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How Android isn’t really that open

GetJar CEO Iljas Laurs doesn’t mince words when he says Android isn’t as open a platform as Google would like you to think. GetJar CEO Ilja Laurs. GetJar “To me, closed is anything that doesn’t have total freedom,” Laurs told me. “By that definition, Android is already closed.” Laurs has some bold predictions for 2012. …

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Amazon Kindle Fire promised update before UK launch

The Amazon Kindle Fire should be in tip-top condition by the time it reaches the UK early next year — Amazon will be releasing a software update for the budget tablet in “less than two weeks”, a company spokesman told the New York Times. So what’ll this mean for those buying the device? The update will mean improved performance, better …

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iOS 5.0.1 untethered jailbreak confirmed, safe to update

The jailbreak community has completed a safe, untethered jailbreak update for iOS 5.0.1, according to community hacker pod2g, who confirmed the process on his iPhone 4. Screenshot by Joe Aimonetti While the jailbreak for iOS 5.0.1 was available last week, the untethered version had just been confirmed Sunday by pod2g. As with most jailbreaks, when Apple releases an update to …

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New webOS tablets incoming as OS goes open source

To say HP’s webOS has had a chequered history would be the grandpa of all understatements. But months after it killed off the TouchPad and Pre 3, HP has promised it will release new webOS tablets, with the software going open source, just like Google’s Android. So there’s life in the old dog yet. Though if you’re looking out for …

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iPhone 4S vs. Galaxy S II vs. Evo 3D

The smartphone race is so much more complex than the one-horse race it was the last time Apple released an “S” version two years ago. This year has been chock-a-block with new smartphones pushing the boundaries of what we can expect our phones to do, and how fast we can expect them to do it. If you’re planning on shopping …

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Panasonic to enter global smartphone race

Electronics giant Panasonic has announced it will enter the smartphone fray in 2012, planning to launch at least one smartphone in parts of Europe and Asia. This unnamed handset will be the first Panasonic smartphone in Europe. (Credit: Panasonic) Shown in the image above, the unnamed Panasonic smartphone will sport a 4.3-inch OLED display with a qHD resolution, and will …

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Buy and watch TV episodes straight from an Apple TV, finally

Apple has quietly slipped an update to Aussie Apple TV users that now allows them to purchase, download and watch TV show episodes straight from their little black box. Although we’ve yet to receive official word from Apple Australia about this, multiple sources, including Mac Prices Australia, have confirmed the over-the-weekend addition of this long-awaited feature for Apple TV users …

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LightSquared network still harms GPS, says draft report

LightSquared’s planned 4G wireless network caused “harmful interference” to the majority of GPS receivers used in recent government testing of the network, according to reports citing a draft version of the test results. LightSquared plans to offer network services like wholesale Internet access to companies such as Best Buy, but concerns about the network knocking out personal or military GPS …

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AT&T’s 4G LTE spotted in Los Angeles

More than a day after it surfaced in San Francisco, AT&T’s 4G LTE network now seems to be available in the Los Angeles area, as well. CNET editor Jessica Dolcourt noticed the 4G LTE icon on her phone in the City of Angels just about an hour ago. A quick speed test with the Speedtest.net app showed that she got …

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Why aren’t people buying Honeycomb tablets?

As we near the one-year anniversary of Honeycomb tablets, you might assume that Android 3.0 has led to a proliferation of devices and sales. After all, considering it was written specifically with large displays in mind, it was sure to revolutionize the tablet industry, right? Well, not exactly. According to new data from ad network Chitika, Honeycomb only accounts for …

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