Saturday, August 25, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority

Huge Samsung defeat – what caused Apple’s $1 billion win in U.S. patent case [full verdict]

Posted: 25 Aug 2012 01:30 AM PDT

You probably know by now that Samsung has just gotten its ass kicked by Apple in court in San Jose, California, in one of the most important patent legal conflicts of our times, and in one of the most important patent fights between the two, with Apple in a war that spans across four continents, with more than 50 cases filed in 10 countries so far.

The unexpectedly fast verdict was filed on late-Friday, and it heavily contradicts the findings of a South Korean court in a similar case. That court said that both sides infringe on the other's patents and awarded damages in the thousands for each party.

But the jury in this first U.S. trial awarded a complete and unquestionable win to Apple. Samsung lost on all counts, except in the tablet patent battle, but that victory doesn’t count that much and I'll tell you later why.

We have thoroughly covered the U.S. Apple vs Samsung case for the better part of the month – from opening to closing statements – and we looked at all the evidence each side pitted against the other. I said more than once that the evidence presented in court does not look good for Samsung, and that the Android maker will have a very tough job proving that it didn't infringe on the patents claims part of the trial.

And apparently the jury thought so too.

The Verdict

As you may already know, the jury had to look at all the evidence, examine all the devices, and fill in a 20-page lawyered form (a joint result of Apple's and Samsung's proposed jury forms) comprised of over 700 per-patent per-device questions grouped in 33 main questions dealing with patent infringement, trade dress, antitrust and damages. On top of that, the jury had to take into account an over 100-page jury instruction form provided by the court to help with issuing a verdict.

So how did Samsung manage to obtain such an adverse verdict? Simply put, its lawyers were not able to demonstrate that the Samsung products Apple alleged were infringing on various patents were, in fact, not infringing those patents. Samsung was not able to invalidate any of Apple's patents. Samsung was not able to prove that its design choices were largely related to device functionality, therefore its devices were not infringing. Samsung was not able to prove it did not copy the iPhone, although it was successful in proving it didn't copy the iPad. Samsung was not able to prove that any patent infringements, if found, were not willful.

Moreover, Samsung was not able to demonstrate that Apple infringed on its own patents – in fact, the jury did not award any damages to Samsung for its own patent claims. There is some good news here for Samsung, that it did not violate antitrust laws with its FRAND patents used against Apple in the trial, which means it doesn't have to pay anything to the iPhone maker on top of the $1 billion in damages already awarded by the jury. At the end of this post you'll find the full verdict form as submitted, and amended by the jury. But we're going to talk about the juicy parts in what follows.

iPhone design – trade dress and software patents

Nearly every Samsung smartphone part of the trial – and specifically the Galaxy S and Galaxy S2 former flagship devices that helped the company become what it is today in the smartphone business – have been found to infringe on Apple's software patents that describe such "minor" details as the "bounce-back" feature, multi-touch or "tap-to-zoom."

In addition to software patents, who ultimately can be worked around if Samsung and/or Google so desire – and chances are the companies will have to do so in order to keep such functions available on handsets and tablets without infringing any patents – Samsung's devices were also found to be infringing the patented iPhone design.

According to the jury, various Galaxy-branded devices diluted the iPhone's trade dress, in general, and specifically the registered iPhone 3G trade dress. In plainer words, Samsung copied the iPhone with various design variations and now it will have to suffer the consequences, and we're talking about damages and potential sales ban as Apple is going to go forward with its actions against the Android maker. Sure, appeals will follow, but that doesn't mean Apple's win can be simply erased, and a complete overturn of the verdict is largely unexpected. Reuters notes:

“The impact on Samsung will be quite limited, as affected models are mostly legacy products and its new products did make some design changes to avoid potential litigation,” said D.J. Jung, representative patent attorney for SU Intellectual Property.

“Still … it’s a sweeping loss in the most important market. It’s inevitable that Samsung’s brand will be negatively affected – Samsung could be perceived as a copycat.”

iPad design

The good news for Samsung is that its Galaxy Tab 10.1 did not infringe the iPad design patent, therefore Samsung did not copy the iPad with its products. While the verdict is favorable to Samsung, it still doesn't mean much for the tablet market, one that is not only undisputedly dominated by the iPad, but also one that is getting harder and harder for Samsung to compete in as important players such as Google and Amazon (with Apple joining soon) releasing affordable 7-inch devices that cannibalize "regular" Android sales.

Moreover, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was also found to be infringing on software patents, so the device is not exactly safe against further Apple action. The iPhone maker is certain to appeal on this ruling, as the iPad is one of its major products and it would definitely love to score a victory in this department against Android as well.

Willfulness

The jury found that Samsung has willfully infringed on Apple's patents, which is another major defeat for Samsung. On those grounds alone, Judge Lucy Koh could triple the damages amount due to Apple. Of course, we're yet to see such developments yet, as the jury has just filed in the verdict, which means both companies are now devising post-trial strategies, including future appeals and motions.

Samsung patents

What's disturbing for Samsung is that it was awarded $0 in damages. In other words, Apple proved that its iOS product do not infringe on Samsung patents, patents that were deemed valid by the jury. Therefore ,Samsung does not have a bargaining chip that could have been used in future settlement talks – let's remember that there are plenty of outstanding Apple vs Samsung conflicts in the world, with one other U.S. trial between set to start soon.

What's next?

Various pundits, tech publications and legal entities are speculating on what each party will do, and everyone agrees that appeals are in order, and further legal actions from both parties will follow.

Samsung

Samsung will most likely try to have Judge Koh overrule the findings of the jury, or at least lower the damages. The company will go forward with appeals either way, although its not clear from Samsung's recent statements what the next steps are. Android Police notes:

Suffice to say, Samsung’s appeals docket will probably be pretty long. How much good will it do? Just know that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has a little over 10% rate of overturning district court decisions. Better than some circuits, but it doesn’t take a genius to see those aren’t good odds. Considering the parties haven’t settled by now (and Samsung won on zero counts), it’s unlikely Apple will be interested in compromising in exchange for Samsung foregoing an appeal. At this point, they’re in it to hurt Samsung, as they’ve made clear.

But CNET says that:

While the victory is important for Apple, it shouldn’t count its money just yet. The company still faces a federal circuit that reverses at least something in about half the cases it reviews. In addition, large patent verdicts have been frequently reversed or lowered. “It feels like its over but it’s got a long way to go yet,” notes Brian Love, law professor at Santa Clara University.

Apple

Apple asked for $2.5 billion initially, although admitted it prefers product bans rather than monetary compensation. The company could still try to convince Judge Koh to triple the damages, and it's more than likely to try to obtain temporary and permanent injunctions against the Galaxy-branded devices found infringing on Apple patents that are still selling on American soil. We'll find out more details about Apple's own legal plans in the weeks and months to follow, as Apple has already filed paperwork to proceed with an injunction against Samsung products.

A September 20 hearing on the matter has been scheduled by Judge Koh.

Android

Finally, this is a huge defeat for Google. While the company is not involved directly in the Apple vs Samsung trial, it's Android OS took a beating in court, and therefore the partial outcome of this legal fight – and we're months or years away from a final result between the two sides – will definitely hurt Google and its partners interested in Android including OEMs and carriers.

How do you feel about the whole U.S. Apple vs Samsung trial result?

12-08-24 Apple-Samsung Amended Jury Verdict

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This article, Huge Samsung defeat – what caused Apple's $1 billion win in U.S. patent case [full verdict] , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Apple’s $1 billion patent win against Samsung: first thoughts

Posted: 25 Aug 2012 12:41 AM PDT

Apple has just made a clean sweep in its patent lawsuit against Apple. Basically, Apple won on all fronts, as the jury has declared Samsung infringed on two design patents that covered almost all of Samsung’s Android smartphones. Samsung was also found to have diluted the “trade dress” of Apple’s iPhone, which refers to the product’s visual branding.

As such, Samsung is ordered to pay $1,049,343,540 in damages.

Meanwhile in Samsung’s counter-claim against Apple, the jury decided that Apple owed Samsung nothing. It goes without saying that Apple is pleased with the turnout, and that Samsung is disappointed. Here are a few initial thoughts from both parties.

Apple made a statement through spokeswoman Katie Cotton:

  • The evidence presented showed that Samsung’s copying “went far deeper than even we knew.”
  • Patent lawsuit was about more than just money. They were more about values.
  • “We value originality … making the best products on earth.”
  • Apple applauds the court’s findings and stresses the message that “stealing isn’t right.”

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics issued a statement:

  • The verdict is a “win for Apple, but a loss for the American consumer.”
  • The verdict will lead to “fewer choices, less innovation and potentially higher prices.”
  • Patent law can be manipulated to give one company a “monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners.”
  • Samsung and other companies improve on technology.
  • Consumers have the right to choose, and have the ability to know the product they are buying.
  • Other tribunals and courts around the world have already rejected many of Apple’s claims.

Basically, the $1 billion verdict is the largest patent verdict in history, and even with the billions made in Samsung smartphone sales, this is no small change. There is still the question of whether the verdict will result in a ban or recall on Samsung smartphones.

Samsung is adamant at “continu[ing] to innovate and offer choices for the consumer,” although we’re not sure at this point if they will choose to appeal the court and jury’s decision.

Can you be more innovative?

In light of the court’s decision, and the points presented by both Apple and Samsung, what clearly comes to light is the role of patents in innovation, and the extent to which businesses can take liberties at existing intellectual property and work these to their own goals.

I agree with Samsung that for consumers, having a choice is good. I cannot imagine a world in which there is only one dominant smartphone platform that’s not exactly conducive for productivity. If no one challenged the smartphone ideals of the early 2000′s we would still be using clunky Windows-like interfaces on small screens. Or, we’d still be suffering with textinitis from multi-tapping words on a numeric keypad.

I have to give it to Samsung that using patents to monopolize an industry is not exactly good, and that having no competition would result in expensive products.

However, inventors do need to have a reason for innovating. If anyone can just go about copying other products and ideas, then inventors and innovators would cease to find better ways to do things.

They key point here is the merit in Apple’s ownership of their design patents, and why it was not acceptable for a third-party to simply copy these concepts. While I would agree that patent trolling is a questionable enterprise, it’s not as if Apple did not actually have products in the market that use their patented designs.

Samsung could have simply paid to license these patents (which Apple said they offered in 2010). They would have then owed $250 million, which is still a small amount compared to $1 billion and potential product bans.

Or more importantly, they could have gone ahead and made innovations of their own.

It’s not just about rectangles

Samsung has cried that the patent war was about “rectangles with rounded corners.” But what about the other design aspects of Galaxy smartphones? The court says Samsung has diluted the iPhone’s “trade dress” by making their smartphones look like Apple’s. The market response to Samsung’s Android phones is overwhelmingly great, and they are now the dominant brand in Android devices, far overtaking early adopters like HTC and Motorola.

But Samsung could have done better. In Ron Amadeo’s recent review of the Galaxy Note 10.1 on Android Police, he argues that Samsung has gone lazy in producing its Galaxy Note 10.1. It’s almost like Samsung has grown arrogant. “We're Samsung. You slobs will buy anything we crap out. We don't have to try, we don't even need the latest components. You'll buy it no matter what.”

Amadeo then wonders whether the mobile division is “run by passionless, cost-cutting bean-counters.”

Samsung has all the resources to make great products. Its Series 9 ultrabook uses a special aluminum alloy called Duralum. Samsung manufactures the new iPad’s retina display. Samsung has developed a 20-megapixel CMOS sensor built into its compact NX200 camera.

The big question is why haven’t innovations like these have not made their way into the Galaxy smartphone or tablet series.

I don’t pretend to be a patent lawyer, nor do I love everything that Apple does. But the disappointment for me is that Samsung could have done better in terms of innovation. I hope that the guilty verdict will be good for the smartphone and tablet industry in the long run — especially for Samsung. This might force Samsung to rethink their mobile strategy and perhaps focus on releasing even better phones and tablets in the future.

Any thoughts? We’d love to hear whether you agree or disagree with the verdict, and more importantly, what you think these will mean for us smartphone users.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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This article, Apple’s $1 billion patent win against Samsung: first thoughts , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Easy SIM unlock for Galaxy S3 released, but wait …

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:21 PM PDT

Galaxy-S3 official

Network locks are a way for carriers to ensure subscribers finish up with their contracts (networks can easily block the IMEI of handsets that belong to delinquent accounts). However, having your phone opened to other networks does have its benefits. For example, if you’re traveling abroad, you can avoid hefty roaming charges by buying prepaid SIM cards.

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S3 is usually released in the U.S. on-contract, which means it will be locked to your carrier. While some carriers will allow network unlocking for a charge, enthusiasts would usually be able to do an unlock through free means. On the XDA Developers forum, user zohawkish released a free unlocking tool that would render your Galaxy S3 “open line.”

  • First you need to backup your "EFS FILE" in safe place.
  • you must be in unlocked stock firmware like BLG8 (using voodoo app + libsec-ril.so (mike1986 fix))
  • unzip the attached zip "efs.zip"
  • copy the files (.nv_core.bak, .nv_core.bak.md5) to your EFS file
  • reboot and enjoy !!!

As of this writing, though, the original post had been pulled down. Zohawkish pulled out support for the unlock tool given complications that have arisen, particularly with the need to backup EFS and restore the backed-up EFS if a user wants to update to future Jelly Bean releases.

In short, is it worth the trouble to unlock your phone at this point?

A comment-poster on the XDA Developers blog said the method will change the phone’s IMEI. Uh oh! But don’t fret. Yet another commenter has pointed to an alternative solution, which unlocks the Galaxy S3 in safer manner through a the GalaxSim Unlock app.

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This article, Easy SIM unlock for Galaxy S3 released, but wait … , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Official Android 4.0 ICS ROM for HTC Thunderbolt leaked

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:16 PM PDT

Earlier in the month, HTC has announced on its Facebook page that it was planning to wrap up the ICS upgrade rollout for several devices by the end of August, namely for the HTC Thunderbolt and the HTC Desire S. Given how tumultuous the road to ICS often is, in which delay is but the name of game, some may need to take the news with a pinch of salt.

It's a different story for the HTC Thunderbolt, however, as an official ICS ROM for the HTC Thunderbolt has made its rounds on the internet. The leaked firmware is a good sign that the ICS roll out for Verizon's once flagship offering is imminent, provided all the glitches and bugs that users are reporting can be dealt with in a timely manner.

While the leaked file works great for some people, others are noticing several problems. The common issue that folks have is the deteriorating battery life.  Aside from issues like the loss of BT, the performance seems to be taking a hit as well. Again, we're seeing conflicting reports about how well the leaked ROM is running. So you should keep this in mind if you do decide to take the plunge and install the leaked ICS.

Check the following thread at XDA to get the download link(s) for the leaked Ice Cream Sandwich ROM for your HTC Thunderbolt.

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This article, Official Android 4.0 ICS ROM for HTC Thunderbolt leaked , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Germany to get the quad-core Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE in October, but at what price?

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:14 PM PDT

Whether it's the quad-core Exynos or dual-core Snapdragon S4 variant, millions of customers worldwide have fallen for the charm of Samsung Galaxy S3. Given the equally boisterous response that the quad-core Galaxy S3 LTE model has received back home, Samsung is eager to bring the special variant to more markets, with Germany apparently has been penciled in as the first stop.

Sammy Hub got the scoop on the phone's arrival in Germany, which they said would hit stores in October. One thing that prospecitive owners of the phone may not like to hear is its expected retail price. While the HSPA+ version of the quad-core phone is selling for €549, the LTE version will be offered for €749. Yikes, that translates to about $935!

We're not sure if the 4G LTE connectivity can justify such steep price for the phone, because it essentially has the same specs — save for the possible extra 1GB of RAM, though we're not sure yet if that's the case. Nonetheless, the option will be there for those who have 4G speed cravings.

We don’t know yet whether any carrier will step up and offer the quad-core Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE on contract — to make the price easier to swallow. The phone may land in Vodafone, Telekom or O2 – as those are the ones that already have extensive 4G LTE coverage in the country.

Do you think €749 ($935) is too much for the quad-core Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE?

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This article, Germany to get the quad-core Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE in October, but at what price? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

$99 Samsung Galaxy Stellar on Verizon to come with ‘starter mode’

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:09 PM PDT

We've gotten to know the Samsung Galaxy Stellar back when it was still being paraded around as the Jasper. Since then, we learned that the Stellar does live up to its name when it comes to the phone's processor, as it boasts the same Snapdragon S4 chip found on hot items like the Galaxy S3 and One X. Freshly leaked internal documents obtained by Droid Life reveals more juicy bits of the Galaxy Stellar.

Starting with the $99 price, the Galaxy Stellar is bound to take its  place on Verizon's mid-range Android lineup. It’s definitely an attractive price and we can already foresee the phone being discounted early on by various third-party retailers, making it a more delectable offering.

The leak also points that the phone will ship with an "easy-to-use Starter mode" and "on-device help." We're not sure what these imply, but the starter mode probably involves a bunch of preset home screens and shortcuts to Amazon apps that Verizon want you to use. One key piece of information that's still missing from the leak is the release date of the phone on Big Red. But there's every reason to believe that the Galaxy Stellar will be ready to strut its stuff in the coming weeks.

How does a $99 price tag for the Galaxy Stellar's 4-inch display, dual-core 1.5Ghz Snapdragon S4, 1GB RAM, 4GB onboard storage, and 4G LTE radio sound like to you?

This article, $99 Samsung Galaxy Stellar on Verizon to come with ‘starter mode’ , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

New and fresh Android apps of the week (August 24 issue)

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT

The work week ends today (for some of us, that is), and what better way to cap it off than to check out some of the new and fresh Android apps of the week.

There’s something nice about exposing oneself to fresh stuff at a time when nerves have grown tight and muscles are sore from all the mental and physical exertion at work or in school.  This post is all about that — freshness and newness.

In this August 24 roundup of the best new and fresh Android apps of the week, we’ll talk a bit about an app for

  • staying clear of vehicular accidents,
  • setting custom ringtones befitting a corporate workplace,
  • web browsing without hogging your device’s storage or resources too much,
  • listening to online music,
  • preventing others from snooping into your SMS messages,
  • measuring how fast you’re walking/running or how far you’ve walked/run,
  • one-tap switching of settings or phone profiles,
  • simple but esthetically pleasant music playback,
  • editing photos, making photo collages, and sharing them on Facebook,
  • quickly learning the Latina musical notation system counterparts of the English musical notation system,
  • playing videos on floating windows on the homescreen,
  • recording audio and voice conversations discreetly,
  • reading rage-face comic strips,
  • creating and casting votes in custom social polls, and
  • looking up information through an all-in-one (or so) reference.

Go ahead and check out these new and fresh Android apps of the week.  They’re all yours for the taking.

DriveOFF

One of the causes of road accidents is using the phone while driving. It is always advised not to text or answer calls while driving. But, since we live in a very hectic environment, we are usually tempted to answer the phone or reply to our text messages. The DriveOFF app sees these driving hazards and promotes safety by killing all your notifications sounds while you are driving. It will also launch a background, blocking your view of your phone’s screen.

To use this app, all you need to do is launch it, select a background, and it will automatically activate when you start driving. The app utilizes your phone’s GPS. Once you have reached the speed of 10 mph, the app will kill all notification sounds on your phone. You will also get to choose a “boring background” when launching the app. Once you start driving, the app will display the background on your phone’s screen. You can also press the Stop button to disable the app and use your phone when you really need to.

DriveOFF can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. The app’s interface is clean and I didn’t find any ads running on the background. The app also won’t require you to grant suspicious permissions.

Office Ringtones Professional

One of the perks of having an Android phone is that it can be easily be customized. You can add your own third-party keyboards, install Android launchers, and customize your phone’s ringtones. If you’re looking for an app that lets you choose a phone ringtone suitable for a corporate environment, you can try the Office Ringtones Professional app on your Android phone. This app is like a ringtone hub that lets you choose a variety of ringtones and set them on your Android phone.

Launching the app will bring you to a list of ringtones and notification sounds. You can find techy beep sounds or the ringing sound of classic telephones. You can also find calming ringtones such as that of running water or the singing wind chimes that will calm your nerves while working in the office. You can listen to the tone by tapping the play button for each sound. Once you have made your choice, you can set the tone as your ringtone, alarm, or notification tone; you can also assign it to a specific contact directly from the app. You can also tap the heart to set a specific tone as a favorite and place it on the Favorites tab.

Office Ringtones Professional can be downloaded for free but displays ads at the bottom at the screen. The app also doesn’t require any suspicious permissions.

Lite.Browser

Simplicity is beautiful. If you have an eye for a simple, minimalist designed, easy-to-use, and friendly user interface, then you will most likely love the Lite.Browser app for your Android device. It is so light that the app is just only 187 kB. This app won’t surely clog up your Android device. If you don’t need the complicated options, swiping gestures, and all other gimmicks on your other browsers, then you should definitely try this browser.

The app is just like the default web browser, except that it doesn’t have an address bar on top. You might be wondering how you can surf the web without an address bar. Upon launching the app, the Google Search page will appear on the screen. This is the default home page on the browser. You can type the URL or the keywords on the Google Search bar. You can also use your phone’s back key to go back to the previous page or exit the browser. You can also find two virtual buttons below that allows you to zoom in and zoom out on a page.

The Lite.Browser app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. During my testing, the browser worked well and did not encounter any bugs or force close errors. I also did not find any ads running in the background.

Music Paradise Lite

Set foot on the land full of musical notes and rhythm. Listen to your favorite songs online with Music Paradise Lite on your Android device. With this app, you don’t need to download and save music files on your Android device. You can listen to your favorite songs online with the app.

Since this app needs to access its song database, you will need an active Internet connection for you to use this app. The app is just like your default music player. But, instead of getting the songs from your device, it will be getting its songs online. All you have to do is to search for your favorite songs and listen to them on your Android device. You don’t need to download your music files and store them on your device. You can also create your favorite playlist in the app.

Aside from playing your favorite songs, the app also offers a wide variety of song categories under the Station tab. Choosing one will allow the app to automatically find the songs under the selected category.

The Music Paradise Lite can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.

New SMS Locker

Your Android phones may contain confidential information that should be kept away from public eyes. You don’t want to let anyone read your personal messages inside your inbox. In order to keep your messages safe, you can replace your default messaging app with the New SMS Locker app.

This app is just like your default SMS app. You can receive, store, read, and compose your messages within the app. What make this app special is that it has a security feature that prohibits anyone from reading your messages. Before you can access your inbox, you will need to enter your pattern code.

The app also allows you to import your SMS messages from your default messaging app. All your messages will be safely stored and kept away from prying eyes. You can also use this app to catch who is messing with your phone. The app will take a picture of any intruder who enters an incorrect pattern code. Along with the intruder’s picture, the location where that incident happened will also be recorded.

The New SMS Locker app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. The app comes with ads appearing below the screen, but they won’t hinder you from using the app.

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This article, New and fresh Android apps of the week (August 24 issue) , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

LG Singapore confirms ICS upgrade for Optimus 2X, Optimus Black, Optimus 3D, Prada, and Optimus LTE

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:47 PM PDT

Is it hot in here or is it just LG that's feeling the heat of a backlash from disgruntled customers who aren't getting the promised Android 4.0 update for their devices? Whatever is that they're doing, it's apparently working, as LG – the Singapore office, at least – has taken to Facebook to announce the coming of Ice Cream Sandwich update for several models.

Here's what LG posted on its Facebook page:

"We hear you these recent weeks and would like to share with everyone that our Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) upgrade schedule is set and final details will be announced when they are ready. We are now working to fine-tune the upgrade for a better experience for all our customers."

As for the devices that will receive the ICS upgrade, they include: LG Optimus 2X, LG Optimus Black, LG Optimus 3D, LG Prada, and LG Optimus LTE.

We won't blame you if you're taking a more cautious approach to the announcement, especially when it involves LG and software update. While this is as good of an official confirmation for the ICS update, the company is still dilly-dallying around in giving an actual date. LG only mentioned that the devices will receive the update in "due time".

To end the report on a more positive note, some of the devices listed above are no stranger to ICS, namely the LG Optimus 2X in South Korea, Optimus LTE (in South Korea and Canada), and the Optimus Black. While customers appreciate the gesture that LG is showing by confirming the update, it'd have been a lot better to go a step further and announce a date so that customers don't have to play the guessing game.

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This article, LG Singapore confirms ICS upgrade for Optimus 2X, Optimus Black, Optimus 3D, Prada, and Optimus LTE , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

T-Mobile Galaxy S3 (SGH-T999) Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean leaks

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:32 PM PDT

After a few days back owners of the international version of the Samsung Galaxy S3 (GT-I9300) were treated with leaked builds of Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, now it's time for the first US carrier-specific JB build to hit the web.

A leaked version of Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean for the T-Mobile Galaxy S3 (SGH-T999) has made its way to the XDA-developers forums, courtesy of Senior Member LuffarJoh. The file is supposed to be identical with the production build that should arrive in the coming weeks.

To install the leaked Jelly Bean OTA on your T-Mobile Galaxy S3, you will need to apply it over the stock ROM, because the patch checks for the integrity of the files before installation. If you tampered in any way with the ROM on your Galaxy S3, you will need to revert to stock before proceeding. The next steps seem simple enough – download the OTA file (273MB) and apply it from the recovery menu.

In case you need a refresher, rumors suggest that Samsung is planning to roll out Jelly Bean on the Galaxy S3 at the end of August, at least for the international version. The rollout date should coincide with the Unpacked event that Samsung will hold on August 29 at Berlin. Of course, US carriers are not exactly known for collaborating well with manufacturers when it comes to applying software updates, so the Jelly Bean update for US carrier-specific versions of the Galaxy S3 might come with a slight delay.

If the thought of the buttery smooth Android 4.1 is too much to resist, and you own a T-Mo Galaxy S3, you might want to give the leaked OTA a chance. Before that though, make sure to go through the XDA thread here and, as always, remember to perform the due diligence.

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This article, T-Mobile Galaxy S3 (SGH-T999) Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean leaks , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

No-contract smartphones pass the $100 barrier with T-Mobile Concord

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 11:16 AM PDT

t-mobile-concord

The battles fought at the top of the smartphone range are well-known to everyone. But there's a less visible, but equally fierce conflagration going on at the opposite end of the range. Here, manufacturers and carriers compete to offer the cheapest possible smartphones, in a bid to win over customers that don't afford, need, or want the latest Android flagship.

As of yesterday, a new competitor has entered the fray, one that sports a price tag that goes beyond the psychological barrier of $100 off-contract. T-Mobile announced the availability of the Concord, a no-nonsense 3.5-inch device running Android 2.3. Made by ZTE, the Concord offers very little worth mentioning in terms of specs. The screen looks particularly poor, with a 320 x 480 pixels resolution and 165ppi. On the inside, the Concord is fitted with 512MB of RAM and a single-core 832MHz chip that just screams 2010. The camera is just as basic, a 2MP shooter without any bells and whistles.

It's clear that the T-Mobile Concord was not designed to impress any spec-hunters, but at $100, it doesn't need to. The diminutive device will likely attract first time smartphone owners and people that look to replace their feature phones without breaking the bank.

The T-Mobile Concord will be available with pay-as-you-go plans such as the Monthly4G (unlimited 4G data). The phone is also available from Walmart, paired with the Walmart Family Plans, and, starting this Sunday, from Target stores.

Check out the press release for more details.

Show full PR text

T-Mobile Expands Its No Annual Contract Android Lineup with the T-Mobile Concord

T-Mobile to offer its most affordable no annual contract Android smartphone for under $100

T-Mobile USA, Inc., today announced the availability of the T-Mobile® Concord™, T-Mobile’s most affordable no annual contract Android™ option for those stepping up to their first smartphone. The Concord will be available to T-Mobile customers through a variety of no annual contract plans, including via T-Mobile Monthly4G™ and Walmart Family Mobile™.

Manufactured by ZTE, the T-Mobile Concord is equipped with the necessary features to keep customers connected with friends and family. The 3G smartphone is powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread and is ideal for basic Web surfing, searching for a location via Google Maps or accessing favorite social networking sites. Coming in a sleek, midnight blue color finish, the new smartphone features a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display and is equipped with a 2-megapixel camera, making it easy to capture and share memories.

Paired with one of T-Mobile’s single-line, Monthly4G no annual contract plans, customers have access to unlimited talk, text and worry-free data that doesn’t have a hard cap or result in overage fees, as well as access to T-Mobile’s nationwide 4G network. The T-Mobile Concord can also be paired with Walmart’s Family Mobile service, a monthly, no-annual-contract wireless plan option for individuals or families, also powered by T-Mobile’s nationwide network.

The T-Mobile Concord is expected to be available at Target starting August 26 for $99.99 with a qualifying Monthly4G plan. The T-Mobile Concord is also currently available at Walmart for $99.98 paired with a Walmart Family Mobile no annual contract plan.

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This article, No-contract smartphones pass the $100 barrier with T-Mobile Concord , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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