Both Samsung and Apple may be eyeing a new waterproofing technology for the companies’ next-generation smartphones. The technology, called HzO, creates a nano-scale film barrier with a special water repelling properties that is applied to the inside of a device. Rather than having consumers use a case or sealant, the technology is applied during the manufacturing process. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, ZAGG, the company marketing the technology, applied HzO to a number of devices and repeatedly dunked them into a fish tank full of water. ZAGG is looking to sign big deals with all leading manufacturers, and according to Pocket-lint, the company is in the process of signing deals with a major smartphone partner and a headphones maker in the very near future. “We showed the Samsung Chairman the technology with a Samsung Galaxy S that we had coated with HzO and he couldn’t believe his eyes,” a company representative told Pocket-lint. “Samsung is really excited by the tech.” The company is also in the process of talking to Apple, hoping the Cupertino-based company will make future versions of its iPhone waterproof. ”We expect HzO to be in next season’s phones,” said a ZAGG representative. Videos of HzO in action follow after the break.

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During the Consumer Electronics Show, Samsung announced that the company is working on merging its Bada mobile operating system with the open-source Tizen operating system. “We have an effort that will merge bada and Tizen,” said Tae-Jin Kan, senior vice president of Samsung’s Contents Planning Team, in an interview with Forbes. While he wasn’t aware when the work would be complete, Kang indicated that is has already begun. Read on for more.

The Tizen operating system is open-source and backed by Intel and the Linux Foundation. When the Bada integration is complete, Tizen will support programs written with Samsung’s Bada SDK, including both new and previously published apps.

Samsung is currently the second-largest cellphone maker in the world, with devices powered by four major operating systems. By focusing on its own operating system, Samsung would have more control over its devices and a greater opportunity to differentiate its products from its competitors. By merging the two operating systems, Samsung hopes existing bada developers will transition to Tizen.

At least one or two Tizen-powered devices will be released by Samsung this year, however the company does not plan to abandon Android or Windows Phone. “Tizen will not become Samsung’s main operating platform anytime soon,” said Kang.

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At the Consumer Electronics Show on Thursday, Texas Instruments showed off the company’s OMAP 5 chipset in a reference platform running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The 28nm system on a chip (SOC) features a dual-core ARM Cortex A15 CPU, 2MB L2 cache, a PowerVR SGX 544MP2 GPU and a dual-channel LPDDR2-533 memory interface. The OMAP 5 supports 24 and 20-megapixel cameras for front and rear 3D HD video recording. It also supports up to 8GB of dual channel DDR3 memory, and includes 3 USB 2.0 ports and a SATA 2.0 controller. “This is the greatest platform on Earth right now… way ahead of Apple, and it’s the first Cortex-A15 (which runs 2x faster than the Cortex-A9) product on the market,” Texas Instruments vice president Remi El-Ouazzane told Engadget. ”When running two Cortex-A15 chips at 800MHz, it’s more or less the same performance as running two Cortex-A9s at 1.5GHz. We’re working on multiple form factors — tablets, thin-and-lights — and we think ARM is going to bring tablets to the masses.” The first devices featuring the OMAP 5 chipset aren’t expected to ship until late 2012 or early 2013.

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The Consumer Electronics Show is one of the biggest technology trade shows in the world, and this year’s CES was as big as it has ever been. It was estimated that between 140,000 and 150,000 people attended the show in Las Vegas this week — CES’s record stands at 149,529, achieved last year — and the show was as busy as we’ve ever seen it. Hundreds of companies touted thousands of gadgets and all of the big names were there showing off their upcoming wares. As is always the case, however, a few products managed to outshine the rest. Here, we provide a quick rundown of our favorite tech from CES 2012.

As is common here at CES, TVs took center stage. Big-name brands come to the show in full force every year, each trying to push boundaries and innovate in one of the most crowded spaces in consumer electronics. This year was bigger than ever for ultra-thin HDTVs that were slimmer and brighter than ever before, and we saw a renewed vigor surrounding “smart TVs,” which provide integrated connectivity and app support. While it was a great show all around for TVs, two companies in particular really wowed us this year.

Samsung came to the show packing plenty of new TV tech, but the gorgeous panels on its Super OLED HDTVs blew us away. The South Korea-based vendor’s new displays are remarkably bright, the colors are incredibly vivid and designs are beautiful. Samsung has helped make HDTVs something of an art, and anyone would be proud to display one of the company’s new Super OLED TVs at the center of his or her living room.

The other company that came out swinging this year was LG. Its 55-inch OLED TV was the only unit we came across that could possibly give Samsung’s new models a run for their money, offering a slender borderless design and an infinite contrast ratio. It also uses LG’s Color Refiner technology to produce a picture that is beyond stunning. In an effort to get the jump on a potential new competitor, Samsung, LG and others also showed off voice controls, face recognition and other new features. It was interesting to see how these companies plan to cut Apple off at the pass, especially considering its Siri-fueled HDTV is nothing more than a rumor at this point, but we’re looking forward to seeing motion and voice-based controls become commonplace in the living room.

While the most exciting smartphone-related announcements of the year typically happen at Mobile World Congress and the CTIA Wireless show, there were a handful announcements made at CES 2012. HTC, outed the Windows Phone-powered Titan II, Motorola had two new smartphones on hand — the DROID 4 and DROID RAZR MAXX for Verizon Wireless — and Sony Ericsson unveiled the Xperia ion and Xperia S, among others. When all the dust settled however, the smartphone we found ourselves most excited about at this year’s show was Nokia’s Lumia 900 for AT&T.

Nokia’s first flagship Windows Phone for the U.S. market is a stunner, offering the same unique design as the Lumia 800 but on a larger scale. The sleek smartphone will hit AT&T in March featuring a 4.3-inch ClearBlack display, a 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor, 4G LTE and Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system. We took a hands-on look at the Lumia 900 and suffice it to say we can’t wait for Nokia to begin shipping review units.

The ultrabook was also a hot item this year, with a number of vendors looking at the high-margin slim notebook as a far more appealing alternative to netbooks of old. But it wasn’t just netbooks being replaced by these slender Wintel laptops, tablets took a huge hit this year as well.

At last year’s Consumer Electronics Show, more than 100 new tablet models were unveiled as vendors from around the world looked to capitalize on a new market created by Apple’s iPad. Only, that didn’t happen. Android was the king of the slate during CES 2011 but at this year’s show, Android tablets felt like a distant memory. Only a handful of new Google-powered tablets were unveiled by companies like Toshiba and ViewSonic, and Samsung had a new version of its 7-inch Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless on display.

Despite Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich now being available to vendors, many look to be focused on Windows 8 as the more promising tablet platform. Microsoft has made it quite clear that tablets and convertible, touchscreen-equipped notebooks are a huge part of the strategy with its next-generation operating system. With big chip makers like Intel and Qualcomm confirming that Windows 8 will be a major focus, a number of tablet makers appear to be looking forward to Windows 8 as opposed to backward at Android when it comes to future tablet efforts.

In the end, CES 2012 got us excited about the tech we’ll see rolled out over the next six months, and even more excited about what we’ll see emerge further down the line. Always on, always connected, ultra-thin, ultra-portable, slim, sleek and stylish… this is the future of consumer electronics. Thanks to all of our great readers for tuning in this past week, and thanks to Verizon Wireless and Novatel for creating the only 4G LTE Mi-Fi portable hotspots that could manage to keep us connected reliably, the CEA for putting together another amazing show, Sprint, Nokia and others for hosting great events, and LensRentals.com for providing BGR with the cameras and gear that made our coverage possible.

Motorola Mobility had quite a presence at the Consumer Electronics Show this year. It launched two brand new high-end smartphones, the DROID 4 and the DROID RAZR MAXX, and Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha also announced that Motorola will become a partner with Intel for its new Medfield processors. The Motorola booth was packed with all of its new technology, as well as a number of products that launched earlier this year. There were even people riding bikes and running on treadmills to show off the company’s exercise-friendly accessories. The booth also had demo stations for testing nearly all of Motorola’s current products, from its MOTOACTV watch to its smartphone docks, tablets and more. Check out all the highlights from Motorola’s CES 2012 booth in our gallery below.

Last summer, Huawei’s MediaPad was one of the first manufactures to ship a device pre-loaded with Android 3.2 Honeycomb. The Chinese company is now attempting a similar strategy with the release of Ice Cream Sandwich. Existing models of the MediaPad will receive an Android 4.0 update by the end of the first quarter, and new MediaPads will come pre-loaded with the software beginning some time the first quarter. Additionally, the tablet will be offered in the current color scheme, and will add shadow black, classic brown, and passion pink to the mix. The MediaPad features a 7-inch 1280 x 800-pixel display that supports 1080p full HD video playback, a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor and six hours of battery life. Read on for the company’s full press release.

Huawei’s MediaPad Now Comes with Android 4.0

Huawei also unveils new MediaPad color series, operating on Android 3.2

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today announced that the Huawei MediaPad is now one of the world’s first tablets to come pre-loaded with the new Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. First launched in June 2011, the original MediaPad was the world’s first 7-inch Android 3.2 tablet. This latest version of the MediaPad once again provides users with the very latest Android experience, along with access to the newest and hottest services and apps available in the Android marketplace.

Huawei also unveiled its new MediaPad color series – fashionable MediaPads in three new colors: shadow black, classic brown, and passion pink and running on Android 3.2. Both MediaPad versions have a high-quality display, with screen resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels at 217 PPI and supporting 1080P Full HD video playback. Additionally, they come with a Qualcomm dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and have a battery capacity of six hours or more.

“In a tablet market defined by staid black and white tablets, the new colorful MediaPad offers a personalized look without the need for an external case,” said Richard Yu, Chairman, Huawei Device. “With a hardware package that includes a high-quality screen, a powerful dual-core processor, and long battery life, these colorful MediaPad embodies a rare combination of style and performance.”

Huawei’s new MediaPad color series and the MediaPad with Android 4.0 will be available in selected markets in the first quarter of 2012. Existing MediaPad owners will receive an OTA Android 4.0 upgrade to their tablets by the first quarter of 2012.

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Microsoft had a massive booth at the Consumer Electronics Show this year. It was home to brand new laptops, a huge array of Windows Phone devices, demo stations for Xbox 360 and SkyDrive, and plenty more. Sadly, however, there were no Windows 8 devices on display to give show-goers a closer look at Microsoft’s next-generation operating system. We love Windows Phone in its current state and it seems like we aren’t alone; there were tons of people gathered around the phones playing with them and it looked like plenty of people were impressed, too. Whether or not this new wave of enthusiasm will translate into sales remains to be seen, of course. There were plenty of other sights to see in Microsoft’s booth, so be sure to check out our full gallery below.

On Tuesday, Intel announced that it was entering the smartphone space and that Lenovo will be the first vendor to introduce a smartphone powered by Intel’s Medfield processor. Intel also had its manufacturer reference design on display at CES however, which we had a chance to play with. The current device runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and felt just as fast as other high-end smartphones we’ve played with recently, such as the DROID RAZR MAXX. The device was extremely thin and is capable of taking 15 8-megapixel photos in a single second — something no other mobile processor can handle at this point. Intel explained that the reference design is used to show manufacturers what Medfield is capable of, but that manufacturers can and likely will add their own tweaks to their devices. Motorola Mobility announced on Tuesday that it has entered into a multi-year partnership with Intel, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see the first Medfield-based smartphones hit store shelves later this year. Check out our gallery below for a closer look at the reference device.

At the Consumer Electronics Show, Google’s executive chairman Eric Schmidt spoke about the idea of fragmentation in Android. Schmidt argued that while there is a “differentiation” between Android devices, it isn’t the same as fragmentation. “Differentiation is positive, fragmentation is negative,” said Schmidt. “Differentiation means that you have a choice and the people who are making the phones, they’re going to compete on their view of innovation, and they’re going to try and convince you that theirs is better than somebody else.” Schmidt defined fragmentation as having an app that runs on one device but not another, with Android this is not the case 99% of the time. The differentiation between devices comes from the various skins that manufactures lay over the Android operating system. ”We absolutely allow [manufacturers] to add or change the user interface as long as they don’t break the apps. We see this as a plus; [it] gives you far more choices,” said Schmidt. While everyone who buys an iPhone receive the same user experience, Schmidt doesn’t think the same is necessary with Android. ”It’s not required that everyone use the same interface,” Schmidt said. “People are free to make the necessary changes. What’s great is if you don’t like it, you can buy the phone from someone else.” Android is all about choice, not every consumer is looking for a slide-out keyboard, a 4.65-inch display, or a dual-core processor, the different manufactures allow you to find a device that is perfect for you. Though those specifications sounds pretty good to me.

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We just met with Corning during CES in Las Vegas to check out its new Gorilla Glass 2 panels for smartphones and tablets. The new glass is 20% thinner than before, but just as strong and scratch resistant as the original Gorilla Glass. The thinner build will surely help manufacturers make smaller and lighter smartphones. We stayed to watch a pressure test, images of which are in the gallery below, and were impressed with the strength of the glass. Corning said that it’s already shipping the new panels to phone manufacturers and that we will see smartphones on the market soon with the new glass. We were also told that Gorilla Glass 2 will be used in new Windows-powered computers later this year. Be sure to check out our gallery below.

Imagination Technologies announced at the Consumer Electronics Show on Tuesday that the company’s next-generation PowerVR Series6 GPU core family will offer 20 times more performance over the current generation. Apple is a major shareholder in the company, and have used its chips in the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and the Apple TV. The PowerVR G6200 and G6400 GPU are the first in the Power VR Series6 GPU family and stand as a new benchmark for achieving high performance with low power consumption. The Series6 GPU will provide “ultra-realistic gaming” and enable more complex applications, while delivering 20 times or more of the performance of current GPU cores through an architecture that is five times more efficient than previous generations. “Based on our experience in shipping hundreds of millions of GPU cores, plus extensive market and customer feedback, we have been able to set a new standard in GPU architecture, particularly in the areas of power, bandwidth and efficiency — the key metrics by which GPUs are now judged,” said Imagination Chief Executive Hossein Yassaie. “We are confident that with the Rogue architecture we have a very clear technology advantage and an exceptional roadmap for the PowerVR Series6 family which our partners can depend on.” While there hasn’t been any indications about Apple’s next-generation mobile processor, the rumored “A6″ chip that could appear in the iPad 3 may feature Imagination’s Series6 GPUs. Apple’s next-generation iPad is rumored to be announced and ship in March.

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Motorola is known for the company’s rapid refresh rate on smartphones and tablets. Last fall, the DROID Bionic was released, two months later the DROID RAZR was released, and this week the DROID RAZR MAXX and DROID 4 were announced. Motorola has flooded the Android market with more releases than almost any other manufacturer, however things are about to change. During a roundtable event at the Consumer Electronics Show on Tuesday, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha announced that the company plans to release fewer new models this year, in an effort to focus on its marketing dollars. Jha noted that it was the Bionic’s delays that caused the product’s debut to be so close to the RAZR. Additionally, he said the company plans to pursue fewer new ideas in an effort to make more things stick. With the release of Motorola’s Bionic and ATRIX came the Lapdock, a feature to add a full keyboard and larger screen to your smartphone. Unfortunately, the dock was pricey and didn’t perform as consumers had hoped. Although it has yet to become a commercial success, Jha believe in the Lapdock feature and hopes to continue it in the future. Let’s just hope you don’t have to buy a new dock for each Motorola phone they release.

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Viewsonic announced another addition to the company’s ViewPad tablet line at the Consumer Electronics Show on Tuesday, the ViewPad E70. The 7-inch tablet runs Google’s latest operating system, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and features a 1GHz single-core processor, 4GB of storage, HDMI-out, and a front facing camera. While the specs may not outshine the competition, the $170 price tag absolutely has our attention. The ViewPad E70 is slated to be available late in the first quarter of this year. Full press release is after the break.

ViewSonic Introduces New Android™ 4.0 Tablet at CES 2012

ViewPad® E70 featuring the latest Ice Cream Sandwich operating system provides a premium mobile entertainment experience for web surfing, e-reading, gaming and more

WALNUT, Calif. – January 10, 2012 – ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today announced the newest addition to its tablet line, the 7″ ViewPad E70. The ViewPad E70offers the ultimate in value and fun for a premium tablet experience at an affordable price, featuring Google’s latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, super light weight compact design and premium apps and services. The ViewPad E70 brings advanced technology to consumers with rich features and premium value, for an extremely portable and affordable mobile entertainment device. Integrated apps and services provide easy access to leading multimedia, entertainment content, and thousands of mobile apps offered.

The compact, ultra slim Android 4.0 tablet ships with a 1GHz processor and 4GB memory storage. Other features include a front-facing camera, Wi-Fi support and microSD expandable storage up to 32 GB. The ultra-portable design makes it easy for users to bring the device on-the-go for viewing and streaming multimedia with the included 1080p HDMI output.

“ViewSonic is committed to delivering advanced technology designed with the consumer in mind,” said Michael Holstein, vice president of business development, ViewSonic. “Featuring the latest Android operating system, along with leading apps and services for entertainment content, the ViewPad E70 continues the ViewSonic tradition of bringing feature-rich products to new markets.”

ViewPad E70 delivers a rich user experience with included apps, premium features, and the latest Android 4.0 operating system. One of the most portable and affordable tablet products on the market, ViewPad E70 is designed to meet consumer demand for a tablet that delivers on both quality features and value.

The ViewPad e70 will be available for an ESP of $169.99 in late Q1.

This month, DeviceFidelity and Spring Card Systems announced moneto, a new independent NFC payment solution. The service delivers NFC capabilities to any Android device with a microSD card. The card contains an NFC radio and antenna that are encrypted together to deliver MasterCard PayPass technology to any Android smartphone. Additionally, moneto has created a unique iPhone case to deliver the service to iOS users as well. The moneto case is currently available for $80, which includes $10.00 of pre-loaded funds. The Android microSD card is expected to be available within two to three weeks, and will sell for $30. All you have to do to use it, is insert the card, attach a small NFC sticker to the inside of your battery case — it helps with the NFC signal — and you’re on your way to credit card-less mobile payments. Read on for the full press release.

DeviceFidelity and SpringCard Launch moneto, the World’s First Multi-Platform Mobile Wallet for iPhone and Android at CES

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) January 10, 2012

moneto, developed by DeviceFidelity, Inc. and Spring Card Systems LLC, announced today the launch of the world’s first commercially available mobile payment solution that provides iPhone and Android users a convenient way to pay while on the go. The moneto iPhone wallet is powered by MasterCard PayPass technology and linked to a general purpose reloadable MasterCard prepaid card to enable iPhone users to make purchases with their phone at the hundreds of thousands of merchants that accept MasterCard PayPass.

“For over a decade, MasterCard has led the transformation of mobile phones into secure mobile payment devices,” said James Anderson, senior vice president, Mobile and Emerging payments at MasterCard. “We are excited to partner with moneto so that iPhone users can enjoy the convenience of paying for purchases with a simple ‘tap’ at thousands of PayPass locations around the globe.”

For the first time, NFC functionality is available directly to consumers at retail without the need to change devices, upgrade plans or sign new contracts. The moneto mobile payments technology uses a NFC-enabled microSD chip embedded in a patented, protective iPhone case. iPhone users simply need to sign up at moneto.me to receive the case, install the moneto app from the app store, and activate their account. Users can launch the moneto app to view their account balance, check transaction history and make everyday in-store purchases with a tap of their iPhone at any PayPass-enabled contactless payments reader at the point of sale. Users can fund their moneto prepaid account through direct deposit, ACH transfer or cash/credit/debit card-enabled third-party money transfer services such as MoneyGram, Western Union, PayPal or GreenDot.

“As this breakthrough mobile wallet launches in the US, it not only makes mobile payments available to iPhone users for the first time but it also opens the door for consumers to adopt NFC while pushing mobile commerce forward,” said Deepak Jain, DeviceFidelity President and CEO. “We are excited to partner with MasterCard and SpringCard to break the barriers for a rapid effective rollout that will spur both consumers and merchants to adopt this new wave of electronic commerce.”

moneto also comes with a companion prepaid MasterCard to give users the ability to access cash at ATMs and make online purchases, pay bills or shop at merchants that do not accept contactless payments. moneto also enables card-to-card and wire-fund transfers from a secure internet portal accessible via moneto.me.

“Consumers have been hearing about NFC and mobile wallets for years, now with moneto they can finally start using it and with the most popular smartphone device on the planet. The moneto mobile wallet app is focused on delivering a faster and easier shopping experience that is consumer friendly,” said Kevin Haddad, president of SpringCard. “Our vision is simple: People who use our applications should not have to worry ‘Will this work with my phone?’ as consumers can easily make secure purchases regardless of their phone, carrier, or bank.”

SAFETY AND SECURITY

The In2Pay technology behind moneto brings peace of mind to consumers. moneto users can prevent unauthorized access to their account using a PIN that is safely stored in a secure chip inside the microSD. The sleek and durable case design protects the iPhone and the NFC enabled microSD securely stores and encrypts the card information. Additionally, the moneto account is backed by MasterCard’s Zero Liability, which protects consumers against unauthorized purchases.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

moneto for iPhone will be available for online ordering in the U.S. immediately at moneto.me for $79.95 which includes $10.00 of pre-loaded funds. The moneto mobile wallet is available in limited release on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 3. A number of Android models will also be supported by 2Q12. Additional phone support will be added throughout the year.

The moneto prepaid MasterCard card is issued by University National Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to a license from MasterCard International Incorporated. MasterCard and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated.