Chitika says iPhone still tops smartphone market, not Android

We’ve heard plenty of stories lately about Android overtaking iPhone/iOS as the leading smartphone platform, but Chitika thinks otherwise. Recently, comScore released a study that shows Android surpassing and being well ahead of iOS in terms of mobile platforms, but Chitika, the ad company, sees its own data contradicting comScore.

According to Chitika, the iPhone is still the top smartphone on the market by a long shot. Based on 13.5 million smartphone browser impressions, the iPhone comprised 38% whereas Android was down at %29. It’s quite a stark difference when we consider the study released by comScore where Android had 31.2% and the iPhone had only 24%.

Chitika does get to see a lot of trends and usage that most others don’t because of its position as a mobile advertising unit. However, the problem I have with the Chitika study is that it’s not a sure-fire indicator of who owns the smartphone market based on impressions from the mobile browser. Perhaps a more clear title for its study would have been, “iPhone tops mobile browser market for ad impressions.”

Of course, Chitika sort of admits this:

This, folks, is part of the joy of online statistics – everybody’s data set is a little different and has a slightly different bias.  Keep in mind that our network doesn’t take into account apps, and is purely based on a large collection of websites.  This is useful in that the data set is consistent, but assumes that web browser usage is the same among the mobile devices (in other words, all Android devices and iPhones are running Mobile Safari or Chrome Mobile 50% of the time).

iPhone users just might be using their browsers a little more than Android users. There are a number of factors to consider, but I don’t think that iOS is beating Android based on Chitika’s survey of 13 million impressions. The assumption that browser usage is the same across devices is a huge assumption to make, and drawing the conclusion that the iPhone is still the number one smartphone in the U.S. based on that limited data set is even bigger.

Bell Motorola Atrix now available for pre-order at Best Buy

Best Buy wants to capitalize on the days before Bell officially releases the Motorola ATRIX. They have gone ahead and given customers the option of pre-ordering the Android-powered device. They state on the site that “Visit your local Best Buy Mobile and place a $50 deposit. As soon as the Motorola Atrix phones arrive in our stores, we will notify you immediately so you can get your phone ahead of everyone else. See in-store for details.”
Who’s buying?

BlackBerry 2011 CDMA Lineup Leaks Including New Curve Touch, Plus More OS 6.1 Details

The 2011 CDMA BlackBerry lineup leaked out that showed several devices such as the Dakota (touchscreen Bold), Monaco Touch (known as the Storm 3), Sedona (next gen Curve) and the Curve Touch. Many of these devices will have increased specs such as a 1.2 GHz processor, NFC capabilities and HD video recording. In addition, RIM’s 2011 BlackBerry Software Roadmap recently found itself online that revealed BlackBerry OS 7 is coming this year.
Today, a few GSM devices has leaked out too. The above doc looks to be a Q2 T-Mobile presentation slide but these devices will probably find their way up north to us Canadians. The doc shows the PlayBook is coming in the next few weeks (as expected), along with the BlackBerry Dakota (Internal code name of R005) that will be released in the May/June period. Following is the BlackBerry Torch 2 (next gen BlackBerry Torch 9800) that could see a release date at the end of May or early June. In addition, the BlackBerry Apollo (Internal code name of R006 and is the next-gen Curve) has an estimated release date July.
You like any of these devices?

Owning an iPad 2 may cost more than Motorola Xoom, but do you care?

When the iPad 2 was announced and Steve Jobs told the world that it would be priced just like the first model, it made the Motorola Xoom seem that much more expensive. After all, at the low end, the iPad only costs $499 without a contract or commitment to anyone. For the Xoom, the non-commitment price is $799, which had really struck a nerve with Android fans. But is the iPad really cheaper to own than the Motorola Xoom? Well, that all depends on your needs.
The Motorola Xoom comes in two pricing flavors: $599 with a two-year contract at Verizon, and $799 off contract. Both are rather pricey, but when you consider the comparable offer from Apple, things seem to even out a bit.
The Motorola Xoom offers 32GB of storage and 3G EV-DO connectivity. For a 32GB iPad 2 with 3G connectivity, you’d be paying $729. Suddenly, things don’t look so rosy for the iPad in terms of pricing alone. If you opt to pay month to month for data on the iPad, you’re forking over $25 for 2GB of data. Contract users with the Xoom pay just $599 for their devices, but they also pay $20 a month for unlimited data on Verizon’s network. Over time, the total cost of ownership for a comparable iPad 2 will cost more.
But are you buying a tablet for the long term, and will you be using data every single month for two years? Consider the trade-offs if you decide to go for the price factor alone. A tablet is far less necessary than owning a phone, so I still consider it a luxury item. Are you going to buy the arguably lesser experience just to save a little bit of dough?
The iPad 2 has 65,000 apps made just for its screen and resolution, and hundreds of thousands more iOS apps will work on it, too. The Xoom, which is powered by Android 3.0 Honeycomb, has somewhere in the neighborhood of about 100. When you consider apps made by entertainment companies, publishers, businesses and other services you might use often, they usually develop for iOS or the iPad first. My point is this: don’t just consider pricing when you’re talking about a luxury item, or an item that you are buying because you want it, not because you need it. You’ll also need to think about whether the device is relatively future-proof, not just in terms of hardware, but also software and support.

AT&T Ad for HTC Inspire 4G brings the action, the laughs and the 4G network

AT&T decided to go for the laughs while promoting the HTC Inspire 4G on television with a commercial. The Android device with the high-end specs is priced like a mid-range model with a $99.99 contract price, and in the television spot, the phone never leaves the hands of a bumbling Detective who accidentally is able to make the collar.

The HTC Inspire 4G has given AT&T customers plenty to think about with its 4.3 inch screen with 480 x 800 resolution, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 768MB of RAM and an 8MP camera with dual flash. Sure, while the Motorola ATRIX 4G has the specifications that belong to the newer breed of high-end Android models, it wasn't so long ago that the Inspire 4G would have been considered at the top of the Android food chain. And when you consider the $99.99 price with a signed 2-year contract, the handset offers value which is something not talked about so much in the world of high-end devices.

Kinect Sets World Record, Sells Faster Than IPhone, IPad

Microsoft's Kinect sensor is the fastest-selling consumer electronics device on record, according to Guinness World Records, beating previous records held by Apple's iPhone and iPad as the race between rivals heats up with the imminent iPad 2 launch.

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The Redmond, Wash.-based company sold more than 10 million Kinect gaming sensors since the device's launch in November, selling an average rate of 133,333 Kinect sensors a day between its launch in November and the beginning of January, according to the Guinness World Records. The Kinect is a motion-control sensor for the company's Xbox gaming system, making a whole new style of full-body gameplay possible.
"We can confirm that no other consumer electronics device sold faster within a 60-day time span, an incredible achievement considering the strength of the sector," said Gaz Davies, editor of "Guinness World Records 2011 Gamer's Edition." The company also indicated that Kinect sales eclipsed "both the iPhone and the iPad for the equivalent periods after launch."
But the race will only heat up as Microsoft rival Apple gears up to release the iPad 2 to market tomorrow, where online sales open at 4 a.m. EST through Apple's website. The device is expected to be a blockbuster despite the growing field of competitors in the emerging tablet market, which the company's previous iPad defined and lead easily in 2010. While upstarts like Motorola's Xoom and Samsung's Galaxy Tab eroded Apple's initial 96 percent market share in the first half of 2010, the iPad easily still held 75 percent of the sector in the last quarter of 2010, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.
Apple is also set to release the iPhone 5 this year, expected in June or July. Previous iPhones were launched with great fanfare, featuring crowds in its retail locations and lines around the block to get the device.
The Kinect world record must be highly-satisfying for Microsoft, which has struggled against Apple in the mobile market. The software giant, once a market leader with its Windows Mobile OS on a variety of smartphones, found its presence eclipsed by Apple's iPhone and the growing slate of devices powered by Google's Android platform. It failed with efforts like the ill-fated Kin to create a compelling hardware offering.
Its new operating system, Windows Phone 7, which was designed to get the software maker back in the game, has received good reviews but has failed to gain traction against rivals, particularly Android. Microsoft recently partnered with Nokia, however, to bring Windows Phone to Nokia phones around the globe, upping the profile of the still-young system, and has ramped up development efforts to bring more apps to its mobile system.
But Microsoft has remained a leader in gaming with its Xbox device, and clearly Kinect has found an audience and boosted the company as it flagged elsewhere. However, its rivals show no signs of stopping, and the Guinness world record may shift a few times before we see a definitive, long-running winner.

Best Buy chops the price of the Google Nexus S in half to $100 for 2 weeks only

Sure it might have been under the radar of late, especially when we’ve seen so many impressive Android devices coming to market, but if you’ve been waiting around patiently, it’s now ripe to take part with the Android 2.3 Gingerbread powered Google Nexus S.

From now until March 23rd, Best Buy has the beloved smartphone priced in half to the 2-year contract price of only $100. At that rate, you’re presented with a high-end device that you know will always be up-to-date thanks to its status of being a developer’s phone. Moreover, with the additional extra savings you’ll be getting, you don't have to stress out too much about saving a lot for this one.

Now if only we can see some kind of price drop with its flat out full retail cost…

Apple offers an iPad-for-iPad 2 exchange to students and educators

The Apple iPad, and the tablet in general, has proved useful to many different walks of life. Increasingly, students and educators are utilizing the iPad in the classroom to streamline their information sharing. Now, Apple is offering an exchange policy to certain institutions, which will allow them to trade their original iPads for a new iPad 2.

Rutgers' Center for Management Development is one such institution. Since July, Rutgers has offered classes that deeply utilize the iPad, including a digital marketing and a social media marketing course. As the course is scheduled to begin only days before the launch of the iPad 2, Apple has offered to let them trade in their iPads for the newer model.

The professor, Eric Greenberg, said that they "expected to have to tell the students that it was just unfortunate timing...But Apple really surprised [him] by being so flexible." Their local Apple store in Freehold, NJ is setting aside iPad 2s for Greenbergs students. Even more surprisingly, Apple isn't even charging a restocking fee for the exchange.

Greenberg is excited to be able to include camera-dependent features like augmented reality. Although he is appreciative, he does mention that they might still need another tablet, in order to incorporate Adobe Flash. We don't expect this kind of exchange to be standard fare, but if your institution recently purchased original iPads, you might as well look into requesting an exchange.

Verizon's Samsung Stealth (or Droid Charge) caught in the wild

We first heard about the Samsung SCH-i520 last December, but then we got a very nice hands-on look at it during CES 2011. At that time, they were only calling it the "Samsung 4G LTE smartphone for Verizon", but we knew that it would eventually get a really cool name. Now we know it's going to be called the Samsung Stealth (or Stealth V) and some lucky person has been using one, so of course they took a few new pictures.

The tipster says that the Stealth is expected to hit stores by mid-April, which is not far off, since the HTC Thunderbolt keeps being pushed-back to only God knows when, and the Motorola DROID BIONIC is slated for sometime late Q2 (May-June). Furthermore, the Stealth is said to offer pretty good battery life, lasting a 8-10 hours of 4G LTE usage with the included 1500mAh battery, and as of now their data speeds aren't being throttled, but that may change once the 4G smartphones go on sale.

Other than the Samsung Stealth coming with 4G LTE, it features an impressive 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus with 480x800 WVGA resolution, a newer 1GHz Hummingbird processor (but still a single-core), an 8MP autofocus rear camera with 720p video recording and a 1.3MP front camera for video chat, HDMI output, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth v3.0, 828MB of internal storage, and microSDHC memory card slot. It will come with Android 2.2 Froyo and with a new version of Samsung's TouchWiz interface, through the person who took these pictures says they installed LauncherPRO on the phone because they like how it looks better.

So which Verizon 4G smartphone do you want, the Samsung Stealth, HTC Thunderbolt, Motorola DROID BIONIC, or LG Revolution?

*UPDATE*
We recieved a tip today from a person who claims to have some more info about this device. They say the phone will actually be called the Droid Charge, as the name "Stealth" is already trademarked and owned by another company. The included battery will actually be a 1600mAh capacity, not 1500mAh, and the camera will be able to record videos up to 1080p. Naturally we here have no way to verify any of this, but we're not crazy about the name "Droid Charge" and think "Stealth" sounds better.

White Apple iPhone 4 production to start in March, shipping to begin in April?

After months of trying to solve production problems with the white Apple iPhone 4, the GSM version of the phone will start to be manufactured with a white body and should be shipped and be available next month. This rosy view comes from Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with Concord Securities, who said that the Cupertino based firm has started to use a new film material in the production of the white version of the phone. The new film eliminates the problems that had plagued the firm in getting a white iPhone 4 to the public. The timing should be no surprise as we earlier reported that the iPhone 4 variant would be available this spring.

Earlier attempts to produce a white Apple iPhone 4 resulted to too many units that were defective based on Apple's high manufacturing standards. As a result, the decision was made to pull the plug on the model until it could be produced with a higher percentage of acceptable units. Apple has partnered with a Japanese company that has developed a painting technique that gives the manufacturer more control over the thickness of the paint being sprayed on the phone and this apparently is the solution that will enable production of the white GSM model to begin this month with shipments starting in April. Earlier speculation centered on the delay coming from light leaking out of the device.

As proof that Apple has solved the problem producing its devices in white, last week CEO Steve Jobs said that a white version of the new Apple iPad 2 will be launched this Friday, the same day that the original black tablet will be available. Still, until Apple makes an announcement to confirm that the white iPhone 4 is on the way, there will continue to be those skeptics who will say that they have heard it all before. And of course,, there are those who feel that with an expected iPhone 5 coming this summer, putting money and effort into a white iPhone 4 would be a waste at this point in the game.

Trying to Quit Smoking? Try Annoying Text Messages

New research finds that frequent annoying text messages can be a cost-effective way to help smokers quit, and suggests how technology may help change other unwanted behaviors as well.

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Researchers led by a team from the University of Oregon studied 27 heavy smokers through two studies. The first experiment monitored their three regions of their brains most involved in impulse control. Smokers were asked to describe their cravings, mood swings and smoking patterns. Their lungs and urine were examined for levels of addition, as well.
In a second test, the smokers were monitored their ongoing cravings, mood and cigarette usage over a three-week period, as text messages essentially "nagged" them with eight check-ins a day.
The study, to be published this week in the academic journal Health Psychology, proved the researchers' hypothesis that text messaging can be "a user-friendly and low-cost option for measuring real-time health behaviors."
"Text messaging may be an ideal delivery mechanism for tailored interventions because it is low-cost, most people already possess the existing hardware and the messages can be delivered near-instantaneously into real world situations," the researchers reported.
Scientists describe kicking an unwanted habit such as smoking as "a war that consists of a series of momentary self-control skirmishes." In other words, getting several annoying text messages a day works.
Curbing other addictions, from alcoholism to over-eating, may benefit from text monitoring as well. Ultimately, the research offers additional proof that changing unwanted behavior requires some level of constant and critical support -- be it from a professional, a strong social network or even through text messaging.

Deutsche Telekom in talks to sell T-Mobile USA to Sprint and keep a stake in the resulting carrier

T-Mobile USA's owner Deutsche Telekom is reportedly exploring different options for America's 4th largest carrier, including selling it to Sprint, and keeping 50% stake, or buying wireless spectrum from Clearwire.

The talks are ongoing, and nothing is certain at this point, but Sprint Nextel's shares are up 7% today on the rumor. The major bickering is going on around T-Mobile USA's exact valuation. Big Magenta lost 56 000 customers last year, while all other carriers gained subscribers. The other issue is that Deutsche Telekom wants to have a 50% stake in the resulting carrier - Sprint and T-Mobile have a combined revenue of $54 billion for 2010.

The parent company of T-Mo is also exploring buying a huge chunk of wireless spectrum from Clearwire, which Sprint is using to provide its 4G WiMAX service, if the merger with Sprint doesn't pan out. Sprint, in its turn, is looking to buy 4G spectrum from LightSquared, which is a huge wholesale 4G LTE provider.

We will see how this all will end up, but if the acquisition of T-Mobile by Sprint goes through, the resulting carrier will have around 83 million subscribers, still less than those of AT&T or Verizon, plus their 3G and 4G technologies are rather different.

Does Facebook Ruin Marriages? It's Complicated

As many as one in five divorce cases mention Facebook as the primary source of tension, according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

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A report by the AAML found that postings and photographs from the social network site provide more damning evidence of infidelity or lies about activities than any other source. Lawyers are increasingly demanding to see clients' Facebook pages to use such evidence in divorce proceedings, suggesting that social media is becoming a way to gauge trust and truthfulness.
"If you publicly post any contradictions to previously made statements and promises, an estranged spouse will certainly be one of the first people to notice and make use of that evidence," said Marlene Eskind Moses, the AAML's president.
In fact, four out of five lawyers report that evidence derived from social media sites has increased dramatically in the past five years, according to a recent AAML survey. Of course, collecting such evidence was harder, if not impossible, before the widespread adoption of sites like Facebook that can keep records and expose people's private lives.
Facebook doesn't appear to be contributing to a rise in the divorce rate, which is actually declining slightly, mostly due to fewer people getting married than getting divorced. Sites such as Facebook are clearly complicating relationships as much as they're nurturing them, but ultimately whatever damage they cause is insult to injury. They simply reveal a troubled relationship's lack of trust and honesty.
Perhaps revealing the wide lead Facebook holds in social networking, only about 14 percent of divorce cases involve MySpace and just 5 percent Twitter.
Lawyers aren't the only ones snooping online. Police, prosecutors and health insurers are increasingly mining social media for evidence to prosecute crimes and investigate fraud. Lawyers are even increasingly sifting through the postings, messages and check-ins on social networking sites to determine jury selection.
Nielsen statistics reveal that 135 million people in the U.S. visited Facebook during the month of January, or nearly 70 percent of Internet users.

Only .3% of the world's population has bought a tablet

Though many have jumped on the tablet bandwagon with devices like the successful Apple iPad, 99.7% of the world’s population still has not seen the need for a tablet and therefore have not purchased one to date.

The research was conducted by RBC Capital Market analyst Mike Abramsky who managed to create an 88-page report on his findings. He also focused on the market for TV subscriptions, newspaper circulation and more but we will just focus on the tablets for now.

The fact that only .3% of the world’s population has purchased a tablet can be attributed to the lack of selection, fairly new technology or the fact that there is no real need to own one. There is a flurry of tablets on the horizon, so these numbers could surely change by this time next year

Abramsky believes that these numbers will skyrocket within the next few years. In fact, he predicts that 185 million tablets will be sold in the year 2014. That is a huge difference from the numbers reported in 2010. 

With Android getting ready to hit the tablet world by storm, BlackBerry and HP getting ready to make a plays their own and an already established successful tablet in the form of Apple’s iPad, what do you think of Abramsky’s prediction? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

You will pay your mail by texting message

Sweden's postal service is considering letting customers pay for their mail using text messages, rather than with traditional stamps, in a move to use mobile technology to ease the lives of its citizens.

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Users pay for postage by sending a text. They'll receive a reply that includes a code to be written on a package as proof of postage payment.
"We're very interested and are just now looking into a solution," said Anders Asberg, heard of marketing and development at the Swedish postal service. He added that officials have yet to finalize plans and don't expect it be launched before summer.
Denmark plans to unveil a similar service starting in April.
Both countries are looking for new ways to convince its citizens to send more letters. With new forms of communication, such as email, post offices around the world are struggling to make ends meet as revenues decline. The texting service hopes that more convenience will lead to a slight uptick in the number of packages being sent.
In January, the U.K. postal service launched an iPhone app that allows users to create personalized postage.

The next iPhone could feature aluminum back instead of glass, and have the antenna move in

If the Chinese Economic Daily News is to be believed, and its record is hit-or-miss, rumors from the supply chain state that the so-called iPhone 5, which should be out in June/July this year, will dispose of the glass back panel for good ol' aluminum.

The reasons cited are the weight of the glass, its tendency to scratch and crack easily, as well as the enormous difficulties Apple encountered in painting it reliably in white. Another change in store for the next iPhone is said to be the antenna steel band surrounding the current iPhone 4, which might be moved back inside now, considering all the issues Cupertino had with the "death grip" and reception.

All valid points, although it will be a shame to bail on such a unique steel-and-glass design. Furthermore, considering the number of rumors about both a cheaper iPhone, and one with a larger screen, it is not entirely clear which one the source is referring to.

The Japanese Mac blog that spread the word links to a supply chain analysis they have cited before, which refers to the next iPhone, but it's not the one that mentions the back panel swap and antenna redesign, so the original source is still to be excavated, if you know Chinese. The Japanese from Macotakara have also sketched up a pretty weak mock-up of what such an iPhone might look like.

What do you think, just another unsubstantiated rumor, wishful thinking, or laws of physics?

Nexus S also coming to Bell, Rogers, Mobilicity, Wind and Videotron

During CES 2011 we had a conversation with Samsung Electronic Canada’s Vice President Paul Brennan who confirmed the Nexus S will be coming to Canada. So far to date TELUS has stated they will be releasing the “pure Google experience” by the end of March or the first week of April. In addition, a month ago Mobilicity CEO Dave Dobbin said they will release the Nexus S also.
Yesterday the Financial Post reported that “Incumbent carriers including BCE Inc.’s Bell Mobility, Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. will all carry the Nexus S, as will new entrants such as Mobilicity, WIND Mobile and Videotron Ltee.”
No word yet on price points of this Android device but most likely it’ll follow the pricing of when the Galaxy S was released – so for around the $500 outright price or $149 on a 3-year.

Verizon fighting through LTE 4G difficulties

New technologies always seem to pose new problems and that is the case as Verizon is fighting through the struggles of LTE in an attempt to release their 4G capable handsets during the first half of the year.

The first LTE enabled smartphone to hit the Verizon network is supposed to the HTC Thunderbolt, but it has been delayed numerous times. Verizon CTO Tony Melone said that LTE handsets are still on track to be launched during the first half of the year. Here is what he had to say:

I guess our expectations change, but we had said first half of this year at CES, quite frankly, we think that exceeded people’s expectations. A year ago, people didn’t believe that there would be LTE smartphones in 2011. First half of the year is what we promised; first half of the year is still on track. So we don’t believe there are any new or surprising issues. I think what we’re facing is what you would expect, and that is a new technology, you are working through issues. And we anticipated that, and we are pleased at how we are working through issues. And as I said, you are going to see LTE smartphones on the network as promised, before the first half — before the second half of the year, by the end of the second quarter.

There should be no surprise that there are issues to work through since this is generally the case with new technology. Tell us what you think in the comments below.

AT&T Beats Verizon in IPhone Speed Test, Barely

 

AT&T's iPhone is slightly faster that Verizon's iPhone, according to research firm Metrico, churning the debate as to which Apple device is the better one.

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The report found that AT&T's iPhone, which runs on HSDPA, a 3G service, is 10 percent faster than Verizon's iPhone, which runs on its older EV-DO network, a competing 3G technology -- but only in a moving car.
"The opposite was true when the iPhone was stationary." the company said. Metrico concluded that "average Web page" loading time was about the same on both networks.
AT&T customers may only notice the advantage when downloading large files.
"There are many factors that determine Web performance. Speed isn't the only one," said a Metrico spokesman. "There are also OS trends, rendering time, latency on the network, etc."
With both carriers now selling essentially identical Apple products, they're using attractive pricing plans and better network coverage to attract new subscribers. Verizon is widely considered the more reliable of the two networks. But AT&T has spent $5 billion to squash that reputation, upgrading towers and improving coverage. On March 11, both carriers will begin selling the iPad 2.
Metrico said it tested service by making nearly 4,000 voice calls and downloading over 10,000 Web pages. It also performed more than 2,000 upload data tests.

Where to buy an iPad 2 on March 11

Good news for customers looking to snag an iPad 2 on Friday March 11. Lines should be minimal as the iPad will be available from a variety of online and brick and mortar retailers. Below is a run-down of each retailer, its prices on the iPad 2 and availability. This list will be updated as more retailers announce or list the iPad 2 for sale.

Now that you know where you can buy the iPad 2, the question remains whether you should buy this tablet or not. Is it better than the Motorola Xoom? If you own the original iPad, is the iPad 2 big enough of an upgrade to justify buying the second generation model? Let us know in the comments what you think of the iPad 2 and whether you plan to buy this second generation tablet.

Apple Store online



Apple Retail Stores

Best Buy

Walmart

Verizon Wireless

Target

Google says that they're working on a dedicated Google Voice app for Honeycomb

For anyone who really intends on using Android 3.0 Honeycomb to its fullest potential, we’d fathom that Google Voice would be one integral app that would intrinsically be a part of their repertoire. However, it’s known widely amongst Motorola XOOM owners that the popular app is missing from the Android Market.

Granted that some are dealing with the issue by simply accessing their account through the web browser, it’s still missing some inviting features that make a dedicated Google Voice app so crucial. Luckily though, it appears that Google is hearing the numerous questions and pleas regarding an app for Honeycomb. And with that in mind, they’re already hard at work in developing one for the tablet optimized platform.

Still, it’s rather difficult to concretely say when we’ll see an app become available, but it’s nevertheless pleasant to know that it’s on Google’s to-do list. In the meantime though, Motorola XOOM owners will have to make do with the web based experience.

Rogers to release the Dell Venue Pro March 17th?

The next Windows Phone 7 device to officially come to Canada is the Dell Venue Pro. This will be released by Rogers and from what we are hearing from a few tipsters is that the date is tentatively scheduled for March 17th 2011. In addition, earlier reports from a internal doc that we posted showed the prices to be $599.99 no-contract and the 3-year to be $149.99. However, we are now hearing that the no-contract price could be as low as $449.99 and the 3-year might ring in at $99.99. We’ll follow up shortly with confirmed pricing.

HTC Thunderbolt to cost $299.99 on a contract according to Best Buy

The HTC ThunderBolt is one of the most anticipated handsets to be released in the first half of 2011, and that's at least partly because it's set to be the first LTE-enabled Verizon phone.

This promising handset has experienced a few setbacks - among them numerous delays - and now we can report one extra problem - a Best Buy newsletter shows that the HTC ThunderBolt is to cost $299.99 with a two-year contract.

Fair enough, LTE is one of these features everyone wants to taste, and this phone will offer 8GB build-in storage plus a 32GB microSD card pre-installed. But despite all these goodies, can you justify spending $300 for a phone on a two year contract, no matter how good it is?

This device is set to be available for $699 without a contract, but its official release date is yet to be announced.

Take into account this may not be the final HTC ThunderBolt price on a contract, so keep your fingers crossed Best Buy and Verizon will discount it a little bit.

Motorola FLIPOUT & CHARM are destined to stay on Android 2.1 Eclair

It’s probably ideal to not hope for the best at this point, especially after seeing what happened to other devices in the past, but there doesn’t appear to be any love for the Motorola CHARM and FLIPOUT.

Considered to be a little out of character for Android, these two adorable looking smartphones offer all the wonderful set of features found with the open platform, however, Motorola isn’t going to invest in getting their software upgraded. So don’t try to hold on to that faint line of hope because Motorola has flat out said that they “will remain on Android 2.1.” Naturally, there are going to be some people disappointed by all of this, but then again, it’s not all that surprising since they don’t particularly come off as being capable of enduring the requirements of either Froyo or Gingerbread.

Nevertheless, it just goes to show that nothing is guaranteed in terms of software updates with certain devices. So if you want to make sure you’ll be getting the latest and greatest, it’s probably a good idea to stick with some of the bigger names in the Android kingdom.

Deal Alert: AT&T’s LG Quantum now available for $0.01!

Back in January we talked about a great deal on two Windows Phone 7 devices which at that time were available for $99 on a contract, each. If you haven’t bought one and still want it – now’s your chance. AT&T is now selling one of those two phones, LG Quantum, for $0.01!

Of course a two-year contract is required as well as a minimum data service starting at $15/month, but that’s kinda expected.

The Quantum is one of very few QWERTY keyboard-equipped Windows Phone 7 device that also comes with Qualcomm’s 1GHz processor, 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and HD video recording capability, 512MB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage and DLNA support. In addition to Microsoft’s Windows Marketplace for Mobile, with Quantum users also get to access LG app store from where they can grab few handy apps free of charge.

Police, Prosecutors Look for Evidence on Facebook, Twitter

 

Watch what you type: police and prosecutors are increasingly Facebook and Twitter for evidence to prosecute crimes and investigate fraud.

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Prosecutors, especially those focused on criminal gangs, can look to social media like Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare to prove connections between people, offering building blocks for a case.
In the case of the January Arizona shooting rampage focused on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, prosecutors may use the "Goodbye friends" message alleged gunman Jared Loughner posted to MySpace hours before the crime as evidence against him.
Even benign postings can help, or hurt, a case. The New York Times reported on a boy who had been charged with a robbery in Brooklyn -- until his Facebook posting, jokingly complaining about breakfast at his dad's house in Manhattan, supported his claims that he was otherwise engaged at the time of the crime. The charges were dropped.
It's not just law enforcement that mining social media for evidence. Health insurers, especially those focused on disability, medical liability and workers' compensation, are regularly monitoring Facebook and Twitter to detect fraud. A 23-year-old Floridian who claimed to be disabled by injuries from an auto accident was caught out by investigators, thanks to his regular tweeting about extreme jet skiing adventures.
"Insurance companies and representatives of insurance companies are using social media to get an edge on their competition in understanding the risk profile of the insured," said Owen Tripp, co-founder and chief operating officer of online profile management firm Reputation.com.
Social media not only has found its way into the evidence-gathering of prosecutors, but has also made inroads into the legal process itself. Lawyers are increasingly sifting through the postings, messages and check-ins on social networking sites to determine jury selection.
As social media redefines boundaries between public and private, people who misinterpret that shifting line are finding their private worlds becoming unexpectedly public.
Although catching criminals and cheats is a handy byproduct of this confusion, their self-incrimination highlights the need for both individuals and social network designers to think carefully about how we handle our online lives.

Sony Ericsson Windows Phone 7 handset is pictured

Now that Sony Ericsson has at last captured the attention of a major U.S. carrier or two with the Xperia PLAY, it is time for the joint venture to turn its attention toward broadening its product line. A recently leaked photo appears to show a Sony Ericsson branded Windows Phone 7 device with a slide out landscape QWERTY keyboard.

We can't rule out a little photoshop magic here because usually when a landscape QWERTY is deployed, the image on the screen changes orientation to match the QWERTY. But let's go out on a limb for a moment and say that the picture is real. Anyone in the market for a Sony Ericsson Windows Phone 7 handset?