Google-branded streaming music device in development, report says

Google is allegedly working on creating a company-branded entertainment device capable of streaming music in multiple locations throughout a person’s home.

The information about the Google-branded device comes from a Wall Street Journal report that cites unnamed people briefed on the project. If true, it would mark the Google’s first attempt at creating a hardware product without the aid of an electronics manufacturing partner. The search giant has historically concentrated its resources on developing web-based … Continue Reading

After a drop in profits, HTC forecasts cloudy quarter ahead

The next quarter will be tough-going for HTC as it tries to recover from its first big profit drop in two years.

HTC reported revenues of NT$101.42 billion (New Taiwanese dollars) for the fourth quarter, but the company projects revenues of up to 36 percent less in the first quarter, from NT$65 billion to NT$70 billion ($2.20-$2.37 billion U.S.).

HTC previously announced that its profits fell in the fourth quarter, so this news is basically … Continue Reading

In light of Facebook’s huge mobile risk, a “Facebook phone” looks like a smart solution

One of the biggest risks Facebook listed in yesterday’s high-profile IPO filing was “mobile.” The company hasn’t quite figured out what to do with advertising on phones, so it could struggle to bring in the bank as more users choose phones over PCs.

But Chris Silva, mobile analyst for Altimeter Group, told VentureBeat that the company has a possible way to help solve this issue: the highly rumored “Facebook phone.”

“If they are taking this … Continue Reading

Apple’s “thermonuclear war” against Android is an expensive dud

This morning, Reuters reported Apple lost an appeal to ban Android tablets in the Netherlands. It’s another failure for an expensive legal strategy that has done nothing to stem the growth of Android’s marketshare in the smartphone and tablet space.

As Dan Lyons reported Monday, Apple is said to have spent as much as $100 million bringing claims against HTC, a Taiwanese manufacturer of numerous Android devices. Of the 84 claims brought to the International … Continue Reading

AT&T announces a slew of LTE 4G devices, plus an API platform for devs

In a bid to catch up with Verizon’s LTE lead, AT&T announced a plethora of new LTE 4G smartphones and tablets today at its annual developer summit — many of which will be exclusive to the carrier.

Additionally, AT&T unveiled its grand plans to court developers with a new API platform, which will make it easier to create compelling apps, together with a new cloud platform dubbed AT&T Cloud Architect.

At the developer summit, which … Continue Reading

Samsung reports record quarterly profit, while HTC sees first big drop in two years

In the epic battle for smartphone dominance among Asian device makers, Samsung is on top with a record quarterly profit, while HTC faced a major blow in the holiday quarter.

Both companies reported their fourth quarter earnings today, but the results couldn’t be more different. Samsung’s operating profit jumped 75 percent to $4.5 billion in the last quarter, while HTC’s net income dropped 26 percent to $364 million.

Samsung admits that its earnings saw a … Continue Reading

Ultra-tough Gorilla Glass 2 debuting next week at CES

Corning, the manufacturer of ultra-tough glass for consumer electronics, will introduce the next generation of Gorilla Glass at the Consumer Electronics Show next week.

The first generation of Gorilla Glass is already featured on popular devices like the iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire and Android phones from Motorola and HTC, so a new form of this scratch-resistant and hard-to-break glass could be a big win for smartphones, tablets, TVs and more.

The company hasn’t yet announced … Continue Reading

Windows Phone LTE plans: Nokia Ace, HTC Radiant, Samsung Mendel coming to AT&T early 2012

If you’re interested in the Windows Phone mobile operating system, but holding out for LTE 4G devices on the platform, you may not have to wait much longer.

Microsoft’s first round of LTE-equipped Windows Phone devices will be headed to AT&T in the first half of 2012, reports WinSupersite’s Paul Thurrott.

The phones, which include the Nokia ACE, HTC Radiant, and Samsung Mendel, will debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month. … Continue Reading

The most interesting phones of 2011: what mattered most in a year of smartphone overload

It seems like every week a must-have smartphone is either announced or released. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to track which phones are actually worth paying attention to and which will be swiftly thrown into the scrap heap of devices nobody cares about.

So, after a year of smartphone overload, we want to look back and see which devices this year actually mattered. Some will be obvious, others less so. But perhaps by paying special attention … Continue Reading

HTC testing new phones to work around Apple patent violation

After taking a major hit in court this week from an Apple patent lawsuit, HTC is already in the process of testing new devices and software that workaround the patent violations.

Two days ago, the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that HTC violated two claims of an Apple patent, which will lead to a ban on infringing HTC devices in April 2012. The ruling only effects HTC-made Android phones at this point.

HTC CEO Peter … Continue Reading

Apple knocks HTC (and Android) on its side with patent victory

Come April 19, 2012, Android-powered HTC smartphones may be a bit harder to find on store shelves in the U.S.

In its final determination, the U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled that HTC violated two claims of an Apple patent — the patent deals with software that turns phone numbers and addresses into actionable links — and has ordered a ban on the import and sale of infringing HTC devices. The ruling goes into effect … Continue Reading

Nokia’s Lumia 800 Windows Phone matters more than you think

While it may not seem like it at first, Nokia’s Lumia 800 is one of the most significant smartphones on the horizon. It may lack the absurdly high-end specs of current Android superphones, and it doesn’t have the hype of Apple’s iPhone, but for Nokia and Microsoft, the Lumia 800 represents the viability of their joint mobile future.

I had a chance to test out a Lumia 800 for a few weeks, which made it … Continue Reading

Siri helps Apple sell 30 million iPhones in Q4, shares could hit $510 (analyst)

Analysts believe Apple is on target to sell 30 million smartphones by the end of the December quarter, beating previous estimates of 28 million phones. Sales of the highly-anticipated iPhone 4S have no-doubt been fueled by Siri, the voice-powered virtual assistant, which appeared in mid-October on the new Apple smartphone.

UBS analyst Maynard Um sees strong sales of Apple’s mobile devices pushing the company’s share value above $510 per share during the next 12 months, … Continue Reading

OnLive launches games-on-demand app for smartphones and tablets

One of the pipe dreams of every gamer is to be able to play console-quality games on tablets and smartphones. Well, that day has come, as you can now use an OnLive app to run full versions of games like L.A. Noire and Batman: Arkham City on an iPad, iPhone, or Android tablets and smartphones.

OnLive is announcing today that it will be able to run console-class games on tablets and smartphones by streaming full … Continue Reading

RIM to take a $485M hit on dismal BlackBerry PlayBook, lowers guidance

Research in Motion will write off an astounding $485 million from lowering the price of its underperforming BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, the company revealed today.

RIM has greatly struggled to keep up with its mobile device peers, especially Apple and Google’s various Android manufacturing partners like Samsung and HTC. The company has said repeatedly that its PlayBook tablet and a new smartphone OS, called BBX, would help lead the company to a new phase of innovation, … Continue Reading

CarrierIQ clicktracking scandal pulls Samsung and HTC into class action suit

Two new victims have been sucked into the growing CarrierIQ click tracking scandal. Handset manufacturers Samsung and HTC have been named in a class action suit along with CarrierIQ, alleging that the company is in violation of federal wiretapping guidelines for illegally intercepting communications from people’s phones.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Chicago yesterday seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages on behalf of all U.S. residents who own handsets running … Continue Reading

HTC hoping to spark consumer interest with new phones in 2012

HTC hopes to re-spark consumer interest with its new line of smartphones in early 2012, despite the company’s poor performance in the global smartphone market this year, reports Reuters.

Future HTC phones will likely focus on LTE technology and run Android Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of the mobile operating system.

In the past few years, HTC saw double-digit growth rate from a number of different phone models, including the Desire, Sensation and Wildfire. … Continue Reading

HTC reconsidering S3 purchase after it loses patent suit against Apple

This isn’t a good week for S3 Graphics. After S3 had its patent dispute against Apple dismissed by the U.S. International Trade Commission earlier this week, the company’s suitor HTC is now having second thoughts about its union.

HTC said that it will “reevaluate” the $300 million S3 purchase, Bloomberg reports — a move that makes clear what the Taiwanese phone maker’s main interest in the company was, and shows just how quickly fortunes can … Continue Reading

iPhone 4S already the second most popular cameraphone on Flickr

Apple’s fast-selling iPhone 4S is now the second-most used cameraphone on the popular photo-sharing service Flickr, according to the site’s Camera Finder page.

The iPhone 4 is actually the most-popular camera of all on Flickr now, but the iPhone 4S has yet to crack the top 5 list of most-used cameras on Flickr, which features traditional cameras like the Nikon D90 and the Canon EOS 5D Mark II in second and third place. But give … Continue Reading

Facebook phone could be available in 18 months, sources say

The rumored Facebook phone is real and will be manufactured by HTC under the codename “Buffy,” anonymous sources have told AllThingsD.

Although the news site doesn’t indicate where its information comes from, it must have more to report, because this is the first of what AllThingsD says will be a week-long series on the mysterious device. The so-called “Facebook phone” has been at the heart of rampant speculation for more than two years, although the … Continue Reading