A new report filed by The Wall Street Journal suggests that New Jersey federal prosecutors are beginning to take a long, hard look at mobile applications. The publication writes that a grand jury will investigate whether iOS and Android applications distributed by Apple and Google “illegally obtain or transmit information about their users without proper disclosures.” Several application makers, including Pandora Media, informed the Journal that were issued subpoenas by the court, but have been...

According to the Wall Street Journal, Google, MasterCard, and Citigroup are collaborating to bring mobile payments, via NFC, to Android smartphones. Citing anonymous sources, the publication writes that the new service would “allow holders of Citigroup-issued debit and credit cards to pay for purchases by activating a mobile-payment application developed for one current model and many coming models of Android phones.” The report also notes that users of the mobile payment service will be deliver...

Last Friday, technology-centric Internet sites exploded when news of a January 11th Verizon press conference broke. The nation’s largest wireless provider is expected to finally announce the highly-anticipated, oft-rumored, CDMA iPhone. Media outlets ranging from AllThingsD to the Wall Street Journal have emphatically proclaimed that an iPhone announcement is in the works. The publications have also reported that the unannounced device will have a truly unlimited data plan. Speculation is not, however...

Perhaps you’re one of those people who prefer a second opinion on things. Be it where you’re eating dinner, what movie you’re going to see, or what cell phone Verizon is going to announce on January 11th, you like validation from a third party. The Wall Street Journal has just published a report — citing “a person familiar with the matter” — that states Verizon will indeed pull the curtain on the fabled Verizon iPhone. There you have it, reaffirmation from an additi...

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, TV manufacturer Vizio plans to announce its intentions to break into the Android smartphone and tablet market sometime today. “The Irvine, Calif., company said its first mobile phone, to be called Via Phone, will have a 4-inch screen, a front-facing camera for video calls, a rear-facing five megapixel camera and the capability to shoot video,” writes the Journal. The article goes on to note the Vizio will also introduce an 8-inch Android tablet wit...

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that International Trade Commission (ITC) staffers, in a pre-hearing statement, noted that evidence in a pending patent-case Apple launched against Nokia will “not establish a violation.” Nokia and Apple have been exchanging legal blows since October of 2009; both companies have filed multiple complaints with the ITC in an attempt to get the competition’s importing rights banned.“The ITC staff said on Monday that some of the Apple patents were inval...

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that, “Microsoft Corp. will unveil a lineup of smartphones using the revamped version of its mobile operating system on Oct. 11,” and that AT&T will begin selling said devices in early November. Microsoft does have an event planned for October 11 — Columbus Day — in New York City (which we will be at), but we’re not sure any significant announcements will be made at the open-house style event. Perhaps there is another, mysterious event p...

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a Samsung has executive publicly stated that U.S. pre-paid wireless provider MetroPCS will launch its new 4G LTE-based network next month. Jaebeom Choi, vice president of systems research and development for Samsung, quipped that MetroPCS will light-up their LTE network in Las Vegas and Dallas sometime in September. The company’s first LTE device will be the Samsung Craft, which we reported on earlier this month. If the VP’s statements are accurate, the...

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has issued a statement to its customers letting them know just how secure their data is. The handset maker reminded everyone that “no one, including RIM” could access BlackBerry user data as it is encrypted without a master key, and that it would “be unable to accommodate any request” for access to the data. RIM continued, the system is designed “to exclude the capability for RIM or any third party to r...

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that mobile giant Nokia is on the hunt for a new CEO. The WSJ claims the motivating factor is the current CEO’s “struggle to find traction for the company in the market for high-end smartphones.” The source went on to say that the company is very serious about this matter and should have a decision rendered by “the end of this month.” What do you think? Too little too late? Or is a change of leadership exactly what Nokia needs right now? (more...

While speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse was quoted as saying, “we thought we would have more of a head start than we’ll end up having.” The CEO was referring to his company’s first-to-market 4G strategy, and more specifically about their industry first 3G/4G hybrid phone; the HTC EVO 4G. Currently, the device is listed as “delayed,” and does not have a potential shipping date on Sprint’s website. Sprint has yet to release official sales figur...

The WSJ is reporting that Taiwanese handset maker HTC saw Q2 unaudited net profits rise 33% in 2010. Some key metrics from HTC’s Q2 include: $268 million in unedited profit, earnings of $0.37/share, and revenue growth of 58% (beating out HTC’s April forecast of 50% growth). Yuanta Securities analyst, Bonnie Chang, predicts that HTC will ship over 20 million handsets this year, up from 12 million in 2009. All-in-all a very impressive Q2 for HTC. (more…)

Anssi Vanjoki, the head of Nokia’s new Mobile Solutions unit, sat down with the Wall Street Journal on Thursday to discuss the future of Nokia’s struggling mobile phone business. In the brief but pointed interview, Vanjoki re-confirmed Nokia’s commitment to Symbian and MeeGo, a Linux-based mobile OS  jointly created Nokia and Intel. For the time being, Symbian will remain an integral part of the mobile giant’s handset lineup while MeeGo will form the base for a growing number of upcom...

The Wall Street Journal has chimed in with its assessment of the Apple tablet and has described the many ways Steve Jobs is supposedly aiming to reshape how we read books, browse newspapers, play games and consume TV with Apple’s new tablet device. Long a stronghold, Apple is reportedly courting the educational market and has developed this tablet with electronic  textbook technology which will presumably take the e-book reading experience a step beyond the current Kindle-experience. The Apple tablet m...