Samsung and Google have announced the newest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich aka 4.0 and Samsung has popped up with the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Nexus, probably the worst kept secret in history.

4.65-inch 1280 x 720 Super AMOLED HD screen
1.2GHz dual-core processor
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
5-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash
1.3-megpaixel front-facing camera
1080p HD video capture and playback
1GB of RAM
16GB or 32GB internal memory versions
1750mAh battery
Bluetooth 3.0
NFC support
Barometer
8.94mm thick
135g (weight)
Pentaband HSPA+
LTE available by region

There’s USB 2.0, WiFi a/b/g/n, a compass, a barometer!?, and perhaps one of the best looking, high resolution screens on any phone out there. Google Face Unlock also comes with the phone to provide for a cool and secure unlock system.

Rumored prices start at $299 on-contract, no word about the unlocked price yet.

Apparently the long-awaited update for the Maemo based Nokia N900 has been leaked as a global PR1.2 update and has finally updated a lot of stuff after the prior PR1.1 and PR1.1.1 updates; which ushered in a few updates and bug fixes. What’s been confirmed so far is:

• Qt updated to 4.6.2
• Portrait Browser Mode
• Updated Application Manager
• Skype and Google Talk video calling
• Improved virtual keyboard
• USSD call codes now work
• Improved camera options
• Build No: 10.2010.12-9

Among other UI and software updates, unfortunately there’s not an update for the Flash version but it’s not the 10.1 Flash Player (version 9.0.260.0). PR1.2 is apparently quite the update.

As it stands though, Nokia has not officially released the PR1.2 update and this build is 4 weeks behind the latest known PR1.2 update, but as it stands this leaked version is a global release that has plenty of bugfixes and features that many Nokia N900 owners have been waiting for. I’m impressed with the Skype video calls… that’s a killer app in my mind. More over at Talk.Maemo.org (TMO).

Update: Ovi Maps 3.0 also confirmed.
Update: Flash Player has been updated from 9.0.246.0 to 9.0.260.0.

[ Related Links: Maemo "PR1.2 Is Released" Thread, Nokia N900 PR1.1 Update ]

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Communology, a Cologne, Germany-based software house specializing in mobile applications, aims to dispel the myth that sophisticated applications can only run on smart phones.

The company will be showing LiveMedia C³ Cubical and LiveMedia Visual Voicemail, new software clients that also support feature phones and Java ME, the dominant platform in the medium-priced mobile segment. With its smart Java apps, Communology is targeting the needs of mobile operators that want to present richer offerings to the mass market.

LiveMedia C³ Cubical for Java unites a range of different web services and mobile communication applications on its Connected Home Screen. Cubical offers users easy access to telephony, e-mail, SMS, MMS, visual voicemail, instant messaging (IM) communities, and social networks. With its Connected Phone Book, the application also provides a central contact management tool that supports every available communication channel: Besides data from the device’s own phone book, it can incorporate instant messaging and social network contacts and even show contacts’ presence status.

With LiveMedia Visual Voicemail for Java, Communology makes its exceptionally easy-to-use client software available to users of the widespread Java platform and mid priced feature phones. Communology also ensures interoperability with the various voicemail servers used by operators and can provide implementation services and, if required, patent licenses, all from a single source.

Link to the original article…

Over the last six months, many AT&T employees have told us they expect the telco to continue laying off a considerable number of workers in 2010. The cuts are underway in California, where local news outlet KCRA notes that AT&T is planning to lay off 525 technicians statewide by the end of March. The cuts of course are tied, in part, to AT&T continues landline losses; AT&T landline revenues last quarter fell 7.1% to $16.3 billion from $17.6 billion one year ago. In Connecticut, where the telco already has a tense relationship with CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal over previous layoffs, the company says they’re trimming an additional 160 jobs by February 19.

Link to the original article…

The other day Broadbandreports.com pointed to a report noting that magicJack was planning to offer users a device that would allow them to make cheap calls using a mobile phone. Unfortunately, there initial report was extremely limited on technical specifics for the unit, dubbed the “femtojack.”

Since then, magicJack has officially unveiled and demonstrated the device at CES, and offers up this press release with only a little more detail. Says the press release:

This femtocell will work with mobile phones from potentially any carrier and you may even use an old GSM cell phone without any paid service plans with a carrier. Not only can people connect to their own magicJack device but they can also connect to other femtocell-enabled magicJacks at friends houses and businesses. All the user has to do is come within eight feet of the magicJack one time to register the connection and then talk away within a range of a 3000 square foot house.

Since the system is GSM only, by “potentially any carrier,” the company means it will only work over the T-Mobile or AT&T network (no comment yet from either about how they feel about this). How specifically magicJack hopes to make this work isn’t stated, nor is there any additional technical details being offered on the company website. The Associated Press proclaims the system uses, without permission, “radio frequencies for which cellular carriers have paid billions of dollars for exclusive licenses.” But then the AP gives this breakdown of how it will actually works:

The size of a deck of cards, it plugs into a PC, which needs a broadband Internet connection. The device then detects when a compatible cell phone comes within 8 feet, and places a call to it. The user enters a short code on the phone. The phone is then linked to the magicJack, and as long as it’s within range (YMax said it will cover a 3,000-square-foot home) magicJack routes the call itself, over the Internet, rather than going through the carrier’s cellular tower. No minutes are subtracted from the user’s account with the carrier. Any extra fees for international calls are subtracted from the user’s account with magicJack, not the carrier.

While magicJack is very popular among users, they have a strong tendency to use more noise than signal in many of their marketing efforts – and this latest one certainly doesn’t disappoint. If they stay true to their word, the device will hit the market in “about four months,” and we’ll give it a spin.

Link to the original article…

[ Related Links: magicJack "One Year Later" Review ]

Samsung Electronics today unveiled ‘Samsung M5650′, a music-focused addition to its popular lineup of full touch screen handsets for young mobile users. Following on the launch of the Corby (S3650), the Samsung M5650 further strengthens Samsung’s offering for digitally savvy young users who seek colorful and bold designs, easy connectivity and great functionality.

Tailored for music lovers, the Samsung M5650 is equipped with a one-touch key for listening to your favorite tunes on top of all the diverse features of the Corby, which swept the global market with sales of 3.5 million units within two months of its launch in September.

The Samsung M5650′s bold design emphasizes the same contoured exterior as seen in the Corby, adding curved edges on its reverse side to maximizing its smooth and sophisticated feel. In addition, the Samsung M5650 offers enhanced social networking features for those who are actively digitally connected through means such as e-mail, instant messaging and blogs. Additionally, the Samsung M5650 allows quick access to MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, and the ability to easily upload photos and videos.

Offering 3G connectivity, the Samsung M5650 comes with a full range of features such as WiFi, a 3-megapixel camera, FM radio, MP3 player, USB 2.0, Bluetooth, One Finger Zoom and a Cartoon UI. Samsung M5650 is currently available in Portugal and soon expand to other Europe markets, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, India and China. The battery cover is available in blue or black.

Link to the original article…

Hewlett-Packard and AT&T have announced iPAQ Glisten powered by Windows Mobile 6.5. It has a QWERTY keyboard and 2.5-inch display.

The display is AMOLED touchscreen which adds more functionality for its users in addition to the keyboard. Glisten is positioned on the market as a business phone and has all the needed office software preinstalled.

Link to the original article…

Did you preorder one? If not, don’t feel too bad because the slightly delayed Nokia N900 is now shipping to Europe, Middle East, Russia and North America. Preorders are definitely going to be filled first, but shortly thereafter it’ll be easily enough to pick one up.

Nokia Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said in a speech the company started deliveries of the phone on Tuesday.

The N900 model is Nokia’s first phone running the Linux Maemo operating system, which analysts see as a key for Nokia to regain ground in the coming years.

In the US, T-Mobile will be the carrier of choice initially. Let’s hope later announcements include expanded frequencies that will allow 3G support on AT&T or other US carriers.

[ Nokia N900 ] [ Related: N-Series Maemoproject.com Viral Ads ]

SEOUL, Korea (AVING) — Pantech launched ‘SKY Snow(model: IM-U510S)’ phone, the white color version of its luxury ‘SKY DuPont’, in Korea market. The SKY DuPont phone is inspired by S.T. Dupont’s famous lighter design with ‘cling sound’ which is heard when opening the cap.

Designed for females, the SKY Snow enhanced camera function, map navigation, Geo Tagging and electronic dictionary function. Suggested price is 699,600(KRW).

Link to the original article…

Besides looking for the newest in gadgets and phones, I’m also always looking for a new way to save money. Always. I’ve seen and used a lot of “deal” and coupon sites and I’d like to pride myself with the thought that I budget my money quite well. But we all need help. My biggest problem though is that I’m not always aware of the best bill plan or how I could save a few dollars despite being quite aware of what’s new hardware-wise.

Enter BillShrink.com.

I had the lucky chance to quickly ask a few questions to the co-founder of BillShrink, Samir Kothari about the two biggest things going on in communication at this moment: the T-Mobile/Google/HTC G1 and the Apple iPhone 3G and how you might save a few dollars and his expert opinion about the iPhone 3G versus the G1.

A lot of users already own an iPhone 3G, if not the first generation iPhone. The total cost of ownership for these phones is much higher than the advertised, subsidized costs. What are the total cost of ownership for each for the subsidized two year ownership of an iPhone 3G versus a T-Mobile G1?

Samir: We agree whole-heartedly with your statement on the total cost of ownership (TCO) for these phones being much higher than just the initial price of the device.Thanks to the expanded subsidy from AT&T with the launch of the 3G iPhone, the prices of the devices themselves are pretty comparable ($180 vs. $200) with the slight edge going towards the T-Mobile G1. But the overwhelming factor in TCO is the cost of the service plan that the user has to pay each month over the typical 24-month contract term.

Generally speaking, the T-Mobile G1 also has the advantage in this regard, because T-Mobile pricing tends to be lower than AT&T.

To illustrate by example, a G1 data plan providing unlimited data and text messaging will cost $35 per month, whereas an iPhone data plan with unlimited data/messaging will cost $50 per month. A $15 per month differential works out to $360 over the course of a 2 year contract, and that is pretty significant compared to the cost of phone itself.

But the above statements are generic; in reality the true cost of one service plan vs the other is very dependent on a user’s specific usage pattern. For example, if I happen to use a lot of minutes calling friends who are also on AT&T, since those minutes are free mobile-to-mobile calls when using an iPhone from AT&T but would be charged as “anytime minutes” on a T-Mobile G1, it could very well be the case that AT&T is the better deal for me.

It can get pretty complicated to make the right choice, which is exactly why BillShrink offers a service to help users find the best plans for their individual usage. To compare personalized plan choices for the iPhone and G1, users can use this resource:

AT&T iPhone Plans vs. T-Mobile G1 Plans

Does having a physical keyboard versus the virtual keyboard make that much of a difference? How did you find the comparison between the two?

Samir: Well I think this is really a matter of personal preference, but in my opinion the physical keyboard does make a big difference. Any new keyboard takes awhile to get used to, but I feel more comfortable manipulating the physical keys with tactile feedback rather than tapping on the iPhone screen.

Again, really depends on personal preference, but especially for heavy mobile emailers, the G1 has an advantage.

The speed of the UI is a major factor. Would you say that the T-Mobile lags or “keeps up” or surpasses the Apple iPhone 3G UI?

Samir: In our testing thus far, I think the T-Mobile UI keeps-up with the iPhone.

Bluetooth tethering and A2DP… iPhone allows neither. What about the G1?

Samir: Same as the iPhone, the G1 doesn’t support those features.

Camera functions – could you describe if the camera in the Apple iPhone in terms of quality and speed from selecting the camera to actual being able to snap a picture?

Samir: Using the cameras on both phones is pretty comparable in terms of ease-of-use. The camera is one particular feature where the G1 outshines the iPhone, with a better resolution (3.2 megapixels vs 2 megapixels) and better focusing as well.

Build quality… the pictures make it look very “plasticky”. True, false?

Samir: Feels like it is pretty well built. It has more moving parts than the iPhone (with the slider) which makes it less “solid” but still quality feels fine.

Reception – the iPhone has been vilified for it’s reception. Care to compare it’s reception with the G1?

Samir: We haven’t had enough talk time around town with the G1 yet to fully compare its reception, but so far, both phones seem comparable. Our feeling is that the most important factor is the quality of your carrier’s network where you live, as that tends to be more impactful than the device itself.

So when deciding between these phones, be sure to review the respective signal strengths between AT&T and T-Mobile on BillShrink.com. You can view a detailed map in many areas around the country that show a visual comparison of network coverage, and even identify potential dead spots on your daily commute path.

What about Mobile Chrome versus Mobile Safari? Which one to you personally “feels” better and why? Flash support up to date? Or is it a workaround like Apple’s H.264 enabled YouTube converted videos?

Samir: Actually both browsers feel about the same, which is not surprising because they are both based on the same WebKit foundation, and therefore the page rendering is quite similar. One notable difference is that you can’t pinch to zoom on the G1 because there is no support for multi-touch like there is on the iPhone.

I think the G1 uses the same H.264 codec that the iPhone uses to play YouTube instead of supporting true Flash.

Ok… copy and paste. Please let it be there… is it?

Samir: Yes, there is copy/paste on the G1, much to the dismay of iPhone fans everywhere!

Any little issues with the G1 that annoy you that you think are invariably going to be addressed in forthcoming updates? The virtual keyboard is already coming. What else do you think is upcoming that’s going to make people want to go out, run get this phone? GrandCentral connectivity perhaps?

Samir: I think the key to the G1 success is the vision for a big, vibrant marketplace around Android applications. If Google is able to get the developer community excited about building apps and contributing to the Android marketplace, that could go a long way to getting users talking about new and cool applications that drive them to get the phone…

So… where are the other Android enabled phones?

Samir: So lots of speculation about where the next Android phone(s) will be coming from, but nothing confirmed as far as we’ve heard. LG, Motorola, and Samsung are already part of the Open Handset Alliance, so perhaps expect to see some activity from them. And perhaps another offering from HTC as well…

Do you feel as if Google got this one “right”?

Samir: The Android Platform is a pretty interesting and ambitious initiative for Google. And I think they are on the right track. Google has been quite successful in getting developers to build upon their APIs (think about the thousands of apps out there using Google Maps) and I suspect they should be able to leverage that experience in building a community around their mobile platform.

Open tends to beat closed in the long run, and having a deep-pocketed sponsor like Google, give Android a good chance of changing the game.

For the uninitiated…

BillShrink is a unique, free online service that saves consumers money by making continuously updated, personalized, usage-based recommendations on everyday services with very complex bills and offerings that change frequently.

BillShrink’s patent-pending technology automatically monitors millions of rate plan/feature combinations, and matches them against individual consumers’ usage patterns, providing simple, apples to apples comparisons and updated money saving recommendations on an ongoing basis as changes occur.

And about BillShrink’s co-founder:

Samir is a co-founder of BillShrink and manages product development by maintaining a constant dialogue with users and tailoring the product to meet their needs. He previously led product management and strategy for TrialPay, a fast-growing company at the intersection of online advertising and digital payments.

Samir had previously worked at BEA Systems, where he headed product marketing for WebLogic Workshop and played a key role in launching the WebLogic Platform. He also worked as a product manager with Microsoft. Samir also spent several years working as a venture capitalist with Battery Ventures and Summit Partners, focusing on investments in software and consumer Internet companies.

Samir graduated from Stanford University with a BS in Computer Science and an AB in Economics. He also received an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Millar Scholar.

I want to thank Samir for taking the time to explain not only his expert opinion about the T-Mobile G1, but also about BillShrink.com. Found out tonight that I could actually be saving a few dollars on my plan.

Awesome.