AT&T Nokia Lumia 900 release date, price official: arriving April 8th for $100

The AT&T-bound Nokia Lumia 900 release date and price are now finally official: the phone arrives on April 8th and carries a price tag of $99.99 on a two-year contract making it one of the most affordable high-end phone launches recently. AT&T confirmed the details to CNET, ending weeks of speculation about the Nokia’s first LTE Windows Phone handset.

Nokia hopes to draw users to its Lumia 900 and Windows Phone by setting the price tag deliberately low, and there’s a lot at stake with this launch. For the Finnish manufacturer, the clock will start ticking as soon as it gets the LTE-equipped Lumia 900 to the market as analysts will be measuring its success in the key US market. The company’s further outlook also seems to depend a lot on how the users react to this single launch.

Nokia is claiming its building “true Windows Phone” handsets, meaning that it’s the only company that has fully shifted its focus to Microsoft’s platform. Despite that, we haven’t seen Windows Phone really catch up, and it will be an uphill battle for Nokia as both the iPhone and Android devices have a head start in the US.

The Finnish phone maker already made its Windows Phone debut stateside on T-Mobile with the Nokia Lumia 710. The handset is very affordable and at the same time it packs the same 3.7-inch display as the Lumia 800 and a very capable camera, but hasn’t topped any charts.

As to the upcoming Nokia Lumia 900, it features a 4.3-inch ClearBlack AMOLED screen and an 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss lens. It’s got Nokia’s and Microsoft’s marketing machines working to back it up, but you, the users, end up voting whether that’s enough with your hard-earned dollars. How do you feel about the Lumia 900? Let us know in the comments below.

source: CNET

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HTC Titan II release date set for April 8, priced at $199

If you have your mind set on the upcoming HTC Titan II, you won't need to wait for much longer. That is because AT&T has just announced that the smartphone will launch on April 8, alongside the Nokia Lumia 900. Getting your hands on one will cost you the usual $199, assuming you do not mind committing to a 2-year contract.

So, what does your money get you? One of the first LTE Windows Phone devices, to start, meaning that you will be enjoying blazing fast internet speeds while on the go. Another standout feature of the HTC Titan II is its 16-megapixel camera, photos from which we have already had the opportunity to check out. Also, if you are a fan of massive screens you will be delighted to know that the smartphone has a 4.7-inch Super-LCD touchscreen display with WVGA resolution. Underneath its hood ticks a 1.5GHz single-core processor by Qualcomm, which should deliver a smooth Windows Phone experience.

Keep in mind, however, that the Nokia Lumia 900, which is to be released on the very same day for only $99 on contract, is one pretty capable Windows Phone handset as well. That is why our HTC Titan II vs Nokia Lumia 900 specs comparison is something you may want to check out first. Additionally, we have an HTC Titan II hands-on review waiting for you as well, assuming you want to learn more about the upcoming handset.

source: AT&T via Phone Scoop

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The FTC wants details on the deal that made Google the default search on the iPhone

This was certainly not a story that we expected to see popup on the news wire, not because it isn't an interesting story, and something that we'd like to know about, but because we are now almost 5 years into the life of the iPhone, and only now is the FTC asking for details on the deal that made Google the default search on the iPhone (and all iOS devices eventually). 

The subpoena from the FTC wants to know if Google got any sort of preferential treatment in the deal, and the terms of the deal will be part of the FTC's ongoing antitrust inquisition into Google. According to sources from AllThingsD, there have been other manufacturers also questioned about the use of Google search on mobile devices. 

This is all part of the ongoing investigation into Google's possible monopoly in the search market. Ofcourse, Google only holds about 66% of the search market share in the US, and traditionally monopolies must hold over 70%, which Google hasn't done in some time. Still, the mobile space is booming right now, and between Android and iOS, Google does hold quite a sizable chunk of the defaults on mobile browsers. 

We've always been curious about the details of the deal that made Google the default on the iPhone (and kept it that way even after Android continued to take away Apple's market share). Maybe we'll get to find out soon. 

source: Bloomberg & AllThingsD via The Next Web

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Dolphin Browser comes to BlackBerry PlayBook

One of the most popular mobile browsers out there, Dolphin Browser, has made its way to the BlackBerry PlayBook, and while it is a solid alternative to the stock PlayBook browser, it isn't the shining light that we hoped for. This may be because the app was not developed by the original Dolphin Browser team, but rather ported by Mobotap to run on the PlayBook's Android player. 

Because of that, the browser has been said to lag and slow down at times, but the features should be close to what we expect. Just like the Android version, the PlayBook variant features gestures for easy navigation, the Webzine and Speed Dial UI for getting to or seeing content from your favorite sites, as well as tabbed browsing and the Dolphin sidebar. 

It may not be perfect, but it should be better than the stock PlayBook browser, and it is free. You'll need to have updated your PlayBook to version 2.0 of the PlayBook software, and then you can grab the Dolphin Browser in the BB App World.

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Apple says court is being misled by Proview's claim of iPad trademark ownership

As Apple and Chinese company Proview battle for ownership of the iPad trademark in China, Apple filled a statement with the courts in the country saying that Proview is misleading the court. Apple wrote that it was tricked by Proview into signing a document in 2009 that turned over the trademark IPAD to the Cupertino based tech giant in Taiwan, China and other countries. Apple says that Proview had the contract intentionally go through its Taiwan division when it was the Chinese division that held the trademark.

In a prepared statement, Apple's spokeswoman Carolyn Wu said, "Proview clearly made that arrangement so they wouldn't have to give the money to their creditors in [China]. Because they still owe a lot of people a lot of money, they are now unfairly trying to get more from Apple for a trademark we already paid for." Proview, in its defense, alleges that it was Apple's attorneys who drafted the document in question and denied that Apple was forced to sign the pact in Taiwan. Proview's attorney, Xiao Caiyuan, says that it is Apple that is "misleading the public" and it was the Cupertino based company that made the mistakes that left Proview with the IPAD trademark in China. "The fact is that Apple's former lawyer made a silly mistake," Proview attorney Xiao said. "Proview still thinks both sides can solve the dispute by peaceful talks."

While the court drama plays out, Proview has unsuccessfully tried to get the Apple iPad pulled from stores in China. Meanwhile, as the High Court in China's Guangdong province tries to figure this case out, China has become Apple's second largest market for its tablet after the States. Research firm IDC estimates that Apple sold 4.1 million tablets in China, giving it a 70% market share in the country.

While the new Apple iPad will launch in various parts of the world this Friday, including in Hong Kong, there is no word when the latest iteration of Apple's tabletr will be released in mainland China.

source: WallStreetJournal

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