HTC Runnymede press shot leaks, looks pretty in white

Back in August we received our first details regarding the HTC Runnymede that were later confirmed by a spec sheet that also showed the handset coming in white. Now we have our first official press shot of the upcoming 4.7″ Android smartphone packing those music notes from Beats Audio. More details after the break.

Looking a bit like the HTC Titan this Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread phone is packing a much anticipated punch. Dressed in white the HTC Runnymede rumored specs are a 1.5 Ghz single-core processor and a huge 4.7″ qHD 540 x 960 resolution display, 1GB RAM, an 8MP camera with dual LED flash. We are also hearing not only will it have an entirely aluminum design on back but also powered with some Beats Audio.
With the rumored single-core processor being the weakest link with everything else sounding amazing we are still hopeful for a dual-core processor. According to the spec sheet we can also expect the 8 MP camera to be one of if not the best smartphone camera with a wide angle lens and a f stop of f/2.2 that should really make for an excellent camera. I’ve been waiting for phone manufacturers to focus on lens specs rather than the megapixel number and it appears HTC is doing just that.
We still don’t have much for details but may get more information at the upcoming HTC Event on the 20th of September. Hopefully we get more juicy details on this Beats Audio infused device soon and maybe some actual hands-on photos so stay tuned.
[via PocketNow]

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LG Enlighten still not in Verizon stores, but is coming soon

Last we heard it was coming sometime in late August possibly on the 25th but surprisingly no one noticed it missing. With the Bionic and HTC Vigor on the horizon we must have forgot about it.

Only kidding, we didn’t forget about the LG Enlighten and neither has Verizon. It was recently spotted again in an upcoming Verizon Wireless catalog listed as “coming soon” so we should be seeing it here eventually. The Enlighten is like the Optimus One with a keyboard and would be a great starter phone for friends, family, or kids.

In case you forgot, it’s a bit similar to the highly popular LG Optimus One. The LG Enlighten features Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 3.2″ WVGA display, a entry level 800 Mhz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 512MB of ram and a 3.2 MP camera on the rear seen in the images above. With what looks like a nice QWERTY hardware keyboard with dedicated navigation buttons this would be great for the teens in the family. No pricing has been detailed nor do we have any sort of official date since they’ve missed the August 25th rumor. We will keep you informed as we hear more on the LG Enlighten.
[via androidcentral]

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Motorola Electrify headed to US Cellular

Well folks, it looks like U.S. Cellular users can look forward to an excellent phone coming as soon as this month. Better known as the Motorola Photon 4G the name will instead be the Electrify and goes right in line with previous statements from US Cellular regarding an upcoming 4.3″ device from Motorola. It looks like they’ve had this dual-core powerhouse planned for a while.

US Cellular is aiming to keep up with the big guys in mobile and have said they have even more Android phones coming soon. With the Motorola Electrify you get a top tier Android devices running with a NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core 1.0 Ghz CPU, 1GB RAM, a 4.3″ qHD 540 x 960 display, 16GB internal storage and a beefy 8MP camera on the rear with dual LED flash. We also are happy to mention the kickstand since everyone loved that on the EVO and Thunderbolt.

With US Cellular making it official today we can expect to see the Motorola Electrify within the next few weeks to line up with the “coming this month” statement. With a kickstand, HDMI-Out, and Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread what else do you need? It will be offered for just $199 with a new 2-year contract per the usual rules but sadly that is after a $100 mail in rebate. Don’t we all love rebates? With no official date set yet it should be here shortly so those on US Cellular don’t have to wait long so stay tuned.

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LG Univa will be the LG Optimus Hub

The recently seen The LG Univa E510 that has leaked a few times including some recent press shots and then pictured in the wild today received a name and a bit more details. It will be known as the LG Optimus Hub and for starters will be headed to Italy and eventually making the rounds elsewhere.

It should be landing sometime early October and be an awesome entry level smartphone. The specs we have already heard but in case you missed it the Optimus Hub will feature a 3.5″ HVGA display, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a decent little 800 Mhz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, a 5.0 MP camera on the rear with no LED flash and a decent little thin design.

While the specs may not be anything special and having only an 800 Mhz CPU makes it more an entry level phone than a mid-range device. That does ensures it will come with an awesome price tag though. We can expect some good deals on this phone and most likely it will be as popular as the high selling Optimus One. Add a LED flash and a slightly larger screen and this would be the perfect entry level phone in my opinion. When we hear about more regions and availability we will report back with the details.
[via Phandroid]

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HTC looking to ditch Android in favour of own OS?

HTC, the undisputed king of Android before Samsung came along and stole all the glory, could be looking to buy its own OS, in a move that could lead to it ditching its Google ties.

Speculation has heated up due to Cher Wang, the chairwoman of the Taiwanese company, telling reporters in the company's homeland; "We have given it thought and we have discussed it internally, but we will not do it on impulse," when questioned on a possible OS buyout.

"We can use any OS we want," she continued. "We are able to make things different from our rivals on the second or third layer of a platform.

"Our strength lies in understanding an OS, but it does not mean that we have to produce an OS."
Wang is referring to HTC's Sense UI here - an interface that could essentially be adapted across different platforms and one that already shares a number of social networking aspects with HP's webOS - a system that it is looking to outsource the license following the high-profile dumping of it.

There's no doubt that webOS is still an extremely attractive prospect for the smartphone market, no matter how badly its reputation has been damaged by HP's poor handling of it.

And, with Nokia CEO Stephen Elop last week stating that the Google/Motorola deal would be "of great concern for many of the Android participants", it makes Sense (pun definitely intended) for companies like HTC to begin exploring other options.

Rival Samsung is, of course, already able to fall back on a second (or third if you count Windows Phone too) OS with its internal OS, Bada, so it's perfectly reasonable for HTC to want a similar option within its armoury.
Whether that is with webOS remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure - HTC isn't the dominant Android force that it once was, and a webOS-flavoured shot in the arm could be just the tonic the hardware side of the business needs.

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Samsung Galaxy Note vs HTC Titan

We compare one of the most talked about Windows Phone 7 up and comers, the HTC Titan, with the next big Android release from Samsung, the Galaxy Note

The battle between Android and Windows Phone 7 is already being furiously fought, but in the next few weeks things are going to hot up even further as Microsoft finally unleash the long awaited 'Mango' update for Windows Phone devices.
One of the first devices to be equipped with this new update will be HTC's Titan – a smartphone aimed at attracting those that crave a little more power from their mobile device.
The good folks at Google aren't likely to be sweating bullets quite yet though, as their good friends over at Samsung have a little surprise up their sleeve, in the form of the Galaxy Note – a dual-core toting Android 2.3 powered beauty.
But which of these new contenders is the one to watch?
Power
Samsung has imbued the Galaxy Note with its hugely powerful Exynos chipset, which consists of a whopping 1.4GHz dual-core chip, a Mali-400MP GPU and fairly future-proof 1GB RAM, making it a contender for the title of 'world's most powerful smartphone'.
HTC's Titan isn't any slouch though and the device packs a pretty hefty punch of its own thanks to its 1.5GHz Scorpion CPU and Adreno 205 GPU. But even with decent specs like these it won't make a dent in the Galaxy Note's armour, and this deficit is exacerbated by the 512MB RAM included.
It will be the most powerful Windows Phone 7 device on the market though, so not all is lost!
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Note
Display
The HTC Titan is fitted with a 4.7-inch S-LCD display which operates at a resolution of 480 x 800 and offers up a pixel density of 199ppi.
The quality of the display can't really be called into question, as it's of a generally high standard but the size may put some folk off.
The Samsung Galaxy Note boasts an enormous 5.3-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen which features a resolution of 800 x 1280 and a pixel density of 285ppi, which is only a hop behind the mighty iPhone 4.
Another bonus of the Galaxy Note is that its screen is covered with Gorilla Glass, so you won't have to wince every time you hear it hit some shrapnel in your pocket!
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Note
Camera
Both of our contenders are more than amply equipped in the photographic department.
The HTC Titan comes with an 8-megapixel primary, which features LED flash, autofocus, geo-tagging and 720P video capture and a decent 1.3-megapixel secondary for video calling.
The Samsung Galaxy Note comes with an 8-megapixel snapper too, though Samsung has given this device a few extra moves to help it on its way, including autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection and the oh-so important image stabilisation.
In the spirit of one-upmanship the Galaxy Note also offers a 2-megapixel secondary camera and the ability to capture video at 1080P.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Note
Software
As we mentioned earlier, the HTC Titan is going to be among the first devices to offer the highly anticipated 'Mango' update to Windows Phone 7 and this gives the device a great edge over the competition.
Highlights of the update include improved multi-tasking and social networking integration, hands-free messaging, unified inbox and Internet Explorer 9 among many others.
The platform itself is still as easy to use and pleasing to regard as ever, the amount of apps on offer in the Windows Marketplace is expanding daily and the quality is rising across the board. Also the Titan's extra power will give it some extra zip as well, making the device the benchmark Windows Phone experience.
The Samsung Galaxy Note features version 2.3 of Google's Android platform which means safety, security and speed, as well as access to the countless apps and games available on the Android Market.
The Galaxy Note also benefits from Samsung's own TouchWiz 4.0 overlay, which gives users access to new widgets, increased social networking integration and some new apps and games.
Another point worth noting is that Samsung has given the device support for pretty much every audio and video format there is, so you can make use of that lush 5.3-inch screen with some HD content.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Note
Form & Build
HTC Titan - 131.5 x 70.7 x 9.9 mm, 160 g
Samsung Galaxy Note - 146.9 x 83 x 9.7 mm, 178 g
Neither of these devices is particularly pocket friendly, but that 5.3-inch display makes the Galaxy Note a particularly awkward device to carry in the pocket, and even to use for those with small hands.
The construction will be vintage Samsung: lightweight, advanced plastics well moulded into a device that costs a lot but feels like a toy from the front of a CBeebies magazine.
The Titan is every bit the HTC though, with metal and plastic in use and rock-solid construction. We hope it  doesn't suffer from the dreaded death-grip which plagued the Desire S and Sensation though, because that's a real passion killer.
Winner - HTC Titan
HTC's Titan has fought bravely but didn't have enough in its locker to overcome the powerful Samsung Galaxy Note.
It mustn't be all doom and gloom though. For those that want to experience Microsoft's platform as the developer intended, the Titan is the obvious choice. It's a powerful, robust and good looking package which raises the Windows Phone 7 bar nicely, and we can't wait to see what devices follow in its foot-steps.
The Samsung Galaxy Note is a stunning, powerful device. If you didn't succumb to the temptation of the Samsung Galaxy S2 and you're in the market for an Android device this should be your go-to smartphone for the time being at least.

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CyanogenMod 7 Alpha now available for HTC Sensation and EVO 3D

After a few teaser videos and screenshots over the past month or so the time has finally arrived and we now have CyanogenMod 7 for the HTC Sensation and EVO 3D. If you’ve been patiently awaiting its arrival you can now download and get to flashing this awesome ROM for your phone and we have details below.

For now this is still a early stage of CM7 for the HTC Sensation and EVO 3D and is currently just an alpha build. With the source not being available in the CyanogenMod source trees yet for developers to compile their own, it should be shortly. For those happy to finally have this (like me) feel free to thank +Keyan Mobli and his team for the hard work. Here are a few instructions below for those that might be new.

For starters as always this and any of the steps required will void any warranty you have so do this at your own risk. First you must unlock and root your device using one of two methods. Use the Revolutionary Tool that will also root and install clockworkmod as that is the easiest way, or go the official HTCdev.com/bootloader route and unlock your bootloader thanks to HTC’s new policies, then root and install CWM from XDA or another source like ROM Manager.
Once you get that far the rest is easy as pie just do a nandroid backup, wipe your device and flash the latest CM7 build for the Sensation or EVO 3D followed by the Google Apps add-on and you are all set and running smooth. For those wondering about benchmark results my HTC Sensation running CM7 scored around 2800 on Quadrant, before I could barely break 2300 if I was lucky.
For full details, change-logs and all the instructions from start to finish for both the Sensation and EVO 3D head over to kmobs Google+ at +Keyan Mobli for all the links and information.
CM 7 Sensation at XDA
CM7 EVO 3D at XDA
Enjoy!

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Droplets sue Apple for patent infringement

Apple is on the receiving end of a lawsuit now after Droplets Inc. decided to file a patent infringement lawsuit, where this lawsuit hurls accusations at the company of violating patents that are related to interactive links to applications on its website, movie trailer site and iTunes. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Eastern Texas, which is a district that is famous for rapid resolution in favor of rights holders in infringement cases, and amongst Droplets’ impressive client list are IBM, Borland and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Founded in March 2000, Droplets has the goal of meeting the needs of “enterprises who seek more efficient ways to deliver highly functional and scalable applications over the Internet.” The patent that led to the lawsuit? U.S. Patent No. 6,687,745, entitled “System and method for delivering a graphical user interface of remote applications over a thin bandwidth connection.” According to Droplet, this invention functions as a method for remotely delivering “interactive links for presenting applications”, where the patent was granted in February eleven years ago.

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Samsung Galaxy S2 GPU Tops Benchmarks

When it comes to land animals, none are faster than the cheetah, as it zips about at speeds of 112km/h to 120 km/h, albeit for short distances of less than a kilometer. Of course, even at that kind of speed, it is not always able to capture a prey successfully, which is a waste considering the kind of effort it had spent. Well, smartphones can also measured by speed for those who are interested, and the Samsung Galaxy S2
which is equipped with an ARM Mali-400 graphics processor (GPU) has been found by independent reviewers at AnandTech to be the fastest smartphone GPU.

Their own review of the Galaxy S2 resulted in the conclusion that the Mali-400 is the fastest GPU to date amongst smartphones, placing it in second place only behind Apple’s iPad 2 tablet – which only remotely qualifies since a tablet has more room for higher clocks and thermal dissipation than a smartphone. Would this piece of news make you go out and purchase a Samsung Galaxy S2 simply for bragging rights?

Editor’s note: keep in mind that benchmarks describe synthetic performance on specific tasks. They do not tell the whole story.

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