HTC may be looking to follow in Samsung and Apple’s footsteps in developing its own processors, according to a rumor from China Times. The Taiwanese vendor has reportedly signed a “memorandum of cooperation” with ST-Ericsson to co-develop a new dedicated chip for low-end smartphones that will come out in 2013. The joint venture will help HTC reduce its reliance on Qualcomm and NVIDIA processors, which are predominantly featured in the company’s current smartphone offerings. HTC, which has seen slumping sales, focused previously on the high-end market. The company’s market share has declined by more than 60% in the past five months, however, forcing the manufacturer to rethink its mobile strategy.

Read

Encroaching into the semiconductor business might not seem the most obvious move for a phone manufacturer that's trying to unify its efforts. Nevertheless, China Times reports that HTC has signed a "memorandum of cooperation" with ST-Ericsson to co-develop a new dedicated chip for low-end handsets coming out next year. Since ST-Ericsson is a fabless chip designer, HTC won't risk getting silicon between its fingernails. Instead, if this agreement is what it seems, the Taiwanese manufacturer may simply want more direct control over its supply chains and to reduce its current reliance on ready-made designs from Qualcomm or NVIDIA. After all, it can't be easy for HTC's new CFO, looking on while others gobbles up those margins.

China Times: HTC wants to develop its own processors for low-end phones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Unwired View  |  China Times (Chinese)  | Email this | Comments

Glassdoor on Friday revealed its latest list of the “Top 25 Highest Rated CEOs of 2012.” Apple’s Tim Cook took the top spot with a 97% approval rating, leading Ernst & Young’s Jim Turley, Qualcomm’s Paul Jacobs and Google’s Larry Page. “I think leadership is doing an amazing job,” said one Apple employee. “We have the best management team anywhere.â€� When Steve Jobs stepped down in August 2011, the late Apple co-founder garnered a cumulative approval rating of 97%, however Cook leads Jobs’s rating of 95% from March 2010 to March 2011. While it has been a tough year for Hewlett-Packard, the company’s new CEO Meg Whitman also made the list with an 80% approval rating, placing her in the  No. 24 spot. Glassdoor bases the list entirely on feedback from anonymous employees who were asked one question — do they approve of the way their CEO is leading the company?

Read

We're still working on our own plans to grab that $10 million Tricorder X-Prize from Qualcomm and our progress has just been given a shot in the arm from Dr. Peter Jansen, who's released the designs for his tricorders. Making all the specifics open source, his Mark 2 model runs on Linux, while the hardware includes an ARM Atmel microcontroller squeezed into a clam-shell with two OLED touchscreens. Schematics, board layouts, and the firmware is all available at the source below and also includes the initial proof-of-concept device. The tricorders need six AAA to run and include sensors for temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, ambient light, distance and even magnetic fields. Dr. Jansen's hope is to make scientists out of everyone -- including your kids. That is, right after they ask you what Star Trek is.

Continue reading Tricorder designs go open source: can detect magnetic fields, reveal Trekkies (video)

Tricorder designs go open source: can detect magnetic fields, reveal Trekkies (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Slashdot  |  The Tricorder Project  | Email this | Comments

Intel in 2011 achieved its highest annual market share in more than 10 years, according to market research firm IHS iSuppli. The chipmaker’s market share increased 2.5 points to 15.6% from 13.1% in 2010. In the same year, the company’s revenue jumped 20.6%, outpacing nearly every other semiconductor supplier in the top-20 with the exception of Qualcomm. The jump represents the highest share Intel has attained since 2001, when the company reached a 14.9% market share. “Intel in 2011 captured the headlines with its major surge in growth,” said Dale Ford, head of electronics and semiconductor research for IHS. “The company’s rise was spurred by soaring demand for its PC-oriented microprocessors, and for its NAND flash memory used in consumer and wireless products. Intel’s revenue also was boosted by its acquisition of Infineon’s wireless business unit. The company’s strong rise helped it to stave off the rising challenge mounted by No. 2 semiconductor supplier Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., which had been whittling away at Intel’s lead in recent years.”

Read

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we've spotted the Lumia 610 in two new colors, and the open source community received new goodies from the likes of HTC, Qualcomm and Samsung. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of March 19th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of March 19th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of March 19th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 19:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

AT&T announced on Thursday that Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich has begun to roll out to the HTC Vivid. The Android 4.0 update also includes Sense 3.6, and it brings the company’s Beats Audio technology to the 4G LTE handset as well. The Ice Cream Sandwich update will deliver advanced voice and text input to the device, along with Face Unlock, UI improvements and improved email. The HTC Vivid is equipped with a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, microSDHC support to add an additional 32GB of storage and a 1,620 mAh battery. AT&T’s press release follows below.

ANDROID 4.0 NOW AVAILABLE TO HTC VIVIDâ„¢ CUSTOMERS

AT&T the First U.S. Carrier to Issue Latest Android Version via Upgrade
Update Includes Beats By Dr. Dre Audioâ„¢ and Updated HTC Senseâ„¢ Experience
Android Upgrades for Several AT&T Devices to Follow

DALLAS, March 22, 2012 – AT&T* today announced the availability of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) for HTC Vivid™ customers.  After installing the software update, customers can now enjoy the optimized audio experience of Beats by Dr. Dre Audio™ and new and improved HTC Sense™ experience.  Information about these features and more can be found at http://www.att.com/vividupdate.  HTC Vivid™ will be the first U.S. smartphone to receive Ice Cream Sandwich as an update and the first to be issued by a wireless carrier.  It will be followed by several other AT&T devices in the coming months:

• LG Nitro
• Motorola ATRIX 2
• Motorola ATRIX 4G
• Pantech Burst
• Pantech Element
• Samsung Captivate Glide
• Samsung Galaxy Note
• Samsung Galaxy S II
• Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

Focused on bringing the power of Android to the surface, Android 4.0 makes common actions more visible and lets you navigate with simple, intuitive gestures. Refined animations and feedback throughout the system make interactions engaging and interesting. An entirely new typeface optimized for high-resolution screens improves readability and brings a polished, modern feel to the user interface.

New User Features for HTC Vivid

Beats By Dr. Dre Audioâ„¢ – Enhance your music and video experience with Beats By Dr. Dre Audio. Whenever a media file is played using the media players or most third party applications, customers will experience richer, more authenic sound. AT&T recently debuted the Beatsâ„¢ by Dr. Dreâ„¢ Beatbox Portable high performance wireless audio system.  The superior portable system and Beats accessories are available at AT&T company-owned stores or online.

Face Unlock – Android 4.0 introduces a completely new approach to securing a device, making each person’s device even more personal — Face Unlock is a new screen-lock option that lets you unlock your device using facial recognition. It takes advantage of the device’s front-facing camera and state-of-the-art facial recognition technology to register a face during setup and then to recognize it again when unlocking the device. Just hold your device in front of your face to unlock, or use a backup PIN or pattern.

How to Upgrade

Beginning today, customers can download the update via Wi-Fi by visiting http://www.att.com/vividupdate. If Wi-Fi is not available, you can download the software upgrade to a PC and install it via sideload. On March 23, HTC Vivid customers who have not downloaded the upgrade will begin receiving an SMS notification of upgrade availability.

ZTE's Tango-running Mimosa gets pictured, benchmarked originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink WMPoweruser  |  WP Dang  | Email this | Comments

Nokia and Microsoft plan to continue their mobile partnership by entering into the tablet race, DigiTimes reported on Monday. According to the publication, Nokia will release a 10-inch Windows 8-powered tablet with a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon chip in the fourth quarter of 2012. “Nokia is expected to outsource production of the 10-inch tablets to Compal Electronics with the first batch of shipments to top 200,000 units,” noted the site’s sources. A Nokia spokesperson previously denied the Finnish vendor’s intentions to enter the tablet market. “We haven’t announced any plans anywhere in the world at this point regarding a potential tablet strategy,â€� the company representative said.

Read

Samsung has a number of new devices on hand at this year’s Mobile World Congress, and one of them was the Galaxy S Blaze 4G set to launch on T-Mobile later this year. We got a chance to check out the Blaze 4G, and we left relatively unimpressed. To be fair, the Blaze is a lightning-fast smartphone on par with a number of recent additions to Samsung’s Galaxy line, but it’s hard to get excited over a phone that is only a modest upgrade compared to T-Mobile’s current Galaxy S II. The Blaze 4G features a 1.5Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, a 5-megapixel camera and Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread. It’s certainly a solid phone but with HTC’s One S heading to T-Mobile in April and Samsung’s full-HD Galaxy S III on the way as well, T-Mobile subscribers looking for the latest and greatest may want to sit tight and wait another month or so. The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G launches in March for $149.99 on contract, and our hands-on photos of the handset follow below.

The chaos of day 0 at Mobile World Congress is finally winding down, and HTC’s action-packed press conference is now behind us. The obvious star of the show was the HTC One X, but there’s no denying that its mid-range counterpart packs a massive punch as well. We just spent some time putting the HTC One S through the paces and first things first: this smartphone is amazingly thin. At 7.9 millimeters, it’s the thinnest smartphone HTC has ever built and it really is amazing that the company managed to pack such high-end specs into a device this slim. Check out our hands-on photos in the gallery below and hit the break for the rest of our initial impressions.

Several ulta-thin smartphones on the market right now feel a bit flimsy and “plasticky,” but that is anything but true with the HTC One S. The case is made of unibody aluminum that has been treated with a plasma coating at extremely high temperatures. The result is a finish that is soft and rubbery, but it’s also light and beyond sturdy. It’s probably one of the best feeling smartphones we’ve ever held, in fact.

While the high-end One X is powered by a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, the One S features a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 chipset. While the difference between the two is big on paper, you wouldn’t know it to handle the phones. Moving around HTC’s Sense 4.0 UI on top of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is lightning fast even with a number of apps running in the background, and switching apps in the vendor’s new 3D task manager is almost instant.

Sense 4.0 is a bit toned down compared to earlier versions of the interface, which a number of Android fans will certainly appreciate. There are some elements from stock Ice Cream Sandwich that we still wish HTC would have retained, however, such as the menu items across the bottom of the home screens. Overall though, Sense 4.0 is very cohesive and the free 25GB of cloud storage courtesy of Dropbox with deep Sense integration is a nice touch.

The 4.3-inch qHD AMOLED display on this phone is very impressive, but even more impressive is the overall size of the handset — it is much more compact than other phones with the same size screen. The 8-megapixel camera is also a huge draw for the One S. It features the same camera as the One X complete with dedicated HTC ImageChip, f2.0 aperture and 1080p HD video recording capability.

The HTC One S is set to launch on T-Mobile in April, and we can’t wait to get our hands on this gorgeous smartphone. In the meantime, be sure to check out the hands-on images in our photo gallery linked above.

The chaos of day 0 at Mobile World Congress is finally winding down, and HTC’s action-packed press conference is now behind us. The obvious star of the show was the HTC One X, but there’s no denying that its mid-range counterpart packs a massive punch as well. We just spent some time putting the HTC One S through the paces and first things first: this smartphone is amazingly thin. At 7.9 millimeters, it’s the thinnest smartphone HTC has ever built and it really is amazing that the company managed to pack such high-end specs into a device this slim. Check out our hands-on photos in the gallery below and hit the break for the rest of our initial impressions.

Several ulta-thin smartphones on the market right now feel a bit flimsy and “plasticky,” but that is anything but true with the HTC One S. The case is made of unibody aluminum that has been treated with a plasma coating at extremely high temperatures. The result is a finish that is soft and rubbery, but it’s also light and beyond sturdy. It’s probably one of the best feeling smartphones we’ve ever held, in fact.

While the high-end One X is powered by a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, the One S features a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 chipset. While the difference between the two is big on paper, you wouldn’t know it to handle the phones. Moving around HTC’s Sense 4.0 UI on top of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is lightning fast even with a number of apps running in the background, and switching apps in the vendor’s new 3D task manager is almost instant.

Sense 4.0 is a bit toned down compared to earlier versions of the interface, which a number of Android fans will certainly appreciate. There are some elements from stock Ice Cream Sandwich that we still wish HTC would have retained, however, such as the menu items across the bottom of the home screens. Overall though, Sense 4.0 is very cohesive and the free 25GB of cloud storage courtesy of Dropbox with deep Sense integration is a nice touch.

The 4.3-inch qHD AMOLED display on this phone is very impressive, but even more impressive is the overall size of the handset — it is much more compact than other phones with the same size screen. The 8-megapixel camera is also a huge draw for the One S. It features the same camera as the One X complete with dedicated HTC ImageChip, f2.0 aperture and 1080p HD video recording capability.

The HTC One S is set to launch on T-Mobile in April, and we can’t wait to get our hands on this gorgeous smartphone. In the meantime, be sure to check out the hands-on images in our photo gallery linked above.

Ever notice how often you lose your TV remote, but how rarely lose track of that social lifeline you call a smartphone? So did the folks at Denmark-based Lumigon, that's why they've put their Scandinavian heads together to build the Lumigon T2, a Android 4.0 smartphone that's also a universal remote control. In addition to this handset's 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 9 megapixel rear facing camera and Bang & Olufsen ICEpower sound, this phone's northern lip can copy commands from remote controls and emulate them using on screen buttons or programmable gestures. Above the T2's 3.8-inch Gorilla glass screen is a dual-action "activity button" that can reportedly be programmed to perform any function the phone has to offer -- like activating an LED flashlight, initiating speed-dial or even turning on and off your TV. Sound pretty sweet? Sure it is -- just don't lose it in the couch. The T2 is scheduled to hit select markets in Europe in Asia later this year, hit the break for the official press release.

Continue reading Lumigon's T2 smartphone wants to control your TV, obey your commands

Lumigon's T2 smartphone wants to control your TV, obey your commands originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Qualcomm's next-generation system-on-a-chip is set to turn up inside consumer devices at the Mobile World Congress—and judging by its rumored speed and integrated LTE technology, it could cause quite a stir. More »

Qualcomm this morning took the wraps off the fifth generation of its Gobi reference platform, which offers up LTE via FDD and TDD networks. It also plays nicely with past favorites, including the likes of HSPA+ and EV-DO, keeping your globe trotting self connected on that skinny laptop, tablet or convertible. The reference platform is designed to work with Windows 8 and Android devices and a number of processors, including, naturally, the San Diego-based company's own dual- and quad-core Snapdragons and good old x86. More information and lots of quotes from big name companies who think the bouncing new baby Gobi is just swell after the break.

Continue reading Qualcomm's fifth gen Gobi unveiled, supports a Lollapalooza of LTE, 2G / 3G bands

Qualcomm's fifth gen Gobi unveiled, supports a Lollapalooza of LTE, 2G / 3G bands originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Verizon, AT&T and any other LTE providers currently rely on 3G networks to carry voice phone calls. In the future, carriers hope to use voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) technology, and Qualcomm recently reached an important milestone on the road to making VoLTE a reality. Qualcomm announced on Thursday that the company had successfully completed the “first voice call handover from an LTE mobile network to a WCDMA network using Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC).” The company, while working with Ericsson, used its own MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 chipset to power the test hardware, and the technology will be demonstrated live at this month’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Read on for Qualcomm’s press release.

Qualcomm Chipset Powers First Successful VoIP-over-LTE Call with Single Radio Voice Call Continuity Successful Completion of a Voice Call Handover from LTE to WCDMA Network Marks Key Milestone in Development of VoLTE

SAN DIEGO – February 02, 2012 – Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that the Company, working with Ericsson, has successfully completed the first voice call handover from an LTE mobile network to a WCDMA network using Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC). An important technology required for voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) support, SRVCC is a 3GPP specified feature that enables continuity of service by seamlessly switching to a WCDMA network when a consumer on a VoLTE call leaves the LTE network’s coverage area. This milestone occurred on December 23, 2011 with an Ericsson network using a handset which incorporated Qualcomm’s Snapdragonâ„¢ S4 MSM8960 3G/LTE multimode processor. A demonstration will be available at Qualcomm’s booth at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain February 27 – March 1, 2012.

“As LTE networks are deployed alongside 3G networks, the ability for multimode 3G/LTE mobile devices to connect to different network technologies will be an important part of providing the best possible mobile voice and data experience to consumers,” said Cristiano Amon, senior vice president of product management, Qualcomm. “Qualcomm is committed to the successful deployment of LTE networks worldwide in conjunction with 3G networks, and the milestone we’ve achieved with Ericsson is another step towards making VoLTE technology a commercial reality.”

SRVCC is the next logical step in the 4G LTE voice roadmap following the commercial launch of circuit-switched fallback technology (CSFB) on smartphones in 2011. CSFB allows a single radio in the handset to dynamically switch from an LTE data connection to a 3G connection when the user needs to make or receive a call. Similarly, SRVCC support enables a single radio in the handset to execute a seamless handover of a voice call from an LTE network to a 3G network. Furthermore, SRVCC and CSFB allow both LTE and 3G network connections to be supported on a single chip, eliminating the need for smartphones to use separate LTE and 3G radios and modems. This allows OEMs to design handsets with lower power consumption and component costs and a smaller size. Given that 3G networks will continue to be deployed in conjunction with LTE networks for quite some time, SRVCC and CSFB are essential to provide a seamless voice experience to customers using LTE multimode handsets once VoLTE is commercially deployed. Qualcomm is committed to ensuring the best voice performance to users in LTE networks through industry-leading CSFB and SRVCC technologies.

Many Japanese thumbs still love that classic ten-button keypad, so they should feel right at home on the newest model in KDDI's designer INFOBAR range. The 3.2-inch, 854 x 480 touchscreen shows off the same tile-based custom UI as last year's A01, once again running on top of Gingerbread and a single-core 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 processor. The rear camera captures eight megapixel stills and HD video, while dual-mode GSM / CDMA connectivity makes it worth taking abroad -- if only so foreigners can remark on its checkerboard aesthetics (available in three different color schemes) and 1Seg TV tuner. Just make sure you're still in Japan on February 3rd, or you'll miss the release. Click onwards for a video tour.

Continue reading KDDI's INFOBAR C01 coming soon: ten keys and very Japanese (video)

KDDI's INFOBAR C01 coming soon: ten keys and very Japanese (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge, Keitai Watch  |  KDDI  | Email this | Comments