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Nokia And RIM Agree To New Patent Licenses

Finnish mobile giant Nokia said on Friday it was withdrawing all its lawsuits against Blackberry-maker Research In Motion after reaching an agreement on patent licencing.

Last month Nokia filed lawsuits in the United States, Britain and Canada against RIM claiming it had breached an agreement on using Nokia patents on WLAN local area network technology.

[quote]”We are very pleased to have resolved our patent licensing issues with RIM and reached this new agreement, while maintaining Nokia’s ability to protect our unique product differentiation,” said Paul Melin, chief intellectual property officer at Nokia, in a statement.[/quote]

The terms were not disclosed, but Nokia will receive an unknown one-time payment plus on-going payments from RIM.

Nokia may have lost the title as the top-selling mobile phone maker, but the Finnish company holds patents to over 10,000 types of technology after having invested approximately €45bn in research and development over the past two decades.

Now RIM can focus on bringing BlackBerry 10 to market, plus the new BlackBerry 10 smartphones – which was potentially revealed yesterday as the BlackBerry Z10.

December 21, 2012
Samsung Promises Software Update As Quickly As Possible For Exynos Vulnerability

Samsung has confirmed recent reports of a security vulnerability that affects Exynos-equipped handsets, such as the Galaxy S II, Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II. In a statement issued to AndroidCentral, the company acknowledged the “potential security issue” relating to the Exynos processor and promises to release a software patch, however a release timeframe has yet to be announced.

[quote]Samsung is aware of the potential security issue related to the Exynos processor and plans to provide a software update to address it as quickly as possible. The issue may arise only when a malicious application is operated on the affected devices; however, this does not affect most devices operating credible and authenticated applications. Samsung will continue to closely monitor the situation until the software fix has been made available to all affected mobile devices.[/quote]

The flaw, discovered by developers on the XDA Developers forum, left certain Exynos-powered devices vulnerable to malicious apps that could steal personal data, wipe data, and even brick handsets. It affected a number of Samsung’s own devices — including the hugely popular Samsung Galaxy S III, and the Samsung Galaxy Note II — plus some third-party handsets as well.

One of the developers at XDA forum, named Chainfire has already released an app based on the kernel exploit. “ExynosAbuse,” the newly released 1-click APK, uses the exploit in question to root a device with just a single click of a button.

On the flip side, alephzain pointed out that RAM dump, kernel code injection and other possible harms could be possible via app installation from the Play Store. Although there are many ways to inflict harm, Samsung has just provided yet another easy way to exploit, making the security hole more dangerous and exposing the phone to malicious apps

We will be looking out for more news on Samsung’s fix for its top Galaxy handsets – stay with us.

December 20, 2012
Millennial : Samsung Android 2012 Market Share Doubled Last Year

For the second day, Samsung has been named the new leader. After Tuesday unseating Nokia as the top cellphone maker in 2012, the Galaxy vendor today topped HTC as the Android maker which gets most used to access mobile ads. According to ad firm Millennial, Samsung had 46 percent of Android app use, double the 26 percent of 2011.

Meanwhile, HTC plummeted from 32% to 16%, while Moto dropped from 22% to 11%. This is a massive change.

Samsung has been producing hit after hit with its Galaxy line of handsets, with the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II at the forefront. Not only is it making great devices, the company has also marketed its products like there’s no tomorrow.

With virtually a phone of every size and price available, Samsung has saturated the smartphone market with multiple choices, which has certainly helped the company in the past year.

Can competitors like HTC rally and make a comeback in the new year? Samsung is likely to introduce strong successors to all of its current top-performers, including a Galaxy S IV and Galaxy Note III, but we’ll have to wait and see if an upset is in the cards.

December 20, 2012
Samsung to Showcase Flexible Screens 1280×720 Resolutions At CES

Samsung Display’s spokespeople have confirmed that they will be unveiling two flexible screens at CES 2013, one of which will be a 5.5″ display (same size as the Galaxy Note 2), the other 55″, which sounds just about right for a TV.

During previous Consumer Electronic Shows (CES) Samsung demoed flexible displays and their capabilities. Two years later Samsung Mobile Display has teased the masses once again and stated they’ll be showcasing a 5.5-inch flexible display with a resolution of 1280×720, and a 267ppi (pixels per inch) at CES 2013.

Some of the previous reports on Samsung’s plans for the smartphone market suggested that Samsung was planning on including a flexible touchscreen in its next flagship Android smartphone, dubbed Galaxy S IV and expected to become official before the end of the first quarter of 2013.

It’ll be interesting to see the progress 2-years has brought.

December 20, 2012
Apple Releases iOS 6.0.2 To Fix Wi-Fi Issues

Apple has released a small bug fix update for iPhone and iPad users. iOS 6.0.2 is rolling out now to phones and tablets, promising only one minor change: “Fixes a bug that could impact Wi-Fi.”

There have been a number of complaints related to malfunctioning Wi-Fi connections on the iPhone 5, so this could be a welcome update for many users.

Apple’s failure to provide more specifics on just what the Wi-Fi fix addresses means we can only guess at what issues the update really aims to correct. Some iOS 6 users have reported issues with cellular data getting used even when their iOS devices are connected to Wi-Fi networks.

Apple has also been making strides in bringing iOS 6.1 to market and it should be available in early 2013.

Apple encourages all users to download and apply the update, which can be accessed immediately by syncing your device with iTunes.

December 19, 2012
Twitter 4.0 Now Available for BlackBerry Smartphones

Twitter v4.0 for BlackBerry smartphones is now available on the BlackBerry App World storefront. This is good news for the 80+ million users out there as it includes the “Connect” and “Discover” features that is present on iOS and Android.

Changes Include :

– Enhanced navigation bar – With Twitter v4.0, you will enjoy an enhanced navigation experience, keeping you connected to your friends and content that matter.

– New tabs with a familiar feel – Twitter v4.0 showcases the ‘Connect’ and ‘Discover’ tabs, which active Twitter users will recognize from Twitter’s website.

– Connect tab – Helping to keep those engaged conversations going, the ‘Connect’ tab shares who has retweeted, favorited and followed you, and gives you the option to filter ‘mentions’ and ‘replies’.

– Discover tab – Twitter v4.0 makes finding the latest news and trends easier and quicker. Discover new friends and favorite things to follow through ‘Who to follow’ or by browsing via ‘Categories’. Catch up on the latest buzz through viewing ‘Trends’.

– Me tab – Access messages and lists under the ‘Me’ tab.

Twitter 4.0 for BlackBerry is a free download from BlackBerry World.

December 19, 2012
Rumour : Nokia Windows RT Tablet Release Date Set For February

Rumours of Nokia coming to market with a tablet has surfaced today. The source is overseas from DigiTimes who states Nokia is in talks with Microsoft and Qualcomm to launch a a 10-inch Windows RT tablet. The unnamed tablet will reportedly be showcased at the upcoming Mobile World Congress in February, known specs are minimal.

Apparently the Windows 8 tablet was supposed to be available in Q1 2013 with a test market of 200,000 units, but Microsoft released the Surface and Nokia wanted to see how consumers responded to it.

Sources say that Nokia was waiting for the Windows tablet market, “To be proven.” It obviously now feels that it has and is preparing to restart development of its 10-inch tablet, with a view to announcing it during Mobile World Congress. Nokia has again teamed up with Qualcomm and Compal Electronics to manufacture it.

As Nokia makes one of the most popular Windows Phone handsets, and has a reputation for producing durable, well-designed mobile products, a Windows RT tablet from the company is an interesting proposition.

December 19, 2012
Samsung Launches Galaxy Grand 5 inch WVGA Single / Dual Sim Jelly Bean Smartphone

Samsung has just announced that it will unveil the new Samsung Galaxy Grand at CES 2013 in Las Vegas. The Galaxy Grand will be available in Single and Dual Sim variants and boasts of a 5 inch WVGA display with a native 800 x480 px display (read: pixellated). The Galaxy Grand will also run Jelly Bean 4.1.2 out of the Box and will also feature a dual-core 1.2GHz processor. The new Phablet style phone will also have a host of the premium suite apps from Samsung’s TouchWiz UI, including Multi Window and Pop Up Play.

The Galaxy Grand has a 8 Megapixel Main camera and a 2 MP front faces with 720p video calling. On the inside you will find a 2,100mAh battery, 8GB of built-in storage and a microSD slot for expansion up to 64GB. Famous for various connectivity options Samsung includes HSPA+, Bluetooth, DLNA and WiFi.

The Galaxy Grand is expected to hit Asian markets including India early 2013.

[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]

Samsung GALAXY Grand runs Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean), Google’s latest operating system. Its vivid 5.0’’ display provides an expansive viewing experience, presenting messaging, multimedia and Web content in brilliant color and clarity. Even with the large screen, the phone is still slim, ergonomic and comfortable to hold. You can also enjoy true multitasking running multiple apps simultaneously and without switching screens using Multi Window feature.

GALAXY Grand with an impressive 1.2 GHz Dual Core processor supports seamless multitasking, faster web browsing, lightning-fast screen transitions and superior graphics for some of the most demanding apps and games.

The GALAXY Grand sports a powerful camera with zero shutter-lag and ultra-quick camera start-up. It includes a backside illumination sensor to ensure clear shots even in dark conditions, as well as Full HD video recording.

Samsung GALAXY Grand also includes intuitive features that make the phone easy to use. For example, Direct Callenables users to automatically dial a call by raising the device up to the ear; while users can also shake the phone to trigger status updates, or pan it to zoom into a screen. Smart Alert shows missed events such as missed calls and new messages just by picking up the phone. Popup Video, for example, lets users watch video in a pop-up window anywhere on the screen while running other tasks; S Voice lets you control the phone using your voice; and AllShare Play lets you share content across Samsung devices using a single account.

The phone is pre-loaded with the latest versions of Samsung Hubs to deliver the most popular games, movies and music direct to the user on demand.

The GALAXY Grand will be available in two versions – The Dual SIM version (GT-I9082) will launch first and the single SIM version (GT-I9080) will follow. For the dual SIM version, its innovative dual SIM feature provides total communication flexibility, allowing users to manage two phone numbers from a single phone. It is possible to receive calls on one SIM number while taking a call from the other, ensuring efficient management of personal and work commitments without ever missing a call. Dual SIM also offers the flexibility of selecting different billing plans for either SIM, switching between them to make the most of cheaper call and data plans.

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December 18, 2012
Google Maps For iOS Download Hits 10 Million In First 2 Days

More than 10 million iOS users sprinted back into the arms of Google Maps the weekend after the new third-party app was released, according to a Google+ post from Jeff Huber, a senior vice president at the company. With its vector graphics and exclusive features like Street View, the app is obviously a hit.

There’s no doubt that millions of consumers were waiting for the Google Maps release, as Apple’s software, which replaced Google back in September, has been plagued withinaccurate location data and other bugs since its debut.

Considering the app has not been optimized yet for the iPad, that number will balloon once again when it is made into a universal app.

Now, for some context, here are some other app launch stats: OS X Mountain Lion, Apple’s latest Mac OS, was downloaded 3 million times during its first 4 days. And thejailbreak utility Absinthe saw about 1 million in its first day.

December 18, 2012
RIM CMO: We Will Have More Than 70,000 Apps At The Time Of BlackBerry 10 Launch

RIM CMO Frank Boulben recently sat down for an interview, explaining that he joined RIM for “what could be the greatest comeback in tech history.”, with the Blackberry 10. Some investors bolted a long time ago and declared the company cannot return the glory they once had. However, amidst all this turmoil, RIM and their 80 million subscribers are poised to embark on what will possibly be the most talked about mobile story of 2013.

Boulben also noted that part of the road to success for BlackBerry 10 is to educate the public on “what the device is capable of, that is a fundamental aspect.” In addition, an area of concern is the number of apps that will be available at launch. RIM has already shown off Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Foursquare, but has never communicated a solid number of how many we can expect, only that there’ll be thousands available. In the interview, Boulben stated that the Blackberry 10 will have a best in class browser, a fantastic multimedia experience and “at launch we will have more than 70,000 apps available.” That is promising.

All set for 30th January!

December 18, 2012
Retina Display Coming To Next Gen iPad Mini?

Apple is rumored to be focusing on upgrading the resolution of its recently released iPad mini to Retina display specifications, with the changes said to be arriving in the next generation of the small form factor tablet’s next generation.

Retina seems like a logical update for Apple’s second generation iPad mini, and a report from Digitimes today says that Apple is indeed planning to increase the resolution of its next iPad mini.

[quote]Apple’s next-generation iPad mini will focus mostly on enhancing the device’s display resolution, according to Taiwan-based backlighting industry sources. The sources have yet to specify whether the device will use Apple’s Retina Display technology to enhanced resolution, but market observers said it is highly likely based on the development of past Apple products such as the iPhone and 9.7-inch iPad series.[/quote]

Adding a Retina display to a device as thin as the iPad mini could be a tricky prospect, possibly requiring a large battery and a more robust processor, as it did when Apple introduced the Retina display to the full-sized iPad.

If Apple did a Retina version of the Mini it would be approximately 300 pixels per inch. That’s really hard to manufacture and hasn’t been done yet for the 7.9-inch class display that Apple uses. That said, Amazon has come close. The larger Amazon Kindle Fire HD has an 8.9-inch display boasting 254 pixels per inch. By Apple’s own definition of pixel density, that’s Retina resolution.

[CNET]

December 14, 2012
NaviFirm Showing Windows Phone 7.8 For Nokia Lumia 800, Lumia 510

The Windows Phone 7.8 platform has been spotted in NaviFirm for Nokia’s devices powered by Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.5 OS, suggesting that it should not be too long before users receive it officially.

What Windows Phone 7.8 brings is a new home screen with live tiles available in 3 different sizes, just like in Windows Phone 8. A whole bunch of new interface theme colors have been thrown in, although the background can still be had in either white or black. Also, the lock screen wallpaper can be replaced with the one featured in the Bing application.

If you want to upgrade your Nokia Lumia 900,800,710,610 and Nokia Lumia 510 to Windows Phone 7.8 by flashing method (all data(s) will be loss), you can just download the firmware from navifirm and use flashing tools (e.g Nokia Care Suite). Simply select the device from the list, and then choose to download the latest firmware available for it (it should be the last item in the list in the middle, labeled 1750.823.8858.12460 for Lumia 800, for example).

Please note that you flash your device at your own risk and we cannot take any responsibility for damage caused to your Windows Phone.

December 14, 2012
Android Winning Mobile War With Apple : Google Chairman Eric Schmidt

Google is winning the smartphone war against Apple, says Eric Schmidt, the company’s Executive Chairman. In an interview with Bloomberg over the weekend, the outspoken executive said that, based on market share, Google doesn’t have to worry about the mobile game. It is clearly winning. With 75% worldwide market share as of Q3 2012, Android has infiltrated most developing markets to become the de facto entry-level smartphone OS. It has taken millions of users away from Symbian, BlackBerry, and is certainly the most affordable path to entry for users upgrading from “dumbphones.”

[quote]“This is a huge platform change; this is of the scale of 20 years ago — Microsoft versus Apple,” he said. “We’re winning that war pretty clearly now.”[/quote]

Schmidt’s remarks reflect Google’s growing confidence in its ability to attract users and advertisers as more customers rely on handheld devices and shun traditional computers. By giving away Android, Google cedes revenue to hardware partners, such as Samsung Electronics Co. Schmidt is willing to make that sacrifice because it drives demand for ads and other Internet- based services that benefit Google over time.

[quote]“The core strategy is to make a bigger pie,” he said. “We will end up with a not perfectly controlled and not perfectly managed bigger pie by virtue of open systems.”[/quote]

With high-quality core apps on both Android and iOS, it’s possible to stay within the Google ecosystem on either platform these days. Even though Android is its baby, Schmidt seems satisfied with the company’s iOS strategy.

“The core strategy is to make a bigger pie,” he said. And what a tasty pie it is.

December 14, 2012
Airtel Introduces ‘Call-me-Back’ Service In Case Of Low Prepaid Balance

No talktime to even give a missed call? We are here to help you with Airtel ‘Call-me-Back ‘ service. The Call-me-back SMS service will allow a prepaid user to get a call-back from another airtel number (prepaid or postpaid) in case of insufficient balance. This unique service will ensure that airtel customers are always connected.

Just SMS writing CALL <space> <airtel mobile number you want to speak to .>, send to 121 , and expect a call from your dear ones. For e.g. ‘Person A’ having balance less than Re.1 can send a toll-free SMS to 121 writing CALL < Person B airtel number >, and the ‘Person B’ will get an SMS from number of ‘Person A’ saying : “Please call me back. Thank You.” .This service will ensure that are airtel customers are never out of touch with their family and friends.

There is no charge to ‘Person A’ for this service, and the call-back by ‘Person B’ is as per the person’s B plan rate. The customer who is calling back can be a prepaid or a postpaid user. Also, both the customers can be a local , STD number , or be in national roaming.

This service can be availed when the balance in customer’s prepaid account is below Re1 , and can be used upto 3 times in a day.

December 13, 2012
Blackberry 10 L-Series Video Surfaces

Yesterday we saw some new photos of RIM’s first full touchscreen BlackBerry 10 smartphone, the BlackBerry L-Series and now we have a video of the device in action which you can see below.

The device looks remarkably similar to the Dev Alpha device that has been floating around for the past few months, which lends credence to the idea that it contains final hardware wrapped in a “shell,” much like what Samsung did when seeding out tester devices for the Galaxy S III.

With a soft textured backing, iconic BlackBerry logo and a subtle, cropped camera lens/flash combo, the device appears to be every bit a “miniature PlayBook,” which in our eyes is a good thing. From the front it looks like RIM has completely done away with its previous design ethic, opting for a clean, distinct top and bottom bezel and what looks like an AMOLED screen.

Like recent BlackBerry devices, the L-Series features a prominent notification light and a volume rocker with a third middle button for playback pause and resume.

December 13, 2012