May 23rd sounds a lot better than indefinitely!

Thanks to Inside Sprint Now for a little hope.

According to an Inside Sprint Now blog ALL pre-orders are in a “Pick and Pack” status. So wouldn’t that mean that the pre-orders are basically ready to go and we are really just waiting to find out what is happening on the legal side of things.

I personally like thinking that they will have enough on hand to ship out the orders all at once, but I am not sure how I feel about being told the phones are at customs when the above makes it sound like they are not.

What are you thoughts on this? Do you think that all orders are really ready to go like mentioned in the Inside Sprint Now blog? Do you think they are truly still sitting at customs? Is it possible that this is just a scheme in Apple’s master plan to sue everyone into dumbing down their products so Apple can catch up? ((Ok, maybe that last question was a bit “aggressive”.))

Thanks to Inside Sprint Now for their insight on the this story here: http://insidesprintnow.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/update-htc-evo-4g-lte-delayed-launch-status/

Word has it that HTC released the following statement:

The US availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S. Customs review of shipments that is required after an ITC exclusion order. We believe we are in compliance with the ruling and HTC is working closely with Customs to secure approval. The HTC One X and HTC Evo 4G LTE have been received enthusiastically by customers and we appreciate their patience as we work to get these products into their hands as soon as possible.

What do you think? Will this affect the pre-orders and in stores stock, just in store stock?

This news was first posted on The Verge.

Story developing…

If you have been around the various forms you will see a frenzy forming. Rumor has been that pre-orders for the Evo Lte would be shipping out tonight at 11 pm and pre-order customers are concerned. Why? Well, because Sprint hasn’t really updated any order information for their customers. Worry is setting in that the phones will be delayed and that pre-ordering really isn’t going to get the phone to the consumer any faster.

Now add rumors of delays in shipping and you have a full on mass panic. All we can say is take what you read on the internet with a grain of salt. Remember, than anyone can say anything and it will spread like wildfire. Also, remember that the official release date is the 18th. It is the 15th, we still have time for Sprint to make good on their promise that we will get it first.

It has always been my experience when dealing with Sprint that I always get the phone before I get any kind of update in their system. My personal account shows that Sprint owes me money since they have already charged my credit card for the order. I have no tracking information. Am I concerned? Sure, because I already passed on my Evo 3d to my husband and I am stuck with my daughter’s old LG at the moment. Am I’m stressing out? Not yet… but I will if this goes into the weekend. I am a phone geek after all.

I did come across this press release on 5-14-12 from Sprint and I feel that if they were concerned about stock they would not be pushing media events at a brick and mortar store.

Surely they wouldn’t stick us pre-order folks with a rain check slip and release them to the general public. Right?

Here in the states we’ve been enjoying Windows Phone 7 for about a year and a half now.  When doing phone comparisons it is very common to refer to the “Big 3” mobile operating systems as the only ones who really matter, discounting BlackBerry OS, Symbian, and other seemingly anachronistic and obsolete systems.  The war for mobile dominance seems to be between Android, iOS, and WP7.

In China, however, this has not been the case.  One of the biggest world markets has not had any WP7 devices as of yet, and HTC is looking to rectify that when they drop the Kaixuan (meaning “triumphant return”) on mainland China later this month.  HTC is taking pre-orders for the phone on it’s online store for what comes out to $698 in USD.

The Kaixuan comes loaded with similar specs as the Titan, loaded with a 1.5GHz processor, 4.7″ screen, and 8MP rear camera.  It is powered by Windows Phone 7.5 with more localized versions of apps made specifically for Chinese consumers.

MS is trying to get their foot in the door in China, a market share of 56% Android in 2011 and Apple obviously being another key player.  The entrance of WP7 into China may boost the still new OS into better sales and more world-wide acceptance as a major player in the mobile wars.

First we have the Nokia PureView808.  This phone packs an insane 41 Mega-Pixel Camera.  It basically captures image data from seven adjacent pixels and combines it into one, which results in 5 MP stills with apparently awesome detail.  Video recording is up to 1080p @ 30 fps.  The phone runs a single-core 1.3 GHz processor with 512 MB or RAM and although you might expect it to run Windows Phone 7, it actually runs Symbian Belle.  It packs a 4″ Gorilla Glass display with 640 x 360 and also has NFC.  Look for it around May of this year.

The LG Optimus Vu is LG’s answer to the Samsung Galaxy Note, designed for those of us who appreciate a big screen.  This phone boasts a 4:3 IPS 5″ 1024 x 768 with a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 1GB or RAM.  It comes with 32GB internal storage, an 8MP camera and is powered by Android 2.3.6.  As you can see, this device looks different than the Samsung Galaxy Note, although it has the “big screen” concept.  It also comes with a stylus, but this one does not fit into the actual phone and is a bit bigger.  Look for an LTE version of this device in the U.S. later this year!

The latest installment from Sony, the Experia S, packs a 1.5GHZ dual-core Snapdragon CPU with 1GB RAM.  It runs on a 4.3″ 1280 x 720 screen.  This phone features a 12MP camera which records in 1080p at 30FPS.  It ships with Android 2.3 but, like all these new phones, promises an ICS update.  Look for it any day now!

One of the most anticipated phones coming out is the HTC One.  This phone is coming in various flavors.  The One X packs a Tegra 3 quad-core 1.5HZ cpu (the AT&T version has a dual-core Snapdragon S4) with 1GB RAM.  It has a 4.7″ 720p Super LCD display showcasing Sense 4.0 over ICS, which seems pretty scaled back from previous Sense installments.  This phone looks to be a flagship device for HTC akin to the Samsung Galaxy S series and it competes heavily with the Galaxy S3 this year.  The One S is of the same ilk in a more mid-range level.  It still packs a decent punch though, with a 4.3″ qHD Super AMOLED display, the same 8MP camera the X sports, and a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor.  Look for both phones later this year!

LG shows off it’s latest installment in the Optimus series with the 4X HD.  It packs a Tegra 3 quad-core 1.5GHZ cpu with an 8MP Camera and a large 4.7″ IPS display over a 720p resolution.  The form factor looks to be pretty aesthetic with a very thin design and short length and LG is trying to stay on top of the game with the very latest hardware, although it sadly doesn’t have 4G capability.  LG also ships the phone with a skinned version of Android 4 ICS

The ASUS Padfone brings a whole new concept in phones.  This phone, which runs a dual-core 1.5GHz snapdragon S4 over a 4.3″ Super AMOLED qHD display powered by Android 4 ICS,  is actually designed to be slipped into an accompanying 10″ tablet.  The tablet interacts with the phone and charges it, and the keyboard accessory also has a battery that charges both the tablet and the phone.  Look for this phone in the near future and we’ll see how this tablet/phone transformer does out in the market.  The concept certainly is intriguing.

Stay tuned for more devices roundup where we’ll feature more upcoming phones with amazing specs and different form factors!

In a post on HTC’s Facebook page, the company stated the first HTC smartphones that will be getting an upgrade to Android 4.0 will be the HTC Sensation, the HTC Sensation 4G and the HTC Sensation XE. Those models should receive the Android 4.0 upgrade by the end of March. The post also said Android 4.0 will be available for owners of the HTC Sensation XL soon afterwards.

HTC also confirmed a number of its other Android smartphones will be getting the Android 4.0 update sometime later in 2012. The models listed include the HTC Rezound, the HTC Vivid, the HTC Amaze 4G, the HTC EVO 3D, the HTC EVO Design 4G, the HTC Incredible S, the HTC Desire S and the HTC Desire HD.

As usual with major operating system upgrades, the exact timing of when each phone will get the Android 4.0 update may vary widely and different wireless carriers will have different schedules for launching these updates. STAY TUNED!

*In my opinion if the Incredible s is receiving ice cream so should both the Thunderbolt and the Incredible 2.

Big thanks to neowin for the tip!

According to MoDaCo’s source, the manufacturer will soon unveil the HTC Endeavor, and it’ll be powered by a beastly quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor. Other reported specs include 1GB of RAM, a 4.7-inch, 720p display, an 8MP main camera and 1.3MP front-facer. Connectivity-wise, Wifi a/b/g/n support is reported, along with Bluetooth 4.0. A quad-band (not penta-band) HSPA+ radio is apparently in the bag too, which suggests this device may be AT&T-bound in the US.

On the software side, the phone is said to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and HTC Sense 4.0, just like the couple of leaked devices we’ve already seen.

The Endeavor, which seems to have started life with the codename “Edge”, has been the subject of numerous leaks since late last year. Recent reports have suggested that “Endeavor” is actually a codename, and that the device will be branded as the HTC Supreme. Given the differences in the spelling of “Endeavor” (or Endeavour, if you prefer) around the world, our money would be on “Supreme” being the final name.

Thanks to MoDaCo for the tip!

Earlier this week we wrote about the Carrier IQ ordeal, we should have know it was only a matter of time with all the media hype and internet buzz before this whole thing started getting out of hand.

Senator Al Franken is demanding the company provide details about what data it collects and how it’s used and has given the company until December 14^th to respond. Massachusetts congressman Edward Markey has asked the FTC to open an investigation into Carrier IQ. Markey wants the Federal Trade Commission to look into whether or not the rootkit and its creators have violated the privacy of millions of cellphone users and federal wiretap laws.

A class action lawsuit has also been filed against Carrier IQ, HTC and Samsung. The class action lawsuits are seeking hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of all U.S. residents. All three companies have been accused of violating the Federal Wiretap Act which “protects
 the
 privacy
 of
 wire,
 oral,
 and
 electronic
 communications” of all Americans. A St. Louis lawsuit against HTC states the following:

Plaintiff, Erin Janek owns an HTC Android phone using the Sprint network. At all relevant times Plaintiff used her phone to electronically send over her cell phone network various types of private data. This data was not readily accessible to the general public. She did not know that Defendants were surreptitiously monitoring and collecting this data, nor did she give them permission to do so.

 
So far none of the phone carriers have been included in this class action lawsuit but we have a feeling that may change of the course of the next few days. Sprint and AT&T have both admitted to using the application, and other carriers likely use similar services, but both carriers have denied taking advantage of the software’s ability to spy on customers. Stay tuned for more detail, we have a feeling things are going to get real interesting.

Computer scientist from North Carolina State University have discovered a weakness in smartphones running Google’s Android operating system that allows attackers to secretly record phone conversations, monitor geographic location data, and access other sensitive resources without permission.

Devices sold by HTC, Samsung, Motorola, and Google contain code that exposes powerful capabilities to untrusted apps. These “explicit capability leaks” bypass key security defenses built into Android that require users to clearly grant permission before an app gets access to personal information and functions such as text messaging. The code making the circumvention possible is contained in interfaces and services the device manufactures add to enhance the stock firmware supplied by Google.

The researchers wrote in a paper (PDF) scheduled to be presented at next year’s Network and Distributed System Security Symposium. “We believe these results demonstrate that capability leaks constitute a tangible security weakness for many Android smartphones in the market today,” said the scientist. “Particularly, smartphones with more pre-loaded apps tend to be more likely to have explicit capability leaks.”

A diagnostic app named Woodpecker was created by the scientist and ran on eight smartphones from the four vendors. The most vulnerable was HTC’s EVO 4G device, which was found to leak eight functions, including its precise geographic location finder, camera, text message service, and audio recorder. HTC’s Legend came in second with six leaks. Samsung’s Epic 4G contained three leaks, including the ability to wipe data and applications off the handset. Google’s Nexus One and Nexus S contained one leak.

The researchers found that the manufacturer-supplied enhancements offer a way to circumvent this permissions-based model. In a video demonstration, they show how an app they designed is able to access audio-recording and SMS functions on an EVO 4G without first getting approval from the user. As a result, the app is able to turn on a recorder that collects nearby audio or phone conversations. The app is also able to send unauthorized text messages.
 

 
The researchers said both Google and Motorola have confirmed the vulnerabilities in their handsets, but that HTC and Samsung “have been really slow in responding to, if not ignoring, our reports/inquiries.”

Remember the HTC Chacha (AKA HTC Status sold by AT&T) or the HTC Salsa? Both were supposed to be Facebook phones that were unveiled as the Mobile World Congress in 2001 back in February and both were a complete bust.

According to All Things Digital Facebook is still entertaining the thought of a Facebook phone and this time the new phone has been dubbed ‘Buffy”, after the television vampire slayer, the phone is planned to run on a modified version of Android that Facebook as tweaked heavily (scary thought) to deeply integrate its services.

Facebook once again has chosen HTC to manufacture the Facebook phone after also considering Samsung. While the idea may sound “cool” to have a Facbook phone I really don’t see the practically of it. I like most readers here do have a Facebook account and I probably spend more time than I should on Facebook but I really don’t see the need to have a phone designed specifically for just Facebook. When I am out-in-about other than checking-in, I rarely open the application on my phone.

If the reports from All Things Digital are correct, Facebook may follow Amazon.com’s path in creating its own highly customized version of Android to power the phone. The problem with this strategy is, you lose access to core services of such as the Android Market and Gmail. This may be a moot issue to Facebook who probably consider running its own messaging and e-mail services on the device.

Again, going back to my previous statement, the idea may sound “cool” to have a Facebook powered phone but the practicality of it is not there. I have used HTC’s and Samsung’s integrated Facebook applications that sync my whole address book with Facebook and the outcome is always a huge address book filled with a bunch of people whom I maintain little to no contact with.

The Smartphone business is a very competitive business and with this idea still in development stages meaning we would not see an actual Facebook phone for at least another 12 to 18 months which would allow Google, Apple and Microsoft to leap way ahead in innovations leaving Facebook in the dust. If I were Facebook I would file this idea away and work on better Facebook applications for our devices.

HTC announced today via its Facebook Fan Page that it plans to update a number of its smartphones to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in early 2012.

“HTC knows how excited our fans are to get their hands on Google’s latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, so we’re thrilled today to announce the first wave of HTC phones that will receive upgrades.

Ice Cream Sandwich is coming in early 2012 to a variety of devices including the HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XL and HTC Sensation XE, as well as the HTC Rezound*, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G* and HTC Amaze 4G* through close integration with our carrier partners.

We’re continuing to assess our product portfolio, so stay tuned for more updates on device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Ice Cream Sandwich.

*US handsets”

Source: HTC Facebook Page

HTC has made great strides to allow easier backup and syncing with our devices to a cloud network. According to this, HTC will be using Dashwire on their newer devices soon.  The acquisition of Dashwire is a very interesting and possibly blockbuster idea for HTC!!

HTC acquired the Seattle based company for $18.5 million and has high hopes for the cloud-based platform to help our phones use HTCsense cloud services.

Dashwire is a backup and online service that you can use to keep an online backup of your device’s contacts, call log, SMS messages, pics…..the list goes on. Soon they will also include app and setting backup as well! I have used it for years until I went to Android (they are still testing that OS at last contact with them) and it has a very easy to use sync feature that you can customize according to what you want synced.

Another big feature is the ability to use your device via a PC (or mac). You can send files to your phone and send/receive text messages from your computer as well.

There are hopes people will be able to download apps, customize their devices and even communicate with multiple devices easier. Dashwire has been around since 2006 and being a beta tester of the original version I have found it to be a very easy, complete sync program to use and think HTC made a very smart move here.

Read all about Dashwire (and sign up if you like….you won’t be sorry) and see what you think! It is a free service and worth a look

What do all the HTC users out there think? Will you use Dashwire (if they even keep that name) when the new version is available, or would you have another idea of improving a syncing method? Let’s see some comments! I hope Dashwire stays open to more than just HTC devices like it is now. It is free, powerful and will probably make a fine merging of phone/PC.

Sources: Phonescoop  techDygest  Wall Street Journal Dashwire

Another Day – Another Leak – Another Grain of Salt… Yup, you got to love this time of year – see it is when all the rumors, leaks, and well future devices get set out in the wild for us to drool over and wish we had right now. Well today is no different. We have today the HTC Omega, a Windows Phone 7.1 (Mango Flavored) device, it even comes with specs!

This device will be the next version of the HTC Mozart (or AT&T Surround for us USA folks)… Check out the specs below, I think it is a nice bump from what the Surround was, but I think they could do better…like 32GB Storage…

HTC Omega

• 3.8-inch 800×480 SLCD touchscreen
• 1.5 GHz single-core Qualcomm processor
• 512 MB of RAM
• 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recording
• 16 GB of onboard storage space,
• Bluetooth 2.1
• GPS
• Wi-Fi 802.11n
• FM radio
• 3.5 mm headset jack
• quad-band GSM connectivity, dual-band (900, 2100) 7.2 Mbps HSDPA and 2 Mbps HSUPA

Sadly that is all we know right now…But we are sure we will see more of this phone in the wild, with even pictures and blurry photos in time…You know how these “leaks” happen first we get text, then blurry pictures, followed by some guy that sneaked it out and got caught at a bar (pun on iPhone 4 launch)…

So what does this device mean to you PPCG Windows Phone 7 lovers (and users)? Does this make you drool to replace the HTC Mozart or even make a switch to Windows Phone 7 if you are an Android user? Tell me below!

So here at PPCGeeks we are familiar with the accidental leak of new phones. Today Pocketnow has released an article of the HTC Ruby. Now if you remember the Ruby was the name of the HTC Arrive – before it was named well the Arrive.

This picture is a capture from a tablet screen, and the funny part is that the phones themselves too the picture. So we have a mirrored image of a smartphone letting us know it will soon be in the wild! This unknown device dubbed HTC Ruby was given the name by tags in the photo, found on flikr…

What has us confused is what exactly this Ruby has in store for us…Is it a sweet jem or a fake dud? You tell us below – what are your thoughts on this mystery device?

Source: Slashgear via Pocketnow

UPDATE:  It seems as if the first 10 complaints filed in march have been reviewed by the ITC, and the ITC has shot down 8 of the 10 patents and found HTC guilty of violating 2 of them. With 10 more still up for evaluation.

U.S. Patent No. 5,946,647 on a “system and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data” – such as recognizing of phone numbers.

U.S. Patent No. 6,343,263 on a “real-time signal processing system for serially transmitted data”

Both patents seem to be over 15 years old and very generic.

As always, Apple is requesting a ban on all imports of HTC products. But don’t fret, HTC is expected to file a claim for an appeal. We may just have to wait for some time, occupying ourselves with other things such as partypoker and our other electronic devices. And Motorola is already working on getting those patents invalidated by the UPSTO.

If worse comes to show, HTC still has another trick up their sleeve in the form of S3 Graphics which it acquired recently.   A few month back, Apple has been found in violation of (2) S3 Graphics  patents by the ITC. Thus if the appeal fails, and Motorola is unable to invalidate those patents, HTC can always hold these 2 patents as a bargaining chip to achieve a cross licensing deal.

—–

So today Apple files a new patent complaint with the International Trade Commission looking to block the sale of several HTC devices it claims infringe on Apple patent. Apple recently filed a similar complaint with te ITC looking to block several Samsung smartphones and tablets. Apple feels that Samsung and HTC are copying the iPhone and iPad devices. The move was the latest in an ongoing legal battle between Samsung and Apple surrounding multiple patent disputes.

Apple’s patent disputes with HTC date back even further, however Apple filed first with a patent complaint against the Taiwan-based smartphone maker in early 2010. HTC responded by denying claims that it was infringing on Apple Patents, and the HTC later filed a counter suit in May 2010 alleging that Apple was in fact infringing on five of its patents.

The ITC Lawyer said ealier this year that siding with HTC in the patent disputes was best for the public, and today’s filing suggests that Apple is undeterred by the lawyer’s recent comments.

So what do you think is Apple just making these arguments to stay top-dog i nthe phone world? Or are companies like HTC, Samsung (and others possibly) really infringing on Apple’s patents? You tell us PPCGeekers!

Source: BGR

As most of us already know, HTC has announced just a short time ago, that they will no longer be locking the bootloaders on their devices. Well this evening, HTC informed the world via Facebook, on what devices will be first to receive the official unlock treatment and also provided us somewhat of a timeline. This should come as good news for those users who happen to have a Sensation or Evo 3D device.

Here’s the full scoop as posted on HTC’s Facebook page:

We wanted to provide an update on HTC’s progress with bringing bootloader unlocking to our newest phones. We know how excited some of you are for this capability, and we’ve put significant resources behind making this change as soon as possible. While we wish we could flip a simple switch and unlock all bootloaders across our device portfolio, this is actually a complex challenge that requires a new software build and extensive testing to deliver the best possible customer experience.

We’re thrilled to announce today that software updates to support bootloader unlocking will begin rolling out in August for the global HTC Sensation, followed by the HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile USA and the HTC EVO 3D on Sprint. We’re in the testing phase for the unlocking capability now, and we expect it to be fully operational by early September for devices that have received the software updates. We’ll continue rolling out the unlocking capability over time to other devices as part of maintenance releases and new shipments.

HTC continues its commitment to unlocking bootloaders and supporting the developer community. Because of the importance of this community to us, please expect an update on this about every few weeks as we make progress toward launch. Thank you for your patience and continued support!

So maybe this isn’t the immediate unlock some users were expecting or even demanding, but from our perspective, this at least gives us an idea of when to expect the updates to start happening. It seems we all should be grateful that they are unlocking their bootloaders at all and for them to give us a timeline of when to expect it is even more generous of them. Thanks for the hard work on this HTC!

We will continue to bring you the latest as more updates from HTC rollout regarding unlocked bootloaders.
Are you a Sensation or Evo 3D user who is waiting for this official unlock method?
Will their new policy help you make your next phone purchase decision?

source: HTC via Facebook

Companies are always trying to come up with new marketing strategies that will bring in the big bucks. They say that the key to selling any product is all in how you market it.

HTC tried a marketing strategy a while back of marketing a series of phones just to women. They started with the HTC Bliss –  which for those of you that don’t remember the Bliss, it  came with all kinds of “feminine apps” such as the calorie counter, shopping companion apps, etc. You know all those things that woman “need”. (On a personal note I find it some what offensive for HTC to presume that I want or need a price comparison app or a calorie counter) The Bliss also had that “adorable” charm that lit up when you had missed call. This was intended to help woman whom tended to lose their phone in their purse. Which, if your purse is anything like mine, it kind of resembles  the bag Marry Poppins has and your phone always works its way to the bottom of your bag and is impossible to find when someone is calling you.

HTC’s new phone for women is rumored to be called the HTC Glamor. The images that are surfacing around the Glimmer look very similar to the standard HTC phones. The main difference that I am seeing is the bright colors that wrap around the phone. It is said the phone will come in bright: pink, blue, yellow, and possibly green.  It doesn’t have the charm or come pre-loaded with “girlie apps” but it should be glamorous all the same.

HTCPedia

So it seems our friends over at HTC have made quite the move of their stock. It appears that HTC has actually seen the best time yet as they report a 88% increase of sales over the last year. This really does not surprise me as they are manufacturing several Android phones, as well as Windows Phone’s for all over the world. They have officially beaten RIM and just shy of Apple in the cell phone manufacturing of the world. Coming in the 5 top makers of mobile devices.

But not all news is good news – it appears that despite their awesome sale numbers their stock has actually dropped 19% since June 7th. The stock did however rebound slightly following news that the company’s sales for June were at a staggering 87.8% higher than the same time last year. What is even more shocking is that May’s figures were a whopping 116% higher than the same month in 2010! It seems that analysts are still skeptical about HTC and they don’t think the company is quite out of the woods yet!

What do you think is HTC out of the troubles? How is the quality of your devices? I know mine for the Arrive seem to have gotten better since the TP2 days, but it is still now what I consider “top-notch”. Tell me below Geeks and lets hope HTC is watching because it is the users that make that fantastic sales figure for them!

Source: engadget