Apple is in “crunch mode” to line up apps that will be used for on-stage demonstrations during the company’s iPad 3 launch event, which is said to be scheduled for early next month, TheNextWeb reports. The Cupertino-based company is now looking for apps that will show off the stunning quality of the iPad 3′s high-resolution Retina Display. Apple works with partners to hand-pick apps that highlight the capabilities of new devices during major announcements, and the selection process...

An Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note is slated for a March 1st release, according to mobile industry insider Eldar Murtazin. Murtazin posted a tweet claiming the official update would roll out next month, though availability will vary depending on country and carrier. He also said that the Android 4.0 update will be made available over the air or using Samsung’s Kies software. Samsung previously announced that an Android 4.0 upgrade would be coming to the Galaxy S II...

AT&T has began to supply its retailers with micro-SIM cards for LTE-compatible devices, according to phoneArena.com. The carrier has also requested that existing micro-SIM stock be scrapped in favor of the new modules. The site suggests that the micro-SIMs will be used for the upcoming Nokia Lumia 900 — which BGR exclusively reported will launch on March 18th for $99 — and The Verge’s Chris Ziegler also notes that the Pantech Burst utilizes micro-SIM cards. With the launch of Apple’s Pa...

Microsoft may be planning to launch a special bundle that includes the Nokia Lumia 800 and several accessories for $899. Citing unnamed industry sources, The Verge said the deal will kick off on February 14th and will include a Bluetooth headset, a Purity HD stereo headset and Nokia’s Play 360 wireless speaker. Microsoft will reportedly not be offering the Lumia 800 as a stand-alone product. $899 seems a bit steep to us, even considering that consumers will be getting an unlocked device and a bundle of ...

Last year a number of leaks and photos suggested that Apple had a redesigned iPod nano with an integrated camera in the works. The new device wasn’t released last time Apple refreshed its iPod family, but now another round of pictures has surfaced that lends credence to the possibility that such a device may launch in the near future. The images show a camera-equipped iPod nano complete with its signature clip design, and the device appears to be the same size as the current-generation iPod nano. It rem...

Global smartphone vendors including Samsung, HTC, Nokia and LG are expected to launch new smartphone models in the second quarter to avoid competing directly with the iPhone 4S, according to Digitimes. “Mainly due to hot sales of the iPhone 4S, Apple recorded the largest global smartphone market share of 23.9% in the fourth quarter of 2011, followed by Samsung with 23.5% and Nokia with 12.6%,” the publication’s supply-chain sources said citing data from Strategy Analytics. “Based on ...

Speaking during a UBS conference in December, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam said the company may roll out shared data plans in 2012. According to an unnamed source, the shared data packages could become available soon, reports Engadget. A family plan currently requires each smartphone to purchase a different data plan, but the new plans could allow all family members to share a single pool of data similar to how a they currently share voice minutes. The image above is said to show training materials that contain ...

Sony Ericsson doesn’t have much of a presence in the United States smartphone market right now. Sure, it released the Xperia PLAY for Verizon Wireless and AT&T earlier this year, but it didn’t make much of a splash. Sony Ericsson’s U.S. position could change soon, though, if it decides to pump out a bunch of high-end smartphones. The latest rumor suggests that the company could release a phone with the model number “LT28at” that will land on AT&T later this year. It repo...

Images of what might be Dell’s upcoming 10.1-inch Windows 7-powered “Peju” tablet were published by Engadget on Thursday. Allegedly, the device is packed with an HDMI port, a USB port and 2GB of RAM, although other specs are currently unknown. Rumor has it Dell would like to get the Peju on the market by the holidays in December, but it will cost you a pretty penny. Engadget‘s tipster said the tablet will be priced between $900 and $1,000, which is a far cry from the $200 Amazon Kindle...

Earlier this month, HTC purchased a controlling stake in Beats Audio and a new phone called the Runnymede 2 could join the HTC Vigor as one of the first devices to offer Beats technology. According to a leaked spec sheet, the Runnymede 2 is equipped with a huge 4.7-inch WVGA Super LCD screen, a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 processor, 16GB or 32GB of storage and “SRS surround sound with acoustic performance tuned by Beats.” It is also equipped with an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording 7...

The LG Optimus Black may finally make its way to the United States this fall, according to a leaked internal roadmap obtained by BriefMobile. Sprint could be prepping to launch the device, model number LS865, on October 2nd. It will also offer the Samsung M930, which is expected to be the successor to the current mid-range Samsung Transform handset, as well as a new Franklin USB mobile broadband device. If Sprint does launch the LG Optimus Black, also known as the P970 abroad, it could be shadowed by Samsung&...

We haven’t seen the HTC Ignite or Prime since March, but a new leak from cell phone retailer The Phone House suggests that HTC is planning to launch both handsets in the near future. The phones will pack Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system, presumably the Mango release, but it is unclear when they will hit the market. If we were betting men we would wager that both handsets will launch in the early fall, when Microsoft has said it will deploy Mango to existing handsets. Earlier this week, t...

A leaked crop of images from 9to5 Mac suggest the rumors that Apple will release a thinner and lighter iPhone 5 are true. The images display a silicone case that is certainly thinner than the current iPhone 4. However, the shape of the case is also strikingly similar to the body of the iPod touch, which has us wondering if the case pictured is actually for Apple’s upcoming next-generation iPod touch and not the iPhone 5. Either way, 9to5 Mac says the photos are from a trusted source that leaked accurate...

When Samsung brought the Galaxy S to the United States, each of the big four carriers launched a variant of the device. We’re expecting the same roll-out with the Galaxy S II finally comes to our shores, but we haven’t heard or seen much… until now. Thisismynext recently leaked images of what appears to be a Sprint branded Galaxy S II. There are some small tweaks — the edges are rounded and aren’t as sharp as the original — but it has the same textured back and an 8-megapixel camer...