Official HTC Android 4.0 Smartphone update list

Today, HTC has released a detailed list of devices that will be updated to Android 4.0. Very few specifics are given about each device, but HTC did provide a two-month release window for each update. While there are no real surprises on the list, it’s nice to finally have specific time frames to look forward to. HTC hopes to be done with its Android 4.0 updates by the end of August, but we know there are unexpected issues that could push updates into the fall.

The target timeline for announced devices is below. Because of partner and network testing, and approval processes for device updates, it can take up to 45 days for all carriers and countries to get the update after a rollout has begun.HTC

Is your HTC phone on the official Android 4.0 update list? Will you be waiting patiently for the update, or do you plan to upgrade to a new phone within the next month or two?

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Official HTC Android 4.0 handset update list

• HTC Sensation – March-June
• HTC Sensation XE – March-June
• HTC Velocity - March-June
• HTC Sensation XL  - April-June
• HTC EVO 4G+ - May-June
• HTC Rezound - June-July
• HTC Vivid  – March-June
• HTC Amaze 4G - May-June
• HTC EVO 3D - June-July
• HTC EVO Design 4G - June-July
• HTC Desire S - June-July
• HTC Incredible S - June-July
• DROID Incredible 2 - TBD (by the end of August)
• HTC Thunderbolt - July-August
• HTC Rhyme  - June-July
• HTC Desire HD - July-August
• HTC Explorer
• HTC Flyer

HTC handsets expected to receive the Android 4.0 update

• HTC Desire Z
• T-Mobile G2
• HTC Inspire 4G
• myTouch 4G
• myTouch 4G Slide
• HTC Hero S
• HTC Merge
• HTC EVO Shift 4G

Top 6 Seldom Known iPad Secrets

There’s nothing more rewarding than finding out new tips or secrets on your favorite device. I’m on my second iPad since last summer, and I’m still finding new tips or tricks. Each time I find one it brings out a raised eyebrow and makes me realize how easy things would be had I known about that before.

Mostly everyone that uses an iPad knows all the basic tricks, like using the multitasking bar at the bottom, grouping apps into folders, taking a screencap, etc. But there are still some new tricks I’ve learned that make using an iPad even easier than it already is.

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1. Status Bar – tap to go to top

This first tip I can’t believe I never knew until recently. There’s a shortcut to move back to the top of a page or list, no matter what app you’re using. If you click on the black status bar at the top, the one that has the WiFi signal, time, battery left, etc., it will automatically scroll back to the top. If you’re using an app like Pages or Safari, it will carry you back to the top of the page. If you’re using an app like Mail, clicking on the side above the listing of emails will take you to the top of your list, and if you click on the side above the text of the email, it will take you to the top of the text.

2. Add more apps to dock

I’ve known about this trick for some time as I use it on my iPhone as well as my iPad. A friend who also had an iPhone showed me this one a long time ago. You don’t have to keep the same apps in your dock that Apple sets there. Additionally, you can add even more apps into the dock than just the four it comes shipped with. You can have up to six. I’ve added and re-organized to use the apps that I want that easy access to.

3. Force quit an app

Everyone knows how to do a force quit on their desktop or laptop computer, but it was unclear for quite awhile how to do that on an iPad. When an app freezes up, the only action that was known to do was to do a complete restart on the iPad by holding down the Restart and Home Buttons. But there’s a way to quit just the offending app without doing that complete restart. Hold down just the restart button until you see the slider asking you to shut off your iPad. Let up on the buttons and press the Home button alone this time. This takes you back to the Home screen and quits the app that was frozen, allowing you to restart to try to get back to where you were.

4. Search on page

On a desktop browser, you can search for blocks of text on a page. On the iPad, when you click on the Google search in the top of Safari, it actually opens a smaller box on the bottom to “Find on Page.” You don’t have to retype it here though. There’s also an option in the list it opens up. Searching for my name, it came up with a list of Lauras I could be searching for on Google, as well as “On This Page,” where it is already showing me two places my name is mentioned.

5. Not so simple passcode

The iPad presents with an option to use a four-digit passcode, but you can also change it to use a longer passcode of your choosing that would be much harder for strangers or sneaky children to guess. If you open the “Settings -> General -> Passcode Lock”, you can choose to turn off “Simple Passcode.” This allows you to create your own longer passcode using both letters and numbers.

6. Attaching photos in emails

This tip might seem simple, but it’s involved enough to where it’s just not something you think of as an option. Emailing photos is easy – you simply find the photo you want and hit the Sharing button. What about attaching a photo on a composed email? There is no “Attach” option like there is on a computer or Tablet PC Android. Here is what you need to do: go to the Photos app and select the photos that you want to attach. Tap the “Copy” button, then go back to your Reply Email and paste in the pictures.

I bet that there are still plenty of tips/tricks that I have not discovered in the iPad. I will definitely share them when I found them.

Baidu releases low-cost smartphones

The new smartphone will compete with a multitude of other low-cost handsets in China

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Baidu, China's search giant, has announced the launch of its first smartphone.

It is the firm's first move into the mass smartphone market.

Built by Foxconn, the low-cost Changhong H5018 is powered by Baidu's own mobile operating system, Cloud.

Analysts say it is extremely important for the company to secure significant presence in the booming mobile industry in China, which has the largest number of smartphone users in the world.

The phone will be the first mobile device to run on Baidu's Cloud Smart terminal platform and will come with 100GB of cloud storage on Wangpan, the local equivalent of Dropbox and Google Drive.

With a price tag of less than 1,000 yuan ($158; £99), it will face fierce competition at the Chinese low-end smartphone market.

Customers currently have a choice between low-cost handsets made by firms such as Huawei Technologies, ZTE Corp, HTC, Lenovo and Xiaomi.

But Baidu's director of international communications, Kaiser Kuo, said he believed that H5018 would do well.

Baidu is China's main search engine

"It's a terrific market opportunity for us, and Baidu is constantly adjusting, understanding what users are interested in," Mr Kuo told BBC News.

"The new handset is integrated with the cloud - and with our 100GB offering, I think that no one will be able to match that."

Baidu's mobile OS

Earlier this year, Baidu said it had to develop a stronger presence in China's rapidly expanding mobile space.

With its Cloud Smart terminal platform, it hopes to attract the interest of hardware manufacturers.

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Baidu is recreating itself - we used to be a product-focused company, but now we are becoming a platform-focused company”

Kaiser KuoBaidu

"Baidu is recreating itself - we used to be a product-focused company, but now we are becoming a platform-focused company," said Mr Kuo.

It was important for internet companies to secure presence in the mobile industry, said Beijing-based digital media analyst Bill Bishop.

"Mobile internet usage is booming. If Baidu doesn't have a significant presence, they risk challenges to their business, and they [could] miss out on a new frontier," he said.

"That said, they also risk alienating other handset partners who might use them as the search partner, but now see them as competitors."

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The new smartphone is primarily aimed at the Chinese market.

"Access to cloud-based services is a critical piece of the technology, and since they are tailored for China, it doesn't make sense to push outside to other markets right now," said Mr Kuo.

With access to Google's search hampered by the Chinese government's internet regulations known as the Great Firewall of China, Baidu dominates the country's search traffic.

see also

Top 10 Best Cellulari Phones 2012

Top Rating Smartphone Navigation Tools

A smartphone navigation app can make travel easier.

Navigation for road trips has come a long way since Hansel and Gretel used a trail of gingerbread crumbs to find their way back home. The popularity of GPS devices for cars has spawned a variety of navigation apps for all major mobile platforms. Use them before you leave home and while you are on the road to obtain information about your location and to plan the best route to your destination. With accuracy that would make Magellan envious, smartphone apps help you travel with confidence

Google Maps

• Google Maps is free for Android and appeared on PC Magazine’s list of 75 Best Android Apps. The mobile version of Google Maps uses the built-in GPS capability of your Android phone to provide street views and detailed directions you can use to plan your travel route and navigate unfamiliar locations. Except in a few countries – namely, Cyprus, Guyana and North Korea, which block access to all or portions of Google services – you can get navigation directions worldwide. The app has modules that enable you to use your dual sim phone as a compass, obtain biking and public transit information, see traffic views and obtain longitude and latitude data for your location. Google Maps for Android also has options for navigating indoor locations, such as shopping malls, museums and airports. Access the Google Maps on the Blackberry and iPhone by navigating to Google’s mobile website in your phone’s Web browser or by using the map widget on your phone. Voice search in Google Maps eliminates the need to type on a small keyboard – search more efficiently by speaking to Google Maps when you need to find something.

Hopstop

• The Hopstop mobile app is a navigation tool for people who walk, bike or use public transportation. Locate subway stations and get transit schedules. Available for various platforms including Android, Blackberry, iPhone and iPad, the app received accolades from Travel magazine and the New York Times because of its comprehensive tools for public transportation trips. Hopstop’s special features include detailed information on taxi usage from your departure point to your destination. You can use the app to discover hotels, restaurants and other services close to your location or a proposed destination. This app also provides city guides, an uncommon feature in mobile navigation applications.

CoPilot GPS

• Introduced in 2012, the CoPilot GPS features offline storage of navigation data, unlike other applications that require an Internet connection or cell tower access to keep maps updated during your trip. The free app is available for iPhone and Android phones. CoPilot GPS provides a choice of up to three walking or driving routes, accompanied by standard maps. Install the paid version to get enhanced voice navigation, with spoken turn-by-turn directions that include street names. Traffic updates require an annual subscription fee.

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Trapster

• The Trapster mobile app is available for Android, Blackberry and iPhone. Time magazine ranked Trapster at the top of its list of best 2011 iPhone apps. It provides alerts for speed traps, red-light cameras and roadway or construction hazards that might delay travel on your chosen route. The app also monitors traffic problems and aggregates input from its base of nearly 15 million users to provide real-time updates that enhance your travel experience. The application stores persistent data about common traffic bottlenecks such as school zones, toll plazas and narrow bridges that can delay you on your route. The Trapster reporting system categorizes alerts by confidence levels based on user votes or confirmed sightings of specific travel hazards. You must register to contribute hazard reports.

Bing Mobile

• Windows 7 smartphones have navigational tools built into Mango versions. The Bing mobile app is Microsoft’s Bing Scout, enhanced with new features and versions for other mobile phone platforms. Access the app directly using the mobile Bing site or download the Bing app to your Android, Blackberry, iPhone or Sidekick phone. The app provides travel directions, combined with a local search that helps you find restaurants, shops and events or activities. Maps provide driving or walking directions. Bing rates the local search results that it returns and recommends the best or top reviewed choices. This app also helps you find deals and coupons when you search for directions and services.