“We were making smartphones before smartphones even existed.”

A new video from HTC appeared today, showcasing the company’s history of mobile device development. The video starts with the company’s beginnings in 1997, and ends with the latest device, the HTC One. HTC was the first in many developments, such as touchscreen technology and gesture controls. Also showcased is the HTC G1, which debuted in 2008 as the world’s first Android powered smartphone. Let’s not forget Sense, which was the first customized launcher to run over the Android OS.

Whatever your thoughts are on HTC, there is no debating the fact that the company helped drive smartphone innovation, and has released some very impressive devices. Check out the video below for a glimpse into the history of HTC.

[Via: Android Authority]

According to the report, Google will be working with local telecommunication firms to develop the networks and will help to create the proper business models to support them. Google is planning on using parts of the spectrum reserved for television broadcasts, which typically operate at lower frequencies than cell networks. The lower frequencies will allow wireless signals to travel easier across large distances, and penetrate through obstacles.

Another technology Google may use is currently being tested in Cape Town, South Africa. The technology involves a wireless base station which transmits a signal to wireless access points that then transmit the signal on a smaller scale. The use of micro-cells could be utilized as well, which would utilize television airwaves to broadcast a signal equivalent to that of 3G and 4G networks.

How Google deploys its wireless networks will depend largely on already established laws and deals with television providers, meaning that Google will have to tailor a solution to each individual location.

How and when Google rolls out its wireless networks in emerging markets remains to be seen, we will surely be seeing more news of Google’s development plans soon.

[Via: Wall Street Journal]

GoPhone will reportedly be offering three different service plans for the iPhone and other 4G capable devices, starting with a plan that includes unlimited texts and calls and 1 GB of data for $65 a month. Also available will be plans starting at $25 and $50, with data packages being available for an additional charge.

GoPhone is allowing customers with off-contract iPhones and 4G smartphones to join the pre-paid service, or purchase an iPhone in AT&T retail stores at for the full non-commitment price. Existing smartphone  users with GoPhone service will automatically receive cellular data support on June 21st.

[Via: MacRumors , CNET]

Many rumors about the specs of the new Nexus 7 have been floating around for a while, and we’re still not sure if the device will be swapping its NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor for Qualcomm’s S4 Pro, but it will be touting a 1900 x 1200 7-inch low-temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) panel. The revamped Nexus 7 could very well be running the next version of Jelly Bean, Android 4.3.

According to supply chain sources, the manufacturer responsible for the new display, AU Optronics, has produced 1 million display panels for the device, and 8 million of the displays have been ordered for the remainder of 2013. This could signal a release announcement soon, possibly on June 10th when Google is rumored to announce the white Nexus 4 and Android 4.3.

[Via: DigiTimes]

Best Buy is cutting the price of its iPhones by $50, in a promotion that begins this Sunday, May 26th and extends for four weeks. The retailer is offering the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 for $50 off its retail price when purchasing a new contract with AT&T, Sprint or Verizon.

In addition to the iPhone deals, Best Buy is also offering some price cuts on a few Android handsets as well. The Android deals run from May 26th until June 1st, and include Samsung’s Galaxy S III on Sprint or AT&T for $49, the HTC One X on AT&T for free, and the HTC Droid DNA for Verizon for $49.

The iPhone price cuts come amid an anticipated release of the iPhone 5S later this fall, and Android price cuts come as the Samsung Galaxy S4 becomes available on most carriers.

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, check out your local Best Buy store to take advantage of these deals.

[Via: AllThingsD]

The new build, dubbed JWR45B, looks an awful lot like it’s predecessor, Android 4.2.2, which leads us to believe that the newest version of Jelly Bean won’t be featuring any major design changes. The shots do show a redesigned camera interface, with the camera controls residing in the focus area rather than to the side of the screen.

The question still remains, when will Google announce Android 4.3? It may very well be June 10, when the white version of the Nexus 4 is rumored to be released in the Google Play Store.

[Via: Tutto Android , XDA]

In the age of smartphone advertisements that focus on the bevy of features devices offer, Apple’s ad is a breath of fresh air, and sticks to their advertising aesthetics that have made them so popular over the years. The new commercial is similar to one that Apple released last month, which focused on the iPhone 5′s camera experience.

[Via: AllThingsD]

The Samsung Galaxy S4  is landing in Verizon stores tomorrow for $199, but if you want to save $20 and avoid the lines, head on over to Amazon and purchase your device today.

[Via: Android Spin]

• Portal health and faction control info on Portal Keys in the Inventory carousel.
• Android Notifications for “Portal under attack,” “Portal neutralized,” and “@” messages.
• Support for Jarvis Virus and ADA Refactor objects.
• New Recharge visual animation.
• Bug fixes

This update brings some pretty great features with it. Seeing the faction and health of a particular Portal Key in the inventory is helpful for sure, but it’s the Android Notifications and the Jarvis Virus/ADA Refractor objects being enabled that really make this a great update.

While the Android notifications are easy enough to understand, the Jarvis Virus and ADA Refactor object are a simple enough if you know what they do. The Jarvis Virus is a very rare object that will allow an Enlightened Agent to change the faction of a Resistance portal to their side. The ADA Refactor does the the same for the Resistance. Given the rarity of the objects, it may be wise to keep them stocked until you come across a L8 portal of your opposing faction and flip it to yours!

So be sure to hit up the Google Play Store for the update if you’ve not received the update yet.

[Via: Play Store]

• U.S. Patent No. 8,086,604 and U.S. Patent No. 6,847,959 on a “universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system”
• Apple asserted the ’604 patent in a preliminary injunction motion. The Federal Circuit reversed a preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Nexus and, in addition to equitable reasons, overturned Judge Koh’s claim construction in a way that affects both “Siri” patents alike (for an excellent explanation of this claim construction issue, see Patently-O’s post). Apple claims that the ’604 and ’959 patents are infringed even under the appeals court’s construction.
• U.S. Patent No. 5,666,502 on a “graphical user interface using historical lists with field classes”
• U.S. Patent No. 5,946,647 on a “system and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data” (which I dubbed the “data tapping” patent, a term many reporters have since adopted)
• Apple prevailed over HTC on this patent at the ITC. Apple claims that Android infringes this patent at the operating system level (the “linkify” library), as you can see in this infringement claim chart from the HTC case. Apple was enforcing an ITC import ban against HTC but ceased enforcement after a settlement (the parties stipulated to rescission of the exclusion order).
• U.S. Patent No. 7,761,414 on “asynchronous data synchronization amongst devices”

Interestingly enough, Apple has not yet mentioned the recently announced Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition in its claims, and it would not be surprising if they did in the future. How the battle turns out is now in the hands of the courts.

[Via: Droid Life , FOSS Patents] [Image: Techno Buffalo]

Chrome for Android allows users to sync bookmarks and omnibox data across multiple devices, and even send webpages from tablets and smartphones to PC’s running the Chrome browser.

According to Google, the iPhone and iPad versions of Chrome will soon be receiving voice search, and should be rolling out in the next few days. If you’re an Android user using the Chrome browser, head over to the Google Play Store for the new version!

[Via: Google Play]