Big smartphone sales can’t lift overall Samsung profits

Samsung Electronics reported a 23 percent decline in its third-quarter profit despite surging performance from its mobile devices unit. The South Korean consumer electronics titan reported a profit of 3.44 trillion Korean won ($3.08 billion) on revenue of KRW41.27 trillion ($37.43 billion). Samsung posted declining profits in its memory business, where demand for PC RAM …

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RIM promo: Buy two Playbooks, get one free

Maybe one PlayBook wasn’t enough to get you interested in Research In Motion’s tablet. But three? That’s a whole different story. At least, that’s what RIM is banking on in its latest promotion. Business customers who purchase two PlayBooks through a designated reseller get a bonus one for free. In addition, they get their choice of accessories for each tablet. …

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New Google TV 2.0 hardware coming soon

The Google TV 2.0 update is almost upon is, but unfortunately there will be no new hardware to accompany it…yet. According to Google engineers, new hardware is planned for release later in the year, and while the company was unable to go into specifics, we believe this could include the Vizio Google TV the company previewed at CES 2011. It’s …

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Google TV gets major Honeycomb update

A year after Google TV first hit the market, Google has announced the first major update to the Google TV platform. The latest update is built on Android’s Honeycomb operating system and Google promises a significantly simplified user interface. The update also finally enables Google TV products to access the Android Market and Google says there will be 30 TV-optimized …

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Leaked BlackBerry videos promise big changes

Some very interesting videos from BlackBerry have appeared online that show a new kind of device with an edge-to-edge display. The videos, which were first posted by N4BB and later picked up by Pocketnow, look like they’re made for an upcoming press conference, shows everyday business folks putting their phones to everyday use. The handset itself is just a rectangle …

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Sprint reportedly near new deal with Clearwire

Sprint Nextel is nearing a deal to extend its current network-sharing agreement with Clearwire to three to five years, Bloomberg reported today. The deal would allow Sprint to tap into Clearwire’s network and wireless capacity to power its own services. For Clearwire, it provides a measure of confidence in the company’s long-term prospects. Sprint, meanwhile, secures another resource as it …

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Nokia’s big Windows Phone push (roundup)

In a splashy debut, the Finnish company launches its Windows Phone-based Lumia handsets, along with the Asha line for emerging markets. Nokia could definitely use a hit product or two. Can Nokia’s Lumia smartphones make it in the U.S.? Nokia announced its first Windows Phone smartphones this week. The new devices will debut first in Europe and Asia. But how …

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Shared data plans: ‘Radical change’ likely to take off

Those of you paying for multiple data plans per mobile device or per family member may get some relief down the road as shared data plans become more prevalent. The number of mobile devices sold on shared data plans is projected to grow 89 percent per year over the next few years, hitting almost 187 million in 2015, says a …

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Orange selling Lumia 800, get a free Xbox when you upgrade

Orange is going to be flogging the fresh-out-the-oven Nokia Lumia 800, and as a sweetener for existing customers it’s offering a 4GB Xbox 360 if you upgrade to the Lumia 800 on an 18 or 24 month contract. You can pre-order the Lumia 800 now on Orange’s website, which is probably a good idea if you want to secure that …

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Could HP bring WebOS back?

commentary If Hewlett-Packard is flip-flopping on the PC business, it should go all the way and bring WebOS and the mobile business back as well. After an evaluation of the business, HP said today that it would keep its personal systems group, aka its consumer PC business, calling it the best move for shareholders, consumers, and the company. The decision …

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Motorola posts third

Motorola Mobility posted a third-quarter loss ahead of its acquisition by Google, but it beat Wall Street earnings estimates. The manufacturer of handsets and television set-top boxes posted a third-quarter loss of $32 million, or 11 cents a share. A year ago, when Motorola Mobility was combined with Motorola Solutions, the equivalent business posted a loss of $34 million. Revenue, …

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Nokia Kinetic is a bendy concept phone

Many a time we’ve found ourselves gazing sullenly at our smart phones, wishing they were just a little more bendy. But while every attempt we make at bending the Samsung Galaxy S2 ends in tears and a face full of Super AMOLED Plus shards, the Nokia Kinetic concept phone is actually designed to be twisted, bent and elsewise manipulated. Showcased …

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Samsung overtakes Apple to win smartphone crown

Samsung Electronics surged past Apple in smartphone shipments in the third quarter, helped by the wide availability of its flagship Galaxy S II handset. Samsung controlled 23.8 percent of the global market for smartphones, according to a recent study released by Strategy Analytics. Apple, meanwhile, had 14.6 percent of the market. It’s been a rapid ascent in the smartphone world …

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BlackBerry owners sue RIM over BBM outage

Angry BlackBerry owners have launched a legal attack over the disastrous failure of BlackBerry phones earlier this month. Class-action lawsuits have been filed in the US and Canada against Research in Motion, the company behind BlackBerry. Millions of BlackBerry owners all around the world were stuck without access to the Internet, online services and BlackBerry Messenger for the best part …

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Sony takes over Sony Ericsson for £918m

Sony has bought Ericsson’s half of the Sony Ericsson partnership. In a deal worth £918m, the Japanese giant will take sole control of the mobile phone business. Japanese mega-corporation Sony currently owns half the business, and the other half is owned by Swedish telecoms company Ericsson. The two created the joint venture in 2001. Sony gets to keep the phone …

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