News about breaking news:
New Microsoft brand logos, company tagline revealed at MGX event? (update: no new logos, tagline is a go)
It looks like Microsoft may have revealed something big at its annual MGX (Microsoft Global Exchange) event, namely… new logos for its main brands and a fresh brand motto. “Be What’s Next” touts a teaser which has been posted on YouTube, along with a fast moving sequence of morphing logos, shuffling from Windows, to Windows Phone, Xbox, Bing, and finally the familiar Office logo that’s been kicking around for a little longer. It’s unclear if these are just treatments used for a promo at the event, or if this is a signal that Redmond is dumping its familiar (and frankly dated) iconography for something a little looser, leaner, and hipper, but we can’t say it would be a bad thing. It would certainly make sense against a backdrop of potential comeback in the mobile space, gains in search, and the seemingly successful (or at least satisfying) Windows 7 launch. One thing is for sure, MGX is a corporate, non-public opportunity for the Microsoft faithful to cheer the brand (Ballmer received a 30 year commemoration at MGX 2010), so this would definitely be the place to unfurl some new branding. Check the video after the break to see the new style, and hit the gallery below for a bigger look.
Nexus One is sold out in Google’s store — forever
Google warned us that the Nexus One was approaching the end of its days, but we’ve gotta admit, we didn’t realize just how quickly that moment would come. Sure enough, Google’s official online store for the phone now just shows an ominous message that “the Nexus One is no longer available for purchase directly” from the company, which means you’re going to have to go through Vodafone, KT in South Korea, or hold out for the units that they plan on selling directly to registered developers. Needless to say, for the bulk of potential customers, the phone is all but history. So, on that note, Nexus One: for your straight-shooting stock Android ways and your unlocked radio, you’ll be dearly missed — and we hope your legacy lives on, even though your retail model does not.
HP Slate 500 surfaces on HP’s site
Apple posts record $3.25b profit in first full quarter of iPad sales, says more ‘amazing products’ coming this year
Apple just posted up its third quarter earnings — its first full quarter selling the iPad — and, well, it’s raining cash in Cupertino. The company posted a record profit of $3.35b on record revenues of $15.7b, which is up from $1.83b and $9.73b from a year ago. The big stat? Apple sold 3.27 million iPads, nearly matching the 3.47 million Macs sold — and Mac sales were up 33 percent from a year ago to set a new quarterly record. Yeah, damn. iPhone sales — including the first few weeks of the iPhone 4 — were up 61 percent from a year ago to 8.4 million, and the iPod continued its slow decline, down eight percent to 9.41 million units sold. Over half of the Apple’s sales — 52 percent — were international, and Jobs is quoted saying “we have amazing new products still to come this year.” Not a bad way to head into back-to-school and the holidays, we suppose — we’ve got a feeling those iPad numbers are just going to go up. The conference call to discuss all this is at 5pm ET, we’ll be covering it live right here.
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Confirmed: Verizon discontinues Kin
We guess this doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but we have confirmation directly from Verizon this morning that it will no longer offer the Kin One or Two. It’s probably pretty difficult to justify continuing to offer and support a product when its maker has already thrown in the towel — never mind the fact that Big Red’s heart never seemed to be in it from the start — so this is more of a formality than anything else. We’re being told that existing owners won’t be impacted, meaning Microsoft will continue to operate the back-end services needed to keep retail Kins alive — but considering how few Kins seem to have been sold, we can’t imagine that’s a money-making proposition for anyone involved, so who knows how long that’ll go on? Read the rest of this entry »
Netflix coming to Canada this fall
Netflix has just announced it’ll be taking its first tentative step abroad with a rollout of its video streaming service in Canada. Specifics are predictably light at the present moment, but interested Canucks can sign up now to be informed as soon as those details drop. So Canada in the fall… and the UK in winter, perhaps? We can only hope.
Google halting Nexus One sales through official store after current inventory depleted
We knew this was eventually coming, and here it is: Google is giving everyone the heads-up that it just got a fresh batch of Nexus Ones in stock, and once they’ve been sold through, they’ll no longer be offered directly through the company’s online store. For what it’s worth, the customer service lines will stay open even after that happens — and you’ll still be able to buy a phone through KT in South Korea, Vodafone in Europe, and “possibly other [retailers] based on local market conditions” — but by and large, your average American is going to have a hard time getting one pretty shortly. If you’re a registered Android developer, though, Google’s looking at continuing to offer the device through some sort of sales partner — a wise move considering it’ll be just about the only thing you can buy unlocked running a clean-slate latest build. Read the rest of this entry »
Apple to give away free cases to iPhone 4 users
Apple’s not really ready to say it’s sorry about the iPhone 4 antenna design, but it is willing to give all you darn squeaky wheels free cases for your trouble. Since Apple can’t build its own Bumpers fast enough, it will give you a few options and let you decide, then send it your way for free as long as you purchased the phone before September 30th. Not good enough for you? Well, if you already bought a bumper from Apple you’ll get a refund, and you can also return your phone for a full refund within 30 days as long as it’s unharmed.
iOS 4.0.1 hitting iPhones right this second (update: 3.2.1 for iPads, too)
Well it’s not the full 4.1 we were expecting… but here’s a little tidbit from Apple. One of the main features? The update “improves the formula to determine how many bars of signal strength to display.” Interesting. We’re updating some devices right now, and will report back with what we find.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: It looks like iOS 3.2.1 for iPad is coming down the tube, as well. We’ll let you know what changes we’re seeing!
Apple to hold iPhone 4 press conference this Friday
Headline says it all folks. Obviously the company is going to be getting out in front of this antenna drama (finally). We’ve been invited and we’ll be there, presumably reporting live! It all happens at 10AM PT, Friday the 16th. Read the rest of this entry »
iOS 4.1 seeded to developers (updated)
The first update to iOS 4.0 is jumping all the way up a full tenth of a point to 4.1, and it’s now available for those of you signed up for Apple’s iPhone Developers Program. It looks like there are major changes to Game Center (which has yet to launch) in this build, but otherwise, we’re not sure what’s up just yet — and no, as far as we can tell, there’s no iPad support here. Stay tuned!
Sony issues NEX-VG10: first interchangeable lens HD camcorder
What a way to celebrate 25 years of the Handycam brand, right? Out of absolutely nowhere, Sony has just upended the entire prosumer camcorder universe, and it may very well sway you from purchasing that Canon EOS 7D for video purposes. For all intents and purposes, this is Micro Four Thirds for your camcorder, but since Olympus and Panasonic own that specific technology, Sony’s left calling the NEX-VG10 an “interchangeable lens HD camcorder.” Moreover, it’s the first Handycam to sport an Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor (the same one found in the NEX-5 and NEX-3), and it’ll shoot 1080p24 with a wealth of E-mount and A-mount lenses. When not handling live action, it’s also capable of snapping stills at 14.2 megapixels, and the 18-200mm lens that’s bundled with it is about as versatile as they come. Budding videographers will also appreciate the Quad Capsule Spatial Array Stereo Microphone (yes, seriously), not to mention the 3-inch swivel display, Optical Steadyshot image stabilization, BIONZ processor and twin accessory shoes. There’s no internal storage to speak of, but it will accept SDHC / SDXC (huzzah!) in addition to MS Pro Duo. Get ready to get wowed this September when it lands for around $2,000. Read the rest of this entry »
Intel has its best quarter ever, brings in $2.9b profit
Sure, smartphone and tablets might be the Next Big Thing, but desktop computing ain’t dead yet — just ask Intel, which just reported its best-ever quarter with a $2.9b profit on $10.8b in revenue. That’s an increase of $445m in profit from last quarter and a whopping $3.3b from last year, all driven by record laptop and server chip revenue, as well as a 16 percent increase in Atom revenue. What’s more, the average sale price of all those chips went up, and selling more chips at a higher price is always good for business. Intel’s got a call to discuss these numbers in depth at 5:30PM ET, we’ll let you know if we hear anything good. Read the rest of this entry »
Exclusive: Motorola WX445 leaked, offers low-end Android for Verizon
So this little number just rolled into our tips inbox — and at a glance, it appears to be the anti-Droid X, if that makes any sense. We’re being told this is the Motorola WX445 for Verizon (street name unknown), featuring Android 2.1, a flash-less camera of unknown pixel count, a touchscreen ranging somewhere between 2.5 and 3 inches, and a pretty light 1170mAh battery on board. Our tipster tells us it runs Blur, though we imagine it’s possible it runs the Blur-esque skin seen on the Droid X that doesn’t actually make use of Moto’s back end to do its deed. We’re also told it’s “not a very impressive phone” and resembles a keyboardless Pre Plus in the flesh “but cheaper looking,” so needless to say, you’re not going to be cross-shopping this against an EVO 4G; if anything, we suppose it might make a decent Devour alternative. More on this one as we get it.
NTP awakes, sues Apple, Microsoft, Google, HTC, LG, and Motorola over wireless email patents
Remember NTP? The tiny company with a portfolio of patents on wireless email technology that wrung a $612 million settlement out of RIM in 2006 after years of litigation? Well, get ready to fall in love all over again, because the company just sued Apple, Google, Microsoft, HTC, LG, and Motorola for the same thing. Given the company’s protracted history defending its patent portfolio — the RIM case alone took nearly five years and ultimately involved USPTO re-examining several patents, rejecting some and then ultimately declaring some others valid in 2009 — we can’t see any of this ending quickly or easily, especially with such formidable adversaries aligned as defendants. In particular, we’d note that Apple and Microsoft have a long history of cooperation and cross-licensing in the patent space, so we’re sure their lawyers are ready to party down in lawsuit town, and adding Google, Motorola, HTC, and LG to the mix isn’t going to make any of this easier for NTP. We’ll see what happens — this one’s going to be long and messy. PR after the break. Read the rest of this entry »
China renews Google’s license to host
A little later than anticipated, Google is confirming that China has renewed its ICP license — the rights one needs to host a site on its own domain in China. Without that Google would certainly be on the outs, but after resuming limited broadcasts there last month there was hope the two global powerhouses would work out their differences. And, it appears they have — at least to some degree. We’re not sure whether this means Google will resume full hosting in China or will keep redirecting some content to HK servers, but we were able to get a statement from the ICP on it’s feelings on this development, which is embedded after the break. Read the rest of this entry »
Fring update approved for iPhone, does video calling with front cam over 3G
We weren’t exactly sure whether Apple was going to approve third-party video calling apps using the front camera on the iPhone 4, but good news: the answer is “yes.” Fring just slid in a new version of its longstanding iPhone app today featuring support for video calling, which is pretty awesome in and of itself — but the real news is that it works just fine over 3G, as you can see in our quick test above between Chicago and London. This opens the door for services that could have potentially broader implications than FaceTime itself, since Apple’s service is limited to WiFi and currently only works between iPhone 4s. Just make sure you’re wearing clothes when you call, alright? Read the rest of this entry »
Samsung Captivate coming to AT&T on July 18 for $200
We’ve just gotten official word that the Captivate — AT&T’s rendition of Samsung’s global Galaxy S line of high-end Android phones — will be available starting Sunday, July 18 for $199 on contract with no rebate required. That pricing is more or less what we’d expected considering that T-Mobile priced the Vibrant the same way — and if rumors of T-Mobile’s launch date bump are true, the Captivate won’t be the first kid on the block. Still, all four US nationals are getting this thing pretty shortly, which is an extremely impressive Android coup for the boys and girls over at Sammy. Stay tuned for a review just as soon as we can make it happen. Read the rest of this entry »
AT&T identifies Alcatel-Lucent as slow upload culprit, fix in the works
As we’d suspected, AT&T isn’t intentionally limiting upload speeds on iPhone 4s in some markets where things suddenly got slow over the weekend. Or that’s the company’s claim, anyhow — and seeing how they’re actually calling out a supplier in the process, we tend to buy it. Specifically, AT&T says that some Alcatel-Lucent equipment (which isn’t used in all markets) is causing uploads to fall back to non-HSUPA UMTS speeds “under certain conditions” affecting “less than two percent” of the company’s customers, and that they’re working on developing a fix. “Less than two percent” seems a bit optimistic, but regardless, at least it shouldn’t be a permanent condition for anyone. Here’s the full statement: Read the rest of this entry »
Motorola Charm official for T-Mobile: portrait QWERTY Android at long last
The rumored Charm has just gotten a proper unveiling from Motorola — and while it’s not getting nearly the media fanfare its Droid X corporate cousin did, it’s arguably even more unique. The phone features a full portrait QWERTY keyboard placed directly below a 2.8-inch landscape touchscreen, but for most operations, you don’t have to touch it if you don’t want to because you’ve also got a touchpad mounted on the back of the phone (the so-called “Backtrack”) much like AT&T’s Backflip. Not only is this the first widely-launched Android phone to employ such a form factor, it’s also the first to run Android 2.1 with Blur — and interestingly, they’ve carried over the old version’s general look and feel rather than going with the Droid X’s updated skin. It’s got a 3 megapixel camera (with Kodak co-branding, something we haven’t seen on a Moto in a long time), WiFi, and a noise-canceling second microphone. Pricing and availability haven’t been announced, but T-Mobile customers can expect it “this Summer.” Read the rest of this entry »
Firefox 4 Beta 1 now available for download
Whoa, Nelly! Is that a Firefox 4 download button we’re looking at? Why yes… yes it is! We can’t think of a much better way to wrap up one’s workday than by finding out that Mozilla’s own Firefox browser has finally made the official leap to 4.0, with Beta 1 going live for the adoring public today. It’s ready to be sucked down and installed for those with Windows, Linux and OS X-based machines, and the changelog itself is far too lengthy for this space (though it’s linked below for your perusal). You’ll obviously notice an overhauled look hitting you front and center, with a new add-on manager, support for the new WebM format, improved privacy settings and crash protection headlining the “big chart o’ features.” Give ‘er a download and toss your thoughts on the new build down in comments below, cool?
Inexplicable rise in iPhone dev’s App Store sales connected to iTunes account hacks? (update)
We’ve received a handful of tips this morning claiming something’s rotten in the state of the iTunes App Store, namely via the Book category. As of this writing, 42 of the top 50 books by revenue are from the seller Thuat Nguyen, whose company website (“mycompany”) leads to parked site www.home.com. A vast majority of these book apps were released in April, have little to no customer ratings or reviews, appear to be in Vietnamese (despite claims in the side bar that the supported languages are English and Japanese), and may or may not be infringing on copyrighted work — we’re noticing a lot of Dragon Ball art here. To give sales a sense of scope, Twilight series conclusion Breaking Dawn is hovering only at 34 right now.
