The company already offers Bluetooth speakers with the HTC Rhyme, but according to the tipsters and more substantial “wireless boombox” is in the pipeline. That would use Bluetooth to stream audio from HTC phones and tablets, as well as presumably offering some degree of remote control over playback.

HTC has apparently been in talks with Spotify previously, as well as other streaming music providers, around powering a service for HTC devices, but the negotiations failed to go anywhere. Instead, Iovine is believed to be using his heft in the industry to create a Spotify rival, something fellow music execs are tipped to approve of as it could potentially dilute Spotify’s rising star.

The service will be preinstalled on HTC devices, though it’s unclear as to whether it will demand a subscription or, like Nokia Music on the Finnish company’s Lumia devices, be a free addition intended to encourage shoppers to pick HTC phones and tablets rather than those of rival manufacturers, even if they run the same underlying OS. Pricing plans and other details are still being worked on, supposedly, but HTC is tipped to have “long harbored” ambitions around streaming music services. The company already offers streaming video using its HTC Watch rental system.

HTC could reveal the new music platform as early as the Barcelona mobile show at the end of February, where it’s also tipped to be bringing three new Android smartphones – including the Ville and Edge – and a new tablet. We’ll be at Mobile World Congress bringing back all the details as they’re announced, and you can keep up with all the news in our MWC 2012 hub.

Even if Apple branches out into a second slate, it’s unlikely to subsequently follow Samsung’s path of a different tablet for every individual buyer. Part of Apple’s constraint is app resolution, or more accurately maintaining compatibility across multiple screen resolutions. Right now that means the initial iPhone (320 x 480), the Retina Display introduced by the iPhone 4 (640 x 960), and the iPad (1024 x 768). Talk of the Retina Display toting third-gen iPad has suggested a literally doubled resolution, to 2048 x 1536, with evidence of suitable graphics found in recent iOS 5.x betas.

The limiting factor isn’t technology, or even apps and usability – despite what Steve Jobs might have said – it’s supply. Apple needs to have sufficient amounts of whichever panel it settles on, likely a 7.85-inch IPS LCD according to previous rumors and past evidence, to ensure it can meet the expected demand. We’ve already seen what an LCD shortage can do to iPad availability, after all.

A 7.85-inch 1024 x 768 panel, therefore, would allow a so-called “iPad mini” to use the same apps as the existing iPad 2. Meanwhile, the  9.7-inch iPad could go on to adopt the high-resolution display in iPad 2S/3 form and, potentially, a higher sticker price, Apple perhaps assuaging any consumer frustrations with a price cut for the existing iPad 2.

Although rumors have suggested Apple will shift to a larger, perhaps 4-inch display on the next-gen iPhone 5, a tweener tablet and sticking with 3.5-inch smartphone screens arguably makes more sense. No dip in pixel density for the new iPhone, unlike if it spread its current 640 x 960 across a bigger panel, and no need for developers to cook up new handset versions of their apps, if instead the resolution changed.

We won’t know for sure until we see the first signs of Apple’s 2012 tablet strategy early next month, but until then let us know how excited you are about the upcoming iPad 2S/3 in the SlashGear poll below.

Sony’s Kaz Hirai – at the time chief of the company’s Computer Entertainment division, and since made overall CEO – said that the PlayStation Suite platform “isn’t an ecosystem where we want to keep everything within the Sony family.” Instead, it’s intended to be Sony’s first “cross-platform endeavor” he explained.

The PlayStation Suite has, so far, been limited to Sony and Sony Ericsson hardware. As well as the gaming smartphone, certification has been extended to Sony’s Tablet P and Tablet S hardware, giving the slates access to the PlayStation download store with various classic PSOne titles.

The news goes some way to addressing the question of whether Sony intends to try to sell customers all of the hardware – phone, tablet, TV and computer – in its “four-screen” strategy, or of ceding some of the market by embracing a cross-manufacturer ecosystem. Hirai has been blunt in suggesting that Sony must look to user experience not simply hardware if it wants to turn its fortunes around, and part of that strategy appears to be bringing other OEMs onboard to fill in potential gaps in its line-up.

The smaller iPad will have a screen resolution the same – or “similar” – to the existing iPad 2, or 1024 x 768, one source indicated. That would suggest Apple was sticking with the 4:3 aspect ratio, sensible given iPad apps are currently designed for that. Similar rumors – citing the same suppliers – broke last October, with a 7.85-inch screen size tipped.

However, while the supplier insiders say Apple has been showing potential designs for the new tablet around suppliers, it’s also pointed out that such product flirtation isn’t unusual: and, it often doesn’t amount to a commercial device. Although the company has been slow and steady with its iPhone range, sticking to a single “flagship” device at any one time and keeping older models on the market to satisfy lower price points, Apple is supposedly considering an iPod-style strategy with tablets where different models would address different use-cases.

If true, the new “iPad mini” would be another example of Apple dismissing a product category before subsequently entering it. Steve Jobs memorably blasted 7-inch and similar tablets as “tweeners” back in October 2010, arguing that their scale “isn’t sufficient to create great tablet apps” and suggesting that such models should include sandpaper so that users could file their fingers down to a usable size.

“Apple has long contemplated different tablet designs” the WSJ’s sources say, though again there’s no guarantee that contemplation will lead to production. Nonetheless, even with a third-gen iPad expected on March 7, this looks to be a rumor that won’t die any time soon.

The search giant has been cagey about revealing exactly what will be going on in the new facilities, saying only that the extended office space – believed to occupy around 800,000 square feet – will be used for “additional meeting and work space.” However, details discovered in city filings suggest Google is ramping up for an increased focus on hardware and hardware testing.

For instance, one facility will include an “RF screen room [which] will be used to test the WiFi performance and development of a consumer product” according to one of Google’s real estate team last year. The building is assigned to the “Google/@home” division, though other areas are supposedly for the “X Lab” or “Project X” teams working on some of Google’s more clandestine projects, such as HUD Smart Glasses.

At the center of the Googleplex is expected to be the Google Experience Center, a 120,000 square foot hub ”to share visionary ideas, and explore new ways of working” that, as one architect on the project wrote in 2011, will “operate somewhat like a museum, exhibit, or mercantile space allowing flexibility in the exhibits so that as Google’s products and needs change, the space can adapt.”

Google is near to acquiring Motorola Mobility, its biggest hardware play to-date, though other elements of physical product development have seemingly already been underway for some time now. Whether the company can convince both the public and the privileged guests of the Experience Center that Google hardware stands a chance of succeeding where, say, Google TV has struggled, remains to be seen.

Unfortunately, right now there’s little more than naming information for the new HTC apps. It’s unclear whether HTC has followed in Apple’s footsteps and created – or licensed – a true Siri-style digital personal assistant, or whether it’s the more mundane voice-dictation and shortcut system we’ve seen on other Android devices. Still, we’ve been saying HTC should push ahead with its services as a way of differentiating itself from other smartphone manufacturers, so this could be a good sign.

As for video editing, the functionality is apparently not that which Google baked into Ice Cream Sandwich, but an app of HTC’s own. Again, no screenshots or real details at this stage, but the software has apparently been branded to suit HTC Sense 4.0.

The HTC Endeavor – along with the HTC Ville – is expected to make its official debut at Mobile World Congress later on this month, and we’ll be there to bring back all the details. The smartphones are part of what HTC has described as its “Hero Device” strategy, a return to quality-over-quantity that the company hopes will turn around its fortunes.

Pegatron, perhaps unsurprisingly, opted to stick with Apple’s contract rather than that of ASUS. The OEM won iPhone construction contracts last year, and is apparently angling for iPad 3 contacts now. Zenbook production is expected to cease with Pegatron at the end of March, and switch over to either Compal or Wistron.

ASUS is said to be trying to keep news of Apple’s OEM machinations low-key, with a spokesperson only telling the paper that it always attempts to be flexible in its supply chain.

Pegatron was not responsible for the Zenbook design, which was supposedly carried out entirely in-house by ASUS’ own teams, and so Apple’s pressure is not believed to connected to any reusing of ideas on the OEM’s part. However, it’s suggested that this insistence on suppliers “choosing sides” between Apple contracts and those of other companies that fail to meet with Cupertino approval is not likely to end at the Zenbook.

[via DigiTimes]

The tipster isn’t the only one, either. Best Buy online shows the Apple TV as not available for shipping, as is also the case at Target; Walmart has removed the Apple TV from its online store completely. It’s a similar story at other online retailers, with only existing stock left on-hand in stores seemingly available.

International sales also seem limited, with retailers in the UK and Germany also showing either no supplies or small numbers. Apple’s own online store does still have stock, however.

It’s possible a new Apple TV could debut at Apple’s well-rumored early March event, so far expected to see the third-gen iPad get its official launch. However, Apple has slotted previous Apple TV refreshes as the “One other thing” in other events, so a shared spotlight for the third-gen variant isn’t beyond the realm of possibility.

Exactly what specifications the new Apple TV might bring is generally unclear. Mentions of the new set-top box in iOS 5.1 betas suggest it will come with Bluetooth 4.0, a low power version of the short-range wireless technology, though most users are hoping for 1080/60p Full HD support; the current model is limited to 720p. iOS app support would also be a sensible addition – the current model is capable of it, though not officially – to better compete with Google TV.

Although Apple was historically known for its premium pricing, rival manufacturers and carriers offering Android tablets have struggled to match or significantly undercut the iPad’s sticker price. It’s unclear at this stage whether Apple will be forced to raise the cost of the iPad 3/2S because of the new technologies involved, but even if it does, the company could salve the pain by slashing the price of the existing model.

Apple has shown it is willing to play the long game on building out its product range. Although rumors of an “iPhone mini” have persisted almost as long as the original iPhone speculation itself, Apple has preferred to wait until its existing line has matured to the point where production costs allow for free-on-contract pricing. The launch of the iPhone 4S saw a three model smartphone line-up for the first time, the aging iPhone 3GS kept on as the “new” entry-level model while the superseded iPhone 4 grabbed the mid-tier spot.

That sort of strategy could well work for the iPad, especially given the tablet – unlike its smartphone counterpart – isn’t generally subsidized by carriers. Previous leaks from iPad 2 display suppliers have lent weight to the idea that Apple will maintain production of the second-gen model, and a more affordable device – say, from $399 or even less – would significantly increase pressure on any new tablets launched at MWC 2012.

Google is listed as the manufacturer of the devices, described as “in the prototyping phase”, and says that they will be connected to home internet connections via WiFi. Staff in Mountain View, Los Angeles, Cambridge and New York will all be involved, using the gadgets at work and at home. It’s also possible that the device is Google’s HUD Smart Glasses project, being tested in the wild.

Although the Home Entertainment System was immediately connected with the Android@Home, there are other possibilities for these latest filings. Google has also requested permission to test a “fiber residential gateway” including WiFi and Bluetooth wireless options as part of its 1Gbps Google Fiber project that recently broke ground in Kansas City.

This next-gen personal communication device, therefore, could be related to Google Fiber – perhaps linking wirelessly to the residential gateway, as some sort of portable Google Voice or Google Talk comms gadget – or it could be an element of the home entertainment system. Although talk so far has positioned that system as a Sonos rival, Android@Home supports a broad range of functionality thanks to the underlying app support, and personal communications could easily be an aspect of that.

Google demonstrated Android@Home at Google I/O 2011 last year; it’s entirely possible the new hardware could be prepared for the same show this year, which is expected to take place in late June 2012.

[Thanks Si!]

In fact, the roll-out will be dependent on which carrier you’re with, and which country you live in. The Galaxy Note upgrade could drop anytime between March and May, Murtazin warns, while other Samsung models are also in line for an Android 4.0 refresh within that same period.

Meanwhile, Samsung is believed to be readying what could be the company’s first native Ice Cream Sandwich device, the Galaxy S III. Originally the new flagship was expected at MWC 2012 later this month, but Samsung recently warned that it would miss the show and instead debut at a standalone event sometime before the end of June.

Whenever the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note get ICS, the expectation is that it will come with the company’s own TouchWiz modifications rather than pure Android 4.0 as on the Galaxy Nexus. We’re waiting to hear back from Samsung as to whether these timescales are accurate, and will update when we know more.

There’s also an 8-megapixel rear camera, with LED flash, and a VGA-resolution front camera. Inside is 1GB of RAM, and we’re guessing there’s a microSD card slot under the battery cover. HTC Sense 4.0 makes an appearance, unsurprisingly, on top of Ice Cream Sandwich, though there are four dedicated hardware keys for the Android control buttons rather than the on-screen buttons we’ve seen on the Galaxy Nexus.

That could change prior to launch, however; there’s no telling how old this prototype is, and what tweaks HTC might make before it actually hits the market. When that might be is also in question, with the source saying sometime this year but nothing more specific than that.

A Mobile World Congress release is unlikely, however, given HTC wouldn’t debut what’s most probably a North American phone at a European event. Instead, we’re expecting to see the HTC Ville, HTC Edge and perhaps the HTC Primo make their first official appearances there.

That comes as little surprise, given the most commonly leaked details about the upcoming tablet refresh are around its display and GPU abilities. While the first two iPad generations used a 1024 x 768 resolution display, Apple is tipped to have doubled that for the new model. That should add up to smoother, Retina Display style graphics and more detailed video playback.

Meanwhile, the graphics chip inside the iPad 3 is also said to have seen a significant boost, with Apple expected to use the new tablet to launch the A6 processor. Conflicting rumors have tipped the A6 as both a dualcore and a quadcore CPU, however.

Those apps that make Apple’s grade for the iPad launch event are also being considered for the inevitable big-budget ad campaign for the slate. The first advert is likely to be shown at the launch event itself, followed up with TV spots highlighting the newer features.

Gottheil dismissed rumors that the iPad 3 will have a quad-core processor due to the power requirements, believing instead that Apple may introduce a new A6 processor that’s a faster dual-core chip. However, he feels certain that the next-gen iPad will sport a high-resolution screen similar to the iPhone’s Retina display.

In more predictions, Gottheil believes that the next-gen iPad will integrate Siri and that the iPad 2 will get a price reduction to around $400 for the 16GB WiFi-only version.

Despite Steve Jobs’ previous objections to a smaller 7-inch form factor, Gottheil says that a smaller iPad has always been part of the plan. He believes that Apple is working on a 7-inch iPad that will be introduced later this year along with a wireless keyboard-case accessory for the tablet.

[via ComputerWorld]

Still, based on past timescales, a retail release around a week after the iPad is unveiled seems most likely. Rumors had previously suggested that the third-gen iPad would be shown off publicly sometime this month, but sources later changed their story and suggested March would be the most likely launch window so as to allow sales close to the big reveal.

As for specifications, it’s unclear if the tablet will be the iPad 3 or the iPad 2S, but a “Retina Display” running at 2048 x 1536 is expected. Persistent rumors had indicated a quadcore processor, too, though more recent leaks have questioned whether the Apple A6 chipset believed to be at the heart of the new iPad could, in fact, be a faster dualcore.

A bigger battery and slightly redesigned casing are also in the pipeline, we’re led to believe, along with LTE connectivity. Apple declined to comment on the launch date suggestions, though if they turn out to be true we’re likely to see official invites fired out in the week prior, just in time for the company to distract from Mobile World Congress.

Polaroid surprised camera followers back at CES with the reveal of the SC1630, a device which ostensibly resembled a cellphone but in actual fact was intended to be a digital camera first and foremost. The SC1630 is equipped with a healthy 16-megapixel sensor and leverages Android for its social networking integration and file uploading capabilities, features Samsung has already made good use of in its Galaxy series of smartphones.

That could mean that Samsung is looking to push out a photography-focused mobile device, joining Galaxy phones, tablets and media players. Presumably the Galaxy Camera would bear a higher resolution camera than existing Samsung smartphones – which generally top out at 8-megapixels – and perhaps even include an optical zoom.

Following that route would allow Samsung to chase digital imaging fans without making its core smartphone range any fatter; according to recent leaks, the Galaxy S III expected to debut within the next few months is targeting a 7mm-thick casing, with the 8-megapixel camera the only bump on the otherwise slimline build. Camera geeks might be more willing to accommodate a chubbier device if it delivers improved optics, however.

[via SammyHub]

However, the California store is not open to the public and is strictly for Google workers. However, the average Google fan can order the same merchandise online. A retail store would presumably allow Google to sell more than just T-shirts and bibs. A retail store could also be used to sell hardware running Android such as Chromebooks, smartphones, and tablets in a set up similar to an Apple Store.

Perhaps this move was in mind since Google started its purchase of Motorola Mobility. With the popularity of Google and the Android operating system, I think a retail store would be very popular. Bloomberg reports that Google purchased the site for the Dublin retail store for about €100 million. Do you think the Google retail store is a good idea?

[via Bloomberg]

The Edge is believed to be at the pinnacle of HTC’s new “Hero Device” strategy, as the company attempts to break away from the quantity-over-quality strategy that saw it lose market share in 2011. HTC has also formed a new “HTC Studio” division, bringing together key engineering, design, software and other expertise to focus on polished phones and tablets, along with the flexibility to look beyond current bosom-buddy Qualcomm for its chip supplies.

Companies opting for Tegra 2 last year saw their dual-core Android phones hit the market well in advance of HTC’s Qualcomm-based dual-cores, leaving the firm on the back foot in marketing terms at least. NVIDIA’s graphics expertise is also cited by the sources as of key interest to HTC.

HTC is expected to launch a new tablet early in 2012, in addition to phones, though it remains to be seen if the company will use Tegra 3 for that as well as the Edge. Meanwhile LG and others are already believed to have committed to NVIDIA’s chip.

Dropbox also offers a $20 per month plan for 100GB of space. Google Drive is the culmination of “G Drive” rumors and plans dating back several years, with the much-tipped service originally expected to debut in 2007 but failing to materialize.

Drive will contain documents, photos and videos, and allow users to share their files via a download link rather than send the content directly through email or similar. There will also be Google Drive apps for mobile devices, it’s suggested, for uploading photos and video direct to the cloud store.

Google has declined to comment on the rumored service, but online storage is a relatively small step from the company’s existing product platform. Users are already offered free Gmail accounts, Documents stores, Google Music for audio uploads, and Picasa photo and video galleries, each accommodating several gigabytes of content. Corralling those under a single banner would be no great leap, though Google would likely come under increased attention over the possibility of users uploading copyrighted content.

[via Android Community]

Still unconfirmed is exactly what resolution the big screen runs at, though LG is believed to be offering an 8-megapixel main camera and there’s what looks to be a front-facing camera lens visible in the video teaser. 8GB of ROM space and NFC is also believed to be onboard, the latter unsurprising as LG has already included the short-range wireless in its recent PRADA Phone 3.0.

Beyond that there are only tidbits to be gleaned from the clip, which shows the PRADA-style circular metal buttons for lock/power along with a sliding microUSB cover door. What we’re really interested to see is whether LG has followed Samsung’s similarly sizable Galaxy Note and equipped the Optimus Vu with a stylus.

We’ll find out more over the next few weeks, we’re guessing; if there’s one thing we’ve learned from previous pre-MWC teaser campaigns, it’s that LG can’t help whispering about its new devices in advance. Whether we have the pockets to accommodate the Optimus Vu will have to wait until Barcelona.

[via Android Community]

That leaves the actual Galaxy S III launch still shrouded in mystery. Samsung has said that the smartphone will make its official debut in the first half of 2012, as the centerpiece of a dedicated event rather than sharing the stage with the rest of the cellular industry – Apple aside – at Mobile World Congress.

From leaked specifications, it sounds like it’s well worth waiting for. Samsung apparently committed to making the Galaxy S III even thinner than its GSII predecessor, and has supposedly come up with a roughly 7mm thick smartphone with a Super AMOLED Plus display and a quadcore processor. An 8-megapixel camera – making a bump on the back – and Full HD video recording is tipped, together with LTE and an HDMI output.

Talk of LTE might suggest a US-based event for the Galaxy S III’s first reveal, though that would be at odds with the launches of the previous two phones. Alternatively, Samsung could follow the pattern of the Galaxy Nexus, and launch a European HSPA+ GSIII first, following up with LTE versions for the North American market.

As we’ve heard previously, the Apple television – or “Apple iTV” as it has been unofficially dubbed – will use the personal digital assistant voice technology debuted on the iPhone 4S to cut through complex remote controls and on-screen menus. An integrated camera, meanwhile, would track hand gestures for non-verbal control, and an on-screen keyboard could be used for more complex text entry.

Exactly how Apple will blend together on-demand and live content without making navigation overly difficult is unknown, though Steve Jobs was keen to tell his biographer that he had “finally cracked” the issue.

Earlier this week, meanwhile, it was confirmed that Apple is using complex audio DSP from specialists Audience, baked into the Apple A5 chipset found in the iPhone 4S. That technology models the human hearing system, allowing the iPhone to differentiate from user commands and ambient noise with the smartphone at arm’s length. Apple is also a licensee of Audience’s third-gen DSP, though technical details are in short supply; still, any Siri-based television would need to be able to track voice commands from across the living room, without being distracted by extraneous sounds, which would seem to mandate the audio system.

[via Engadget]

“From the design point of view, from the choice of components, having a lot more open mind as to what components we use, and using the most appropriate components for the phone. By having a more focused approach to our product strategy, and having the organization behind the product strategy to support it. I think I have told some people when talked about the creation of this Studio, which is a department within HTC that reports directly to Peter [Chou, HTC CEO]. And this group of people comprise the team from design, the team from engineering and etc; working on a cross disciplinary approach, and reporting directly to Peter. It has a lot of focus, is spending a lot of time on the key products that we are going to launch this year” Winston Yung, CFO, HTC

Meanwhile, many of HTC’s other 2011 handsets fell into the “me too” category, failing to distinguish themselves from rival phones from Samsung and Apple. The company was late to the market with dual-core processors, and though the effectiveness of the chips depends greatly on software optimization, on a marketing level it put HTC behind the game when rivals were driving ahead with Tegra 2 and other platforms.

“I think from these various perspectives, organization more focused on strategy and having a more open mind on components, choosing the best components, will allow us to regain the edge in products … for most components there are multiple sources. And we actually want to and make sure that we do have multiple sources for a single component. So we have, I think, a very good range of suppliers to choose from on CPU, for example, or memory, for example. And I don’t think we are constrained in any way from a component point of view” Winston Yung, CFO, HTC

That delay was, in part, down to HTC’s commitment to using Qualcomm chipsets, something Yung implies is not necessarily a given for 2012 and beyond. There are multiple options for CPU and the company is not “constrained in any way” the CFO said, seemingly prioritizing timeliness ahead of lasting relationships to turn the next set of devices around.

It’s an approach that’s long overdue. We’ve written before about HTC’s shortcomings in component access and apparent reluctance to capitalize on the areas it has had advantages in, such as cloud services; in the meantime, Samsung has cornered the market in high-end Android devices, and Apple’s tightly-constructed ecosystem has continued to gather pace. We should see the first fruits of HTC’s new thinking at MWC 2012 later this month.

[via Android Community]

According to the sales staff, the white and black Lumia 900 handsets are expected sometime in the second half of March. Pricing seems to be the source of some in-store confusion, with $150 to $200 being discussed; previous leaks have suggested AT&T is aiming for the altogether more competitive $100 point, however.

They also confirmed the latter-March release, with the 18th being mentioned before now. Last we heard, final-stage testing could see that date bumped later into the month, though, and the absence of an official release date would seem to confirm that arrangements are still in flux.

As for the white Lumia, until this morning we weren’t even sure that such a model was in the pipeline, though the confirmation of the white Lumia 800 we played with yesterday certainly implied it was likely. More on the Nokia Lumia 900 in our full hands-on.

At the time, a quadcore processor was tipped for the X3/P880, specifically NVIDIA’s Tegra 3, with the display a 4.7-inch panel in a device under 9mm thick. OS is Ice Cream Sandwich, and there are the usual twin cameras - 1.3-megapixels up front and and 8-megapixels on the back – along with 16GB of storage. Up to 21Mbps HSPA+, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, NFC and Bluetooth 4.0 round out the key leaked specs.

As for the LG P700, the UPnP listing confirms Ice Cream Sandwich, though the company’s own XML file suggests a mere 640 x 480 resolution display. That implies a mid-tier device, bringing Android 4.0 to lower price points, which Google needs if the OS is to begin ousting 2.x versions from the mainstream.

The expectation is that LG will be showing off these two new devices at MWC, and we’ll be there to bring back all the details.

[via Android Community and via Juggly]

Wired got in touch with Best Buy and asked about the survey. The answer was that a research partner conducted the survey. The official response from Best Buy read:

The customer survey was a routine offer effectiveness survey conducted by one of Best Buy’s research partners. Any brand reference was hypothetical. The survey is no longer available.

It’s funny that Best Buy says the brand reference was hypothetical. Apple has been known to come down with an iron fist on partners who leak information about its products ahead of launch. I would bet someone at Best Buy is worried right now. Do you think this was nothing but hype on Best Buy’s part, or did someone have a little information on a coming Apple product and leaked some details without thinking about the consequences?

[via Wired]

Schaap managed to get OS X Snow Leopard “booting into a multi-user prompt” on the Marvell chipset, though there were lingering hardware issues that persisted. In the process, he needed to build a filesystem and kernelcache from the ground up, as well as work around old code in the existing ARMv5 branch of XNU.

A proper release, he suggested, would first require significant reworking of elements of code, along with new drivers to “fully utilize the potential” of Apple’s hardware. Apps themselves would also need to be re-written – or ported from ARM-based platforms – as well.

Nonetheless, it adds to ongoing suspicions that Apple is at least considering using ARM-based chips – such as the company’s own A5 and upcoming A6, as currently used in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S – in notebooks as well as tablets and phones. At least one prototype MacBook Air running on an Apple A5 chipset has been reported, performing ”better than expected”, though it was not specified whether it was running iOS or OS X.

[via Apple Insider]

However, there’s no AT&T branding to be seen on this white Lumia 900, lending weight to speculation that Nokia will indeed be selling it – probably without LTE, however – outside of the US. That’s no bad thing, as the 4.3-inch phone has a great ClearBlack AMOLED display, 8-megapixel camera and a front-facing camera, along with a bigger, 1,830mAh battery than its Lumia 800 sibling.

Exactly when the international Lumia 900 will be confirmed is unclear, though with Mobile World Congress fast approaching there’s plenty of reason to assume it may be brought out into the light in Barcelona at the end of the month. Some UK retailers have already started listing it as a June release.

Meanwhile there’s also talk of an improved Lumia 910 complete with a 12-megapixel camera. That’s been tipped to arrive in May 2012.

[via WMPoweruser]

“Apple has integrated our processor IP in certain of its mobile phones” Audience confirmed in its IPO documentation last month. Based on the company’s EarSmart technology, it allows phones to use effective background noise cancellation even when the microphone is held at arm’s reach, rather than when it’s near the user’s mouth.

Audience doesn’t detail its “custom processor for Apple” but the volume inclusion timescale – Q4 of 2011 – fits in with the launch of the iPhone 4S. EarSmart models the human brain, using two microphones and custom DSP to filter out background sound.

It’s that ability – present in the iPhone 4S but missing from the iPhone 4 and earlier devices – which limits Siri’s backward-compatibility, Gwennap argues. As we’ve seen from unofficial hacks, the A4 chip powering the iPhone 4 is capable of running Siri on a power level; it seems the stumbling block is whether Siri can actually hear you properly.

Apple is a licensee of Audience’s next-gen noise reduction tech, though the company points out that the iPhone maker is under no obligation to actually use it. Still, that could appear in the Apple A6 chipset, expected to be at the heart of the iPad 3

Were hoping that today will be the day we figure out all there is to know about Google X. We still don’t know if we will learn anymore today, but we do know for certain that Google owns the URL wesolveforX.com since it’s listed as the DNS admin in the registry database. Bhe domain was registered by TBA Global, LLC, apparently a marketing firm working with Google. A little teaser blurb has also surfaced along with domain registration that says little bit about what Solve For X will be about. The blurb reads:

WELCOME TO SOLVE FOR X
Solve for X is a place where the curious can go to hear and discuss radical technology ideas for solving global problems. Radical in the sense that the solutions could help billions of people. Radical in the sense that the audaciousness of the proposals makes them sound like science fiction. And radical in the sense that there is some real technology breakthrough on the horizon to give us all hope that these ideas could really be brought to life.

This combination of things – a huge problem to solve, a radical solution for solving it, and the breakthrough technology to make it happen – is the essence of a moonshot.

Solve for X is intended to be a forum to encourage and amplify technology-based moonshot thinking and teamwork.

We can’t wait to share what we discover.

You can check out the official YouTube channel for Solve for X and video below.

[via Android Police]

The Apple HDTV is a very strange product to appear on the Best Buy consumer survey since this is not a real product yet. It would seem Best Buy wants to get an idea if its customers were interested in such a TV and at what price it might sell at. The photo you see here is an actual screenshot from the customer survey Best Buy is running.

We’re wondering if Best Buy has some sort of insider information or if this is all pure speculation. I would bet this is pure speculation on Best Buy’s part, if it actually had any insider information or had talked to Apple about the product, I don’t think it would be leaking any details. The survey shows that the set would sell for $1499, would run iOS, support apps, and have a 42-inch 1080p flat-panel display. That price seems expensive for 42-inch set, but Apple can certainly set its own pricing in many instances and be successful. Interestingly, the survey also says TV has an iSight camera and mic for Skype video calls.

[via The Verge]

A 2-megapixel front facing camera for video calls is also promised, along with Full HD video recording. That will support playback via HDMI – presumably using an MHL-compliant microUSB port like many of Samsung’s existing phones – and LTE connectivity is tipped as well.

Samsung confirmed last week that the Galaxy S III won’t make its debut at MWC 2012 this month, though did say that the handset would be revealed sometime before then end of July. The company won’t talk specifications, though the leak suggests we’ll be seeing another Super AMOLED Plus display along with Android Ice Cream Sandwich.

We’d also expect to see HSPA+ on offer, along with NFC and the usual mixture of WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and other sensors. Whether Samsung will subsequently have to follow Motorola’s lead with the DROID RAZR MAXX and release a second version with a bigger battery remains to be seen.

[via OLED-Display]

It’s assumed it refers to Apple’s sales and covers all Motorola Mobility patented technologies the Cupertino company uses. Even so, the figure appears excessive.

Apple has argued that it is covered by a cross-licensing agreement between Motorola and Qualcomm around 3G standards, since it uses Qualcomm radio chipsets in its more recent products. However, Motorola has made several attempts to block Apple’s request to bring that licensing agreement in front of the German courts, only eventually succeeding to have it discussed in a closed hearing.

One tidbit that was revealed in a late January 2012 Apple brief opposing a Motorola attempt to keep the agreement out of the courtroom is the FRAND licensing offer Motorola made. The figure is mentioned in a letter sent by the Bardehle Pagenberg firm representing Apple, to Dr. Marcus Grosch of Quinn Emanuel, Motorola’s German lead counsel.

Apple has argued that Motorola’s demands for licensing fees are excessive, and that the company has not adhered to FRAND rules that insist upon a reasonable rate.

To try to prove that, Apple is seeking information on how much other smartphone companies pay Motorola for the same patents, filing discovery motions in late January for details from Nokia, HTC, LG Electronics and Ericsson (though the latter was subsequently voluntarily dismissed). Motorola’s defense, it’s suggested, is likely to be that its deals with other manufacturers also include licensing agreements that work in the opposite direction, and that the royalty figures could be lower because of that.

Nonetheless, if Apple can prove Motorola has been unfair in its request then it could not only escape the injunction issued by the German courts last December, but land Motorola in hot water with the European Commission. The EC is already investigating Samsung over potential antitrust behavior in licensing FRAND patents, in part because of the Korean company’s suit against Apple.

The pilots are for “mobile and cross-platform rich-media ads” and, although details are in short supply, appear to be far more complex than mere banners and links. Razorfish mobile ad chief Paul Gelb likened the functionality Facebook is working on to rich media alternatives including combinations of interactivity and animation, streaming video and location-based features, in addition to tap-to-call and tap-to-coupon.

Whether Facebook’s platform will support all of those is unknown, though the social network already has a rich LBS provision including Check-Ins and support for local deals. That could open the door to mobile coupons where businesses compete to offer deals based on user interests, served up through the handset.

Although Facebook saw around 425m active users through its mobile interface in December 2011, the site does not “generate any meaningful revenue from users accessing Facebook through our mobile products” according to the IPO. There’s also talk of premium accounts in the pipeline as another way for Facebook to boost its profits.

Update: Razorfish’s Paul Gelb now says he was misquoted, and that the company “is NOT working with Facebook on any mobile media ad buying. Rather, in the interview I was referring to rich media featured stories, not paid ads.”

A Facebook spokesperson told us that “We want to clarify that we are not working with any agency to create paid ads on our mobile platform.”

[via mocoNews]

That integration isn’t expected to arrive until Windows Phone 8, according to leaks earlier this week. The updated smartphone OS will apparently offer deep hooks for Skype integration, though the VoIP service won’t be specifically baked into the platform, allowing internet-base calls to be handled just as easily as traditional voice calls.

This first iteration, therefore, will be a standalone app, though that’s likely enough to keep Windows Phone users satisfied for the time being. It’s been a point of frustration for adopters of the platform that, while Microsoft now owns Skype, so far most rival mobile platforms have access to a version whereas Windows Phone does not.

The practicalities of a Mobile World Congress launch depend on how well internal testing goes, it’s claimed, though the Skype app itself is said to be “near complete.” We’ve already suggested that Skype – and some clever investment by Microsoft – could be the wildcard Windows Phone needs, and it seems that time may well be close at hand.

While the press blurb on the image itself has plenty of hyperbole, we do know some rumored specs about the camera too. It’s tipped to have a magnesium, weather-sealed body weighing in at around 373g without a lens, while inside is believed to be a 16-megapixel sensor. That’s said to be  optimized for High Dynamic Range photography, with speedy AF, 3D tracking and a five-axis image stabilizer.

ISO 200 to 25,600 is expected, along with an integrated 1.44m dot digital viewfinder paired with a 3-inch 610k dot OLED screen that can tilt. Pricing is said to be in the region of $1,300, though that’s based on a roughly 100,000 yen figure in Japan, where the yen is notoriously strong.

We won’t have to wait long to find out, though. The Olympus OM-D is rumored to launch on February 8.

“I will not run away. I want to fight these allegations on a level playing field. I have three little children. My wife is pregnant with twins. I just want to be with them” Dotcom told the court, going on to point out that his assets had been frozen and at least some of the multiple passports seized during the raid.

As for his arrest, Dotcom has made claims of unnecessary brutality by police involved. “I was punched in the face, I was kicked down on the floor,” the outspoken exec says, “one guy was standing on my hands … it was bleeding.” He also says he has received “funny visits” while in jail, including one from a man claiming to be a prosecutor and suggesting he could, if discretely paid, arrange for a bail hearing in Dotcom’s favor.

“The judge correctly concluded that the risk of flight cannot be mitigated by the imposition of conditions, including electronic monitoring” prosecutor Anne Toohey said of the High Court decision. The FBI is believed to have infected MegaUpload computers with a spyware tool that recorded Skype IM logs among other traffic, as part of a five year evidence collection campaign.

Currently, Facebook points out, there are no mobile adverts in play, despite the huge potential audience for advertising. It’s an issue the company suggests might in fact negatively impact Facebook’s bottom line: even if mobile users grow, they’re not contributing to Facebook’s purse.

“Although the substantial majority of our mobile users also access and engage with Facebook on personal computers where we display advertising, our users could decide to increasingly access our products primarily through mobile devices … We currently do not show ads or directly generate any meaningful revenue from users accessing Facebook through our mobile products, but we believe that we may have potential future monetization opportunities such as the inclusion of sponsored stories in users’ mobile News Feeds” Facebook IPO

That’s the most obvious cloud on the horizon; the other, the IPO documentation suggests, is a lack of control over the most popular mobile platforms in play today. Facebook runs the risk of being marginalized should Apple or Google decide to prioritize other services, including their own in iOS and Android. It’s something Facebook has already seen, in fact; Apple opted for Twitter for its in-depth social integration in iOS 5.0, while Google has been pushing its own Google+ network heavily in recent months.

“We are dependent on the interoperability of Facebook with popular mobile operating systems that we do not control, such as Android and iOS, and any changes in such systems that degrade our products’ functionality or give preferential treatment to competitive products could adversely affect Facebook usage on mobile devices”

The obvious path, then, is a smartphone of Facebook’s own. HTC and others have already experimented with baked-in Facebook integration, though the handsets themselves have failed to set the market alight. However, the social network is believed to have long harbored ambitions for an in-house Facebook phone, built on a modified Android base, with the first-gen project even hoping to design its own hardware.

The sheer costs involved supposedly scuppered those plans, and Facebook apparently turned to HTC once more with the promise of an HTML5 based OS the site would build on top of hardware from the smartphone manufacturer. However, with the promise of a huge IPO payout on the horizon, Facebook could well decide to head back into the labs and renew its efforts on an official Facebook handset.

[via The Guardian]

Details on the February press gathering are unknown, and only described as “strange”; however, it’s said to be a non-product related event. That could mean services, similar to the iBooks event earlier this month.

The new iPad, meanwhile, will be shown off in early March, supposedly, then released later in the month. It’s unclear whether the refreshed model will be the iPad 3, as suspected until now, or the iPad 2S, a bridging model that will introduce a faster, Apple A6 processor and “Retina Display” screen, but leave more fundamental changes until later in 2012 or even beyond.

Leaks earlier this week, reportedly from a user with early access to the iPad 3, suggest the tablet will come with a global 3G/4G option. Apple is apparently using a combination GSM/CDMA/LTE modem, that will allow the slate to run on HSPA+ networks as well as LTE ones, though specific carrier support is unknown at this stage.

[via Mac Rumors]

That’s where Zuckerberg’s offbeat attitude to Facebook’s users is tipped to come in. Analysts suspect the unconventional CEO will make some provision for Facebook’s 800m members – without whom, of course, he’d not have a business – to get in on the action, the Washington Post reports.

Exactly what that might look like is unclear, though according to one IPO expert it could be the introduction of a new type of floatation. “I’ve been hoping that Facebook would use this opportunity to try a new method to bring in retail investors” Ann Sherman, associate professor and IPO expert at DePaul University suggests, “a public offer where shares are set aside for only individual investors.”

Meanwhile, what Facebook – already sitting on a considerably bank balance, even without floating stock – might do with as much as $100bn is unclear. Speculation ranges from the obvious, like enhancing existing Open Graph App partnerships, through possible, such as pushing out an official Facebook phone, to terminally tenuous, as with rumors the social site has ambitions to buy T-Mobile USA. We won’t know for a while yet; even if the IPO is announced today, stock is unlikely to go on sale until the middle of the year.