“Mobile” categories

• 3D
• Accessories
• Business
• Cameras
• Cars
• Exclusive
• Gaming
• Hardware
• Internet
• Interview
• Lifestyle
• Opinions
• Retail
• Review
• Rumor
• Security
• Services
• Software
• Tablets
• Whisper

BGR has learned from a reliable source that Microsoft is currently planning to release the company’s full Office suite for not only Apple’s iPad, but for Android tablets as well. The company is targeting November of this year for both launches. Additionally, our source has seen Microsoft Office running on an iPad first-hand and has said that it looks almost identical to the previous leak from The Daily a few months back, despite the fact that Microsoft flat out denied that the app was authentic. It is also plausible that Microsoft Office will be coming to the iPhone and iPod touch rather than only the iPad, as we’re told the loading screen in the app clearly said “Office for iOS” and not just iPad.

Microsoft is betting big on its upcoming Windows 8 operating system, which looks to bridge the gap between smartphones, tablets and desktop computers. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Tuesday called the operating system a “rebirth” of the Windows brand and described it as the ”deepest, broadest and most impactful” Windows software ever created, Agence France-Presse reported. “It’s really, in some senses, a dawning of the rebirth of MS Windows… It’s certainly the most important piece of work we’ve done,” he said at a forum in Seoul, South Korea, adding that an estimated 500 million users will have Windows 8 on next year. The CEO went on to promise the “best economic opportunity” for device makers and app developers who adopt the company’s newest operating system. Microsoft’s Windows 8 is rumored to launch in October, and BGR reviewed Microsoft’s Windows 8 Consumer Preview earlier this year.

UPDATE: A Microsoft spokesperson reached out to BGR and informed us that Ballmer’s comments were based on data that was announced in December regarding the number of Windows 7 devices that could potentially upgrade to Windows 8. The CEO said, “We’ve just passed the 500 million licenses sold mark for Windows 7, which represents half a billion PCs that could be upgraded to Windows 8 on the day it ships. That represents the single biggest platform opportunity available to developers.”

Verizon Wireless on Monday confirmed that the DROID RAZR, RAZR MAXX, HTC Rezound, and DROID 4 will receive global roaming capabilities later this summer, enabling the handsets to access voice and data services in more than 200 countries, Droid-Life reported. “Customers will see a notification on their device when the software update is available for their device,” a Verizon spokesperson said. “After the software update, customers will be able to take their smartphone overseas and use voice service in more than 220 countries and receive data in more than 205 countries.” While the carrier didn’t give a specific timeline, there is a possibility the update may be included with the smartphone’s upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich updates, which are also slated for a summer release.

OmniVision on Tuesday announced the OV16820 and OV16825 smartphone camera chips. The two sensors support up to 16-megapixels and can capture video at a 4k resolution, known as Quad Full High Definition (QFHD), at 60 frames per second. “It was an industry-wide assumption that smartphones would cut into DSC/DVC sales; but at higher resolutions, we’re seeing a very distinct divide between the two markets and both remain strong,” said Devang Patel, senior product marketing manager at OmniVision. “Industry experts have observed that mainstream DSC products are shifting to 16-megapixel resolutions and are offering improved image quality and optics. The OV16820 supports such offerings, allowing DSC/DVC manufacturers to provide consumers a high-resolution, feature-rich point and shoot photography experience, while the OV16825 provides top-tier imaging and video recording capabilities for flagship smartphones.” OmniVision’s press release follows below.

Neal O’Farrell, executive director of the nonprofit Identity Theft Council, spoke about the seriousness of mobile security as part of San Francisco Small Business Week, Cult Of Mac reported. “There were more data breaches than U.S. residents last year and more cases of identity theft than just about all other crimes combined,” O’Farrell said, adding that unless users are encrypting their devices, they are essentially asking for trouble. “You’ve got to wake up [and] protect yourself, even if you use a Mac,” he said, citing the massive Flashback virus that affected more than 600,000 Mac computers. O’Farrell went on to warn that, “Eight out of ten mobile banking apps have security flaws, but Apple and the banks don’t want you to know that.” He didn’t give specifics, but did state, “I’ll wait another 20 years to stick my toe in that pond.” O’Ferrel is a security consultant who has advised organizations including Toyota, Merrill Lynch, Cost Plus World Market and the Bulgarian Government.

The Amazon Appstore was updated on Monday to include the company’s popular Test Drive feature on Android devices. The retail giant previously allowed users to test apps using desktop browsers prior to purchasing them, but now trials can be tested on devices. “Today we begin the beta rollout of Test Drive on Android phones,” Amazon said. “Now customers can instantly try apps on their phone — where a majority of app purchases take place — without downloading or installing anything.” The Test Drive feature is currently available on more than 5,000 apps and is compatible with select Android handsets, however Amazon promises the feature will be rolled out to “many more” devices in the coming months.

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S III smartphone won’t be available in the United States until this summer, but the unlocked international version of the phone is now available for preorder from Amazon in both blue and white. The phone costs $799.99 and it will not support Verizon Wireless or AT&T’s 4G LTE networks, instead relying on AT&T’s HSPA+ network or slower GSM networks for service. The device will feature Samsung’s quad-core Exynos processor, however, which will likely be replaced by a dual-core Snapdragon S4 chipset once the smartphone launches stateside. Unlocked Galaxy S III preorders will be delivered on June 1st according to Amazon, but most users will likely want to wait for subsidized local versions, which will most likely arrive on all four major carriers later this year.

Following a report that Apple is currently testing multiple next-generation iPhone prototypes with a taller Retina display, images of a purported front panel from an unreleased iOS device may provide further evidence that Apple is working on a new iPhone with a larger display. MacRumors on Tuesday published two images of what its unnamed source claims to be the front panel from an upcoming refreshed iPod touch. The opening for the display panel is taller than the one on Apple’s current iPod touch, measuring 4.1 inches diagonally. If the part is authentic, it suggests that the next iPod touch — and Apple’s upcoming sixth-generation iPhone — will include a larger Retina display. The Wall Street Journal and Reuters both reported last week that Apple plans to release a new iPhone this year with a display that measures at least 4 inches. Another image of the purported iPod touch front panel follows below.

Apple’s next-generation iPhone will feature an upgraded high-definition Retina display, according to a report published on Tuesday morning. Without stating where its information came from, 9to5Mac on Tuesday reports that Apple is still testing multiple potential designs for the next-generation iPhone, which BGR reported will launch this fall. The site claims that Apple is still testing several new iPhone models enclosed in locked shells, and at least one of these potential new iPhones includes an upgraded 640 x 1,136-pixel Retina display that measures 3.95 inches diagonally.

Motorola recently updated its Android release timeline and revealed that certain devices will remain on Android 2.3 rather than receiving an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The handsets in question are both modern and more than capable of running the latest Android operating system, however the vendor claims the latest software won’t “improve” the devices, and that’s why updates will not be released. Both the DROID 3 and DROID X2 will remain on Android 2.3, despite the fact that both handsets run dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processors and were released not even a year ago.

Foxconn, the manufacturer of Apple’s iPhones, iPads and Macs, plans to invest $210 million in a new Apple production line in China’s east Jiangsu province in October, according to a report from China Daily. The 40,000 square meter plant will employ as many as 35,800 workers and will be located in Huai’an City. The office of Taiwan Affairs of Huai’an City confirmed that the plant will house a production line for Apple devices and is expected to output between $949 million to $1.1 billion a year. The report did not indicate which Apple products would be assembled at the new plant, however.

Apple’s iPhone 3GS was unveiled nearly 3 years ago in June 2009, and some found its familiar styling and modest hardware upgrades to be disappointing. The handset went on to be Apple’s best-selling smartphone until its successor launched the following year, and the iPhone 4 would be Apple’s best-selling iPhone until the iPhone 4S launched last year and drove the biggest quarter in Apple’s history. The iPhone 3GS will be 3 years and 3 generations old when Apple’s sixth iPhone is unveiled later this year, but one analyst believes the Cupertino, California based company is ready to breathe new life into the handset.

HTC on Sunday announced that some of its smartphones have already been inspected by United States Customs and have been released to carriers. The Taiwan-based vendor hit a roadblock last week when its devices were held up in Customs due to an ongoing legal dispute with Apple. “Each imported HTC model must be reviewed by Customs and will be released once Customs officials have completed the inspection,” the company wrote on its website. “Some models have gone through inspection and been released to our carriers customers. We don’t have the status of each specific device model at this time, but we are working closely with Customs. We remain confident that this issue will be resolved soon.” Earlier reports suggested that HTC is using a custom Android build in the U.S. to dodge the Apple patents in question, which revolve around a “data tapping” functionality.

While I may recommend the iPhone to the majority of people who ask, Android is still my mobile operating system of choice. Google has created a truly amazing and innovative platform, and because it is open-source anyone can tweak it and customize it. Even devices that weren’t meant for Android, such as my HP TouchPad, can run the mobile OS beautifully thanks to dedicated third-party developers. As I spend more and more time with an iPhone, however, I realize that my love for open-source is slowly beginning to fade. While I used to believe open-source would play a huge role in pushing Android ahead of the competition, which it did, I now believe it may end up being the thing that kills it.