Samsung to offer flexible displays in 2012, challenges Nokia to a twist contest

Flexible displays? Samsung's got 'em, too. A few days after Nokia showed off its Kinetic Device prototype under the blue lights of Nokia World, Samsung made mention of its own plans to unleash some bendy mobile devices on the world. A spokesperson for the company was scarce on details, but noted that the flexible displays are targeted for 2012. The technology, which was showcased at this year's CES, will initially be incorporated into handsets, with tablets following down the road. 

Source: Engadget

Insert Coin: Ray solar charger adheres to your window, basks in the sunlight

The most frustrating products are the ones that have such simple ideas, you're upset that it hasn't been done before -- or that you weren't the one that came up with it. No idea is so simple as the brilliant Ray solar charger. A mobile phone juicer that comes with a kickstand and built-in suction cup so that it's nearly always pointed right at the sun. If you think that sounds like simple madness or genius, click past the break to find out why it could be worth your investment.Most solar chargers are little more than candy bar batteries with solar cells slapped on top. This means you have to play the tilting dance when the sun moves across the day. Window-mounting options are no better. Amazon's biggest seller in this category: Accessory Power's ReVIVE, has two rubber sucker pads that attach straight onto the solar cells, obscuring a big chunk of the area you're meant to be putting into direct sunlight -- far from ideal. In comparison, Ray's greatest strength is its flexibility. Stick it to a car window (use your best judgement as to which one) or use the kickstand to point it towards the low winter sun without balancing it awkwardly on piles of books. Not bundling ten or twenty unnecessary proprietary connectors saves money and resources -- just use whatever USB cable comes with your phone. Fortunately the kickstand also serves as a tidy for your unruly wires. The battery will store enough to "fully charge a phone" and LEDs will keep you abreast of progress.  Best of all, this quirky (ahem) piece of technology has a pre-sale price of $40 -- less than the pre-discount prices of similar chargers from Accessory Power or Lenmar. Window mounts and kickstands are available, but none of them can match the Ray for an elegant execution that makes you want to tote it around wherever you go.

Source: Engadget

HTC EVO Design 4G Unboxing

Source: Phonedog via YouTube

Nintendo's eShop plans: premium DLC, game demos, smartphone shopping, relevancy

Nintendo's latest earnings report may be a litany of woe, but at least the outfit's semi-annual financial results briefing bore good news: the 3DS eShop is about to get a kick in the pants. Today's 3DS store gets the job done, but it's hampered by disorganized categories, limited accessibility, and poor download management. Want something better? It's on the way -- a late November update is slated to bring "sleep mode" background downloading to the fledgling console, and opens the door for publishers to release in-game premium DLC and "limited-play" demos. Nintendo is even taking steps to address the handheld's lousy shopping experience, announcing a companion website where users will be able to browse the eShop from a PC or smartphone. Eventually 3DS owners will be able to buy content directly from the eShop website, but at launch shoppers will need to scan a QR code with the handheld to make a purchase. It's not a perfect plan, but at least it's a start. Baby steps Nintendo, baby steps.

Source: Engadget

ITG xpPhone 2 to gets Windows 8

Let's be honest: with the size of a brick and a relatively short battery life, it's no surprise that ITG's xpPhone hasn't quite dominated the smartphone market since its launch back in November. In fact, we haven't even seen one in the wild, and we certainly wouldn't have missed it if there ever was one on the street. That said, ITG hasn't given up, as the company's just announced its second-generation Windows-powered smartphone. The reason? Well, interestingly enough, ITG prefers Windows' greater range of compatible software compared to those of mobile OSes, namely Android and iOS. Let's just leave it at that for now.  Simply dubbed the xpPhone 2, this beast of a QWERTY slider packs a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 chip, along with 2GB RAM, up to 112GB of SSD storage, 4.3-inch display and compatibility with both Windows 7 and Windows 8 -- obviously the latter OS will depend on its final release date. Not only has battery life been bumped up to around 18 hours of call time or 46 days on standby, but the phone's also been slimmed down to 140mm x 73mm x 17.5mm, which is a huge improvement compared to its bulky predecessor. With the touch-friendly Windows 8 on board along with a non-underclocked CPU, we have a feeling that the xpPhone 2 will at least fare much better than Fujitsu's F-07C; as for the rest, we shall see when it comes out in January next year. And no, it probably won't run Crysis.

Source: Engadget

Microsoft cracks open a window to the future

In the future, we'll all be slaves to rectangles. No, really. Well, at least that's the prognosis, albeit sanitized, Microsoft has slickly pieced together in its Productivity Future Vision concept video. It's a mostly seamless world where all of our interactions are made to be mobile, virtual, efficient and white-washed, but it actually just reads as too darn fussy and over complicated. Sure, we could get behind contactless payment, tablets with holographic displays and eyeglasses that translate conversations when you've just stepped off a red eye into some foreign destination -- that's all incredibly useful. But car windows with agenda overlays and transparent refrigerator door displays? Some things are better left lo-tech. For Redmond's part, the company's merely aiming to project ways these various implementations of "real technology" will intersect and "actively assist" us with our harried lives. Take a peek at MS' sanctioned tomorrow land and its sparse piano soundtrack after the break. 

Source: Engadget

Sony PS Vita First Edition Bundle up for pre-order!

The United States may not be getting the PS Vita at first, but that doesn't mean you can't be the first kid on your block to own one. Sony took to its US PlayStation Blog today, unveiling its First Edition bundle of the portable gaming powerhouse, which is up for pre-order now at "select retailers." US buyers will receive a 3G + WiFi Vita with a limited edition case, a 4GB memory card and a copy of Little Deviants for $350, while Canadian buyers will get the WiFi-only variant for $299 -- better yet, it'll arrive at your doorstep one week prior to the 02/22/2012 release date for North America. Sure, it may not have wishful goodies like pro bono AT&T 3G, but if you've just gotta have it, well, them's the breaks, y'all. You'll find more info at the source link below, or at Amazon where we've already spotted it.

Source: Engadget

Ice Cream Sandwich Tour

Source: Technobuffalo via YouTube

Sony limits PS Vita game save options

We say proprietary and you think, Sony. Isn't that how it usually goes? For the electronic giant's latest reVitalized foray into portable gaming, the same old custom solution is in tow -- now, with limited storage options. According to a report on Kotaku Japan, games made for the handheld will either save your progress to its SD card-like external storage or to the cartridge itself, as SCEI's not offering users any option for overlap or preference. Thinking you might save a few bucks and skip out on the external memory altogether? Well, my frugal gaming friends, think again. Unlike the PSP, titles for the system requiring an external save, in addition to some downloadable content, simply won't play without a memory card on board. Sure, this tidbit of news could prove frustrating to those not indoctrinated to the company's obstinate ways. But, we're willing to bet this device's dazzling innards are enough to help you overlook these minor niggles come next February.

Source: Engadget

8GB of free cloud storage

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Siri shows up on an iPod Touch

That Siri gal is certainly making the rounds these days. When she's not answering your questions on a 4S, she's showing up on iPads and elder iPhones. Not one to play favorites, Siri's now lending her considerable talents to an iPod touch. Two enterprising young hackers, euwars and rud0lf77, are the ones who put Siri on the iPod, and you can see the results of their labor in the video after the break. Of course, Apple's servers still aren't as friendly as the virtual voice assistant, so Siri's latest cameo remains a silent one -- but some Siri's better than none, right?

Source: Engadget

Unboxing: New 13" MacBook Air

Source: SoldierKnowsBest via YouTube

Nokia shows off how they makes the N9

We're not ashamed to say it, we love Nokia's MeeGo-running N9. We love its stillborn (but still awesome) OS, its liquid-looking display and gorgeous machined polycarbonate shell. Now, we can see how that glorious bit of Finnish hardware gets put together in the newly released video seen above. So sit back, relax and let the precision manufacturing wash over you.
Source: Engadget 

Siri ported to iPad, still getting silent treatment from Apple servers

Developers wasted no time bringing Siri to the iPhone 4, and nine days later, it's been brought to the iPad as well. This version, running on a first-generation jailbroken Apple tablet, suffers from a similar problem as past non-iPhone 4S ports: it's still not talking to Apple's data servers. This means that until devs manage to get voice commands recognized and initiated, the iPad's unofficial virtual assistant will remain effectively gagged.

Source: Jackoplane via twitter

Netflix to expand to UK, Ireland in early 2012

Well it looks like Netflix's rumored UK launch was a lot more than just a rumor. Today, the company announced that it will indeed expand to the UK and Ireland "in early 2012," promising to offer unlimited streaming on PCs, tablets and mobile devices at a "low monthly subscription price." The company didn't say what that price would be, nor did it offer any details on available content or supported devices, though more details will be announced closer to its launch. We're also expecting to hear more from Netflix during its Q3 earnings conference call later today, when we should find out about the impact of its recent price hike and Qwikster turnaround. Whether or not its foray into the UK can loosen Lovefilm's grip on the domestic market, however, remains to be seen. Full PR after the break
Source

Dell Latitude ST promo video shows off stylus, docking station

Looking forward to Dell's latest Windows slate? Point your peepers here, the outfit's Malaysian site just unleashed a promo video showing off the firm's Latitude ST tablet. The preview confirms that the 10-inch tablet will sport front and rear cameras, HDMI-out, a built-in stylus and an Intel Atom processor. The Latitude ST can also be paired with a familiar looking docking station, leaving us to wonder if we're looking at Dell's 'Peju' Tablet in its final form. Care to wonder with us? You'll find the video after the break

source

Samsung Stratosphere, Motorola Droid RAZR to be first Verizon LTE phones with Micro SIMs?

Looks like Verizon's got a hardware-crush on teensy 3FF Micro SIMs. The carrier's two latest 4G handsets, Samsung's Stratosphere and Motorola's Droid RAZR, both appear to make do with the diminutive cards. Neither, however, would be the first, as that honor was bestowed upon the carrier's version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. If you're eager to call one of these devices your own, but already sport Big Red's LTE service, then get set to bust out the scissors for a little SIM card arts and crafts. Further pictorial proof of these itsy, bitsy modules awaits you at the source
source

AmtrakConnect WiFi now available on at least one Northeast Regional train

Okay, so it's a little later than expected, but we're happy to report that at least some Northeast Regional trains have now been augmented by AmtrakConnect. This (free) WiFi has been available on Acela trains for some time now, and in a few lucky Regional trains in the Northwest. Amtrak still hasn't confirmed the existence of this connectivity, so we can't say for sure just how many of its trains have been suitably augmented, but we know that at least number 69, the Adirondack, has it, because we're using it right now. Connectivity is a little rough and speeds are decidedly low -- problems that can certainly be applied to this particular railway relic as a whole
source

Motorola Xoom will get updated with Ice Cream Sandwich, but when?

Now that Ice Cream Sandwich is real, the inevitable next step is a parade of announcement that certain devices will / won't experience the latest and greatest flavor of Android. Xoom owners can breathe easy however, as a support forum mod (totally reliable source) confirms Moto will issue an update for its family-friendly tablet, but can't say when we'll see it. Feel free to check out our emulator-powered Android 4.0 tablet demo until then, but considering how long it took to slide LTE into those slabs, you should probably grab a Snickers.

iPad 2 Giveaway

Full Review: iPhone 4S

Nokia N9 review

It's taken a long time for Nokia's MeeGo-packing N9 to make its way into our top secret labs (the N9 moniker was first applied to early E7 prototypes), but it's here in our dirty little hands, at last, and it's glorious -- well, as glorious as a stillborn product can be, anyway. The N9 is the latest and greatest in a long line of quirky, interesting, yet ultimately flawed touchscreen experiments from Nokia that includes the Hildon-sporting 7710, a series of Maemo-based "internet tablets" (770, N800, N810, N900) and most recently, the N950 MeeGo handset for developers. What makes the N9 special is that it represents Nokia's last flagship phone as an independent player. MeeGo is already dead, and future high-end devices from the manufacturer will run Windows Phone and use Microsoft's services. So, is this the company's final bittersweet hurray? Did MeeGo ever stand a chance against Android, iOS and Mango? In its attempt to stay relevant, is Nokia throwing out the baby with the bathwater? Most importantly, how does the N9 fare in today's merciless dual-core world? Find out after the break

BlackBerry Playbook 2.0 developer beta previewed, Android apps look right at home

Are you in DevCon withdrawal? Need a little BBX preview to ferry you safely into the weekend's arms? Well, you're in luck, as German site Macberry.de took the time to film a walkthrough of the recently released BlackBerry Playbook 2.0 developer beta. The homescreen of this new build now offers users folder options similar to that on iOS, neatly collecting your gaggles of data into appropriate bundles -- like documents and games. But you probably care less about that, and more about seeing BlackBerry Runtime for Android apps in action. We're happy to report those Google-specific applications are shown here running quite smoothly, filling the 7-inch tab's screen without any hint of lag. You can download the dev build now for your own first-hand account, or simply click on past the break to gawk at the silent tour.

Video

Verizon finally confirms it will have the Galaxy Nexus

After a few leaks and false starts, Verizon has finally made its plans to offer the Galaxy Nexus "later this year" official. That's really the only detail revealed, as its price, release date and availability on other carriers are still unknown. Check out the press release after the break if you need any more confirmation.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus WiFi hitting the US November 13th

Nearly a month after its initial announcement, Samsung's ready to deliver the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to the good ol' US of A just in time for the winter gift-giving season. The WiFi-only device, which packs a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU with 1GB of RAM, Android 3.2, 3MP camera with 720p HD video capture and a 7-inch LCD with 1024 x 600 resolution, will be begging for your credit card as of November 13th at Best Buy, Amazon and other retailers. Are you an early adopter? No prob -- you'll have the opportunity to pre-order yours at "select retailers" this coming Sunday, though no specific outlets were called out by name. The 16GB is the only version arriving so far, but Sammy told us to expect the 32GB flavor later this year or early 2012 (likely for $499, if yesterday's brief appearance on Amazon is any indicator). No word on partnerships with carriers yet, but we'll keep you posted on any updates. View the press release in all its glory below.

Android Ice Cream Sandwich includes native stylus support

Styli and Android haven't exactly been strangers as of late -- with devices like the HTC Flyer and Samsung Galaxy Note offering pen-based input -- but it looks like that option will soon be even easier to implement with Ice Cream Sandwich. As noted on Reddit, Google's recent overview of some Android 4.0 platform highlights includes a small tidbit towards the end that details the "full support for stylus input events" in the OS -- including features like pressure sensitivity and the ability to distinguish motion events from different sources (i.e. a pen and your finger). Of course, it still requires some hardware-level assistance from tablet and smartphone makers, but native support in the OS could well open up some interesting possibilities, especially when it comes to third-party apps.

Motorola Atrix 2 Unboxing & Hands On

ASUS says Eee Pad Transformer tablet will get ICS upgrade!

We already have some information about which phones will be getting the Ice Cream Sandwich update and when, and we're now starting to get some official word on tablet upgrades as well. Speaking with Pocket-lint, an ASUS rep said that the Eee Pad Transformer "will be getting update to ICS," but that the company "can't provide a schedule at this stage." Still no word from other Honeycomb tablet manufacturers, unfortunately, but we'll keep you posted. Of course, this also leads us to believe that the freshly-unveiled Transformer Prime will likely have Android 4.0 right from the factory, but we'll have to wait (presumably, anyway) until November 9th to know for sure.

HTC Rezound render resoundingly revealed

Hark! The first renders of the HTC Rezound have appeared online, thanks to some of the device's cases going up for pre-order. You can see that, like the Sensation XE, the phone has red-glowing soft keys -- a bit of a departure from HTC's traditionally conservative design language. If you recall, the phone formerly called Vigor is said to have a 4.3-inch screen, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 1GB RAM, Beats Audio and an 8MP rear camera. Now that you know what the Verizon 4G cellular telephone will look like, you'll be able to pick one out of a lineup when it's available, which should be on November 10th for$300 on contract.

New Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Android Ice Cream Sandwich: What will it look like on a tablet?

Is there such a thing as too much Ice Cream Sandwich? We didn't think so either, and booted up Google's own Android Emulator to play around with version four-point-oh -- in tablet proportions. We don't know whether manufacturers will end up slathering their own interpretation of Ice Cream Sandwich on top of the vanilla original, but this is probably very close to what we'll be dealing with when it arrives on tablets sometime this quarter. Scrollable, resizeable widgets are here, as is a tabbed, synchronizing web browser. There are some minor niggles; we hope they'll make some adjustments to the comically over-sized native keyboard, but the main thing we took away from this stuttering simulation is that the UI is nigh-on identical to what we were using on the Galaxy Nexus. Android looks like it has any future convergence issues in order -- this version will feel at home on both your phone and tablet. Android Beam has never sounded better. If you can forgive the low-performance emulation, check out the video after the break for more Ice Cream Sandwich, king-size.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus hands-on!

Remember the Droid RAZR? That's so yesterday. Or, earlier today. Whatever. The point is, Samsung's just busted out the planet's first Ice Cream Sandwich-based smartphone here in Hong Kong, a few days late but hardly worse for the wear. The Galaxy Nexus (formerly referred to as the Nexus Prime) carriers on the Nexus torch in spectacular fashion, and we've just spent a few quality moments with one here at the launch event. Design-wise, it's clear that the Nexus S DNA is here, though the rear reminds us most of the Galaxy S II. Those who abhor physical buttons will also be delighted, and while we'd gotten used to the whole Power + Home for a screenshot on the GSII, Power + Volume Down works just fine on this fellow.

The 1.2GHz dual-core processor was startlingly fast. It actually felt a wee bit quicker than our Galaxy S II, and given that Ice Cream Sandwich and the Galaxy Nexus were apparently built for one another, we're assuming there's some deeply ingrained optimizations to thank. Swiping from pane to pane was faster than its ever been on Android, and the new Roboto font actually is super eye-pleasing. The touch response of the capacitive buttons -- much like those on the original Nexus One -- take a bit of getting used to, and we had to mash 'em just a touch harder than we anticipated to elicit a response. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a thing worth noting

Google announces NFC-based Android Beam for sharing between phones

Google's already embraced NFC for mobile payments, and it's now ready to do some sharing as well. That comes in the form of the new Android Beam feature for Ice Cream Sandwich, which the company just announced at its joint event with Samsung in Hong Kong. Much like HP's ill-fated Touch-to-sharefunctionality, it will let you simply tap two NFC-enabled devices together to share a piece of information. That will work with a range of apps and services in Android, including YouTube videos, contact information, maps, web pages, and even links to apps in the Android Market. What's more, Google also announced that the SDK is available for download today -- get it at the source link below.

Dell XPS 8300

I'm thinking about buying this new computer check out the specks:
Intel core i7-2600 3.4GHz
8MB Cache
16GB memory
2TB SATA II Hard Drive
8x Blu-ray Comdo Drive

more info

Samsung and Google's Ice Cream Sandwich event!

There ain't no party like a Google and Samsung party because a Google and Samsung party comes with ice cream. Or, at least, this one does. We're glad you're going to join us for the first proper tasting of Google's next mobile operating system, because it's going to be big.

Apple Q4 earnings fall short of expectations: $28.27 billion in revenue, $6.62 billion net profit

Apple's earnings for Q4 2011 are out, and the company has fallen short of expectations. It still managed to rake in $28.27 billion during the quarter -- up from $20.3 billion in Q4 2010 -- but that's quite a bit shy of the $29.6 billion or so analysts were counting on. Net profits came in at $6.62 billion, up considerably from the $4.3 billion seen in the same quarter last year, and Apple notes that it is indeed still a record quarter. In terms of products, the company announced that 17.07 million iPhones were sold in Q4 (a 21 percent jump from a year ago), along with 11.12 million iPads (a whopping 166 percent increase year-over-year), 4.89 million Macs (a 26 percent jump), and 6.62 million iPods (once again the one area that continues to decline, now down 27 percent from a year ago). Apple's cash pile on hand also continued to swell during the quarter, and now stands at around $84 billion. Press release is after the break.

Motorola Motoactv

So when Motorola teased its "faster, thinner, smarter, stronger" event we were pretty sure that was a not-so-subtle reference to the 7mm-thick Droid RAZR. As it turns out, the company was also being quite literal. Instead of a Xoom 2, the outfit rounded out its New York City presser with Motoactv, an iPod Nano-like touchscreen device that plays music and keeps track of your various fitness vitals. While we couldn't take it more than a few feet away from the pedestal where it was on display, we did get to poke around its UI for a few minutes and put that 600MHz processor to the test. You know the drill: hands-on photos below, along with impressions and a short vid after the break.

RIM announces PlayBook 2.0 Developer Beta and Runtime

Research in Motion announced the developer beta of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 today at its annual DevCon event. The new beta will be released today, and has a few goodies that we've been waiting a long time for: namely, BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps and the BlackBerry Plug-In for Android Development Tools, which will give developers the opportunity to bring their Android apps to the PlayBook. Also coming along for the ride is support for Adobe AIR 3, Flash Player 11 and WebGL, a new tech that enables hardware-accelerated 3D graphics to show in the browser without needing additional software. Needless to say, this changes the ballgame a bit for Waterloo. Sounds great, but is it enough to keep the company's head above water? Remains to be seen, but check out the press release after the break to get the full scoop, and head over to the Runtime site to get started.

Motorola's Faster. Thinner. Smarter. Stronger. event

The countdown is almost at an end. And that means it's time for some serious Daft Punk-referencing Motorola action. What can we expect today? The Spyder / Droid RAZR handset? The sequel to the Xoom? Perhaps an early taste of Ice Cream Sandwich? All of these answers and more will be revealed at 12PM ET.

Motorola Droid RAZR gets an early introduction ahead of tomorrow's launch

One thing we love about teasers: they oftentimes backfire, allowing the general public to see more of the product than the company intended. This is the story of the Motorola Spyder (aka Droid RAZR), its first teaser attempt spoiled when the phone's name was included on the image file. The second sneak peek is cleverly designed as an incomplete puzzle with the missing pieces added one-by-one as we get closer to the device's launch, but Motorola left a full image of the phone hiding in plain view. So what we see above is an uber-thin Verizon LTE device with kevlar backing and a Droid X-style hump on the top, a rear camera (presumably 8MP) with 1080p HD video capture, a front-facing cam, a standard set of four capacitive touch buttons and a redesigned Droid eye. We're still hoping to get a glimpse of the Xoom 2before the big event, but at least you can consider us sufficiently teased for now.

Siri gets lost internationally, promises to do better next year

The iPhone 4S' Siri integration may be a potential game changer, but she's not quite the world traveler some of us would like her to be. In fact, it seems she's as lost outside of US borders as any unprepared tourist. Looking for a pub in London? Better find a traditional map. Need to know the time of day in Canada? Siri admits she has no idea, go buy a watch. Business search (via Yelp), directions, and traffic data search all appear to be US-only features for now, and Wolfram Alpha only works in English-speaking countries. The automated assistant's international failings aren't too big of a surprise, however -- Apple's own Siri page outs the service as a beta, noting that some features may vary by area. Stuck with sub-par international support? Sit tight, it's coming: Apple's Siri FAQ states that additional language support (including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Italian and Spanish), maps and local search content are set to go international in 2012.

Playing with Siri on the iPhone 4S

iPhone 4S lacks "Enable 3G" switch

If you're among the teeming masses holding a brand new iPhone 4S in your hands, you may be surprised (as we were) to find there's something conspicuously absent from the Network Settings menu on your new device: specifically the ability to manually shut off 3G data. After receiving word, and a screenshot, from a helpful tipster, rocking a 4S on Vodafone's network, we found the same option missing from our own AT&T iteration. Of course this isn't the sort of thing that's likely to have an impact on most users, but if you're the type that likes to squeeze every last bit of juice out of that Apple, the omission could cause some frustration. We gave Apple support a call to see what they had to say, and were told AppleCare has no official response on the matter. If you're lamenting the loss of the 3G flip-switch sound off in the comments below.

NEW Jailbreak iOS 5 / 5.0 iPhone 4,3Gs,iPod Touch 4,3 & iPad

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iPhone 4S Setup & First Boot

Google to launch MP3 store in coming weeks?

Details are still scarce here, but the New York Times is reporting that Google is about to launch a new MP3 store, as part of its ongoing foray into the music business. According to sources within the industry, the platform, not surprisingly, would be directly linked to Google Music Beta and may launch within the next few weeks -- perhaps even before Apple unveils iTunes Match, at the end of this month. It remains to be seen, however, whether Big G will be able to finalize negotiations with record labels and publishers before launching the initiative in earnest -- a potentially major hurdle, considering Google's recent track record. As you may recall, previous negotiations over a proposed locker-type storage service ultimately broke down earlier this year, amid concerns over licensing and illegal file-sharing. As one label executive told the Times, the recording industry desperately wants to "make sure the locker doesn't become a bastion of piracy." An MP3 store, of course, isn't exactly a radical proposal, but its future will likely hinge upon Google's ability to mend relations with a sector it recently characterized as "unreasonable and unsustainable."

iOS 5: New Features

IOS 5 New Features

Sprint explains iPhone 4S unlocking policy: phones will be unlocked, then locked, then unlocked again

Yeah, that makes just as much sense to us as it does to you. Following yesterday's PR debacle, the final word from Sprint appears to be as follows:

"Sprint's policy is to have the iPhone 4S SIM locked to our network domestically and internationally. At launch, the International SIM will be unlocked. We do expect a SIM lock to be pushed to the devices shortly after launch. We will then allow existing customers in good standing to unlock the SIM for international use if needed in the future."

So, if we're reading that correctly, the iPhone you purchase and activate will be unlocked. Then, a SIM lock will be "pushed" to your device. But, if you've been a good, policy-abiding customer, your iPhone can then be unlocked manually by Sprint. Who knows what'll happen if you buy your phone and flee to a non-extradition country before Sprint comes knocking at the door, shackles in hand. Will you be left to live in peace with your newly-acquired international Micro SIM? Will you need to plead your case before a tribunal of mobile carrier overlords? Only time will tell, we suppose, or perhaps further clarification from Sprint. Jump past the break for the complete announcement.

Ice Cream Sandwich leak outs Music 4.0.1 for download, previews Google+ 2.0

 

A funny thing happened to the folks at Android Police, the same group responsible for leaking some of the first screenshots of Ice Cream Sandwich. They've since come across a few apps from Google's upcoming release -- purportedly straight from a Nexus Prime. The first is Google Music 4.0.1 -- a marked upgrade from the current 3.0.1 found in the Market today -- which sports refined tabs, a contextual dialog and new player controls. For reference, the latest version is shown on the right, which is most likely installed onto a Gingerbread device. Best yet, the APK is currently up for download (which you're able to grab for yourself from the source). There's also a sneak peek of the upcoming Google+ 2.0, which suggests Messenger (formerly Huddle) and Conversations will be renamed to... get this... Chords. Feel free to take a peek after the break, or check out the full gallery at the second source link below.