Monday, May 9, 2011

MobileBurn.com

MobileBurn.com

iPhone, iPad can now use Amazon Cloud Player

Posted: 09 May 2011 04:59 AM PDT

When Amazon released its Cloud Player back in March, one of its biggest drawbacks was that it could only be used by a computer or an Android phone or tablet with the Amazon MP3 app installed. At the time of launch, iOS users were left out in the cold, without a way to play the tunes stored in their Amazon Cloud account on their iPhones or iPads. It seems that a silent update has changed that, as iOS users can now use the Amazon Cloud Player within the Safari browser on their devices.
Read the full story here.


HP Palm updates Pre, Pre Plus to webOS to 1.4.5.1

Posted: 08 May 2011 08:18 AM PDT

Got a trusty Palm Pre or Pre Plus still kicking around? Well it looks like you should be checking the software update utility on it as word is out that HP is pushing an update to webOS, bringing it to version 1.4.5.1. The new update, which was originally announced back in July of last year, fixes some bugs and that's about it. So you Pre 2 owners can continue to feel smug with your webOS 2.0/2.1 and rest easy that original Pre owners are not going to encroach on your Just Type and Stacks territory. The update is said to be slowly rolling out to users, and is installable over-the-air.
Read the full story here.


Telus Optimus 3G Android smartphone for CDMA users

Posted: 08 May 2011 07:10 AM PDT

Despite already carrying the LG Optimus One Android smartphone, Telus has decided to introduce the Optimus 3G to its Canadian audience. The Optimus 3G is a CDMA version of the Optimus One, and is very similar to the Optimus S available on Sprint in the U.S.
Read the full story here.


Samsung DROID Charge (Verizon) 4G LTE smartphone review

Posted: 08 May 2011 06:34 AM PDT

The Samsung DROID Charge is the second LTE 4G smartphone offered by Verizon and the first DROID device manufactured by Samsung. Dan tests it out for us in this in-depth review and finds that data flaws kept him from enjoying as a daily driver.
Read the full story here.


Sprint Nexus S 4G WiMAX Android Gingerbread smartphone now on sale

Posted: 08 May 2011 06:01 AM PDT

Sprint has made available its 4G WiMAX version of Google's Nexus S smartphone, called the Nexus S 4G. The device can be purchased from Sprint stores, and online, starting today.
Read the full story here.


Conde Nast to announce Apple iPad subscription deal

Posted: 08 May 2011 05:46 AM PDT

The NY Post is reporting that publisher Conde Nast is close to a deal with Apple to start selling subscriptions to its magazines on the iPad and iPad 2 tablets. According to the Post's unnamed sources, the deal will be announced early this week. Were this to happen, it would mean that Conde Nast would beat rival Hearst to the punch by offering subscriptions to publications such as Wired and Vanity fair on Apple's popular tablet devices.
Read the full story here.


LG Optimus Black landing in Europe this month; white, black models next month

Posted: 08 May 2011 05:26 AM PDT

Today LG said that its upcoming Optimus Black Android smartphone will become available to European consumers later this month. The Optimus Black is the first smartphone on the market to feature LG's new 4-inch NOVA display, which offers improved brightness and clarity over traditional TFT displays. The Optimus Black will be available only in black initially (naturally), but will also roll out in white and pink next month. Check out our live photos and video of the LG Optimus Black from CES.
Read the full story here.


Samsung INFUSE 4G capable of side-loading apps, accessing Amazon Appstore

Posted: 07 May 2011 11:11 AM PDT

AT&T has traditionally blocked the installation of apps outside of the Android Market on the Android smartphones that it carries. This has prevented users on AT&T from accessing the Amazon Appstore and other third-party app stores since these app store applications cannot be run. It appears that AT&T has finally changed its ways, as the Samsung INFUSE 4G has the ability to install non-market apps.
Read the full story here.


Sprint postpones BlackBerry PlayBook launch...again

Posted: 07 May 2011 08:18 AM PDT

Sprint subscribers looking to buy the BlackBerry PlayBook will have to hold out a bit longer, as the carrier has delayed the launch once again, according to a document addressed to dealers and revealed by BriefMobile. This will be the second delay from Sprint, as the carrier also postponed its original April 19 launch, and now the previously promised May 8 launch. The document from Sprint ensures that the new launch date will be communicated as soon as it's available, and suggests that dealers that have bought PlayBook display units should keep them safe and handy. Currently the PlayBook is available as a Wi-Fi only unit, with no major carriers distributing the tablet at this time. However, a PlayBook 4G model should join Sprint's WiMAX network this summer.
Read the full story here.


San Francisco ices cellphone radiation law

Posted: 07 May 2011 07:19 AM PDT

San Francisco had planned on enacting a new law that would require cellphone retailers to place a sticker on their phones displaying the radiation levels put out by each device. The city has since decided to can the idea for now, due in no small part to an intense lobbying effort by the CTIA that claimed that all of the phones on the market meet FCC regulations. Scientific experts have also said that the SAR numbers of a phone are a poor indicator of radiation measurement. It is likely that a weaker policy will go into effect in S.F. that may have retailers pass out leaflets for radiation awareness to customers.
Read the full story here.


Poynt integrates push services, syncs PlayBook with smartphone

Posted: 06 May 2011 01:43 PM PDT

The BlackBerry Poynt application has integrated BlackBerry push services into the PlayBook version of the app, which allows a user to make a call on their BlackBerry smartphone with a number on the PlayBook. After syncing the devices within the Poynt application (not with BlackBerry Bridge), the user can click on a phone number found while web-surfing on the PlayBook, which will initiate a call on the BlackBerry smartphone. The app also lets you save the number to the smartphone address book, send a map to the phone, or send directions to the phone. On a tablet that is seriously lacking a variety of apps, this Poynt application should get some nice traction with the addition of BlackBerry push services.
Read the full story here.


Microsoft launches Bing Maps SDK for iOS apps

Posted: 06 May 2011 01:13 PM PDT

Microsoft has released a software development kit for Bing Maps on the iPhone that will allow app developers to integrate Bing Maps into their applications. The SDK grants developers access to Bing's road, aerial, and hybrid maps, and offers the ability to add pushpins to maps. The SDK will also offer the ability to pinpoint the phone's location on the map, using the iPhone's GPS receiver. The release of the Bing Maps SDK means that we may be seeing iOS applications that no longer make use of the on-deck map program built into the OS. The SDK is free for registered developers to download now.
Read the full story here.


T-Mobile misplaces subscribers, earnings; hopes AT&T doesn't notice

Posted: 06 May 2011 12:37 PM PDT

T-Mobile had a rough first quarter this year, announcing an earnings drop of over $200 million year-over-year. And that's not even the worst of it, as the carriers subscription tally is on the decline, with a loss of 99,000 subscribers in the first quarter, leaving its total at 33.6 million subscribers. In the last five quarters, T-Mobile has only seen an increase in subscribers once, losing a total of 56,000 customers over the course of 2010.
Read the full story here.


Tablets shown preference over desktops, laptops according to study

Posted: 06 May 2011 12:08 PM PDT

A new study released by Nielsen gives some insights to the behavior of tablet owners since purchasing or acquiring a tablet. Namely, use of other personal electronics has fallen by the wayside, replaced by the tablet.
Read the full story here.


Samsung Galaxy S II sends first tweet from Mount Everest

Posted: 06 May 2011 11:55 AM PDT

British mountain climber Kenton Cool is the first man to send a tweet and make a phone call from the summit of Mount Everest. Samsung sponsored Cool, asking that one of Britain's most successful climbers take its most powerful smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S II, to the summit and use Ncell's 3G connection to place a call and send a tweet. "I've climbed Everest before but have never been able to share the exhilaration and excitement I experience when I reach the top with those back home," said Cool. Cool has scaled Everest eight times before.
Read the full story here.


HTC ThunderBolt update postponed; no new release date given

Posted: 06 May 2011 11:24 AM PDT

As ThunderBolt owners probably already know, the HTC smartphone was supposed to receive an update two days ago, but for some unspecified reason, Verizon postponed it. Upon investigation, we've found that the HTC ThunderBolt support page offers a "coming soon" message for the update. Since the update was not meant to bring major new functionality like Android 2.3 Gingerbread, ThunderBolt owners should have a little extra patience during the wait for the stability improvements and GPS, data connectivity, and messaging enhancements.
Read the full story here.


U.S. Cellular rolls out 4G LTE network, plans 4G device portfolio

Posted: 06 May 2011 10:48 AM PDT

U.S. Cellular today announced the roll-out of its 4G LTE network, along with a new catalog of 4G-capable devices. The initial kick-off of U.S. Cellular's 4G LTE services will begin in select cities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Maine, North Carolina, Texas, and Oklahoma. The carrier also has plans to introduce a lineup of 4G-capable devices during the first phase of its 4G LTE network deployment, and will continue to expand that catalog throughout 2012. As soon as the phones are announced, we'll be sure to hit you with all the details.
Read the full story here.


Video: Samsung Galaxy S II video tour - part 2 of 2

Posted: 06 May 2011 10:43 AM PDT

The Samsung Galaxy S II is the second generation of Samsung's massively popular Galaxy S flagship smartphone line. It features a large 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen display, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, and HSPA+ 21Mbps download speeds. We tested a UK model in this video, but AT&T will be releasing a similar device with a larger 4.5-inch screen called the Infuse soon.
Watch the video here.


AT&T, Sprint CEOs to testify in AT&T, T-Mobile merger hearing

Posted: 06 May 2011 10:25 AM PDT

AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson is to testify at a congressional hearing on May 11 regarding the company's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA for $39 billion, according to a press release from the U.S. Senate. Stephenson will be joined on the stand by Sprint CEO Dan Hesse, a strong opponent of the merger, according to a witness list provided by the Judiciary Committee. Titled "The AT&T/T-Mobile Merger: Is Humpty Dumpty Being Put Back Together Again?," the hearing will go before FCC's antitrust panel. The witness list also includes T-Mobile chief executive Philipp Humm, Larry Cohen, president of the Communications Workers of America (which supports the deal), and Gigi Sohn, founder of Public Knowledge, who has called the merger "unthinkable." Just recently, the DOJ opened up a second round of reviews of the deal.
Read the full story here.


AT&T exec talks progress, promises more Android touchscreen phones

Posted: 06 May 2011 10:00 AM PDT

AT&T has promised to introduce more Android devices with keyboards and touchscreens this year, according to AT&T senior vice president of mobile devices Jeff Bradley, who said that the roll-out would start with a slider from Pantech in early June.
Read the full story here.


Nokia, RIM show slowed growth in smartphone market: IDC study

Posted: 06 May 2011 09:33 AM PDT

With smartphone vendors shipping a collective 99.6 million units in Q1 2011, market research firm IDC has reported a 79.7 percent year-over-year growth in the worldwide smartphone market. Nokia still leads as the world's largest handset developer, but its lead is rapidly dwindling.
Read the full story here.


Apple's iPhone 4 is headed to India, Airtel starts pre-orders

Posted: 06 May 2011 09:02 AM PDT

Apple's ubiquitous smartphone, the iPhone 4, has been available in most countries worldwide since last summer. Now, Indian customers are going to get a crack at it, as Airtel has announced that it will be carrying the iPhone 4. Launch date and pricing have yet to be announced, but interested users can fill out a form to be contacted when more information is available.
Read the full story here.


Google takes Street View indoors with Business Photos

Posted: 06 May 2011 08:43 AM PDT

Google has debuted Google Business Photos, a sub-service of its Maps application, which will allow users to look around the inside of local businesses. During a demo on stage at the Social-Loco conference in San Francisco, Google vice president of consumer products Marissa Mayer presented Google Business Photos, showing off the ability to input local businesses and check out the inside of a building. Businesses have the option to provide photos to Google, which are then compiled into a 360-degree viewing experience of the building's interior. Mayer said that Google Business Photos will roll out in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and several other countries next week, with Google Business Photos extending to more countries in the following month.
Read the full story here.


AT&T further degrades the meaning of "4G"

Posted: 06 May 2011 08:16 AM PDT

Speaking to PC Mag, senior vice president of devices at AT&T, Jeff Bradley, has laid out the definition of what the carrier thinks is 4G service. AT&T has marketed numerous phones with the 4G moniker, though its methods of naming something 4G have been unclear up to this point.
Read the full story here.


Sprint releases deaf-friendly ID pack

Posted: 06 May 2011 07:50 AM PDT

Sprint today announced the release of the Sprint Relay ID pack, a bundling of applications, links, tips, icons, widgets, and wallpapers downloadable to any Sprint ID-capable Android device that is meant to aid the hearing impaired or members of the deaf community in the use of their smartphone.
Read the full story here.


Samsung Galaxy S II passes FCC with AT&T 3G support

Posted: 06 May 2011 07:21 AM PDT

There is a good chance that AT&T will offer its customers the powerhouse that is the Samsung Galaxy S II, as the smartphone has passed through the FCC's testing with support for AT&T's 850 and 1900MHz 3G frequency bands. The Galaxy S II is a hardware lovers dream, as it has a gorgeous 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display and a dual-core, 1.2GHz Exynos processor. It is powered by Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread with Samsung's latest iteration of its TouchWiz interface on top. Check out our hands-on video of the European model for more information, and let's hope this hits our shores sooner rather than later.
Read the full story here.


HTC Flyer's stylus priced out at $79.99 at Best Buy

Posted: 06 May 2011 07:00 AM PDT

The upcoming HTC Flyer Android tablet has a unique feature: it can use a special stylus to write on the capacitive screen. HTC is calling this feature Scribe, and it allows pen-writing in a number of apps. Unfortunately, the special stylus will not come bundled with the Wi-Fi version of the Flyer. Instead, users will have to purchase it separately at a price of $79.99 if they get it through Best Buy. This is a little disappointing, as we would have liked to see the stylus bundled in with the tablet. This also pushes the price of the tablet up considerably, almost into the $600 range.
Read the full story here.


Verizon MiFi 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot review

Posted: 06 May 2011 06:49 AM PDT

The new Verizon MiFi 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot allows users to gain access to Verizon's spiffy new high-speed network with any Wi-Fi connected device. Michael takes it out on the road for a test in this review.
Read the full story here.


BlackBerry PlayBook Android app capability shown off in video

Posted: 06 May 2011 06:46 AM PDT

We got a brief preview of the upcoming Android app compatibility on the BlackBerry PlayBook during RIM's keynote speech at App World, and now the company has released video detailing it more.
Read the full story here.


Apple iPad 2 draws long lines for China launch

Posted: 06 May 2011 06:29 AM PDT

Apple's iPad 2 hit shelves in China today, and, as expected, long lines of eager customers were there to greet it.
Read the full story here.


Google offers Earth app in Honeycomb tablet optimized form

Posted: 06 May 2011 05:59 AM PDT

Google has released a new version of its popular Google Earth application optimized for Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets. Google Earth allows users to explore the globe in a new way, with facts and details presented at a glance.
Read the full story here.


Microsoft experiences problems with Windows Phone Marketplace

Posted: 06 May 2011 05:52 AM PDT

Yesterday Microsoft responded to user complaints of an outage in its Marketplace app store for Windows Phone smartphones. The company claimed that the problem had been resolved, but some users are still reporting having issues.
Read the full story here.


Samsung leapfrogs Nokia in Western Europe

Posted: 06 May 2011 05:38 AM PDT

According to a report by IDC, Samsung has passed Nokia in market share in the Western European market, a longtime stronghold for Nokia. Samsung's sales in Western Europe jumped up 5 percent year-over-year, pushing it up to 29 percent market share. Nokia's, on the other hand, fell 10 percent, dropping the Finnish company down to 28 percent market share. Looks like Nokia had better get those Windows Phone 7 devices out the door sooner rather than later.
Read the full story here.


Dell Venue Pro waltzes over to AT&T

Posted: 06 May 2011 05:31 AM PDT

Dell's Venue Pro, arguably the most interesting Windows Phone 7 handset on the market, has been available for T-Mobile users for some time now (though it did have a rocky start). Now AT&T users can get in on the sliding portrait-keyboard fun, as the Venue Pro has shown up on Dell's website in an AT&T-compatible form. The Venue Pro has a 4.1-inch touchscreen above that aforementioned sliding portrait QWERTY. Interested shoppers can expect to pay $99.99 for the 8GB version on-contract, or pony up $149.99 for 16GB capacity or an all-new 32GB capacity for $199.99. An unlocked version with either T-Mobile or AT&T bands is available for $499.99.
Read the full story here.


HTC Desire HD Gingerbread update confirmed by Vodafone UK

Posted: 06 May 2011 05:19 AM PDT

As we reported yesterday, HTC is pushing out the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update to Desire HD owners (and the Incredible S, too), and Vodafone UK has confirmed that it is available to its users. Owners of the Desire HD will be able to install the update over-the-air, without having to plug their phones into a computer. Enhancements include the standard Gingerbread bits, such as the new keyboard and refined user interface, as well as better power management, improved calling support, and front and back camera management. The update is being distributed to Vodafone UK users now.
Read the full story here.


Video: Samsung Galaxy S II video tour - part 1 of 2

Posted: 05 May 2011 02:58 PM PDT

The Samsung Galaxy S II is the second generation of Samsung's massively popular Galaxy S flagship smartphone line. It features a large 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen display, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, and HSPA+ 21Mbps download speeds. We tested a UK model in this video, but AT&T will be releasing a similar device with a larger 4.5-inch screen called the Infuse soon. Full review coming very soon!
Watch the video here.


Samsung Infuse 4G Android smartphone launching on AT&T May 15

Posted: 05 May 2011 02:11 PM PDT

Samsung and AT&T have officially released the Infuse 4G, a smartphone that we have seen a few times now. Coming out May 15 for $199, the Infuse 4G is not only the biggest smartphone in AT&T's lineup, it is also said to be the fastest.
Read the full story here.


Android Market to outgrow Apple App Store by August 2011: study

Posted: 05 May 2011 12:24 PM PDT

As growth of Apple's App Store begins to slow, the Android Market continues accelerate, which may be why app store analytics firm Distimo forecasts that Android Market will surpass the App Store in size before the end of July 2011. A second firm, Germany-based research2guidance, agrees with Distimo's forecast, claiming that Android will surpass the App Store by August 2011.
Read the full story here.


Android leads worldwide market with 35 percent share: Canalys

Posted: 05 May 2011 11:41 AM PDT

Canalys research firm today released its worldwide country-level smartphone market data for the first quarter of 2011, reporting that Android led the market for the second consecutive quarter, increasing its share to 35 percent with the shipment of 35.7 million units. The report also noted that Asia Pacific became the biggest smartphone market region, reporting 98 percent year-over-year growth and 37.3 million units, putting the region ahead of the Middle East, Europe, and Africa for the first time since 2007's third quarter. As far as individual countries are concerned, mainland China, South Korea, and India all delivered strong volumes and reported triple-digit growth. Despite its deal with Microsoft and the realignment of its platform strategy, Nokia held on to its top spot as the leading handset manufacturer in the world with 24.2 million units sold, a 13 percent year-over-year increase.
Read the full story here.


AT&T slings back at Sprint, puts West Virginia in the cross-fire

Posted: 05 May 2011 11:15 AM PDT

AT&T has posted a response to Sprint's filings in West Virginia to block the buyout of T-Mobile, claiming that Sprint does not care about the well being of the residents of West Virginia.
Read the full story here.


Remember The Milk launches intuitive task app for iPad

Posted: 05 May 2011 10:49 AM PDT

Remember The Milk has finally launched an iPad application that was a year in the making, which allows users of the service to sync tasks, notes, and lists, all from the iPad. The application works offline and then automatically syncs once the iPad picks up a Wi-Fi connection. The Remember The Milk application also offers different options to organize tasks, separating them by type and date. The user can also review completed tasks with the swipe of a finger, as additions can be sorted by priority and task name. In a blog post, the folks at Remember The Milk mentioned that they started from scratch four times, throwing out first, second, and third attempts in an effort to bring the most intuitive application possible to the iPad. The app is available as a free or Pro subscription, with the free subscription syncing manually once every 24 hours. The Pro account, which is set to cost $2.99/month or $24.99/year, will offer push notifications, unlimited syncing, and the ability to update tasks from any device
Read the full story here.


Sony Ericsson promises deep Facebook integration on Xperia smartphones

Posted: 05 May 2011 10:27 AM PDT

Sony Ericsson today announced that its catalog of Xperia smartphones will feature a new way of integrating Facebook. Facebook inside Xperia will no longer just be an application, but it will be present in all of the most "social" parts of the phone, such as the picture gallery, music player, phone book, and calendar. For example, if you are listening to an amazing song on your phone and want to share your discovery, you can simply "like" it right from the music player and your Facebook wall will be immediately updated without ever clicking into the Facebook app. Xperia smartphones will also integrate Facebook into the media gallery, allowing users to like and comment straight from the picture. As if "the social network" doesn't already have enough presence on the smartphones, Facebook will also add a photo and interests to the entries of the phones' address books and integrate birthday's into the smartphones' calendars.
Read the full story here.


Sony Ericsson unveils Xperia mini pro Android QWERTY smartphone

Posted: 05 May 2011 10:24 AM PDT

Alongside the Xperia mini, Sony Ericsson has announced the Xperia mini pro, a very similar phone with a physical QWERTY keyboard.
Read the full story here.


Sony Ericsson unveils Xperia mini smartphone with Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Posted: 05 May 2011 10:22 AM PDT

Sony Ericsson has just announced an updated version of its X10 mini smartphone, the Xperia mini. The new Xperia mini has a compact size, but boasts a larger screen and the latest version of Android for smartphones.
Read the full story here.


Native email for BlackBerry PlayBook shown off in video

Posted: 05 May 2011 10:19 AM PDT

RIM has posted a new video to its BlackBerry blog demoing the highly-anticipated native email client for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.
Read the full story here.


Verizon adds new VZW PIX UNLIMITED for wallpaper lovers

Posted: 05 May 2011 09:41 AM PDT

Verizon Wireless has expanded its VZW PIX service with a new unlimited option that allows users to download an unlimited number of pictures to their handsets from a collection of over 55,000. The pictures can then be used as wallpapers on the phone. Users will have to cough up $3.99 per month in order to have access to the VZW PIX collection. The standard VZW PIX service, which requires users to pay for individual wallpapers, will still be available.
Read the full story here.


Hearst, Apple find common ground for magazines on iPad

Posted: 05 May 2011 09:12 AM PDT

In what's shaping up to be a good day for Apple, Hearst Corp has given in and finally agreed to sell subscriptions to the iPad editions of a number of its magazines through Apple's iTunes. Starting with July issues, Esquire, Popular Mechanics, and O (the Oprah Magazine), will all make their way over to the iPad.
Read the full story here.


Clearwire ices spectrum sale for now

Posted: 05 May 2011 08:48 AM PDT

During Clearwire's earnings call, CEO John Stanton made the announcement that the wholesale WiMAX carrier will no longer try to sell off its spectrum in order to raise capital, at least for 2011. The company had announced last year that it might sell off excess spectrum in order to fund its network roll-out. The new deal inked with Sprint, however, will provide enough cash so that the sale will not be necessary for at least 12 months.
Read the full story here.


Apple rumored to introduced over-the-air updates with iOS 5

Posted: 05 May 2011 08:20 AM PDT

Sources speaking to 9to5Mac.com claim that Apple and Verizon Wireless are planning to introduce over-the-air (OTA) updates to the iPhone with iOS 5. Currently, iOS devices are updated by tethering to a computer and installing the update through iTunes.
Read the full story here.


Microsoft cautions against home-brew update methods for WP7

Posted: 05 May 2011 08:19 AM PDT

Microsoft has some unfortunate news for those that updated their Windows Phone 7 devices unofficially: the latest update to be released will not be coming to those handsets.
Read the full story here.


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