In April, Sony announced the S1 and the S2, two tablets expected to launch this fall. Initially we presumed the devices would run Android 3.1, but leaked screenshots obtained by Carrypad suggest the tablets will actually run the newest Android 3.2 Honeycomb iteration of the operating system. Android 3.2 will add a new app-zoom feature and is the last major build expected before Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich OS. We already knew that Sony would be including its Sony PlayStation Suite software on the tablets, but now it appears Sony will add Zinio and an official Chumby application out-of-the-box, too. Unfortunately, it looks like the company used a proprietary charging port as well. AT&T has already promised to carry the S2 but it has yet to name a price or launch date. Read on for a few screenshots from Carrypad.

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On Monday, Huawei officially announced the MediaPad, a 7-inch tablet powered by Android 3.2 (Honeycomb). The MediaPad sports a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 5-megapixel camera, a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video chats, support for HSPA+ and 802.11n Wi-Fi networks, HDMI-out, and a microSD card slot for adding up to 32GB of storage. Huawei also says the MediaPad’s 4,100mAh battery should provide more than six hours of battery life. The MediaPad is expected to launch this fall, although Huawei did not provide a price.

[Via Electronista]

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Stop. Collaborate and listen… Apple’s online web store is down. Blog 9to5 Mac, is reporting that new, Sandy Bridge quad-core iMacs are due later this morning. Furthermore, the site states that the new all-in-one desktop will come in four standard configurations: 21.5-inch, 2.7 GHz quad-core; 27-inch, 2.7 GHz quad-core; 27-inch, 3.1 GHz quad-core; and 27-inch, 3.4 GHz quad-core. The two 27-inch units will ship with the AMD 6770M graphics card while the two 3+ GHz models will ship with a AMD 6970M card; all units will come standard with 4GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive. We should find out later this morning if Apple has anything else up its sleeve.

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It has been a pretty good day for a couple marque iOS applications. This evening, Twitter released an update to its iOS client that adds push notifications for mentions and direct messages along with several other fixes. The press release reads:

Whenever an account that you follow mentions you, you’ll immediately receive a notification. You’ll know who is talking to or about you on Twitter, and you’ll be able to continue the conversation in real-time. Notifications for @mentions will initially be available on SMS and on the latest version of Twitter for iPhone, which you can download today from the App Store.

The post also notes that the company is “working hard to introduce this feature to Twitter for Android and Twitter for Windows Phone.” The official list of changes includes:

Hit the App Store for the new bits.

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It appears as though two additional iPhone model names have surfaced in Apple’s latest iteration of the AppleTV firmware. The two devices — which are listed as iPhone 3,2 and iPhone 3,3 — will presumably have the same form factor as the current iPhone 4 model (unless Apple has decided to do something drastically different with model names) but have some sort of internal tweak(s). What could those tweaks be? It could be anything from an updated processor or antenna design to a… wait for it… CDMA radio. It’s all speculative at this point. Let us know what you think it could be.

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It looks like Sprint is adding the Sanyo Innuendo to its feature phone lineup. The Innuendo, like the Incognito, is a horizontal-flip, full-QWERTY keyboard device with a “concealed external dial pad that glows through the phone’s luxurious mirrored finish and then disappears when not in use.” The device has a 2.8-inch internal display, 1.3-inch OLED external display, 3.2 megapixel camera that can also take video, GPS navigation, proximity sensor, and micro-SD card slot. The device is $49.99 with a 2-year contract or $249.99 at full retail.

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Today in Berlin, Huawei announced the official launch of its affordable, accessible Android 2.2 handset, the Ideos. The Ideos handset comes complete with a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen display (320 x 240), 528 MHz processor, 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera (no flash), HSDPA 3G, Wi-Fi, 3G hotspot capabilities, and a micro-SD card slot. The device carries the “with Google” moniker (which means no Android skinning of any kind) and Huawei touted that Google was heavily involved in the designing of the Ideos. The company elaborated that Google’s direct involvement with the Ideos would ensure its owners OS updates with minimal delay, Nexus One style. The device will be available in mid-October for right around $175 off-contract; no word yet on whether or not this little guy will be coming Stateside. The phone is obviously meant to make an Android 2.2, touchscreen handset available to the masses… time will tell if the masses choose to oblige Huawei’s efforts. 

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This little tidbit ranks pretty high on the rumor Richter scale, but we thought we would pass along the intel anyways. For those of you who like to be hip, and with it, you’ll definitely want to know that Google’s next, next iteration of Android (after Gingerbread) will be called Honeycomb. The scoop comes from technology blog techradar, and the publication writes, “Android Honeycomb will probably be Android 3.1 or Android 3.2, rather than a leap to the unimaginable magic of Android 4.0.” What do you think of the alleged new name?

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Polish site bbnews.pl has published what looks to be the release notes for RIM’s BlackBerry Internet Services version 3.2. Some of the highlights in the new version include: synchronization with Google Calendar, Improved BIS password security, corrected automatic login, improved WAP interface, re-validation of Windows Live accounts, and added Administration Tool functionality for carrier administrators. We’ve got the detailed list ready for your scrutiny after the break. Let us know what you think.

Google Calendar Synchronization

Wireless calendar synchronization with Google Calendar is a feature developed by RIM that allows users to synchronize their device Calendar with their Google webmail Calendar. Synchronization is two-way, meaning users can add, edit, or delete information on the desktop or the device and the info is wirelessly updated respectively. Synchronization with Google Calendar is done wirelessly over the air, meaning users will not have to physically connect their devices to their computers.

If the BlackBerry smartphone is also associated with an email account that uses a BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, the Calendar application on the device will contain entries from both the Google Calendar account and Calendar entries from the email account that uses the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Users cannot synchronize Calendar entries from the account that uses the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and their Google webmail Calendar.

Additionally, Field and Status mapping differences exist between what appears on the device calendar vs. what will appear on the Google Calendar, such as pop-up reminders, which the only reminder type supported with sync (Google Calendar allows for additional options such as SMS reminders). If there are multiple reminders scheduled (which is a Google Calendar option), the reminder closest to the event is the only reminder synchronized with the device.

Enhanced Security

For increased user security, users will now be required to follow a more stringent password policy when setting up (or changing) their BIS account password. With the BIS 3.2 release user passwords are required to be 8-16 characters in place and contain a mix of upper and lower case characters as well as numbers. Previously the policy was that passwords only had to be a minimum of 6 characters.

These new password requirements will help to ensure that email user accounts are not compromised, particularly when an account is being set-up by a carrier representative that may use very basic passwords when setting up a user’s account that, for obvious reasons, may be accidentally duplicated (i.e. password).

Automatic Login Improvements

As part of BIS 3.2, the existing Automatic Login functionality will be updated for an improved experience for users who have a username and password. Previously, BIS users who had a username and password were prompted to enter their credentials whenever they accessed their BIS account from their device. Customers often forgot their credentials, which drove support calls. In BIS 3.2, users who access their BIS account using a username and password on their device without the email setup application (devices running 4.6 handheld software or earlier) will be automatically logged into their BIS account, thus eliminating the need for a user to enter their credentials. This will provide an improved experience for BIS users, and help reduce calls related to forgotten BIS account credentials by extending the Automatic Login behaviour to username/password users.

Note: Users who have a BlackBerry hosted email address (@.blackberry.com), and currently do not have a password assigned to this email address will use their BIS account password for validation actions.

Once BIS 3.2 is released, the user will have to enter their BIS account password (justinBB123) when they make changes to their hosted email address from their device.

*At this time, users who have a username and password and access their BIS account from their BlackBerry using the email setup application will not be affected. The email setup application allows a BIS user to remember their credentials, which also helps eliminate the need for users to remember their credentials

User Interface Changes

Previously, WAP users were not able to view the password for their integrated accounts when switching to a new BlackBerry handheld. In BIS 3.2, WAP users can now display the password, which will help users ensure they are typing the correct password when validating the email address prior to completing the device change process.
1) After insert the SIM card into the new device and selecting ‘Email Settings’, the user is prompted to move their email accounts over to their new device:
2) Selecting ‘Show Password’ will display the password for all the accounts to be validated.

Windows Live Hotmail Revalidation

Currently, users who have integrated a Windows Live Hotmail email address (and are using the MSN/MSP protocol) are required to revalidate their email account every 360 days. Currently, users receive a direct email from BIS 3 days prior to their token expiration, informing them of the need to revalidate their account (and providing instructions).

In BIS 3.2 an additional email will be sent to users 1 day prior to their token expiration with the same message that will link to a KB article with written and video instructions for how to revalidate their account

*Does not apply to users who have integrated a Windows Live Hotmail email address and use the POP protocol

BlackBerry Email Administration Tool

As part of BIS 3.2, carrier administrators will now be able to perform BlackBerry Protect remote administration commands from within the BlackBerry Email Administration console. The four BlackBerry Protect functions that carrier administrators will be able to perform on behalf of BlackBerry users (who have a BlackBerry Protect account) are: activate a loud ring on the user’s device, lock the user’s device, create a message that will be displayed on the main screen of the user’s device and backup the information on the user’s device:

• Loud Ring
  • Makes the device ring for 1 minute
  • Sets the device profile to “Loud”
• Display Message
  • Allows a carrier administrator to update the homes screen of the BlackBerry to display a message. i.e. If found, please contact me at 123-456-7890
• Lock Device
  • If a password is already set on the BlackBerry, carrier administrators will be able to lock the device using the existing password
  • If a password is not set, carrier administrators will be able to lock the device using an automatically generate a new password. The user will be able to retrieve the new password by logging in to BlackBerry Protect website.
• Back Up Device
  • Initiates a backup of all supported BlackBerry Protect data

Requirements:

• The end user must already have BlackBerry Protect installed and be logged in on their device for these features to be available in the BlackBerry Email Administration console.
• Users must have a BIS account

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You guys know how much we love gadgets. You also know how much we like giving them away so other people that ordinarily might not purchase one can get one. This time is no different, and we’re giving away an Apple iPhone 4 32GB unit! Want to enter? We never make it difficult! Here are the rules:

• To officially enter into the giveaway, drop a comment below explaining how badly you want a new iPhone 4 and why!
• Also, if you use Twitter, shoot us a follow! Our username is @BGR.
• We’ll run the giveaway for a little over a week, until Sunday, July 2nd at 11:59PM
• Please enter once and only once, multiple entries will disqualify you

That’s it! Just drop in a comment, follow us on Twitter, and you’re entered.

Good luck.

There’s nothing extraordinarily fancy about Sony Ericsson’s newly announced T715, but it should handle everything you could possibly throw at it — as long as you don’t need a QWERTY keyboard or a proper smartphone. The new slider features a 2.2-inch QVGA screen that SE claims will be visible in direct sunlight (pretty nifty if it actually works). Slap on a capable 3.2 megapixel shooter, Google Maps, AccuWeather and Microsoft Exchange support and you have yourself the winner of just-above-averageness. Best of all, it will be available in European and American versions with 3G support for both. Woo hoo! Q3 of this year is as close as we have to a release date for the time being — anyone looking forward to it?

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