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]

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Yesterday it was revealed that the popular social networking app Path was uploading entire iPhone address books to the company’s server. The data uploaded included full names, phone numbers and email addresses, and the app uploaded all this data without ever asking for permission. Dave Morin, Path’s co-founder and CEO, admitted fault on Wednesday through the company’s website and announced an update to allow users to either opt in or out of the contact collection feature. “We believe you should have control when it comes to sharing your personal information. We also believe that actions speak louder than words,” Morin said. “So, as a clear signal of our commitment to your privacy, we’ve deleted the entire collection of user uploaded contact information from our servers. Your trust matters to us and we want you to feel completely in control of your information on Path.” The company maintains that when data is transmitted to its servers, it is always sent securely through an encrypted connection and protected by industry-standard firewalls.

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Apple recently published eleven new profiles for various iPhone-operators that point to a potential iOS 5.1 release date, according to YourDailyMac. The files include references to iOS 5.1, and they mention an update launch date of March 9th, indicating an iOS update could be released around the same time for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The profiles are intended for operators in Japan, France, Greece, Finland and Sweden, and will ensure network connectivity after an update is downloaded. There is also speculation that Apple could release iOS 5.1 along with the announcement of the next-generation iPad, which is rumored for to be unveiled sometime next month. Hit the break for an screenshot of an iOS 5.1 mention with the code of an operator profile.

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When the Samsung Infuse 4G was released last May 2011, early adopters were promised an update to Android 2.3 in the coming months. The device, unfortunately, continued to run Android 2.2 through the end of the year. After much delay, AT&T has finally released an Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread update and while it isn’t the latest build available to Android vendors, it will undoubtedly be welcomed by frustrated Infuse users. Those who own the device will now benefit from improved copy and paste functionality, a redesigned keyboard, improved power management, a download manager and new widgets. The update is not being pushed over-the-air, however, so users will need to download the latest version of Samsung’s Kies Mini to upgrade their devices.

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Apple on Tuesday announced a major update to its Final Cut Pro X video editing software. The company added “multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos; advanced chroma keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app; and enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third party apps and plug-ins that support the fast growing Final Cut Pro X ecosystem.” The Final Cut Pro v10.0.3 update is available now and is free for all existing Final Cut Pro X users. New users can purchase the software from Apple’s Mac App Store for $299.99 after a 30-day free trial. Apple’s full press release follows after the break.

Apple Updates Final Cut Pro X

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today released Final Cut Pro® X v10.0.3, a significant update to its revolutionary professional video editing application, which introduces multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos; advanced chroma keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app; and enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third party apps and plug-ins that support the fast growing Final Cut Pro X ecosystem. Available today as a free update from the Mac® App Store™, Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 also includes a beta of broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards.

Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 includes a collection of groundbreaking new tools for editing multicam projects. Final Cut Pro X automatically syncs clips from your shoot using audio waveforms, time and date, or timecode to create a Multicam Clip with up to 64 angles of video, which can include mixed formats, frame sizes and frame rates. The powerful Angle Editor allows you to dive into your Multicam Clip to make precise adjustments, and the Angle Viewer lets you play back multiple angles at the same time and seamlessly cut between them.

Final Cut Pro X builds upon its robust, one-step chroma key with the addition of advanced controls including color sampling, edge adjustment and light wrap. You can tackle complex keying challenges right in Final Cut Pro X, without having to export to a motion graphics application, and view your results instantly with realtime playback.

In the seven months since launch, the third party ecosystem around Final Cut Pro X has expanded dramatically. XML-compatible software like DaVinci Resolve and CatDV provide tight integration for tasks such as color correction and media management. The new 7toX app from Intelligent Assistance uses XML to import Final Cut Pro 7 projects into Final Cut Pro X. In addition, some of the industry’s largest visual effects developers, including GenArts and Red Giant, have developed motion graphics plug-ins that take advantage of the speed and real-time preview capabilities of Final Cut Pro X.

Broadcast monitoring in Final Cut Pro X is currently in beta and allows you to connect to waveform displays, vectorscopes, and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure that your project meets broadcast specifications. Final Cut Pro X supports monitoring of video and audio through Thunderbolt I/O devices, as well as through third party PCIe cards.

Pricing & Availability

Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 is available from the Mac App Store for $299.99 (US) to new users, or as a free update for existing Final Cut Pro X customers. A 30-day free trial of Final Cut Pro X is available at www.apple.com/finalcutpro/trial. Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Pro X can be found at www.apple.com/finalcutpro.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

Mozilla on Tuesday released the latest version of its Firefox browser. In addition to allowing users to run full-screen apps, Firefox 10 offers the following enhancements:

• The forward button is now hidden until you navigate back.
• Most add-ons are now compatible with new versions of Firefox by default.
• Anti-Aliasing for WebGL is now implemented.
• CSS3 3D-Transforms are now supported.

Mozilla also made some HTML5 changes and noted two bug fixes. The company said that it has fixed a Java-related crash, which Mac OS X users experienced in earlier versions, as well as a crash related to moving bookmarks. Firefox 10 is available immediately as a free download.

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Sony will update the company’s Tablet S, Tablet P and Xperia line of smartphones to Android 4.0 in the spring, according to The Verge. Both tablets are already running Ice Cream Sandwich and are currently being tested behind the scenes. The company did not give a specific release date, however it plans to add “some really cool unique bits” to both tablets on top of the update. Last fall, Sony confirmed that its entire 2011 Xperia portfolio would receive an Android 4.0 update at a later date. Phones set to get the Ice Cream Sandwich update include the Xperia Arc, Arc S, Play, Neo, Neo V, Mini, Mini Pro, Active and Ray, as well as Sony Ericsson’s Live Walkman.

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ASUS released an over-the-air update for the Eee Pad Transformer Prime on Thursday. The update will boost the GPS version to 6.9.13 and improve the tablet’s faulty signal according to user accounts. Since its release, the Prime has been plagued with numerous bugs that recently forced the company to issue refunds and extended warranties to dissatisfied customers in the United Kingdom. Numerous users at XDA-Developers have reported improved GPS connectivity without the need to connect to Wi-Fi, however there are a few individuals who are still unable to lock onto a signal. ASUS has not yet released an official change log for the update.

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Apple on Thursday released an updated version of its iTunes software following a series of announcements made during the company’s press conference in New York City. The Cupertino, California-based firm unveiled its new interactive iPad textbook product alongside iBooks 2 Thursday morning, and it also took the wraps off of an updated iTunes U service that includes new tools for teachers and a new iPad app. To accommodate Apple’s new features, the company also pushed out iTunes 10.5.3, which is available for download immediately. Apple’s official change log follows below.

What’s new in iTunes 10.5.3

iTunes 10.5.3 allows you to sync interactive iBooks textbooks to your iPad. These Multi-Touch textbooks are available for purchase from the iTunes Store on your Mac or from the iBookstore included with iBooks 2 on your iPad.

iBooks textbooks are created with iBooks Author — now available as a free download on the Mac App Store

For information on the security content of this update, please visit:support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

Nokia said on Twitter Wednesday that a second software update will roll out to Lumia 800 devices over the next two weeks. It is largely expected that the update will help fix the poor battery life that has plagued some, but not all, Lumia 800 users. Nokia has already addressed the battery issue, which limits the capacity of the battery, and has even recommended that those with the problem send their devices in for replacement phones.

[Via The Verge]

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Motorola’s XOOM tablet was the first slate to launch with Android 3.0 Honeycomb when it was released last year. Apropos, it is also among the first tablets to receive an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Owners of the Wi-Fi version of Motorola’s debut tablet in the United States have reportedly begun to receive over-the-air updates with the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system according to the XDA Developers blog. The report does not indicate when International XOOM owners or owners of the XOOM with embedded 4G LTE connectivity might receive the Ice Cream Sandwich update. BGR reviewed the Motorola XOOM almost a year ago and at the time, we called it the best Android tablet available on the market.

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Samsung announced at the end of December that the highly popular Galaxy S line would not be receiving an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The device, which sold over 10 million units worldwide, doesn’t include enough memory for the update, Samsung claimed. After outraged users flocked to social networks with their complaints, reports out of South Korea claimed that Samsung was reevaluating the Galaxy S and may offer a “value pack” update instead. When Business Insider reached out to Samsung, however, the company reiterated its previous statements, claiming the device doesn’t feature the necessary hardware requirements to support the update. “A full update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for the GALAXY Tab (7-inch) and GALAXY S is not practicable due to hardware limitations,” a Samsung spokesperson told the site. While the company would not comment specifically on a value pack update, based on Samsung’s record updating its Android devices, it seems highly unlikely that an update is forthcoming. Interestingly enough, the nearly identical Nexus S received an Ice Cream Sandwich update late last month from Google.

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ASUS took to its Facebook page on Tuesday to ease tensions from an increasing number of customers unhappy with the locked bootloader on the quad-core Transformer Prime tablet. The company also confirmed that it will begin rolling out an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update on January 12th. It was reported yesterday that the highly-anticipated Eee Pad Transformer Prime featured a locked and encrypted bootloader, making it impossible to flash custom ROMs and kernels. Irate customers took to social networks such as Twitter and Facebook and voiced their opinions. The company announced that it is working on a bootloader unlocking tool, however with an unlocked bootloader comes consequences; Google video rentals will be unavailable and the ASUS warranty will be voided for unlocked devices. ASUS’s full statement follows below.

Thank you very much for all of the support you have given to ASUS. Eee Pad Transformer Prime received excellent reviews and great demand when it launched in December 2011. Now, we are continuing to make the Transformer Prime available in the worldwide market, and doing our best to fulfill the incredible demand. ASUS strives to create the best products and provide the best service for our customers, and will be releasing an FOTA update for the Transformer Prime shortly. This update, version 8.8.3.33, will improve the focus of the camera, the fluidity of the touch experience, and the APK capabilities in Android Market.

ASUS has been working hard to make the highly anticipated Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich available on the Transformer Prime, and today, we have good news for you. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich FOTA worldwide update for the Transformer Prime will start from Jan 12th, 2012. Thank you for your patience and support through this process.

In addition, we would like to address your concerns related to GPS and bootloader on the Transformer Prime.

The ASUS Transformer Prime is made from a metallic unibody design, so the material may affect the performance of the GPS when receiving signals from satellites. Please note that this product is not a professional GPS device, and signal performance can be easily influenced by factors including, but not limited to: weather, buildings, and surrounding environments. Please understand there are limitations when using the GPS function. To avoid inconveniencing users who demand a powerful GPS device, we made the decision to remove it from our specification sheet and marketing communications. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.

Regarding the bootloader, the reason we chose to lock it is due to content providers’ requirement for DRM client devices to be as secure as possible. ASUS supports Google DRM in order to provide users with a high quality video rental experience. Also, based on our experience, users who choose to root their devices risk breaking the system completely. However, we know there is demand in the modding community to have an unlocked bootloader. Therefore, ASUS is developing an unlock tool for that community. Please do note that if you choose to unlock your device, the ASUS warranty will be void, and Google video rental will also be unavailable because the device will be no longer protected by security mechanism.

Thank you for all the understanding and support for the ASUS Transformer Prime. Happy New Year!

Sprint announced Thursday that it is releasing the Android 3.2.1 (Honeycomb) update for irs HTC EVO View 4G tablet. The slate originally launched running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), an operating system designed for smartphones. The update includes a new “virtual and holographic user interface,” as well as the following changes:

• Physical Hard keys replaced with on screen Soft keys
• New Google search, available on every page
• System Bar: Quick access to notifications, status, and soft navigation buttons available at the bottom of the screen
• Notifications menu moved to the bottom right corner of the screen, on the System Bar.
• The Action Bar—which can be accessed by touching the Plus Sign icon at the top right of the screen—is the key to contextual, changing menus that are controlled by each application.
• Enhanced security including Sprint Data Link and 3LM

Sprint said that it fixed Google video chat on the tablet and that Bluetooth should now work while the EVO View 4G is in airplane mode. The carrier also warned that “due to the unique structure of the Honeycomb layout, your personalized widgets and screen setup will not remain after the upgrade. The device will revert to the out-of-box home screen layout. Wallpapers, widgets, and application shortcuts that have been personalized will need to be re-established.”

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Amazon on Wednesday began rolling out an update for its Kindle Fire tablet that is expected to address a number of user complaints. Software version 6.2.1 should “enhance fluidity and performance” and “improve touch navigation responsiveness.” The patch will also enable users to customize the order in which applications appear in the Kindle Fire UI carousel and enable additional security features, such as the ability to create a password lock for Wi-Fi access. Amazon says the free patch will be delivered over the air via Wi-Fi to the Kindle Fire, and the company advises that users make sure their devices are fully charged before initiating the update.

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