New images emerged over the weekend that confirm the Samsung Hercules as T-Mobile’s take on the Galaxy S II. While the full specifications have yet to be uncovered, a TmoNews source suggests that the Hercules has a 4.5-inch display, which would make it larger than the smarpthones that other U.S. carriers are expected to deliver …

Research In Motion is slated to launch its first QNX-powered BlackBerry, code-named Colt, in the first quarter, according to a report today. BGR The timing of the launch is still conditional on the testing process, according to Boy Genius Report. Also of note, the blog reports that the first phone won’t feature support for the BlackBerry Enterprise Server because of …

Verizon Communications said it couldn’t agree to a new contract with its workers, resulting in the first strike at the telecommunications giant in 11 years. The strike began at 12:01 a.m. ET today as union leaders representing 45,000 workers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states decided to call a strike. A majority of the workers are field technicians or work …

After 45,000 Verizon workers walked off the job this weekend, Chief Executive Lowell McAdam issued a letter today to management justifying the need to extract better contract terms, saying that the company must make “additional hard decisions” to keep the cost of its wireline business in check. The strike represents the first work stoppage for Verizon in 11 years and …

The mobile world moves at a breakneck pace, and it’s difficult to keep up–even without the technical jargon most industry insiders throw around. And they do love to toss those terms about. This week, I continue with the techno-babble trend with a few more network terms for 4G. (Who doesn’t love those?) So for some light reading, here are a …

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I was emotionally invested in a film that largely focuses on teenagers rapidly tapping keys on their phone. That speaks to the quality of “Thumbs,” a surprisingly entertaining documentary that follows a dozen or so competitors through a grueling national texting championship. The key to its enjoyment came from …

AT&T is stepping up the protection of its customers’ voice messages amid mounting security concerns raised by the phone hacking incidents in the U.K. AT&T The Dallas telecommunications giant changed its policy today so that a password was the default setting for its cell phone voice mail boxes, Chief Privacy Officer Robert Quinn posted on a company blog. New phones …

According to a report from karthikk.net, developers who have sold UDID slots to other developers who are not officially enrolled in Apple’s iOS Developer Program are finding their accounts on the brink of being banned. When developers sign up for Apple’s iOS Developer Program, they receive a limited number of UDID slots (the unique identifying number specific to your iPhone, …

If the latest round of rumors prove to be true, Amazon could emerge as the dominant player in the Android tablet game. According to information provided to Taiwanese news outlet CENS, the company has ordered Quanta Computer Inc. to produce between 800,000 and 1 million tablets per month from August to October. While the articles does not draw a distinction …

Welcome another iPad 2 Bluetooth keyboard/folio case to the world. This one arrives courtesy of Belkin and its appropriately called the Keyboard Folio ($99.99). Unlike some models that feature rubber keys, this one has larger TruType keys for what Belkin says is “a comfortable, computer-style typing experience and complements the functionality of the iPad 2 with separate, adjustable modes for …

After an early game of peek-a-boo, Sprint and Samsung officially announced the Samsung Conquer 4G today, the carrier’s first 4G-capable Android smartphone, for less than $100. Available starting August 21 for $99.99 with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate, the Conquer 4G might not have the most advanced technology but still packs in a good amount of …

Magnifying glasses out! Another photo purporting to show Apple’s iPhone 5 has appeared, and seems to show a thinner mobile, with a slimmer bezel and rounded edges. The sneaky photo was posted to MacRumor’s forums, and supposedly was shot in the office of a French phone network. It’s much clearer than the spy photo that popped up last week, but …

Motorola Mobility announced a new, “budget friendly” Android smartphone for Asian and European markets this week with the XT531. Powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread and an 800MHz processor, the touch-only handset features a 3.5-inch display and a 5-megapixel camera. Additional specifications include a front-facing VGA camera, a microSD card slot, and support for 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) and GPS. …

As wireless operators eliminate unlimited data plans and talk about “throttling” traffic, smartphone subscribers are left wondering what to do. It’s clear that the majority of smartphone customers don’t need an unlimited data plan anyway. But some carriers offer data-lite options, while others don’t. Also what’s the deal with prepaid carriers? In this week’s Ask Maggie, I help one reader …

Verizon Wireless announced today that a new software update is available for its Motorola Xoom tablet. The biggest wins from the HTJ85 update are microSD card support and a screen scaling compatibility mode, but users should appreciate the smaller features as well. With a microSD card you’ll now be able to use the file manager to view files stored on …