Google has made another stride towards a unified user experience by bringing the Chrome browser to its mobile operating system. The beta version is only available for smartphones and tablets rocking the latest Android OS, otherwise known as Ice Cream Sandwich, and comes fully equipped with synced settings and bookmarks similar to the desktop version.

With this beta build, users can look forward to a more intuitive  and user friendly mobile view of the tab system. Additionally, Chrome for Android syncs your desktop Chrome history to your mobile device, which makes it easier to pick up where you left off on the go. Users can also expect to see link previews appear just like you would see on any Google desktop search. 

Check out the demo video (above) in action, and tell us what you think about the beta version. Android users can get their hands on the Chrome experience here.

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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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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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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

“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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Galaxy Note root has been made possible thanks to Zerg’s Root Exploit. Zerg’s exploit is one click rooting, so everything should run clean and smooth.

Before You Begin:

• Disclaimer: This procedure has been verified to work without wiping any data from your Galaxy Note; nevertheless, please consider backing up your internal memory before proceeding to root your device!

I. You will need:

1. A Windows PC;
2. The latest drivers for your Samsung Note (Samsung KIES – original webpage);
3. The Zerg’s Root Exploit application (from here)

Make sure you have a decent charge on your battery. I personally would not attempt this with less than 50% battery but I recommend having a fully charged battery just to be safe.

II. Download File:

1. You can find the Zerg’s Root Exploit here;
2. Unzip it into a new folder (on your desktop)

III. Enable “USB Debugging” on your Note:

1. Go to Settings->Applications->Development and select the debugging option;
2. Enable “Unknown sources” from previous menu as well.

IV. Execute the exploit:

1. Go to the folder where you have unzipped the exploit (on your desktop);
2. Double click on “runme.bat” file;
3. You are prompted to connect the phone; connect your Note and press any key for the automated root procedure to start.

V. Reboot:

1. During the process the device will reboot. After reboot, your Galaxy Note is successfully rooted.

Thanks to XDA-Forum and knowmydroid.com for the original posts

However, for anyone looking to take the manual aspect out of the equation, then the FamilyWhere Locate service is where it’s really at. For $10 a month the subscription service will automatically provide location tracking for up to ten devices. Subscribers can then choose to have regular location updates delivered via SMS or email. Anyone excited to sign up or just plain unnerved by this service?  

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Users and visitors to the Google + page can take advantage of regular hosted “hangouts” involving members of Google’s product, engineering, and design teams. Users will be encouraged to ask technical questions.

The new Google + page comes on the heels of the recently released Android Training program. Launched at the end of 2011, the training program was designed to offer tips and guidance for Android app development.Google pledges to maintain both the training courses and the Google+ site with new and current information to aid the developer community.Source

Sounds too good to be true right? Well, don’t just take our word for it- head over to the source link to get your cheap Ice Cream Sandwich thrills on before its too late.

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1. Download the file (link on DroidRZR Forums)
2. Place it on the root of your external SD card
3. Go into Motorola’s Recovery
4. Install .zip from SD card

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• 7-inch touchscreen display
• 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM
• 16GB internal memory
• 4,000 mAh battery
• 5-megapixel primary camera with 2mpx lens on the front
• Mobile hotspot for up to 5 devices (3G)
• Stereo speakers
• Bluetooth, aGPS and WiFi
• Android 3.2

Judging by its specs, this device should be eligible for an ICS update some time in the future, so you wouldn’t be picking up a device that is soon to be outdated either.

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Announced earlier this month by Motorola, the Gingerbread-powered RAZR MAXX is available right now on Verizon for $300 and apart from its humongous battery power, it boasts of a 4.3-inch SuperAMOLED screen, a dual-cored 1.2GHz CPU, 4G network support, 16GB of internal storage further augmented by the 16GB microSD card that is bundled with the device, and a 8MP camera that can do 1080p videos and fill up all that storage in no time.Head over to Verizon if you are interested.

• Updated signal strength meter to 5 bar Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI).
• Screen Timeout issues while connected to Wifi have been resolved.
• Resolved issue with Mobile Hotspot data stalling while multiple users are connected.
• Improved audio quality during voice call.
• Reduced forced closures related to the People application.
• Improved device stability reduces continuous resets.
• Resolved issue with Task Manager stopping Mail background service.

The update should roll out some time soon, and we’ll be here to tell you if it does, so do come back.Source

Judging by the press shots the rugged phone embodies the familiar G-Shock essence with its rubberized exterior and not so pretty looks. We just don’t understand why everything ultra rugged ends up looking ultra ugly too.

If this prototype makes it to production we’re betting Casio just hopes you don’t really cares what your phone looks like when you’re doing incredibly manly things in the woods.Source