Friday, April 1, 2011

MobileBurn.com

MobileBurn.com

Vodafone pays $5B in Essar buyout

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 03:00 AM PDT

Vodafone has agreed to buy out the Essar Group's 33 percent stake in the companies' Indian joint venture. The buyout will cost Vodafone $5 billion in cash, and is expected to be finalized by November. With Essar's shares, Vodafone's stake will jump from 42 percent to a little over 75 percent, which puts the company in violation of India's foreign direct investment laws. These laws cap foreign ownership of telecom companies at 74 percent. The remaining 24.6 percent stake of the company will be controlled by Vodafone's other business partners, after the departure of Essar. A Vodafone spokesperson claimed that the company intends to remain within FDI thresholds, and hinted at a potential IPO in the company's future.
Read the full story here.


ASUS Eee Pad Transformer gets UK price, release date

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 02:13 AM PDT

ASUS' new Eee Pad Transformer that was recently made official will be available in the UK on April 6. The 16GB Wi-Fi version will cost 379 GBP (US$608), while the 32GB one will be 429 GBP (US$688). Adding in the keyboard dock will cost another 60 GBP (US$96). Pre-orders can be placed now at www.amazon.co.uk. A 3G model is expected in about two months time.
Read the full story here.


Zillow app for BlackBerry users now available

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:03 PM PDT

BlackBerry fans can join in on the real estate fun with Zillow's newly launched app that offers users a quick glimpse at homes for sale or rent in the neighborhood, direct from their smartphones.
Read the full story here.


Unlock with Wi-Fi app for Android eliminates hassle, saves battery

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 02:48 PM PDT

A new utility app is on its way to the Android Market that should make a difference in its user's daily lives. The difference should be a minor, yet valuable, one, as the Unlock With Wi-Fi app is meant to eliminate the constant task of entering a password to unlock your phone while you're in a safe space, one in which the phone can't really be lost, such as work or home. The app works by recognizing your home or work Wi-Fi network and disabling the lock on your phone while you're connected to the network. However, the app does require that you enter your password once, so no one can steal your phone and get whatever information they want from it by visiting your home. The application can also disable Wi-Fi when you leave your home Wi-Fi network, which means way longer battery life. The same goes for the phone's GPS function. The app is currently in beta, and will be until April 15, at which point the app will expire. The app's developer, Ben, plans to make the Unlock with Wi-Fi app available on the Android Market after that. The application requires Android 2.1 Eclair or higher.
Read the full story here.


Nokia opens Symbian source code to developer partners

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 02:03 PM PDT

Nokia today announced the availability of the Symbian platform's source code to its platform development partners. While Nokia and Microsoft are working out a definitive agreement for use of the Windows Phone platform on Nokia smartphones, Nokia will also be opening up its original platform, Symbian, to developer partners looking to contribute. Nokia claims to have been working hard to add most Symbian foundation era materials into the new framework, and indicates that almost all of the source code is now available at collab.symbian.nokia.com. What's still missing will be uploaded over the next few weeks.
Read the full story here.


AT&T offers Mobile Protection Pack with exclusive Mobile Locate app

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 01:51 PM PDT

AT&T today announced the availability of its Mobile Protection Pack, which is designed to make managing wireless service accounts easier for consumers.
Read the full story here.


Microsoft files anti-trust complaint with EU against Google

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 01:21 PM PDT

In a strike of irony, Microsoft has filed an anti-trust complaint against Google in Europe. Microsoft complains that Google is hurting competition by limiting access to YouTube and other services.
Read the full story here.


Opera Mini 6 back in GetJar app store

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 01:18 PM PDT

GetJar and Opera have teamed up, once again, to re-introduce Opera Mini 6, the latest version of Opera's mobile browser, to the GerJar app store. Opera Mini 6 features improved scrolling, panning, zooming, pinch-to-zoom on supporting devices, and enhanced sharing capabilities for social networks. Opera Mini 6 is available for Android, J2ME, BlackBerry, and Symbian platforms, and is also tablet-optimized. GetJar had removed Opera Mini from its store earlier this month, citing competitive issues related to Opera offering its own web apps store.
Read the full story here.


T-Mobile Sidekick 4G by Samsung on sale at RadioShack April 20

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 12:59 PM PDT

RadioShack has announced that it will begin offering the revamped T-Mobile Sidekick 4G Android powered smartphone by Samsung starting April 20.
Read the full story here.


Google deploys mobile stock search for iPhone, Android

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 12:54 PM PDT

Google has introduced a new stock market search webapp for iPhone users and Android users with Android 2.1 Eclair or higher. A user can just go to google.com in the browser on their phone and type in a stock ticker symbol. They will then be presented with an interactive graph of the stock's activity. Swiping left to right reveals financial news for the company, a market overview, and a summary of your stock portfolio, as long as Google Finance is set up with your Google account. The webapp is available in English now and will be rolled out with more languages in the future.
Read the full story here.


Video: HTC Desire S video tour - part 1 of 2

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 12:36 PM PDT

The HTC Desire S is a new Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone with a large 3.7-inch touchscreen display, 1GHz processor, and 5 megapixel camera. Where the Desire S differs from the original Desire is with its sleek new aluminum unibody, forward-facing camera, increased memory, and slightly larger battery.
Watch the video here.


Acer CEO Gianfranco Lanci resigns, succeeded by J.T. Wang

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:56 AM PDT

Acer CEO Gianfranco Lanci resigned today after competition in the tablet market just starts heating up. The Taiwan-based company is currently the world's second-place PC maker. J.T. Wang, Acer's current chairman, will succeed Lanci as CEO. Wang hopes to finish his search for a permanent president by the end of April. Lanci's resignation was due to differing opinions between himself and the majority of Acer's board members. "They placed different levels of importance on scale, growth, customer value creation, brand position enhancement, and on resource allocation and methods of implementation," said Wang. Analysts claim that Lanci's departure could hurt Acer in the short term, as he was the driving force behind Acer's turnaround over the last decade. This resignation comes in the wake of a downward revision of Acer's first-quarter earnings forecast last week, as Apple's iPad has begun to encroach on netbook and notebook markets.
Read the full story here.


Boost Mobile "shrinkage" plan gets recognition from J.D. Powers

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:35 AM PDT

Boost Mobile got a boost of encouragement today, as J.D. Power and Associates recognized the wireless carrier as the top contender in its 2011 Wireless Non-Contract Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study. This will be the first time Boost has ever had a first-place ranking in a J.D. Power study. Boost's $50 monthly unlimited with shrinkage plan is a tough one to beat. The plan payments decrease as the user makes more and more on-time payments. Boost customers pay $5 less for every six on-time payments made. Eventually, a bill could shrink from $50/month to Boost's minimum of $35/month. This plan includes unlimited nationwide talk, text, web, email, IM, and calls to 411.
Read the full story here.


Samsung Gem Android smartphone headed to Cellular South

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:13 AM PDT

Samsung and Cellular South today announced a new Android 2.2 Froyo-powered smartphone, the Samsung Gem, which will be available April 1. The smartphone was already released by Alltel in February. Some major features include a 3.2-inch touchscreen with anti-scratch, anti-smudge, and anti-reflective protective glass, a 3.2 megapixel camera and a video player.
Read the full story here.


Sony Ericsson makes statement on Xperia PLAY delay

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:11 AM PDT

We have heard from Sony Ericsson in regards to the Xperia PLAY delay in the UK and this is what the manufacturer had to say: "We can confirm that the Xperia PLAY handsets are still planned to launch in the UK for April 1, as originally communicated. However, as of yesterday, we have experienced a freight issue that may impact the number of Xperia PLAYs arriving at some retail outlets. This said, consumers can purchase Xperia PLAY as of April 1 at a number of stores across the UK." There you have it, straight from the horse's mouth folks.
Read the full story here.


Twitter for iOS loses QuickBar

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 10:50 AM PDT

Twitter has announced an update for the official Twitter app for iOS that removes the much derided QuickBar that was added earlier in the month. Twitter previously had updated the app to fix bugs with the QuickBar, but now it has gone ahead and removed it entirely. "Rather than continue to make changes to the QuickBar as it exists, we removed the bar from the update appearing in the App Store today," states Twitter's official blog. The update is free and should appear in the iTunes App Store today.
Read the full story here.


Amazon Appstore offers Fruit Ninja app for free today only

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 10:15 AM PDT

For those keeping track, today's featured free app from the Amazon Appstore for Android is the 4-star rated Fruit Ninja application. Fruit Ninja is usually a $0.99 cent app, but since the implementation of Amazon's free daily app initiative, the fruit-slicing arcade game is available for free today only. I played around with the game myself, and could definitely form an addiction to this one. The goal is to slice various fruits tossed in the air before they drop. Dropping more than three pieces of fruit ends the game, as well as accidentally slicing bombs that have been thrown into the mix to confuse the user. Fruit Ninja is also OpenFeint-enabled, which means users can connect with friends' devices to play in VS. mode.
Read the full story here.


HTC holding launch event in London April 12

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 10:12 AM PDT

HTC has sent us an invitation to a launch event it is holding in London on April 12.
Read the full story here.


Fox to TWC: Take us off your iPad app

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 10:10 AM PDT

News Corp.'s Fox Networks has issued a letter to Time Warner Cable demanding that TWC removes Fox channels, such as FX, from the available content on its new iPad app. Time Warner released a new iPad app last week that allows customers to stream live TV to their iPads if they have subscribed to both cable and internet service from TWC and are connected to their TWC provided cable modem. Fox claims that this is unauthorized use and will likely follow the cease and desist letter with a lawsuit. As of now, the app is still available with Fox channels present.
Read the full story here.


Samsung pairs with VISA to bring NFC to 2012 Olympics

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:55 AM PDT

Samsung and VISA have announced a joint partnership to bring Near Field Communications to the Olympic and Paralympic Games mobile handset for the 2012 Olympics in London. The phone will be given to sponsored athletes and sold to the general public. It will require a VISA enabled SIM chip in order to use the NFC functionality. Currently, there are 60,000 locations in London that accept NFC payments, with more expected in the run up to the Olympic Games. No word on the cost or availability of the special mobile phone yet.
Read the full story here.


Google's planned facial recognition app may raise privacy concerns

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:29 AM PDT

Right on the heels of yesterday's news that Google settled privacy issues with its social network Buzz, reports are coming in that the search giant is planning to launch a facial recognition application. CNN is reporting that a mobile application is being created that would allow people to view information on a person by snapping a photo of them with a phone, though Google claims that no mobile app is in development.
Read the full story here.


Streak 7 Android tablet gets release date, price for UK

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:28 AM PDT

Dell has confirmed the UK release date and price of its 7-inch Android 2.2 Froyo tablet, the Streak 7. Going on sale for 299 GBP (US$480), the Streak 7 will be available for order from Dell's website at the end of April. The Streak 7 has a dual-core 1GHz processor, a WVGA display, and support for both Wi-Fi and 3G connections. In the meantime, you can take a look at our hands-on video of the Streak 7 for T-Mobile USA.
Read the full story here.


Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY gaming smartphone release delayed in UK

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:00 AM PDT

Sony Ericsson has confirmed that the Xperia PLAY will be delayed for release in the UK due to freight issues. Originally scheduled to be launched April 1, it may not be available for purchase until next week, says the manufacturer. Vodafone has contacted customers that pre-ordered the phone and stated that it will not be able to ship the pre-orders on April 1. Three UK has issued a similar statement about stock availability. O2 has already delayed the PLAY due to software issue, but Orange UK claims that there are no issues with its version and that it will be ready and in stock for sale on April 1.
Read the full story here.


Verizon VZ Navigator for HTC Merge hits Android Market

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:56 AM PDT

The VZ Navigator GPS navigation application has appeared in the Android Market specifically for the HTC Merge, which was recently announced for Alltel and Cellular South. Verizon Wireless has not officially announced or launched the Merge as of yet, but this may mean that it is in its final stages of testing and could be announced soon. In the meantime, check out our hands-on of the Alltel version from CTIA 2011.
Read the full story here.


Microsoft releases WP7 app numbers, "quality over quantity"

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:39 AM PDT

Microsoft has released the most recent numbers for its Windows Phone 7 Marketplace. It has stated that quality over quantity is its focus.
Read the full story here.


Google adds new languages to Voice Search portfolio

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:32 AM PDT

Google has announced the addition of Indonesian, Malaysian, and Latin American Spanish to the Voice Search program. Users can now dictate to their phones in over two dozen languages to perform search functions and other tasks. Google utilized crowd-sourcing to gather enough samples of the languages in order to provide accurate search results. Voice Search is available on iOS, Android, and BlackBerry smartphones.
Read the full story here.


Press Release: Glu Mobile Launches In-App Purchases on Android with Gun Bros, Deer Hunter Challenge and World Series of Poker Hold'em Legend

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:15 AM PDT

Leader in 3D Social Mobile Games: One of First to Boost Revenues with Android IAPs
Read the full story here.


Google, Intel, CSR gain principal status in NFC Forum

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:13 AM PDT

The NFC Forum today announced the addition of Google as a principal member of the non-profit industry association. Also rising in status are CSR and Intel, which were both formerly associate members, and are now principal members along with Google. Just days ago, we reported on Google's shift toward NFC, which makes this recent news all the more understandable.
Read the full story here.


NoDo update for AT&T scheduled for "early April" says Microsoft

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 07:44 AM PDT

Microsoft has adjusted the scheduled release of the NoDo update for AT&T's Windows Phone 7 smartphones to "early April." Microsoft's scheduling chart lists all the dates of WP7 handset updates in the United States. T-Mobile pushed out the update yesterday for the HTC HD7 and Dell Venue Pro, while Sprint's HTC Arrive ships with the update pre-loaded.. The remaining major carriers that have yet to release the update are AT&T, Telefonica, Telstra, and Deutsche Telekom.
Read the full story here.


AT&T expects to lose some markets with T-Mobile deal

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 07:38 AM PDT

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson has stated that AT&T expects to have to divest some markets in order to get the T-Mobile USA acquisition through the federal approval process. Verizon Wireless anticipates this as an opportunity for it to pick up some divested markets. Sprint Nextel and various politicians have already voiced their discontent with the proposed merger. Divesting markets to clear a merger or acquisition is nothing new in the mobile space: Verizon had to give up quite a few to AT&T when it purchased Alltel in 2009.
Read the full story here.


SK Telecom might buy struggling Blockbuster

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 07:13 AM PDT

Reports are in that South Korea wireless provider SK Telecom might e in talks to buy struggling DVD-rental stalwart Blockbuster. Blockbuster has many deals with major Hollywood studios that could be beneficial for SK Telecom's content services. No numbers have been disclosed as to what SK Telecom might pay for Blockbuster. Blockbuster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September, 2010.
Read the full story here.


Press Release: Glu Mobile Has Your City On Lock Down with New 'Big Time Gangsta' App for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 06:32 AM PDT

Points towards future of Social Mobile with immersive gameplay and rich 3D graphics
Read the full story here.


Verizon brings Opera Mini browser to feature phones

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 06:30 AM PDT

Verizon Wireless has announced the availability of the Opera Mini browser for some of its 3G-enabled feature phones. The LG enV2, LG enV3, LG enV TOUCH, Samsung Alias 2, Casio G'zOne Ravine, and Casio G'zOne Rock will all receive Opera Mini, with more devices to be added soon. Opera Mini offers a unique PC-like browsing experience on basic feature phones by compressing the data before sending it to the device. Users can go to the Media Center/Get it Now section of their phones to download Opera Mini directly, or they can download it from Verizon's online media portal. It will come pre-loaded on feature phones in the future.
Read the full story here.


Google adds social to search with +1 button

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 05:53 AM PDT

Google has announced another venture into social networking yesterday with the addition of the +1 button to search results. The button allows users to vote for a page in a search result that will then be shared with a network of friends.
Read the full story here.


Google guards Android's open door, hires bouncer

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 05:51 AM PDT

Google has enacted some stricter policies with regards to what manufacturers are allowed to do with future versions of Android. Previously, phone and tablet manufacturers were allowed to run amok with the operating system and customize to it in whatever way they'd like, without any recourse from Google, who advertised Android as a completely open platform. The consequence of this was that different devices had vastly different experiences ranging from stellar to distinctly sub-par.
Read the full story here.


iPad, tablet PCs are a bust in the UK, says study

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 05:49 AM PDT

While tablets have become this year's "it" gadget to most of us here in the States, folks across the pond are still mostly disinterested in them, it seems. According to a study from Broadband Genie, 75 percent of consumers in the UK (who participated in the survey) said that a tablet purchase is not in their plans for 2011, and this disinterest extends all the way to the seemingly untouchable Apple iPad. "Tablet PCs and iPads simply don't adequately replace a laptop/netbook or smartphone in the vast majority of cases," said Chris Marling, editor at Broadband Genie. "Also, they serve no real purpose of your own." Just a measly 9 percent of those polled said they'd definitely purchase a tablet. "If the price was right," that 9 percent saw a slight increase, rising to 20 percent.
Read the full story here.


Microsoft exec ignores sales figures, says tablets a fad

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 05:35 AM PDT

Microsoft's global chief research and strategy officer, Craig Mundie, has made statements that he is unsure if tablets are here to stay or if they are just a passing fad. Microsoft has been producing tablet computers for the better part of a decade, however, it was competitor Apple that was able to get the public to latch on to tablets with its iPad, of which it sold nearly 15 million in 2010. Admitting that Microsoft did not "jump on fast enough between mobile and portable," Mundie says that smartphones will be the devices of choice for mobile computing and that laptops will remain relevant for more powerful needs.
Read the full story here.


AT&T will enable HSUPA for ATRIX 4G and Inspire 4G in April

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 05:14 AM PDT

AT&T has planned to update the software on the Motorola ATRIX 4G and the HTC Inspire 4G Android smartphones in April in order to allow functionality of the HSUPA radio inside each phone. Currently, the radio is disabled and the phones cannot achieve high speed upload connections, as we found out in our reviews of each. AT&T has made statements in the past that it felt its network was not ready to handle the higher data speeds, despite having advertising that speaks to the contrary. No specific date has been revealed other than April.
Read the full story here.


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