LG Prada 3.0 receives Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update in Germany and Italy

 
Italy, the losing finalists in the recently concluded Euro 2012 championships, as well as Germany who lost to Italy in the semi-finals, have at least something to cheer about – both countries will have owners of the LG Prada 3.0 receive the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update. This is definitely a jump up from the Android 2.3.7 version when it rolled out via T-Mobile UK in February earlier this year.

This is not a simple Over The Air (OTA) update, so you will need to be extra careful. First of all, you will need to plug your LG Prada 3.0 smartphone into a Windows-powered computer, and then fire up the LG Mobile Phone Support tool which works only in a Windows environment. For folks who are rocking to the Mac platform, that means you will still need to find someone else who owns a Windows PC. The entire updating process on the LG Prada 3.0 will require just a few minutes of your life, but as usual, a backup of all your data comes across highly recommended before you start anything. After all, you can never quite tell just when Murphy and his law will strike.

UK judge rules HTC doesn't violate Apple's patents, invalidates Cupertino's claims

 Well, Apple had a few legal victories over the last couple of weeks, but it's just been handed a significant defeat by Judge Christopher Floyd. The UK court handed down a ruling that HTC does not violate four Apple patents, including the infamous slide-to-unlock claim. What's more, the judge ruled that three of the four patents in question were not valid, among them the aforementioned unlocking design. The only one of the four patents that stood at the end of the day was related to scrolling through images in the photo management app, but HTC did not infringe upon the claim. This follows the ITC refusing an emergency ban on HTC products in the US. Don't think you've heard the last of slide-to-unlock, however. As HTC, Apple and Samsung have repeatedly shown, they're just as interested in competing in the court room as they are on store shelves (if not more so).

Oppo Finder 6.65mm Android Smartphone

 

Measuring at just 6.65mm thin, the Oppo Finder is claimed to be one of the ultra-thin Android Ice Cream Sandwich smartphones in the world. The Oppo Finder is currently available for pre-order in China for 2,498 Yuan ($393). For your info, the Oppo Finder features a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a 1GB of RAM, a 16GB of internal storage space, a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. [Product Page]

GSmart M1420, M1320, G1362, G1342

The Computex computer trade expo, held annually in Taipei, is one of the largest computer and technology trade shows om the world and it's only logical that smartphones will be there as well. Gigabyte has taken the opportunity to announce several new dual-SIM-capable smartphones, all as part of their GSmart ICS lineup. The GSmart M1420 features a 4.3-inch screen with WVGA resolution, it has a 1 GHz processor and an 8 MP camera, alongside 1.3 MP front-facing one. It has Wi-Fi b/g/n and Bluetooth support, and runs on the Mediatek Cortex A9 MT6575 chipset. The GSmart M1320 has a slightly smaller 3.5 inch screen, although with the same 480 x 800 resolution as the M1420. It runs on a 1 GHz processor, and has 4 GB of storage complete with 512MB of RAM, a 3 MP camera alongside Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The GSmart G1362 has a 4.3 inch touchscreen and is powered by a 1.2 GHz processor. It has 4 GB of internal storage, 512MB of RAM, and a 5 megapixel camera complete with front-facing VGA snapper. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 are also available. Gigabyte also showed off the smaller GSmart G1342, which we've known about for a while now. It's also a dual-SIM device, and has an 800 Mhz processor, 1 GB of storage and 512 MB of RAM. No word on market availability or launch dates yet. Source

XOLO X900 Intel Medfield-powered Android Smartphone Released In India

The XOLO X900 Intel Medfield-powered Android smartphone is now available for purchase in India. For your info, the smartphone features a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2460 SoC, a PowerVPR SGX540 GPU, a 4.03-inch display with a 1024×600 pixel resolution, a 1GB of RAM, a 16GB of internal storage, HSPA+ connectivity and NFC. It has an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p Full HD video recording capability and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls. The XOLO X900 runs on the Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS. The XOLO X900 is priced at INR 22,000 or around $423. [Ubergizmo]

Xiaomi Sells 150,000 MIUI Android Smartphones In Less Than 15 Minutes In China

150,000 Xiaomi MIUI Android smartphones have been sold in the Chinese market in only 12 minutes and 41 seconds earlier today. Priced at just 1,999 Yuan ($317), this affordable smartphone is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor with MIUI’s third-party Android user interface, a 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel autofocus camera and a 1,930mAh battery. Too bad, the Xiaomi MIUI is available only in China. [Unwiredview]

Orbis Dual SIM Android Smartphone

Getting yourself a new dual SIM Android smartphone? Why don’t you take a look at this newly launched Orbis from Chinavasion. Priced at only $89.91 unlocked, the handset offers a 3.2-inch 800 x 480 resistive touchscreen display, a 416MHz processor, a 256MB RAM, a 212MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot (up to 16GB), dual GSM SIM card slots, a 2MP rear-facing camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 1500mAh battery and runs on Android 2.2 OS. [Product Page]

Micromax Superfone A50 Ninja Android Smartphone

Indian handset manufacturer Micromax has introduced a new Android smartphone to its range called the Superfone A50 Ninja. The handset features a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen display, a 650MHz single-core processor, dual SIM card slots, a 2MP rear-facing camera and runs on Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread OS. The Superfone A50 Ninja will retail for Rs 4,999 (about $95). [Softpedia]

StyIAir Novus Dual SIM Phone

Check out this newly added dual SIM phone ‘StyIAir Novus’ to Chinavasion’s product page. The handset comes with a 3.2-inch 320 x 240 resistive touchscreen display, a 208MHz MTK6235 processor, a 128MB RAM, a 72MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot (up to 8GB), dual GSM SIM card slots, a 0.3MP front-facing camera, a 1.3MP rear-facing camera, WiFi, Bluetooth and a 1200mAh battery. The StyIAir Novus can be yours for just $74.92 unlocked. [Product Page]

MasDroid Dual SIM Android Smartphone

Chinavasion is offering you their latest dual SIM Android smartphone, the MasDroid. The handset packs a 4.0-inch 800 x 480 capacitive multi-touch display, a 640MHz processor, a 256MB RAM, a 512MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot (up to 16GB), two GSM SIM card slots, a 0.3MP front-facing camera, a 3MP rear-facing camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 1500mAh battery and runs on Android 2.3 OS. The MasDroid can be yours for just $181.40 unlocked. [Product Page]

The Zopo ZP200 is an affordable 3D phone from China

In terms of glasses-free 3D smartphones, we have the HTC EVO 3D and the LG Optimus 3D, both of which were released last year although the LG is currently the only one with a successor. We guess the novelty of a glasses-free 3D experience on your smartphone did not really take off, but that has not stopped a Chinese company from releasing a 3D phone of their own in the form of the Zopo ZP200. The device sports a 4.3x960×540 display, soft keys, a rear-facing 8MP camera, a 0.3MP front-facing camera, dual-SIM card slots and is running on the MTK MT6575 chip and will come with Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread preloaded, although it seems that the manufacturer has promised that an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will be made available at a later date. The Zopo ZP200 is expected to go on sale come mid-April for a somewhat affordable $299, although we're guessing that you'll be hard pressed to find it on sale outside of China.

ThingSling Review

I'll admit that when I saw the ThingSling for the first time, I was not impressed – a small strap for the back of your phone? More basically – something else somebody wants to stick on my phone? I already have a case that demands I adhere some micro-Velcro to it, and a car mount that needs a metal disk stuck on there, now a strap? Come on. However, I am really pleased to tell you that the ThingSling is actually a cool item! The packaging is pretty minimal – a cellophane sleeve and cardboard insert holds the ThingSling in a rather clever way, and there is also a small instruction sheet (English only) included that makes use and installation pretty clear. Their website is well done and supportive – if there is any question the instructions do not answer, the site will. The package also includes an alcohol wipe to prep the attachment site – everything you need to get it on quickly. The ‘made in the USA' ThingSling itself is basically two components. There is a 2.5″ x 3x4″ ‘bowtie'-shaped plastic piece that sticks to the phone with a 3M adhesive and anchors the strap, and the short, less than 1x2″ wide elastic strap. The unit is stuck in the package in such a way that as soon as you take it out, it is ready to go with no other protection on the adhesive. This is great if you are ready for it, but if you remove it prematurely, you may accidentally set it down while you prep the phone or something. The unit currently comes in black and white, but the colors and shapes may evolve over time. ThingSling on my Samsung Epic 4G phone It does not add much thickness The instructions recommend placing the ThingSling on your middle finger and finding the ‘right' place for it to stick to. While I understand the theory here, in actual use I find that I would prefer it in a slightly different location depending on what I am doing, so a neutral ‘middle, bottom half' location seems to work best for me. Place it, press it for about 30 seconds, and done. It will cure for about another 24 hours or so. It is also removable as long as you take it easy and gently pry it off. Mine came off with no problems at all. Two things to note: My favorite finger position Front view of my favorite position Holds it pretty nicely, eh? OK, I installed it. Now what? Now it is almost like the phone is Velcroed to your finger! I use my phone a LOT to read ebooks, etc. With the ThingSling, I can read, get up and do something – even carry stuff – without either putting the phone down or actually holding it. Sure, the inventor designed it for hiking and sailing and other active things, but it has shown itself to be handy for much more mundane situations. In the last few days, I ended up using it in a lot of commonplace ways: Changing from computer to reading chair without actually holding it Getting up to get drinks, use the bathroom, or fetch something – again, without actually holding it or having to drop it in a pocket Laying in bed and reading without actually holding the phone, just letting my arm rest propped on a pillow Fall asleep reading, and have the phone stay safe and handy Checking weather and notifications walking to my car – one-handed and secure – while also fumbling for my keys and such, while carrying stuff Surfing the web while holding the phone, and being able to do both comfortably It is not perfect. It adds a little thickness (about the same as 2 quarters) and does not work with fabric or silicone cases. It also may conflict with other things on the back of your phone, like my already mentioned metal disk for the magnetic car mount. On the other hand, for only $12.95, it is a pretty cool accessory! ………………………………………………………………………………….. Now, for something completely different. I mentioned the metal disk on my phone for a cellphone mount. I use Honda cellphone magnets to not only mount my phone in my 2003 Honda Element, but I also use on on top of the dashboard to hold decorative things. But, I was not 100% happy with the cell phone mounting location – did not do horizontal well and was not in a good place for GPS use. I had a brilliant idea – combine the magnetic mount with the ThingSling! Angle iron, wheelchair brake knob, padding, and Honda cell phone magnetic mount I took a piece of 2″ angle iron, like you would use to support a shelf, and slipped a wheelchair brake knob over the ‘upright' arm to add some bulk and prevent sliding back off. Then I cut off about half of the horizontal leg and added a little rubber padding to it to prevent slipping. Now, the bracket can sit on the magnet, and the phone sits on the bracket! It is not very level since the ThingSling is on the bottom half of the phone, but it holds it well, and is easy to adjust. It is also the perfect location for GPS use, etc.! I can even use the bracket without the magnet as a small stand for the phone to watch movies, etc. hands-free. As a quick GPS mount Not too bad, huh? Lots of added value to the ThingSling for about $1.50 worth of parts (A bit more if you don't have a handy bin of wheelchair parts around.)

Halcyon Dual SIM Android Smartphone

Here we have another dual SIM Android smartphone from Chinavasion, the Halcyon. Priced at just $78.28 fully unlocked, the handset packs a 2.6-inch 320 x 240 resistive touchscreen display, a 416MHz processor, a 271MB RAM, a 256MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot (up to 16GB), dual GSM SIM card slots, a convenient numeric keypad, a 0.3MP front-facing camera, a 0.3MP rear-facing camera, WiFi, a 1000mAh battery and runs on Android 2.2 OS. [Product Page]

Acer CloudMobile hands-on at MWC 2012

Tucked away in the dark corners of the Google booth at Mobile World Congress, amidst several miniature hubs inhabited by all types of various companies, is a stand dedicated to all things Acer. Included as part of the selection was the CloudMobile, the proud owner of a coveted iF Product Design award. So were we that impressed by its trophy-winning feature? Yes and no. It's not tough on the eyes by any stretch of the imagination, especially given its fancy textured back and curvacious construct, but we have a difficult time declaring this to feature the best design of the show, nor is it necessarily much of a ground-breaker. The build quality itself doesn't quite hold a candle to what you'll experience on something like the ceramic-like aluminum treatment used on the HTC One S, but yet doesn't feel like it will smash into a million pieces if we give it the 'ol heave-ho.But perhaps the CloudMobile earned the honors by producing a respectable internal design: it offers a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon chipset and 4.3-inch 720p HD display, for instance, and that panel is absolutely stunning with great viewing angles. We weren't allowed to view any part of the OS beyond the lock and a couple home screens, no doubt due to the model's pre-production firmware, so we'll need to leave our impressions of the UI for another time. From what we can tell, it will definitely be offering a customized skin, though it's unclear to what extent that will shine through in the final production version, still due to come out sometime in Q3.

Condor Dual SIM Android Smartphone

Here we have another dual SIM Android smartphone from Chinavasion, the Condor. The handset offers a 3.5-inch 800 x 480 capacitive multi-touch display, a 680MHz processor, a 256MB RAM, a 458MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot (up to 16GB), dual GSM SIM card slots, a 0.3MP front-facing camera, a 3MP rear-facing camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 3.5mm headset jack, a 1600mAh battery and runs on Android 2.3 OS. The Condor can be yours for just $159.94 fully unlocked. [Product Page]

Gigabyte GSmart G1355 Dual-SIM Android Smartphone

Gigabyte has unveiled its new dual-SIM Android smartphone namely the GSmart G1355. Powered by the Google Android 2.3 OS, this GSM phone features an 800MHz Snapdragon single-core processor, a 4.3-inch (480×800) touchscreen display, HSPA-based 3G and a 5-megapixel digital camera. Its battery provides enough juice for up to 6-hour of talk time. [Androinica]

Alcatel OT-915 Android smartphone is headed to the UK

Alcatel may have been known back in the day for their feature phones (although they probably weren't considered feature phones back then), but it looks like the manufacturer may be trying their hand (again) at the smartphone market with the OT-915 Android smartphone that will be making its way into the UK. The company tried their hands at an Android smartphone last year during MWC with the Alcatel OT-990, but it looks like they might be back again at MWC with the OT-915 (pictured above) which supposedly managed to get its photo leaked on the way to the UK. However if you were expecting a high-end Android handset, you might be disappointed although we're guessing its Blackberry-esque keyboard might be of interest to those who prefer physical keys. The OT-915 will sport a 2.8" display with a resolution of 240×320, a 5MP rear-facing camera, WiFi connectivity with support for FM radios and unfortunately it will come with Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board. If we had to guess, it seems unlikely that Alcatel will be pushing Android 4.0 out to the OT-915. Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but the Alcatel OT-915 is expected to be made available in the UK before the end of the year – rather vague if you ask me.

Gigabyte GSmart G1355 dual-SIM Android phone launching end of the month

If you've always wanted to get your hands on a dual-SIM capable Android smartphone, Gigabyte might have something in store for you in the GSmart G1355 dual-SIM Android smartphone. As far as its specs are concerned, the Gigabyte GSmart G1355 will sport a 4.3" WVGA display, but beyond its large screen, the rest of its specs seems to indicate that it will most likely be launched as a low-end Android handset, which means that its accompanying price tag should be wallet friendly. Underneath the hood, the GSmart G1355 will feature a 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7227T processor with 512MB of RAM and an Adreno 200 GPU. It will also come with a 5MP rear-facing camera, a microSD card slot and will run on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. No word on pricing but the handset is expected to launch at the end of the month, which means there is a good chance we could be seeing the Gigabyte GSmart G1355 make an appearance at MWC 2012.

Alcatel OT-915 with Android and QWERTY keyboard gets leaked on its way to the UK

Alcatel is still trying. Still trying to make a name for itself in the very competitive smartphone world. Last year during MWC, it showcased the OT-990, which only got a limited release a long time after. This year, the company's back, apparently, and will have a new phone to show us at MWC once again. This time, it's going to be the OT-915. This has a touchscreen, like the OT-990, but it also comes with a portrait QWERTY keyboard sitting nicely right underneath that screen, BlackBerry-style. The touchscreen will be a 2.8-inch unit, and its resolution will be 240×320, clearly establishing the OT-915′s place in the ‘affordable smartphone' category. It will be 11.9 mm thick, and will run Android 2.3 Gingerbread – a largely unskinned install, though it is a pity that Alcatel chose to ignore the newer Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Docomo announces Cloud-based Translator Phone

DOCOMO's ability to deliver highly valued-added smart-pipe services via the cloud is about to take on a whole new meaning when it launches an on-demand translator-phone service! Using this unique mobile cloud service, a customer will simply speak into their phone and the other receiver will hear the message interpreted promptly into the language of their choice. Trials have shown that the average processing time takes just about two seconds, fast enough for a reasonably natural conversation under the most unnatural of conditions, i.e., two people conversing easily without understanding each other's language! DOCOMO and some 400 monitors are testing the service in Japan now through March 2012. Tourist facilities, retail companies and hospitals also are participating. The trial system, which interprets Japanese and English, has about 90 percent accuracy in understanding what users say in Japanese. Accuracy for English is about 80 percent at present. If all goes well, a commercial service will be offered to customers after fiscal 2012. Chinese and Korean services are already available to customers, and other languages will be introduced sequentially. Potential applications are envisioned in fields such as tourism, retail, health care and education.