official one. It will include features relevant to the mobile form factor and will eat up even more time of your life ! ( is that good news ? )

You will not be alone, there is more than 1.3 million registered users who voted with their dollar to participate.

Would you buy minecraft for your device?


Source

Apple iPhone 4 Stress Test

Now that we saw the Nokia N8 Stress Test, it's time to see how will the iPhone do :

iPhone 4 Stress Test:



Nokia N8 Stress Test


Source

Nokia N8 Stress Test

We always wonder if the body is scratch-resistant or will it get dirty quickly when buying a new phone, so here is a nice so called stress test from the guys at GadgetStress.com , and boy, those Russians sure know how to make a smartphone cry like a baby!

Nokia N8 Stress Test:



iPhone 4 Stress Test


Source

INQ CEO: The cool kids have an iPhone or BlackBerry, Android is for geeks.

It's not very often that we see a manufacturer of an Android phone bash other manufacturers of Android phones, basically telling them that they have no idea what the general public wants, and that Apple and BlackBerry are, like, so much better for the cool kids.

But that's exactly what INQ CEO Frank Meehan has told Mashable:

"If you go to a nightclub in any city in the world, the pretty girl has an iPhone or a BlackBerry. She doesn’t have an Android phone. She has no emotional attachment to an Android phone. It’s too complicated. It’s a geek device, it’s all wrong."

So do you guys think Android is more suited for geeks ? Or that dumb girls know to shop only clothes ?

Let us know in the Comments Section below !

Source

Man's iPhone 4 explodes

An Apple iPhone 4 overheated so badly that it caused it to explode right there on the table.

The iPhone 4 was sitting on a wooden table when the incident occurred. Everything was fine, but then phone's battery got so hot that it started to smoke, also causing the smoke alarm in the house to go off. The phone heated up so badly that the back just blew off. It didn’t blow off all the way as you can see, but it’s only hanging there by a thread.



Apparently the guy went to the Apple store in hopes of getting a replacement; hopefully they fulfilled that need for him. The thing we should be worried about is that this isn’t the first time an Apple product has practiced spontaneous combustion. Do you think other iPhone users should worry about these kind of things ? tell us in the comments section !

Source

LG and YouTube partner to let you upload and share 3D content

LG Electronics and YouTube just announced their newly-minted partnership to provide a unique 3D mobile experience - with the LG Optimus 3D.


The handset is a 3D pioneer in the cell phone space, and the company is promising more Android-powered premium smartphones with 3D video capture and playback that doesn't require any glasses. Now YouTube users will be able to upload and share 3D content instantl.


“The Optimus 3D is LG’s newest flagship smartphone. It is our answer to two major pain points of the current 3D experience - limited mobility and specialized glasses. Furthermore, our partnership with YouTube will ensure that our customers can easily generate and access ample 3D content,” said the President and CEO of LG's mobile division.

As per Francsico Varela, Head of YouTube Platform Partnerships: “3D technology has traditionally been reserved for the major Hollywood movie studios. With the new LG Optimus 3D anyone anywhere in the world can shoot 3D videos, upload them to YouTube, and share them with their friends. We’re excited to see the creative videos our community captures and shares with this new technology.”

Pelican Imaging gives us the future of the cameraphone

Pelican Imaging, a camera designer from Mountain View, CA, is hoping to revolutionize the cameraphone. They are doing so with the help of the recently announced prototype of an array camera for mobile devices. This design utilizes an "array" of small cameras rather than a single larger high-megapixel lens.




Pelican Imaging also expects the array to be capable of capturing 3D depth, gesture control and pre/post shot image interaction.

Would you guys be interested in such a phone ? Or better yet, in such a camera ? Let us know in the Comments Section !

Verizon and AT&T Commercial War

It didn't take long for Verizon to draw first blood, "and so it begins ..."

While Verizon made AT&T 's poor signal very obvious, AT&T 's reply was Verizon's weak spot: no simultaneous voice and data (unless hooked up to Wi-Fi)

While the best fight each other, will the other carriers take advantage of this war?


 Verizon draws first blood:


AT&T fights back:


What would you guys choose ?
Let us know in the Comments Section !

Source 1
Source 2

Burgler arrested after leaving his phone charging in his victim's home

With many Android models losing battery power too quickly, it is no surprise that 25 year old Cody Wilkins was upset. His Cricket Sanyo was running out of power and the fierce blizzard had cut off power to Mr. Wilkins' home in Silver Spring, Maryland. So he packed up his charger and phone and broke into another home to plug in his phone. But at the same time, Wilkins was also helping himself to some jewelry. When the homeowner's son came home and startled the intruder, Wilkins jumped out the window leaving a valuable tracking tool for the cops.

When the police found Wilkins' Sanyo recharging in the wall, they called a number from the contacts list and tricked the caller to find out the name and address of the owner of the device. With this connection, authorities were able to catch a break on 42 burglaries that had occurred in the Silver Springs, Maryland area just since January. The cops were able to charge Wilkins with 10 robberies based on his MO and witness accounts. And even though one burglary netted the criminal over $30,000 in jewelry, Savings Bonds and cash, he never did buy the one thing that he could have used the most-an extended life battery.

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New Verizon teaser page counts down the time until Apple iPhone pre-orders start

For Verizon customers, 3am EST on February 3rd feels like it might never get here. That is when Verizon will start accepting pre-orders for the Apple iPhone 4. With a limited supply and a huge pent-up demand for the device, sleeping while the carrier starts taking pre-orders could end up with you shut out while stocks are being replenished. You might want to set multiple alarm clocks, or even call one of those numbers that will give you a wake-up call. Lastly, you could pull an all-nighter, celebrating your new Apple iPhone purchase by watching old movies or ancient sitcoms on television.

To keep you up to date on how much time is left until pre-orders are accepted, Verizon has put up a countdown page on its web site. If your current phone has a countdown timer, you can synchronize it with the time on the site to make sure you are awoken just in time.

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