Author: Dan Graziano

Twitter’s Vine video sharing app coming soon to Android

Vine co-founder Dom Hofmann has confirmed to The Verge that the popular video sharing application is coming to Android. Twitter released Vine for the iPhone in January and since then it has become one of the most downloaded applications in Apple’s App Store. Vine allows users to create short video clips with a maximum length of six seconds that can be shared with friends across different social networks. Android users have been asking when, if ever, Vine would be released for their devices and while Hofmann didn’t give a specific date, he said Vine will be coming “soon” to Android devices.

April 25, 2013
LG confirms plans to release a flexible OLED smartphone in Q4

2013 is shaping up to be the year LG finds its voice in the mobile industry. The company recently shipped a record 10.3 million smartphones in the first quarter and is expecting that number to increase throughout the year. Handsets such as the Optimus G, Nexus 4 and Optimus G Pro have won over consumers, however LG believes it has the next big thing coming later this year. Yoon Bu-hyun, vice president of LG’s mobile business, confirmed on the company’s earnings call this week that it plans to launch a smartphone with a flexible OLED display before the end of 2013, The Wall Street Journal reported. Although it is unlikely that the handset will be truly flexible due to limitations with other components, it will be the first consumer device to include a wraparound display. LG plans to release the flexible OLED smartphone sometime in the fourth quarter.

April 25, 2013
Samsung CEO defends decision to use two different CPUs for Galaxy S4

Samsung’s Galaxy S4 smartphone will be available from more than 100 carriers in the coming weeks. The flagship handset will be available in two different flavors: a model with a 1.6Ghz eight-core Exynos 5 Octa processor and another with a 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor. After the initial announcement, some people were upset with the company’s decision, especially now that the Exynos CPU supports LTE networks.

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April 25, 2013
Nokia executive responsible for Microsoft partnership quits

Steven Overman has resigned from his position as vice president for global branding and marketing strategy at Nokia, BGR sister site BGR India reported. The former executive was responsible for drafting the high-profile partnership with Microsoft, and also for marketing the company’s Lumia and Asha smartphones. Before joining Nokia in 2010, Overman previously worked at Lowe Worldwide where he led the marketing team that handled Nokia’s account. Despite producing a number of appealing products with extensive marketing campaigns, Nokia has continued to struggle. Lumia Windows Phone shipments increased to 5.6 million units in the first quarter of 2013, up from 4.4 million in the previous quarter. In North America, however, the company only shipped 400,000 smartphones, down from 700,000 in December.

April 25, 2013
iPhone 5S will reportedly launch in early September

A new report from Citigroup Global Securities confirms that Apple is planning to release both its next-generation iPhone and its long rumored low-cost iPhone in early September, China Times reported. The firm also claims that Apple is planning to launch a TD-SCDMA version of both devices for China Mobile in late September or early October. As for a new full-sized iPad and iPad mini, Citigroup expects both slates to also debut in September or October. The latest rumors suggest that the iPhone 5S will be equipped with a faster A7 processor, a 12-megapixel camera and a revamped version of iOS.

April 25, 2013
Microsoft is desperately trying to steal users away from Android

Microsoft has reportedly developed an Android application with the sole purpose of stealing users away from Google. According to a report from CITE World, the company will be releasing the “Switch to Windows Phone” application on Android to help users change platforms. The application is able to “find identical or replacement applications” for Windows Phone 8 to replace a user’s old Android apps, thus making the transition far more bearable.

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April 25, 2013
Microsoft to debut full lineup of next-gen Xbox games at E3 on June 10th

Microsoft has big plans for this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo. Following its unveiling of the next-generation Xbox video game console on May 21st, the company plans to “continue the conversation” at the annual gaming convention. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to Polygon that the company will “showcase the new console’s software line-up” and a “full line-up of blockbuster gaming experiences” for the next-generation Xbox.

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April 25, 2013
More than 9 million Google Glass-like devices expected to ship by 2016

Smart glass devices such as Google Glass could be the next big thing, and now research firm IHS predicts that shipments of smart glasses could reach 9.4 million units between 2012 and 2016. Initial shipments are expected to be around 124,000 units this year as Google Glass becomes available to developers. Adoption is expected to accelerate by 250% in 2014 as Glass becomes available to the general public. Google’s efforts to promote application development and increased competition in the market could result in sales rising to as high as 6.6 million units per year in 2016. The firm warns, however, that shipments could be as low as a million units through 2016 if the public is turned off by the device’s high price. IHS’s press release follows below.

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April 24, 2013
LG starts to find its niche, ships a record 10.3 million smartphones in Q1

LG has found success with a handful of LTE and 3G smartphones that have propelled shipments to record heights. The company announced on Wednesday that Android smartphones such as the Optimus G, Optimus G Pro, Optimus L Series and Nexus 4 have helped shipments climb to a record 10.3 million units in the first quarter of 2013. LG said more extensive availability of newer devices is expected to help smartphone sales and shipments increase further in the second quarter. The company is scheduled to announce the U.S. launch of its flagship Optimus G Pro smartphone on May 3rd. The handset has thus far been a hit, surpassing half a million units sold in South Korea in just 40 days.

April 24, 2013
T-Mobile’s BlackBerry Q10 available for preorder beginning April 29th

T-Mobile announced on Wednesday that preorders for the QWERTY-equipped BlackBerry Q10 smartphone will begin later next week. BlackBerry’s latest handset comes with a 3.1-inch Super AMOLED display, a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus processor and an 8-megapixel rear camera. The device also includes 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, LTE connectivity, NFC, a microSD slot and a 2100 mAh battery. Earlier reports suggested that T-Mobile would launch the BlackBerry Q10 in May. While exact pricing and a release date were not revealed, the company said business customers can preorder the smartphone beginning on April 29th. BGR reviewed the BlackBerry Q10 earlier this week and found it to be a decent option for those users who still require a physical keyboard.

April 24, 2013
Microsoft squeezes even more money out of Android, signs licensing agreement with ZTE

ZTE has come to an agreement with Microsoft to license the company’s technology that is being borrowed in the Android and Chrome operating systems. Microsoft has signed licensing deals with more than 20 other manufacturers, including HTC, Samsung and LG. In fact, the company claims that 80% of Android smartphones sold in the U.S. and a majority of those sold throughout the world are now covered under its various agreements. Of course, there are still some companies — most notably, Google’s Motorola Mobility — that have not yet come to terms with Microsoft.

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April 24, 2013
Microsoft to announce next-gen Xbox on May 21st

In line with earlier rumors, Microsoft on Wednesday invited members of the press to an event next month for its next-generation Xbox gaming system. The new console is rumored to be equipped with an 1.6GHz 8-core AMD processor, 8GB of RAM, an 800MHz graphics processor, a Blu-ray Disc drive and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. The next-generation Xbox is expected to be released in time for the holiday season. Microsoft will announce the system at a press event on May 21st in Redmond, Washington at 10:00 a.m. PDT.

April 24, 2013
Verizon Galaxy S4 preorders begin tomorrow starting at $199.99 [updated]

The Galaxy S4 smartphone will arrive on all four major carriers in the U.S. in the coming weeks. AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile announced availability earlier this month, however Verizon has remained mum on its plans to offer the device. The carrier finally announced on Wednesday that preorders for the smartphone will begin on Thursday, April 25th starting at $249.99 before a $50 mail-in rebate. The Galaxy S4 is equipped with a 5-inch full HD display, a 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor and a 13-megapixel camera. The handset also features 2GB of RAM, up to 64GB of internal storage, NFC, a microSD slot and Android 4.2.2. Samsung’s flagship smartphone will be available from AT&T and Sprint on April 27th, and from T-Mobile on April 29th. Verizon has not yet announced a release date for the phone.

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April 24, 2013
MetroPCS shareholders approve T-Mobile merger

MetroPCS shareholders have voted in favor of the proposed merger deal with T-Mobile USA, Reuters reported. The approval comes only after Deutsche Telekom was forced to sweetened its offer for the wireless carrier after shareholders were advised to vote against the original proposal. Federal regulators at the FCC and Justice Department voiced their support for the merger in March, and the MetroPCS board unanimously approved the deal earlier this month. The merger will help T-Mobile expand its 4G LTE network to cover more than 200 million customers in the United States by the end of 2013. The deal is expected to close later this year.

April 24, 2013
Microsoft expands Surface RT and Surface Pro availability to over 25 markets

Microsoft on Tuesday announced that the Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets will be heading to additional markets in the coming weeks. The Surface RT will arrive in Malaysia on April 25th, Mexico by the end of May, and in South Korea and Thailand in June. The Surface Pro will launch “before the end of May” in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It will also launch in South Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore and Thailand “before the end of June.” The expanded availability will bring Microsoft’s Windows RT tablet to a total of 29 markets in time for the summer months, and its Windows 8 slate to 27 markets. The company has also vowed to increase production of the 128GB Surface Pro model to ensure the high-capacity slate remains in stock.

April 23, 2013
Google outbids Apple for natural language engine Wavii

Google has reportedly closed a deal to acquire natural language processing startup Wavii for more than $30 million, according to TechCrunch. Both Apple and Google were said to be interested in the company, however Google made the more appealing offer and Wavii’s 25-person team will now join Google’s Knowledge Graph division in Mountain View. Apple was reportedly looking to integrate Wavii’s natural summarization algorithms and aggregation technology into its Siri division.

April 23, 2013
Internet speeds increased 28% in the U.S. in 2012, cyberattacks tripled

Akamai published its quarterly State of the Internet report on Tuesday covering global Internet speeds and Internet security from the last quarter of 2012. South Korea remained the leader in terms of Internet speeds, averaging a connection of 14 Mbps, TechCrunch reported. Speeds have fallen in the Asian country, however, by 4.8% since the third quarter of 2012 and by a whopping 13% since 2011. The United States ranked eighth in the world with an average connection speed of 7.4 Mbps, an increase of 28% year-over-year and of 2.3% since the third quarter of 2012.

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April 23, 2013
BlackBerry Q10 will launch in Canada on May 1st for $199.99

BlackBerry on Monday announced that its second BlackBerry 10 smartphone will be available in Canada early next month. The BlackBerry Q10 will arrive on Rogers, Bell and TELUS on May 1st starting at $199 with a three-year service agreement. The smartphone is equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard along with a 3.1-inch 720p touchscreen, a 1.5GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4470 processor, 2GB of RAM, NFC, a microSD slot and an 8-megapixel rear camera. BlackBerry also announced that the Q10 will be available on smaller carriers such as Virgin Mobile, Fido, Koodo Mobile and Sasktel. The company’s full press release follows below.

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April 23, 2013
Siri is just as dangerous to use while driving as texting

A new study from the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University found that using a voice-to-text feature such as Siri to send messages while driving is just as dangerous as texting. Researchers found that both methods significantly delayed a driver’s response time. The study involved 43 participants who were required to drive along a test track while concentrating only on driving, and then repeat the task once while texting and again time using a voice-to-text feature on a smartphone.

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April 23, 2013
The Internet isn’t as open as it used to be

The Internet isn’t the outlet of freedom and prosperity it used to be. The truth of the matter is that big name companies such as Google, Apple and Microsoft control and censor what we see online. As noted by Tristan Louis at Forbes, an individual can’t reach a majority of Internet users without the approval of a large company. If Google or Apple deem an application isn’t suitable, they can keep it out of their mobile app stores — and the same can happen with a webpage if it’s unlisted on Google or even Bing.

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April 23, 2013