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US Update: iPhone 4 movie, BlackBerry Dakota, webOS TVs
Black Silver Nexus S with Android 2.4 spotted on FCC?
HP webOS tablets incoming February 9th, TVs next?
BlackBerry Dakota: RIM’s QWERTY touchscreen hybrid
BlackBerry Apollo adds NFC to Curve line up
Korean director films movie with only iPhone 4
Teatime Tech: BlackBerry 6 update, Spotify Shazam tie up and Stephen Fry’s startup
Android Honeycomb: Asus devices won’t ship with it, but why not?
Best green cars of NAIAS: Check out our motor-packed video!
BlackBerry 6 update headed to Three this month

US Update: iPhone 4 movie, BlackBerry Dakota, webOS TVs

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:00 PM PST

It's that time of the day, your daily dose of morning tech news from this side of the pond. In today's US Update we introduce you to the award-winning Korean director making a splash with a movie filmed on the iPhone 4, uncover the BlackBerry Apollo and Dakota, give you the latest dirt on upcoming webOS tablets and more.

First up, South Korean director Park Chan-wook has used ten iPhone 4s to film his latest cinema masterpiece, a 30 minute short called "Night Fishing". This is not the first time we've seen a film shot with a smartphone, but it is the first a high-profile Korean director has taken the plunge.

Despite a weak showing at CES 2011, RIM is stirring up some serious buzz with two leaked devices — the BlackBerry Apollo and BlackBerry Dakota. The Apollo is part of the Curve line whereas the Dakota is the new flagship, sporting both a hardware QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen.

HP's Todd Bradley has told CNBC that on February 9th, the company will hold a press event where they'll unveil their webOS tablets. Mr. Bradley also hinted at "potentially other large screen devices". Does this mean we'll see a webOS powered TV in 2011?

Last up this morning is a new version of the Google Nexus S, reportedly running Android 2.4. The handset was confirmed in a FCC filing along with a video released on YouTube showing off the latest Android build. Dubbed the Black Silver Nexus S, this could be a new and improved version of Google's flagship.

That wraps up things this fine morning from the states. Thanks for spending your morning with us as we break the headlines fresh off the press from our side of the world. Until tomorrow, this is Nick saying over and out.

Black Silver Nexus S with Android 2.4 spotted on FCC?

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 06:00 PM PST

A fresh new Google Nexus S, sporting model number GT-i9023, has been spotted on the FCC website. As the stomping grounds for all things tech heading west, the FCC filing has one important tidbit of information — an AWS 3G band, all but confirming a launch on T-mobile USA. Even more interesting is a video leaked across the Internet shows the device running none-other than Android 2.4.

Let's lay down the facts: there's a FCC filing for the GT-i9023 here, the tests confirm the AWS 3G band used by T-mobile USA and it shares the same model name (GT-i9020) as the original Samsung Nexus S. This is not the first time we've seen an Android 2.4 device leaked on video, but there's more to this mysterious device.

A quick look at the WiFi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG websites reveals the phone has been certified. Furthermore, some European retailers are even calling the handset the "Black Silver" Nexus S. For now, we simply know there's another Nexus S, model number GT-i0923, headed down the smartphone pipe.

Whether or not this phone is an entirely new Nexus S running Android 2.4 out of the gate remains to be seen. We recommend taking the Android 2.4 news with a grain of salt, but rest assure the device itself is legitimate.

via PhoneArena

HP webOS tablets incoming February 9th, TVs next?

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 05:00 PM PST

On February 9th HP is set to unveil the first webOS tablet. Amidst the onslaught of nearly 96 tablets at CES 2011 last week, it will be very interesting to see how HP plans to compete in the now saturated tablet market. Does HP have the chops to stand in the ring with Apple and Motorola and what else can we expect from HP on February 9th?

In an interview on CNBC with HP's Todd Bradley, Bradley confirmed that HP is, "totally focused on the tablet market". Not only did he reassure the tech community that a webOS tablet was coming, but he also promised that on February 9th we'll have a better picture of, "future of webOS and the breath of products it will affect".

We've heard rumblings about HP webOS-based tablets, in fact we are expect to see at least three tablets next month, but what other products will webOS be used in? In the interview, Mr. Bradley mentioned webOS smartphones, tablets, Pc and "potentially other large screen devices". Does this mean we might see webOS-powered TV to compete with the likes of LG and their Smart TV software?

When asked about the differences between tablets and PCs, Tom Bradley first noted that webOS was the "only true multitasking operation system" and that tablets are not cannibalizing the PC market. He made it very clear that a successful tablet was one that focused on content consumption whereas a PC is best suited for content creation — we'd have to agree.

So there's certainly huge expectations for the February 9th press event. We'll definitely have some ground-breaking news to cover and hopefully some release dates for the webOS tablets. The scope of webOS as it pertains to computers and TVs will be defined and HP will finally paint the perfect picture for webOS in 2011. Anyone else excited for the announcements?

Coming Soon | HP | TBD

BlackBerry Dakota: RIM’s QWERTY touchscreen hybrid

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

The long rumored, highly anticipated, BlackBerry Dakota has been confirmed. Blending together the best of both worlds, BlackBerry's hardware QWERTY keyboard, and a VGA resolution capacitive touchscreen, we might just be looking at the perfect 'Storm'. Is this the BlackBerry you've been waiting for?

Toting a design reminiscent of the original BlackBerry Bold, the BlackBerry Dakota looks to be the future of RIM's smartphone franchise. Sporting the BlackBerry OS 6.1 like the Apollo, leaked earlier today, the BlackBerry Dakota is hoping to be a serious contender in the smartphone space. Let's take a look at some of the highlights of RIM's latest creation.

Much like the Apollo, the Dakota is a quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE and triband UMTS 3G device, able to cruise the global with voice and data without skipping a beat. An equally matched five megapixel camera is located on the rear of the handset, but with one big difference – HD video recording. Internally there's 4 GB of storage and 768 MB of RAM, beating the 512/512MB seen on the Apollo.

Being the first touchscreen, hardware keyboard hybrid, the BlackBerry Dakota features a 2.8-inch VGA resolution capacitive touchscreen. The pixel density is surely impressive, but we have our reservations about using such a small sized touch screen — we'll just have to wait to try this out in person before rendering a verdict.

Other highlights of the BlackBerry Dakota include Bluetooth 2.1, NFC, magnetometer, accelerometer, proximity sensor and an even thinner design than the Apollo — down to 10.5 mm instead of 11 mm. It's time to let us know what you think about the BlackBerry Dakota — is this your dream BlackBerry or are you holding out for the Tegra 2 super phones?

via BGR

BlackBerry Apollo adds NFC to Curve line up

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 03:00 PM PST

RIM might have been the silent player at CES 2011 last week, announcing only a 4G version of the BlackBerry PlayBook, but this week they're bringing the heat. We've just confirmed the latest addition to the Curve line up, the BlackBerry Apollo, complete with NFC, five megapixel camera and HVGA display. Here's what you need to know about the BlackBerry Apollo.

For now we are unclear on what model number prefix the BlackBerry Apollo so it could be an 8000 or 9000 series device. What we do know is that this is a quadband voice and triband 3G data (UMTS/HSPA 7.2 Mbps) handset, capable of roaming the globe. Smartphone standards are in tow — Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi b/g/n, GPS and even the latest NFC chip.

Keeping up with the jones, the BlackBerry Apollo is powered by a Tavor MG-1 800 MHz processor and packs 512MB of RAM and ROM. There's a five megapixel camera with flash on the back and a HVGA display on the front to show off your snapshots. One of the real highlights of the device is how thin it is — measuring in at just 11 mm.

One of our biggest complaints with past BlackBerry devices has been the software. We told you that BlackBerry 6 was headed to Three this month, now we can confirm the BlackBerry Apollo will ship with BlackBerry OS 6.1. Is this the BlackBerry you're looking for?

via CrackBerry | BGR

Korean director films movie with only iPhone 4

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST

One of the hottest smartphones on the planet just added another notch to its belt. South Korean director Park Chan-wook used ten Apple iPhone 4s to film his latest work, "Night Fishing". This is the first time a high-profile Korean director has relied entirely on smartphone to capture his story, is this the future of videography?

"Night Fishing" is a 30 minute tale about a fisherman and a female shaman. Using ten iPhone 4s, three of which he controller, Park was able to overcome the limitations of using a small camera and bring fresh creativity and life to the film. With this help of his brother, Chan-kyong, the duo were able to capture the piece without the meticulous planning required for more traditional projects — not to mention it was very inexpensive.

“When I grow older and less popular, there will come a time when I have to shoot films on low budgets. This experience has meaning in that it has prepared me ahead of time,” he said.

This is not the first time a film has been shot using a smartphone, but as other high-profile directors begin to explore smartphones, this could be a sign of the future. Is the smartphone the holy grail in low cost videography?

via Reuters

Teatime Tech: BlackBerry 6 update, Spotify Shazam tie up and Stephen Fry’s startup

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 10:03 AM PST

It’s been a busy few hours in gadgetry, but if you’ve been away from your desk, you needn’t spend ages going through everything. Instead, tuck into it all in bite sized chunks right here in teatime tech.

First up, let’s talk mobile. Android has hit the headlines again, in its tablet optimised Honeycomb flavour. You voted it the best innovation of CES this year, but there’s bad news: Asus has gone back on its word, now revealing the tablets won’t run it on launch.

Elsewhere in mobile meanwhile, we revealed which network is set to roll out its BlackBerry 6 update first, while Spotify and Shazam partnered up to bring full song playback to song recognition.

Finally, tech celeb Stephen Fry showed off his own venture today: an online commenting system called Pushnote. Will he succeed where others have failed?

Still want more news? Roll on over to the homepage and help yourself to it all as it breaks!

Android Honeycomb: Asus devices won’t ship with it, but why not?

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 08:11 AM PST

Android Honeycomb was meant to be rocking up on three of the Android tablet/hybrid devices Asus announced at CES last week, but now Asus has revealed that its devices will be late, and won’t be shipping with Android Honeycomb, but will be sporting Android 2.3 instead.

The Eee Pad devices were promised as early as March for some models, but now it’s going to be Q2 before any of the tablet/hybrids hit the shops.

Asus’ John Swatton has told The Inquirer that “because the company did not know the detailed technical specifications requirements of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system, it could not confirm that Honeycomb will be the tablets’ OS.”

Swatton also said that it was “a mistake” to announce the Eee Pad range as Android Honeycomb devices at CES.

So not only are the Eee Pads going to be late, they’re also shipping without a dedicated tablet OS. There’s a question mark here: why can’t Asus get Android Honeycomb onto the devices in time? We were told late last week that Asus has got Android Honeycomb in the lab, and is testing builds.

We’ve asked Asus what the hold up is, and whether it has a date for when Android Honeycomb will be ready, and will update as soon as we hear anything.

What do you think? Another device shipping before it’s ready?

[via Inquirer]

Best green cars of NAIAS: Check out our motor-packed video!

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 08:03 AM PST

After bringing you the very best gadgets of CES, we've been dragging our jetlagged behinds around the North American International Auto Show, or NAIAS to its friends. The result? This stonking video of the best eco cars on offer. There's everything here from hybrids to full-on battery-powered electric cars. Feast your peepers after the break!

To see the full run-down in order, click play on the video above. But here's a taster: The Chevrolet Volt scored points for the coolest name of any electric vehicle on display, but wrinkled our brow with its humdrum looks.

Lexus promised us the "darker side of green" with its CT 200h Hybrid. It looked nice, but aside from the impressive stats it failed to make our hearts flutter. It seems the darker side of green is negotiable only by family saloon.

The VW Golf Blue-e-motion on the other hand, dragged our eyes' attention from across a crowded NAIAS hall. It's a battery-powered electric vehicle that, well, looks like a souped up Golf.

Its recharging slot nestled neatly beneath the VW logo, with eye-popping alloy wheels and LED-infused headlights, it's a shame we won't get hold of the electric golf until 2014.

More realistic is the Mercedes A-Class E-CELL. Powered purely by batteries, the eco-friendly supermini packs an impresive 125 mile range, and looks that won't mark you out as a tree-hugger. Available now in limited numbers, it's one of the more respectable eco cars we've seen.

But the A-Class E-CELL still plays second fiddle to the Ford Focus Electric. It's more eyeball-friendly, and packs the latest Ford Sync hardware to handle in-car entertainment and communication with aplomb, as well as letting us check its charge status using a mobile phone.

We're expecting big things from the Focus Electric in 2012, namely mass adoption and an acceleration of in-city electric infrastructure.

But a car show wouldn't be a car show without an outlandish motor to lust after for years to come. Mercedes delivered the goods this year, with an electric Mercedes SLS. Painted lurid yellow and with a jaw-flooring 252 horsepower, it's a true supercar on electric steroids.

Mercedes says we'll be able to buy the SLS in 2013, which gives us a good 24 months to save up. Now, if only we knew how many thousands they'll be asking for it…

BlackBerry 6 update headed to Three this month

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 07:57 AM PST

The BlackBerry 6 update ‘Berry users have been waiting for since August begins its roll out in the UK this month. Which lucky email addicts get it first? Read on and find out.

We’ve confirmed with network Three that all three models sold on it network and promised a BlackBerry 6 upgrade, the BlackBerry Bold 9700, BlackBerry Pearl 3G and BlackBerry Curve 3G, will receive it by the end of January. Previously, Three had only confirmed that the Bold 9700 was scheduled for the update this month.

BlackBerry 6, which comes preloaded on the newer BlackBerry Torch and BlackBerry Bold 9780, is heavily revamped version of RIM’s mobile OS, which features a faster WebKit browser which finally includes tabbed browsing, as well as improved universal search and Wi-Fi media syncing. We enjoyed it on the Bold 9780, but it’s not clear how well it will run on these three models which have less RAM inside.

Unfortunately, the BlackBerry 6 update roll out for other networks, which RIM promised was due “in the coming months” way back in August last year, still has no concrete dates. RIM declined to comment on when BlackBerry 6 updates would be rolling out in the UK, while Vodafone said there was no date yet. T-Mobile and Orange were contacted for this article but have yet to respond.

Are you looking forward to BlackBerry 6? Tired of waiting? Sound off with your thoughts in the comments below.

Out January | £free | Three