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 for Apple’s iPad 3 is now said to be nearing its final phase.

Read

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, Galaxy S II LTE, Galaxy Note, Galaxy R, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 7.7 and Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus.

[Via TheNextWeb]

Read

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 Pad 3 just around the corner, however, these new micro-SIM cards may find their way into LTE-enabled iPads before they make it to Nokia’s upcoming flagship smartphone. Read on for a purported screenshot from AT&T’s system.

Read

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 solid accessories. After all, AT&T will be launching the sub-$100 Lumia 900 with 4G LTE support and a bigger screen just one month later.

Read

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 remains unclear if Apple will ever release an iPod nano with a camera but the source, Apple.pro, has published early details surrounding Apple hardware in the past that ended up panning out. Another report published Wednesday by MIC Gadget suggests that the device pictured is actually a prototype from several months ago that did not pass Apple’s tests. The site says some problems have been ironed out however, and that the new nano could become available in the coming months. Several additional pictures follow after the break.

[Via MacRumors]

Read [Apple.pro] Read [MIC Gadget]

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 previous experience, sales of iPhone 4S will remain at peak in the first quarter of 2012 and then begin to decline.” Samsung, HTC, Nokia and LG are all expected to unveil new smartphone models this year’s Mobile World Congress on February 27th, but devices supposedly won’t begin rolling out until the second quarter.

Read

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 a new section labeled “account level data plans.” The section reportedly depicts an account-level charge for data allowance and a $9.99 charge per line.

Read

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 reportedly packs a number of impressive specs, including support for AT&T’s 4G LTE network as well as a 13-megapixel camera, a 4.55-inch Reality Display with a 1280 x 720-pixel resolution and a front-facing HD camera for video chats. The details come simply from a Bluetooth “End Product List” (EPL), which may or may not be legitimate, but we’re definitely hoping AT&T and Sony Ericsson announce something big during the Consumer Electronics Show next month.

Read

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 Fire or even Apple’s iPad 2. Plus, we’ve already had a taste of Windows 8 will offer on a tablet, so why settle for Windows 7? In any case, if you’re on the market for a new tablet with a full-fledged Windows operating system, the Peju might suit your needs within a couple months.

Read

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 720p HD video, a 1.3-megapixel camera for video chats, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and support for 14.4Mbps HSDPA networks. According to the leaked specs, the Runnymede 2 will also come with a Beats Solo headset. Those headphones currently retail for about $179, so this certainly won’t be a cheap smartphone package.

Read

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’s forthcoming and more powerful Galaxy S II handset. The Optimus Black packs a 4-inch 800 x 480-pixel resolution NOVA screen, a 1GHz single-core processor, a 5-megapixel camera, and more. Read on for the leaked roadmap image.

Read

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, the Redmond-based company announced that it has already released the operating system update to manufacturers, so we’re expecting to see a number of new Windows Phone leaks to start cropping up.

Thanks, Andrew

[Via Tweakers.net]

Read

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 information about the iPad 2. In addition, case makers are rumored to have started shipping new protective cases for the next-generation iPhone. We’re expecting Apple to announce the device in August and to begin shipping it in September, so we will find out soon enough. Read on for a second image.

Read

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 camera with dual-LED flash. Rumor has it the device could launch under the “Galaxy Within” moniker and it should offer the same gorgeous Super AMOLED Plus display and blazing fast dual-core processor as its European counterpart. It’s also said to be running Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), which means it will offer full support for video chat using Google Talk. Hit the jump for another picture of the phone.

Read

According to the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine, AMD’s director of ISV relationships Neal Robison said that the next-generation Xbox will offer graphics that will be on a par with the type of effects viewers saw in the movie Avatar. AMD hasn’t publicly been named as a partner on console, which is currently being dubbed the Xbox 720, but the chip maker did provide the hardware inside the current Xbox 360 system. Avatar-style graphics would certainly be a pretty big leap from the offering currently available on the Xbox 360, and we’re definitely excited to hear more on the new system. We’ll probably have just under one year to find out for sure; we exclusively reported in late June that Microsoft would take the wraps off of its next gaming console during E3 2012 next year.

[Via Business Insider]

Read