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Dropbox Offers Up to 5GB Free Storage For Users Willing to Brave Beta Phase

Amy Eichelberg — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:32:30 +0000

If you’re looking for free storage space and don’t minde being a guinea pig at the same time, then Dropbox has a pretty sweet offer. The company is offering a bundle of free storage space to anyone who is willing to brave the beta version of its latest software. Users are required to download the test program and upload a photo to instantly receive 500MB of free storage. Upload another photo or video, and users will receive an additional 500MB of free storage.

Dropbox needs to test the new photo and video uploader for its beta software, which automatically extracts media from any camera, smartphone or SD card and places it in the cloud. With a beta period, there is always a slight risk involved with taking part of a test run, but Dropbox will offer users up to 5GB of free storage for their participation.

Interested users can click here for additional details.

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Android Users Most Likely To Give It Up On The First Night, Says Match.com

Amy Eichelberg — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:55:12 +0000

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, online dating site Match.com decided to run a study on the correlation between promiscuity and smartphone platform ownership. Promiscuity and mobile operating systems, sounds oddly romantic right? Interestingly enough, Match.com concluded that 62% of Android phone owners are open and willing to have a night stand. Blackberry owners were the least likely to give up the goods with only 48% of its users willing to partake in promiscuous behavior on the first date. We’re guessing that the other 52% would prefer organizing their email over anything else. Not to be left out, 57% of iPhone owners admitted that they would willingly partake in the merriment of a one night fling.

Can’t get enough of Match.com’s intoxicating research skills? The study goes on to show 72% of Android users to have pursued online dating sites, compared to 58% of iPhone owners and only 50% of Blackberry owners. Android users pulled ahead again with the least likely to feel guilty about a hit and run with 55% admitting to having “no issues with engaging in a one-night stand”. As far as the dreaded “day after call” goes, iPhone users appear to be the most anxious by only waiting “one day to call someone after a date”. Meanwhile Android and Blackberry users tend to play it cool with the 3-day rule.

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Verizon Systems Point to February 10th For Droid 4 Launch

Amy Eichelberg — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:18:17 +0000

For those of you patiently waiting around for the Verizon Droid 4 to make its official debut, the time may be drawing near. According to a recently leaked screenshot of Verizon’s equipment guide, the device is slated for a February 10th launch everywhere. So, before you hit up Star Wars 3D (which is scheduled for release in theaters the same day), you should be able to stop by your local Verizon store for some serious Droid 4 action.

Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but the handset is expected to run $199 on contract. Enthusiastic future owners can look forward to 4G LTE speeds, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, a 4″ qHD screen, dual cameras, and edge lit keys atop a full slider.

Woah, Star Wars in 3D and the Droid 4 all in one day? Did anyone else just get really excited?

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Smartphone Patent Litigation: A Necessary Evil

Amy Eichelberg — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:43:02 +0000

Increase In Smartphone Litigation Highlights Smartphone Prosperity

Each week it seems as though more companies are filing lawsuits over patents, and who knows this better than the smartphone industry? Microsoft sues Google, Google uses HTC to sue Apple, and Apple sues just about everyone who’s anyone. Only adding fuel to the fire, each company involved usually shoots back a counter-suit of their own, which in turn ends up in a dramatic mess usually resulting in pricey licensing deals.

In theory a patent was originally designed to cultivate innovation while offering protection to the inventor for inventing an original process. Sure, this sounds great in theory, but things tend to get tricky fast. Since the invention of software, patents have vastly become a quicksand of ambiguity. Can anyone really patent an algorithm of any kind? Or should we only be able to patent those algorithms of complex nature, or maybe just the ones that are “non-obvious”? As long as patents have been around these have been the age old questions plaguing inventors and patent trolls alike for decades.

Now with the introduction of the smartphone, patent litigation is at an all time high, and we can’t seem to shake it. Unlike the modern day PC, the smartphone is immensely complex with its multiple radios, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi capability, multi-band cellular radio/modem, light sensor, humidity sensor, capacitive touchscreen, two cameras, (and the list goes on and on) all wrapped up in lust worthy hardware that leaves us incapable of leaving the house without it. With that undeniable complexity comes a burst of new technologies just begging to be patented.

It comes as no surprise then that with the rise of the smartphone industry comes enormous revenue stakes. This year, the iPhone alone is expected to yield approximately 65% of Apple’s estimated $100bn revenue. Think about it, that’s a staggering percentage chalked up to the smartphone alone. Apple isn’t the only tech giant to rely heavily on its smartphone niche, as Google has a staggering stake in smartphones as well. Their Android devices unit sales are significantly larger than Apple’s sales and have only seen steady growth over 2011. Throw in some of the other major players like Nokia and RIM, and you’ve got an industry which saw approximately 475M smartphone devices shipped in 2011 alone.

So, what does all this mean? Well, you’ve got a tremendous amount of innovation and high stakes revenue which results in an entire population of patent holders attempting to suck out royalties out of each smartphone produced. This thirst has created a constant exchange of money in what we know as modern day patent warfare. Back in 2006, Blackberry maker Research In Motion (RIM) agreed to pay a well known patent troll, NTP, $612M for “full and final settlement of all claims”. Recently in the news, Nokia’s CEO, Stephen Elop, Nokia’s CEO announced that he was “very pleased to have Apple join the growing number of Nokia licensees.” The rumors had the licensees totally up to an unconfirmed $600m. If that wasn’t enough, we’ve now grown accustomed to Google playing dirty by buying a patent, only to sell it to HTC who then uses it to sue Apple.

What does this mean? We’re willing to bet that smartphone patent litigation filings are far from over, and will continue on throughout 2012 and even far beyond it. Especially if patent lawsuits like those generated by Apple against Google are successful at generating revenue in the form of long term licensing agreements. We don’t see patent litigation going anywhere anytime soon, especially with the recent consumer fixation centered around tablets, which are in essence just a larger version of a smartphone running on a very similar OS. Samsung and Apple are extremely familiar with tablet related patent wars, as we saw numerous lawsuits fly back and forth during 2011 over Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Apple’s iPad 2.

In the long term the increase in smartphone litigation won’t necessarily give an exact advantage to any of the big players. Inevitably, everyone will win some and loose some suits, and cross license technology in between. Regardless, the increase in patent warfare could simply be celebrated as an unavoidable side effect of a robust and thriving smartphone ecosystem. Even the most robust organism can’t evolve without its encounters with parasites, er, patent trolls. We can’t help but wonder if we would still be holding our Nokia candy bar phone if it weren’t for companies like Apple and Google always looking to get their hands dirty and go to war all in the name of patent warfare.

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ZTE Optik Tablet Headed To Sprint February 5th, Only $100 On Contract

Amy Eichelberg — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:41:27 +0000

Sprint has officially unveiled its latest bargain priced gadget in the form of the ZTE Optik tablet. The slab will only set you back $100 on a two-year contract, which is sure to please budget conscious technophiles everywhere. However, don’t expect WiMAX or LTE speeds, as this device only sports 3G.

The easy to manage price point does offer users a 7-inch 1280 x 800 display, a 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor,1GB of RAM,16GB of storage, a MicroSD slot for additional storage, and dual cameras (5MP front facing and a 2MP rear facing). While there is no Android 4.0 in sight, users can expect the Optik to ship Honeycomb (Android 2.3) ready.

For anyone afraid of a two-year committment, the ZTE Optik is also available off contract for $350. Great news for our impatient readers, as the ZTE Optik is slated for a February 5th launch. Interested consumers can continue reading below for the full press release.

ZTE Optik is an Android Tablet Offering Sprint Customers a Combination E-reader, Media Player and Portable Computing Device at an Affordable Price

Available beginning Feb. 5, ZTE Optik boasts a 7-inch touchscreen display, Android 3.2, Honeycomb, and dual cameras for under $100

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. & RICHARDSON, Texas – Feb. 2, 2012 – Beginning on Sunday, Feb. 5, Sprint (NYSE:S) will introduce its first tablet for under $100, ZTE Optik™, a Sprint 3G tablet featuring a 7-inch touchscreen display with WXGA 1280×800 resolution and pinch-to-zoom, Android™ 3.2, Honeycomb, and dual cameras.

ZTE Optik will be available through Sprint direct ship sales channels, including Sprint Stores, Sprint Business Sales, Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1) and online (www.sprint.com) for just $99.99 with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement. It will also be available without a service agreement for $349.99, and business customers may qualify for special pricing. (All pricing excludes tax.)

“Sprint is committed to delivering exceptional value and feature-rich devices to our customers,” said David Owens, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “ZTE Optik packs great features for under $100. When this device is combined with our Tablet Connection plans, customers can easily keep their personal and professional lives organized, stay connected with their social networks and get things done while on the go.”

Powered by Android 3.2, Honeycomb, the version of Android designed specifically for tablets, ZTE Optik is a dynamic e-reader, media player and portable computing device. It features a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon® processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and 7-inch capacitive touchscreen that allows the user to get work done or stay entertained surfing the web, playing games and watching videos with Adobe® Flash® enabled websites. It has two cameras – a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera and front-facing 2-megapixel camera that enables video chat.

“ZTE Optik is ZTE’s first tablet in North America and makes the tablet experience available to a new segment of consumers,” said Lixin Cheng, CEO, ZTE USA and president, North America Region, ZTE. “Paired with Sprint’s cutting-edge network, ZTE Optik provides an exceptional user experience to consumers who demand affordability, flexibility and mobility in one package.”

For those that want to get more out of their tablet, ZTE Optik provides access to Android Market™, which features more than 400,000 useful apps, games and widgets. Additional key features of ZTE Optik include:

Google mobile services such as Google Search™, Gmail™, Google Maps™ with Navigation, Google Books™ and YouTube™

Sprint Zone, Sprint TV, Sprint Music Plus, Sprint Navigation, Sprint Football Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup MobileSM

Wi-Fi® (802.11 b/g)
Swype™
Integrated GPS
4000 mAh Lithium-ion battery
Expandable memory slot, supporting up to a 32GB microSD card (not included)
Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR
Stereo speakers
3.5mm headset
ZTE Optik can be activated on one of Sprint’s Tablet Connection plans. Sprint offers four plans designed specifically for tablets, starting at $19.99 for 1GB of data, $34.99 for 3GB of data, $49.99 for 6GB of data and $79.99 for 12GB of data.1 (All pricing excludes taxes and surcharges.) Customers are able to view their data usage by logging into My Sprint at www.sprint.com.

ZTE Optik can also be used as a Mobile Hotspot allowing up to five users to simultaneously surf the web using Wi-Fi®. The Mobile Hotspot option is available for an additional $29.99 per month and utilizes data in the customer’s tablet plan. (All pricing excludes taxes and surcharges).

About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 53 million customers at the end of 3Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The 2011 American Customer Satisfaction Index showed Sprint is the #1 most improved company in customer satisfaction, across all industries, over the last three years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

About ZTE USA
ZTE USA is a subsidiary of ZTE Corporation (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions. ZTE USA is dedicated to making quality communications technology accessible to all. The company draws on more than 25 years of experience and research investment to deliver smart, affordable, quality choices for infrastructure and mobile data device customers nationwide. For more information, visit www.zteusa.com.

About ZTE
ZTE is a publicly-listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions with the most comprehensive product range covering virtually every sector of the wireline, wireless, service and terminals markets. The company delivers innovative, custom-made products and services to over 500 operators in more than 140 countries, helping them to meet the changing needs of their customers while achieving continued revenue growth. ZTE’s 2010 revenue led the industry with a 21% increase to USD10.609 billion. ZTE commits 10 percent of its revenue to research and development and takes a leading role in a wide range of international bodies developing emerging telecoms standards. A company with sound corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, ZTE is a member of the UN Global Compact. ZTE is China’s only listed telecom manufacturer, publicly traded on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ). For more information, please visit www.zte.com.cn.

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Android Apps Finally Coming to the Blackberry Playbook and Other Devices?

David Cogen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:31:56 +0000

Blackberry has taunted us for almost 10 months now with their promise of bringing Android apps to their Blackberry Playbook. Finally though it seems that they are actually reaching out to developers with instructions on how to port their Android apps to Blackberry App World on their own Blackberry developer blog. Essentially, an Android developer would take their apk file and remove all mentions of the word Android, remove all links within the app to the Android Market, and then use a website designed to convert the .apk to .bar so it can run on a Blackberry device. Simple, right?Now, the question is, what Blackberry devices will these Android apps be able to run on? Well, the Playbook is the only device at the moment, but Blackberry also says, “…the upcoming BlackBerry 10 devices”, which refers to devices that will run on the new version of Blackberry, called Blackberry 10 (that isn’t out yet and has no release date yet).

So if you are an Android developer and want to see how your app might do in a much less crowded market, head over to Blackberry’s microsite and get cracking and quickly since Blackberry urges developers to have their apps ready by Feb 6th. Who knows, maybe Blackberry Playbook users might like farting apps too…

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Mango-powered HTC Titan II coming to AT&T on March 18th

Dax Krishna — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:41:02 +0000

AT&T will be adding another HTC device to its line up this March in the form of the HTC Titan II, something many Windows Phone users must be looking forward to since it was announced last month. The device will sell for $199.99 with a two-year contract and will become available starting the 18th of the next month.

With a 4.7-inch SLCD touchscreen display, the HTC Titan II may be the biggest WinPho 7.5 device around, but the low resolution of 800×480 pixels could be a dealbreaker for many. Moving past that though, the handset is decked out with a 1.5GHz processor, an impressive 16MP lens on its back, stereo FM radio, 3G network support, WiFi, Bluetooth and aGPS. Seems alright, except the 16mpx lens can’t do better than 720p which is another letdown, but Microsoft could remedy this in the future with a software update.

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US Cellular to start off its LTE network with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G and the Galaxy S Aviator 4G

Dax Krishna — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:17:05 +0000

In anticipation of its upcoming 4G network, US Cellular has announced two devices that will actually kick things off, LTE style. Both the devices, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G and the Galaxy S Aviator 4G, are from Samsung and will come out with a staggered release aiming to get the tablet out in March with the smartphone following closely in April.

For specs, there’s nothing new here for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G as it is essentially the same Tab 10.1 with an LTE chip snuck in but here’s a refresher for those US Cellular customers who haven’t heard of them before: 1GHz dual-core CPU with a gig of RAM, a 10.1 inch 1280×800 WXGA display, 3MP camera for pictures and videos with a 2mpx lens on the front for video-calling/chatting. The OS running the show is Android 3.2 Honeycomb but with the original Tab 10.1 getting ICS, this should too in the future.

The Galaxy S Aviator 4G on the other hands comes with an 8MP camera, Gingerbread OS and a 4.3-inch display. We should know more about its processing power and other details when the device actually comes out.

Read on for the full press release

At U.S. Cellular®, we believe every call, text or pic is important. With 4G LTE, you will be able to send and receive pictures, download music, watch videos and access the Internet on your 4G LTE device at speeds you never thought possible over the airwaves—up to 10 times faster than 3G. Manage your social calendar, business schedule and your life—faster and easier.

Experience the network with a custom 4G LTE device, coming soon.

Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1
(available March 2012)

The ultra-light and thin Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 features superior multi-tasking capabilities, a video watching experience similar to TV and smooth graphics and responsive controls for faster gaming.

The Basics

Android 3.2 (Honeycomb)

10.1″ WXGA TFT touchscreen

HD gaming capabilities

Front-facing webcam

Adobe® Flash® support

Samsung Galaxy S^® Aviator™
(available April 2012)

With the Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™, talk to friends and browse the Internet simultaneously. It’s your connection to entertainment on the go, in a sleek, slim design.

The Basics

Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread)

4.3″ WVGA s-AMOLED plus touchscreen

8MP rear-camera

Front-facing webcam

HDMI port

At U.S. Cellular®, we believe every call, text or pic is important. With 4G LTE, you will be able to send and receive pictures, download music, watch videos and access the Internet on your 4G LTE device at speeds you never thought possible over the airwaves—up to 10 times faster than 3G. Manage your social calendar, business schedule and your life—faster and easier.

Experience the network with a custom 4G LTE device, coming soon.
Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1
(available March 2012)
HTC Flyer
The ultra-light and thin Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 features superior multi-tasking capabilities, a video watching experience similar to TV and smooth graphics and responsive controls for faster gaming.

The Basics

Android 3.2 (Honeycomb)
10.1″ WXGA TFT touchscreen
HD gaming capabilities
Front-facing webcam
Adobe® Flash® support

Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™
(available April 2012)
Samsung Aviator
With the Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™, talk to friends and browse the Internet simultaneously. It’s your connection to entertainment on the go, in a sleek, slim design.

The Basics

Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread)
4.3″ WVGA s-AMOLED plus touchscreen
8MP rear-camera
Front-facing webcam
HDMI port

Sprint Promo Offers Up To $100 Off Your Next Upgrade In Attempt To Retain Subscribers

Amy Eichelberg — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:39:57 +0000

Sprint is paying attention to its retention rates, as it plans to launch a limited promotion targeted at its subscribers who are likely to abandon ship. According to details obtained by SprintFeed, the Now Network plans to either email or direct mail targeted subscribers who have been identified as high risk of leaving the carrier. Those customers will then be offered a discount between $25 to $100 towards their next phone, granted the user is eligible for an upgrade. The only catch being that in order to take advantage of the discount, users will have to sign up for a two-year contract.

The promotion is expected to begin February 5th and run until March 18th.

Source

Samsung Galaxy S III To Receive Its Own Launch Outside of Mobile World Congress

Amy Eichelberg — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:06:07 +0000

If anyone expected Samsung to unveil the highly anticipated Galaxy S III during this year’s Mobile World Congress, then think again. According to statement received by Techradar, the Korean electronics manufacturer confirmed that it has other plans for the elusive big brother to the Galaxy S II. Samsung explains:

“Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012. The successor to the Galaxy S2 smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product.”

Buckle up your seat belts, as we’re sure to be treated to a host of Galaxy S III related rumors leading up to its official unveiling.

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Sprint Confirms The Ultra Rugged Military Grade Kyocera DuraPlus

Amy Eichelberg — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:46:18 +0000

Who doesn’t love a military grade candy-bar phone that is sure to make anyone feel masculine? Well, after months of speculation, Sprint has finally outed the rugged Kyocera DuraPlus as part of its upcoming phone lineup. The “Military Standard 810G” certified handset promises to withstand dirt, shock, vibration, dust, extreme temperatures, humidity, and can even be dunked in one meter of water for about a half an hour. Sounds perfect for anyone planning to shoot their very own Man Vs. Wild episode.

Additional device benefits include Direct Connect, which enables you to push-to-talk to other subscribers or use Group Connect to chat with 20 at a time, and an ultra bright LED flashlight. For anyone planning on needing significant talk time the DuraPlus will ship with a 1650 mAh battery good for 9.5 hours of talk time and an additional 2300 mAh battery. Perfect for those brutally long hunting trips you have planned with all of your rugged outdoorsy friends.

Consumers can expect the DuraPlus to hit Sprint retail stores sometime during the first half of the year. Pricing has yet to be confirmed. Continue reading below for the full press release.

Kyocera DuraPlus, Exclusively from Sprint, Offers Industry-Leading Push-to-Talk Capabilities in Extreme Conditions on Sprint Direct Connect

Kyocera DuraPlus boasts military-grade durability and an embedded LED flashlight in a rugged candy-bar form factor

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. & SAN DIEGO (BUSINESS WIRE), January 31, 2012 – Sprint (NYSE: S) and Kyocera Communications Inc. today announced the upcoming availability of Kyocera DuraPlus, an ultra-rugged device with military-grade durability, a long-lasting battery and a powerful built-in flashlight.

As the newest Sprint® Direct Connect® device, Kyocera DuraPlus offers a candy-bar form factor with a flat, stable bottom, ideal for convenient accessibility in vehicle mounts and freestanding operation. Kyocera DuraPlus will be available in the first half of the year. Pricing and exact availability will be announced closer to launch.

“Kyocera DuraPlus is the ideal device for use in the construction, public safety and utility industries that demand devices that stand up to the toughest work conditions while delivering industry-leading push-to-talk capabilities,” said David Owens, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “This device is a dynamite addition to our Sprint Direct Connect portfolio, and we know our customers will appreciate the benefits of instant communication on a device that can withstand tough environments.”

Joining Kyocera DuraMax and Kyocera DuraCore in Kyocera’s Dura Series that specialize in handling the abuse of harsh working conditions, Kyocera DuraPlus is the ultimate communication tool for a variety of industries, including construction and transportation. It is certified to Military Standard 810G for resistance to dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, humidity, blowing rain and water immersion (up to 30 minutes in up to 1 meter of water).

The handset also features an embedded LED flashlight with a dedicated power button to help navigate power outages, read blueprints in unlit areas or for emergency response personnel working in dark conditions. A robust, front-ported speakerphone also provides excellent sound quality in noisy environments and remote speaker microphone jack allowing customers to use their phones with a heavy-duty remote speaker/microphone (sold separately; available exclusively from Sprint in the coming months).

Kyocera DuraPlus comes with a powerful 1650 mAh battery offering up to 9.5 hours of talk time; an optional 2300 mAh extended battery (sold separately) will also be available from Sprint for users who need even more battery life. An external charging port enables the device to be used with a single or multi-bay charging station (sold separately). This is especially helpful for businesses that issue devices to shift workers, such as shuttle drivers or security personnel.

“Kyocera designed DuraPlus from the ground up with demanding industrial and enterprise customers in mind,” said Eric Anderson, senior vice president and general manager of Sales and Marketing at Kyocera Communications. “Simple things like an LED flashlight, multi-bay charging, freestanding operation and the ability to use application-specific accessories go a long way toward better productivity on the jobsite and out in the field.”

Sprint Direct Connect is a portfolio of push-to-talk services that allow individuals and groups to get more done – quickly and easily with just the push of a button. Among the initial Sprint Direct Connect services:

Sprint Direct Connect – Instant, one-to-one push-to-talk calling nationwide on the Sprint network, with any other Direct Connect subscriber. Direct Connect is the core push-to-talk feature and is designed for interoperability across Sprint and Nextel network platforms.
Guaranteed Talk Permit – The assurance that when you hear the push-to-talk “chirp,” your call was successfully transmitted.
Call Alert with Text – Send an audio alert with an optional text message to let another Direct Connect subscriber know you are trying to reach them and why.
Group Connect® – Communicate with up to 20 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers all at once – nationwide, at the push of one button.
TeamDCSM – Communicate with up to 200 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers at the same time nationwide.
NextMail® – Send a recorded message to any email worldwide or mobile handset via text message by using the Direct Connect button.
Availability Notification – Request the availability status of another push-to-talk member and, if they are busy, request a notification when they are free.
One-Touch Direct Connect – Allows quick access to multiple direct connect options.

With more than 18 years of expertise, Sprint is the industry leader in push-to-talk, serving the world’s largest push-to-talk community of customers. Last year, Sprint launched Sprint Direct Connect, the industry’s next generation of push-to-talk service on its broadband CDMA network. The new service will expand customers’ push-to-talk coverage, broadband data capabilities, and enable new push-to-talk features.

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Video: HTC Ville, an upcoming Android smartphone leaked

Dax Krishna — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:25:36 +0000

What you see in the video below will be one of the things that HTC is going to debut this year and as you can see from the video, things are going to be thinner and sleeker. Codenamed the HTC Ville, this device popped up recently and has a complete spec sheet to speak for which goes on to enumerate a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, a 4.3 inch qHD SuperAMOLED display, an 8MP shooter and the plethora of connectivity options that grace droids nowadays. And of course, the device runs Android 4.0 which is to be expected of all high-end devices this year until Google thinks of something better than that.

Being thin (at an impressive 8mm) is good and everything, but the specs seem so….2011, don’t you think? Why hasn’t HTC busted out the big guns already, like a dual-core CPU or something else new is beyond us, but we think HTC should (must!) have more in store for 2012 than just the HTC Ville, making good on its promise to make fewer (but better) devices. We’ll let you in on it when something like that pops up.

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Nokia Lumia 710 get a price cut on T-Mobile; Microsoft giving it away for free on contract

Dax Krishna — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:06:22 +0000

While T-Mobile is bringing the price of the Lumia 710 down by a full $10, Microsoft is going one step ahead and practically giving it away, if you are ready to lock yourself down with T-Mobile for two years. In all fairness, T-Mobile is throwing a few accessories in the mix at no cost but we like the word “free” more than “extras.” Which would you choose? $50 with Tmo or free with Microsoft? Or will you do an about turn and look in the way of Android that everybody seems so het up about nowadays? Up to you guys, we guess.The Nokia Lumia 710 has a 1.4GHz processor aided by 512MB RAM, a 5MP front lens with 8GB onboard storage, and of course Windows Phone 7.5 Mango OS. And if you have an unlimited data, you can make use of an additional 25GB of cloud storage, thanks to Microsoft’s SkyDrive. And did we mention it was free?

Here’s the Microsoft store link to get it for free, and if you are used to throwing money at things you can actually get for free, here’s where you can do it.

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Update Alert: Lenovo to push out Android 4.0 update for the ThinkPad in Q2 2012

Dax Krishna — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:43:56 +0000

Launched in August 2011, the Lenovo ThinkPad came with Android 3.1 out of the box and the company has now revealed its plans to change things to be a bit more current. There are much lighter tablets with a promise for a future ICS update available now, so this seems to be the right move for Lenovo if it hopes to regain whatever ThinkPad users it currently has. As revealed by the company, the update will start rolling out in the second quarter of 2012, a date that doesn’t seem too far off.

If you haven’t heard about the ThinkPad tablet until now, you should know that it was among the first crop of devices to come with a dual-cored CPU, running at 1GHz with 1GB RAM and a GeForce GPU with a 10.1 Gorilla Glass display, a USB 2.0 port, 5MP camera, stylus input support, and the usual sensors and connectivity options for an Android tablet including 3G network support. The only gripe many had with the device was its bulk and the abundance of needless physical keys, but Think pad owners should be used to these nags by now. With these specs though, the tablet is definitely equipped to run Android 4.0, which should just keep the users happy for a long while to come.

Samsung’s First Super Bowl Commercial Set To Star The Galaxy Note

Amy Eichelberg — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:27:20 +0000

While everyone else will be cheering for, or hating on Eli Manning during this year’s Super Bowl, we’ll be secretly waiting for Samsung to launch its first ever Super Bowl commercial. The highly anticipated ad will be a first for the company, and what better device to star in the spotlight, but Samsung’s latest prodigy child-the Galaxy Note. The hybrid device with its 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of memory brags a 5.3 inch screen which makes it more like a mini tablet than a smartphone.

While details surrounding the commercial spot are being held hostage right now, we do know that the ad was directed by Bobby Farrelly who is better known for his work with Dumb and Dumber, and There’s Something About Mary. This commercial better be funny. The Galaxy Note’s 1080p camera is rumored to have shot the ad, but that remains to be seen.The Samsung Galaxy Note is slated for a February 19th launch for $300 with a 2-year AT&T contract.Source