Mobile 

Phishing attacks via text spiked this week -- researcher

A surge in SMS phishing attacks this week took security experts by surprise and tricked victims into providing credit card and other sensitive information to scammers, a researcher said today.
The phishing onslaught, which targeted customers of the major cellular carriers in the U.S., started on Tuesday, said Mary Landesman, senior security researcher at security provider Cloudmark.
The number of SMS-based phishing attempts observed by security firm Cloudmark based on reports from consumers rose more than 900 percent during the first week of September from what would be expected over that period in a normal month, she said in … Read more

RIM: BlackBerry 10 to have biggest app-etite at launch

RIM may be months away from its first BlackBerry 10 OS offering, but the ailing BlackBerry-maker wants you to know that it's committed to a thriving app market at launch.
In fact, Alec Saunders, RIM's vice president of developer relations and ecosystem development, told CNET that RIM intends to launch its OS with more apps than any other first-generation operating system.
The pressure on Saunders and team to perform explains why RIM has been hitting app creators hard since May hosting BlackBerry Jam developer sessions around the world, including two here in the San Francisco Bay Area.… Read more

Verizon: Motorola Razr brand sticking with just us for a while

Are you not a Verizon Wireless customer but still want the Razr smartphone? Don't hold your breath.
Motorola Mobility won't be taking the Razr to another U.S. carrier any time soon, executives from Motorola and Verizon told CNET.
"It's a relationship that works really well," said Marni Walden, chief operating officer of Verizon Wireless.

Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside:"We have no plans to bring the Razr elsewhere."
The combination of the two brands has resulted in a blockbuster product in the original Droid Razr, and the juiced-up follow-on Droid Razr Maxx. On … Read more

New HTC One X+ details trickle out

A smattering of hardware specs for the rumored HTC One X+ arrived online courtesy of an anonymous XDA developer known as Football4PDA.
According to his unconfirmed tweet, the faster and more powerful One X will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with HTC Sense 4.5 and offer a 1.6GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor. Like the original model, the One X+ should also boast 1GB RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and a 1,800mAh battery.
HTC, as many of you know, has an event slated for September 19 where it could unveil a host of new products, including a pair of tablets. … Read more

 

HTC: Here's how we're going to get back into the game

HTC plans to eschew the "quiet" part of its well-worn tagline, "Quietly Brilliant," as it looks to mount a comeback in the smartphone business.

The Taiwanese company plans to go bolder with its messaging to consumers and the media, relying less on joint marketing campaigns with the carriers and standing more independently to tell the HTC story. It will focus more on its products' advantages and better utilize more social media to recapture some of that loss buzz. It also plans on seeking out influential celebrities and "superfans" with a genuine appreciation for HTC'… Read more

Why Apple and Google should be scared of Amazon

Mobile is the future, and nobody wants to be left behind, because losing would mean certain death.
The iPhone accounts for a whopping $150 billion of Apple's revenues over the last five years. Google spent $12.5 billion in order to acquire Motorola. Microsoft and Nokia have finally built a flagship Windows phone (though they seriously need to fire whoever named it).
Amazon is the company everyone should be watching in this space, though. The online retailer first struck gold with the Kindle e-reader in 2007. A few years later, Amazon decided that Apple and Google needed some competition … Read more

 

 Verizon CEO: Samsung may be 'dark horse' with own mobile OS

Samsung Electronics could be a major player if it launched its own mobile operating system in a big way, according to Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam.
"There's a potential elephant in the room with Samsung," McAdam said at an investor conference today. While Google Android and Apple's iOS continue to dominate the market, the carriers are anxious for a third alternative. A number of companies and platforms are competing to be that strong No. 3. Samsung is a massive conglomerate with the resources to pull off a strong third mobile platform, McAdam said. The company is already … Read more

 

HTC announces One SC smartphone with funky backside

HTC has announced a new smartphone for China that comes with a really interesting backside.
Dubbed the One SC, the device comes with a 4.3-inch WVGA HD display and support for both CDMA and GSM networks. The handset is running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and comes with 4GB of onboard storage that's expandable to 32GB with a microSD card.
The One SC's most interesting feature, however, might just be its design. On the front, the device looks like any other, offering a prominent screen with a few buttons to boot. However, on the back, the … Read more

 

Android 4.1.1 rolls out to Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S 4G via Sprint

Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S 4G owners on Sprint's network are now getting a bite of Jelly Bean.
As of yesterday, Android 4.1.1, aka Jelly Bean, has been available for Nexus users through an over-the-air update. Owners of the Samsung phone can follow the steps on Sprint's Galaxy Nexus update page to download and install the latest version if they don't already have it.
The Nexus S 4G is also getting the Jelly Bean treatment over Sprint's network. Like the update for the Galaxy Nexus, this one is available over the air. Users will … Read more