Google’s Android operating system dominated the mobile arena last quarter, according to new data from research firm IDC. IDC reported that 104.8 million Android-based smartphones shipped worldwide during the second quarter, representing a 106.5 percent gain over the 50.8 million handsets that launched in the same period last year. Android nabbed 68.1 percent of the …

HTC will release a faster, more robust successor to the One X by early October, according to an anonymous source within the company. The preliminary info, obtained by Stuff, suggests that the “Endeavour C2” HTC One X+ will feature a quad-core 1.7GHz Tegra 3 processor and run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. What’s more, HTC is said to be including ClearVoice …

The partnership between Starbucks and Square may accomplish what even tech giant Google hasn’t been able to pull off: taking mobile payments into the mainstream. With Starbucks, Square has a large and visible pulpit from which to tout its fledgling “pay with Square” mobile payment service. Best known for its small mag-stripe reader and ability to quickly handle transactions for …

HTC’s follow-up to the One X has leaked online and it’s tipped to be a 1.7GHz monster that will go on sale in less than two months. Stuff cites a ‘trusty mole’ at HTC who has divulged the mysterious mobile’s specifications, including its cryptic codename, the ‘HTC Endeavour C2’. The sequel to the quad-core One X is reckoned to work …

Sarah Tew/CNET For months, we’ve heard talk of an iPhone 5 with a longer screen. The latest stories around the Internet suggest not only that this is a likely reality, but that iOS 6 supports this new resolution: 640×1,136 pixels, to be exact. That’s an extra 176 pixels longer than the current iPhone’s 640×960 display. Related stories Sizing up the …

The new iPhone 5 is getting extra leg room on the screen — and filling it with an extra row of apps, it seems. It looks as though the new blower’s home screen will have five rows of apps instead of the current four on the resized screen, which is set to measure 4 inches across and boast a resolution …

Two weeks ago I told you about the FlyGrip, a unique smartphone accessory that’s designed to let you navigate your handset with one hand. Shaped like a plastic H, it attaches to the back of your phone and gives you a place to rest your index and middle fingers. You then can text like mad on a crowded train and …

If you’ve got curves, flaunt ’em, we say. This slick mockup of a possible future Google Nexus phone flaunts its curved screen, as well as a kickstand and loads of other cool features. The concave touchscreen helps the Nexus D concept nestle in the hypothetical hand, while the kickstand lets you set it down to enjoy high-definition movies and TV. The …

The Olympics aren’t the only competition taking place this summer, there’s also the U.S. LG National Texting Competition. And Austin Wierschke, 17, has become the reining champ for the second year in a row. Wierschke, who hails from Rhinelander, Wis., is now deemed “the fastest texter in America,” according to the Associated Press. His secret? “Abnormally fast thumbs,” he told …

Research In Motion could be attempting to hold discussions with Samsung over the prospect of the handset maker licensing its BlackBerry 10 operating system. In a note to investors today, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said he believes that “RIM is attempting to revive discussions with Samsung regarding a BB10 licensing deal,” according to All Things Digital, which obtained a copy …