Microsoft signs Android licensing deal with Samsung

Microsoft has announced that it has landed a patent agreement with Samsung that will allow Samsung access to the patent portfolio that has to do with Android smartphones. The announcement means that the two largest Android smartphone firms in the US are now licensing patents for Android from Microsoft. The agreement will see Microsoft paid royalties from Samsung for tablets and smartphones on the Android platform.

Microsoft also notes that it and Samsung will be working together on Windows Mobile Phones. As TechNet points out, this is the seventh licensing agreement that Microsoft has landed in the last few months. Right now Acer, General Dynamics Itronix, Onkyo, Velocity Micro, ViewSonic, Wistron, and HTC are all signed up.
That leaves one of the few Android holdouts being Motorola Mobility, which Google has purchased. Microsoft has already filed suit against Motorola for infringement. It appears that Google will soon face the prospect of licensing patents from Microsoft to use its own OS. Microsoft hails the deals as a way to prevent patent litigation. Google complains that this sort of deal limits software innovation.

Read more »

ASUS EeePad Transformer update to bring Android 3.2.1, fixes

ASUS today dropped word on its Facebook page about an impending update to the EeePad Transformer. Here's what's in store:

• Google Update: Android 3.2.1: Security enhancement
• New Feature: Supernote
• IME/Translation: Added Farsi IME support; Czech IME improvement : support Qwerty & Qwertz; JP SKU fixed translation bug and Polaris office font; Added more language translation into ASUS App
• App Updates: CN SKU 3rd party app bug fix; Polaris office & ASUS WebStorage update
• Improvements: Browser with Adobe Flash improvement; ex: YouTube; Browser force-close improvement; Improve Wi-Fi stability; Improve Chinese handwriting prediction : recognize character from each stroke

Looks like some are seeing the update push out now.

Read more »

Intel Officially Abandons MeeGo

Intel today indicated that it will no longer develop and advance its mobile Linux platform called MeeGo. MeeGo was a merged project between Intel and Nokia, which combined their Moblin and Maemo mobile Linux systems. The first (and apparently only) MeeGo device to reach the market is the Nokia N9, which went on sale this week. Nokia has since ditched all efforts to develop MeeGo and Symbian, and is focusing on Windows Phone 7 instead. Intel is backing a new mobile Linux platform with the support of Samsung, called Tizen. Intel said it hopes to transition its MeeGo developers to the new Tizen platform. Intel also recently announced that its mobile chips will support Google's Android platform.
more info at Intel »

Read more »

LG ups the ante with the Optimus Ex

Not content with giving us some amazing offerings from Samsung (especially in the last 12 months), LG is now really upping its game too - with the Optimus Ex.

It certainly looks sweet with Android 2.3, a super-bright 4-inch 700 nits IPS display with WVGA resolution, 1.2GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor, DLNA, HDMI support and even a DMB digital TV tuner (very handy if you like South Korean TV since that bit will only work there.)
The whole idea is that the screen will be bright enough for outdoor use and slim enough to carry around at 9.65mm with a weight of just 127g. Pocketability and portability, see.
However, there is one thing that leaves a sour taste already. Being in Korean, we're unable to decipher the original press release and work out what camera this baby packs but we can't help noticing there is a significant lack of flash/LED light on the rear.
This immediately makes us want to smack our heads against a brick wall due to wasted opportunity - just like we did when we first got our mitts on the Samsung Galaxy S.
Initially, this is going to be a native phone for the South Koreans with SK Telecom getting it first. But although there is no word on the Brits getting a version, we're optimistic. LG has a real new lease of life these days courtesy of Android and will soon be looking to replace the Optimus 2X range which hasn't done too badly here.
Just as well really as the days of us Brits being wowed by LG are, sadly, over. The era of ogling handsets like the Chocolate KG800 or the Shine which genuinely brought something new to the table at the time are gone.
Since then, we've had various mediocre offerings, plus a few that have tried to be different but not really taken off  and a spattering of Android handsets.
The Optimus 3D was genuinely amazing for about the first ten mins until we realised that the 3D bit had given us a headache, plus the battery had gone down 75% in that time (slight exaggeration but not far off) and when the 3D was taken out, all we were left with was an oversized, bricky Android slab.
Hopefully the Optimus Ex will fix that. If it ever makes its way over here. And LG sort out that flash!
Via Slashgear

Read more »

Firefox for Android Reaches Version 7.0

Mozilla's strategy towards Firefox Android releases has seen a rapid escalation in its version numbering, hitting 4, 5, and 6 all this year. It's a bit odd to see such a bombastic attitude towards ever-increasing release numbers, especially in the course of the year which saw Android OS numbering creep from just 2.3.1 to 2.3.6. Nevertheless, it's a move that draws the app attention and keeps users interested in staying on top of things. Today, Firefox for Android makes the leap to 7.0, picking up a few new features along the way.

The problem with an accelerated numbering schedule is that you end up with major-revision versions like this, that don't really feel like they've added that much new. Don't get us wrong; there are certainly some good improvements waiting in Firefox 7.0, but there just aren't that many, and they're not that major.

This release should help improve the behavior of copy-and-paste, letting you more easily export text you find on the web to other Android apps. When setting up the app for the first time, it should be a bit smarter about detecting what language to use. Finally, there's support for WebSockets, which lets the browser easily communicate with web servers over a two-way, single-socket connection.

Sure, Firefox 6.0 may have had a more exciting changelog, but progress is progress. Check out the new Firefox in the Android Market today.

Source: Android Market

Read more »

HTC thunderbolt Gingerbread update rolling out now

Well, right after they confirmed that it was coming this month then releasing the changelog, HTC and Verizon have just rolled out the Gingerbread update for the HTC Thunderbolt, finally! This much needed software bump will bring many enhancements and bugs fixes to Verizon’s first ever 4G LTE-capable phone. If you haven’t gotten the prompt yet, we suggest that you manually look for it by going to Settings > Software Update > Check New. Your Thunderbolt Android OS version will change to Android 2.3.4.
Let us know how you like it!

Read more »

Samsung GT-I9250 Nexus Prime sees Bluetooth certification

We’ve got a massive amount of news and rumors surrounding the upcoming Google hero phone made by Samsung, the following bit of content falling in the first category. What we’ve got here is a Bluetooth certification for device GT-I9250, one thus far tied only to the name Nexus Prime. Samsung has quite the firestorm started here around what we’re expecting will be the hero device for Android Ice Cream Sandwich, each news bit adding to what must soon be a legendary device indeed.

We’ve got news that this device has already been hanging out at Verizon, that a Samsung roadmap has already leaked the launch date for the device as well as Ice Cream Sandwich – two more confirmations coming about a week later. It’s not difficult to see why this device would garner such massive interest as each Google hero device (the Nexus S being the last) have been not only massively popular devices, they’ve turned out to be rather well made and long-lasting devices as well.
To see everything we’ve got on the matter, check out the Nexus Prime portal and get severely educated. It’s not every day we have a phone gain such attention before its release unless it’s got a stacked set of specs, and given that this device has no real solid specs released at all at this moment, we’ve gotta keep our eyes open. Will you be amongst those running to the stores on release day?
[via Bluetooth]

Read more »

Toshiba Thrive 7″ Tablet Announced, coming this November

Toshiba has just announced their new Android Honeycomb tablet offering, the Thrive 7″ to go along with its bigger brother. In case the original 10″ Thrive was a bit “large” for some of you the 7″ variety will be much smaller, and thinner. We have plenty of pictures provided nicely by Toshiba so check them out below.

Just like many tablets currently available we have a pretty solid device. Running on what we already suspected and that is the NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor, with 1GB of RAM and the Thrive 7 will be offered in both 16GB and 32GB flavors. Rocking a 7″ 1280 x 800 Autobrite LED display, dual HD cameras and Android 3.2 Honeycomb powering it all. We’ll get a 5 megapixel around back with LED flash, and 2MP on the front for chatting and more.

Measuring just .47″ thick and weighing under one pound at .88 lbs the new Thrive 7″ will be portable and powerful while maintaining a slim design. The Thrive 7″ will feature many of the same specs and ports as the bigger 10″ version but micro versions to keep things small, along with the same slip-resistant Easy Grip finish around back. Around the devices built-in ports we have Mini USB, Micro HDMI and a Micro SD card slot, giving consumers plenty of choices for connectivity and options.
One small change is the back is now non-removable and the battery will not be replaceable like the bigger sibling, but I’ll take the thinner package any day — wouldn’t you? The Toshiba Thrive 7″ Tablet will be available mid November well before the holidays although no pricing has been revealed yet. As soon as we hear more we will update with exact dates and pricing. For more information check out the Thrive 7″ product page at Toshiba.com, as well as the full gallery of images below.
)

Read more »

Motorola DROID 4 codenamed “Maserati” and will have 4G LTE [Rumor]

I must admit the codename “Maserati” gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, although I’m not too big on slide out QWERTY keyboard smartphones. What we have here is a rumor so feel free to take this with a grain of salt. According to a few members of HowardForums the next device in the DROID slider evolution will be the DROID4 and is codenamed “Maserati”. They mention a few other things but first check out the awesome car below.

How often do I get to post an awesome supercar and call it a smartphone right? If the slide-out QWERTY keyboard and 4G LTE sound familiar its because we heard it a few weeks back thanks to the poem on twitter by @black_man_x and his friend Tom. A part of the poem even said “The one with the keyboard is what I enjoy” and you can see more on that by clicking here.
So what do we have here? Nothing really, just a bit of speculation unless the members from Howard Forums end up correct — and they often do. Basically all the details we have are that it will most likely be called the DROID4 just like the recent others in the naming scheme, but could also be called the DROID4 LTE and that makes a bit more sense. We have a rumored 4.0 or possibly a 4.3″ display, obviously a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, but the D-pad has gone missing and maybe that is because we’ll have ICS on board instead of Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Then given the name and title we can expect to also see Verizon Wireless 4G LTE on board, something the DROID3 really should have shipped with. This leakster also claims to have enjoyed some hands-on time with the Motorola Spyder too, so we’ll see when the time comes.
[via Droid-Life]

Read more »