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VESA outs latest DisplayPort Dual-Mode 1.1 standard with 4K HDMI support
As manufacturers ramp up the pixels for TVs, that tech will soon trickle over to the computer side of things. As such, the VESA standard body's just announced a new DisplayPort version that'll work with the highest HDMI 1.4a resolutions like Ultra HD (4k), 3D 1080p60 and 1080p with deep (billions or more) colors. It'll be able to output those modes through a new DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter, version 1.1, once new graphics cards and devices arrive "later this year" with the standard, according to VESA. As it stands, DisplayPort Dual-Mode already supports all those resolutions natively (and more), including UltraHD at 60Hz or even four simultaneous 1080p60 monitors. However, the new standard, along with a compliant adapter, will let you drive HDMI 1.4 TVs or displays using a single cable at the higher resolutions (if supported) -- rather than the 1080p60 it was limited to before. If you need a higher res version of things, check the PR after the break.
Nokia Lumia 822 for Verizon possibly caught stopping by the FCC
Just in case you thought Nokia's Lumia 822 for Verizon was an illusion, the FCC has given us good (if not quite smoking gun) evidence that it's tangible. A filing at the agency shows a device that's only listed as the RM-845 on the surface, but has Verizon's CDMA and LTE bands, measurements very close to those of the GSM-based Lumia 820 and a microSD slot that you wouldn't find in a Lumia 920 variant -- short of a surprise new model, there's little beyond the 822 that would currently fit the bill. Those disappointed that it's not a higher-end Lumia might take some consolation in seeing both the expected NFC as well as quad-band HSPA 3G for world roaming. Between the FCC and earlier photos, fans are really just left waiting for Verizon to make this new piece of its Windows Phone revival official, whether it's on October 29th or some other date.
Samsung P500 and i915 tablets for Sprint and Verizon, Galaxy Note II for Sprint reach the FCC (update: Note II for US Cellular as well)
When it rains, it pours. As if to clear the decks, Samsung has passed three devices through the FCC's scrutiny at the same time. Two, the SPH-P500 and SCH-i915, are LTE-equipped tablets respectively headed to Sprint and Verizon with a dash of mystery; their label images imply a pair of Galaxy Tab 2 variants, but both have previously been spotted in as yet unverified benchmarks that allude to much faster Snapdragon S4 processors instead of the Tab 2's TI chips. The SPH-L900's dimensions and dual-mode support make for a safer bet, pointing to what's likely the Galaxy Note II for Sprint. We're less concerned with the hardware details so much as when everything ships -- although we may get a clearer picture of the Sprint Galaxy Note II's fate around October 24th, the tablets aren't linked to any kind of public schedule, official or otherwise. Update: Not long after Sprint's Galaxy Note sequel arrived in the FCC, US Cellular's flavor -- the SCH-R950 -- also made it through the federal approval process.
Samsung Galaxy Note II variants for AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon possibly caught at the FCC
It's no secret that Samsung plans to bring the Galaxy Note II to many US carriers by mid-fall. Even so, getting there requires the FCC's blessing -- which makes us glad to see the regulator approve what might be three carriers' variants of the giant Android phone. The SGH-i317 looks to be the model for AT&T and Canadian carriers, having been greenlit for their key 3G and 4G bands while lining up with a briefly available benchmark of the device sharing the Note II's HD screen and use of Jelly Bean. The SCH-i605? Based on its inclusions of both CDMA and GSM, a lone 700MHz LTE band and a past screen capture leak, it's a dual-mode Note II destined for Verizon. As for the SGH-T889, it's even more conspicuous beyond what we've already seen: the T889's HSPA includes the 1,700MHz AWS frequency that T-Mobile will still call home for a long while. LTE likewise exists on the 1,700MHz and roaming-friendly 700MHz bands in possible instances of futureproofing. While we rarely want to say a mobile device is confirmed until we see it first-hand, the convenient timing and natures of the three FCC approvals only help to fuel suspicions that Samsung's pen-focused event on October 24th is all about the Note II's American launch.
Samsung announces GT-B9120 for Android flip phone fans in China
The emergence of Android, and the decline of the flip-phone form factor happened as such, that the two aren't all that well acquainted. Samsung, however, wants to firm-up that relationship, bringing the two together once more. The GT-B9120 is the result. A flip phone with Google's Gingerbread operating system from the Galaxy-maker, headed for the Chinese market. There's dual 3.5-inch 480 x 800 screens, and a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8260 doing the business. A 5-megapixel camera will send photos off to the 16GB internal storage, and HSPA, WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth make up the wireless options. Somewhere someone's dream has just been answered, we just hope that person is in China.
Qualcomm's Gobi 3000 finds a home in HP laptops, delivers standard agnostic DataPass
Qualcomm's Gobi 3000 is already a big hit around these parts for its dual-mode CDMA and GSM radios, which makes staying connected much easier for serious globe trotters. Its no surprise then that HP chose that particular chip for its DataPass-enabled laptops which offer pay-as-you-go mobile broadband. For those that only need occasional access to 3G on the go or who cant stay in one country for more than a few weeks at a time DataPass and the flexible Gobi radio are a perfect match. Check out the PR after the break for a bit more of Qualcomm's gloating.
Samsung's two-faced SCH-W999 Android plays the dual core, dual SIM game
Remember Samsung's second-gen dual-screen Android clamshell we spotted about a month ago? Well, here it is at last: announced in partnership with China Telecom, this SCH-W999 flip phone packs two 3.5-inch 480 x 800 Super AMOLED panels back to back, along with a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8660, Android 2.3 with TouchWiz, HyperSkin back cover (as featured on the Galaxy Nexus for grip plus anti-smear), five megapixel camera, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi and WAPI (China's not-so-successful take on WiFi, basically). Like many phones on China Telecom, the W999 comes with dual SIM slots and dual-mode connectivity (GSM and CDMA2000, with the latter offering EV-DO 3G), but with the additional support for penta-band radio for globetrotters. Want to nab one? We're looking at a 2012 launch, though there's no word on prices just yet -- well, just so you know, the predecessor W899 starts from ¥8990 ($1,410), so good luck with your garage sale. We got you some pictures from the China launch event after the break, courtesy of Samsung Mobile. %Gallery-140983%
Motorola XT928 coming to China Telecom next month for 'demanding customers'
Motorola bestowed an early-week treat upon the Chinese market today, with the XT928 -- a nominal RAZR relative and ostensible addition to the Droid X line that we spotted earlier this month. Powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, this Android 2.3 device boasts a 4.5-inch, 1280 x 720 HD display, supports 1080p HD playback and features a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera, along with a 1.3 megapixel shooter up front. The dual-mode, dual-standby handset is also coated in Corning Gorilla Glass to guard against nasty scratches and comes packed with 1GB of RAM. The XT928 will be available in China this December at an unspecified price, though there's no word yet on if or when it'll hit the US. For more details, head past the break for the full PR.
Sprint's LTE plans detailed: phones, tablets and modems coming by 2012
If you were holding out hope that Tuesday's Apple announcement would be trumped by an exclusive iPhone 5 on Sprint, prepare to be disappointed. The company's confirmed that no new handsets would be shown off at its Strategy Event today. Instead, the carrier is focusing on how it intends to bundle all of those separate radios -- CDMA, LTE, WiMAX -- into a future device line up. Emphasizing the need for an enhanced user experience over 4G technology marketing, the operator stressed a commitment to supporting existing WiMAX subs. Dual-mode CDMA / LTE products are set to launch in the middle of next year, with tablets, smartphones and modems across both the high-end and mid-range to be on offer. Motorola's Sanjay Jha appeared in a taped segment to confirm his company's involvement in the production of these 3G/4G products. Of course, Sprint plans to support current CDMA and WiMAX products, offering them for sale throughout 2012. As for Direct Connect, three of those Push-to-Talk handsets will hit the carrier in the last quarter of 2011, with additional devices planned for 2012.
UCLA creates portable microscope that uses holograms, not lenses
Instead of lugging a heavy microscope into the field, doctors and nurses in remote regions may have a more portable choice -- a lightweight microscope that replaces lenses with holograms. Researchers at UCLA announced a prototype dual-mode microscope that's lightweight, costs between $50 and $100 to produce and is similar in size to a banana. Like a hologram that uses interfering rays to create an image, this device shines light on a sample where its sensor chip (apparently also found in iPhones and BlackBerrys) and a cloud-based software program analyze the interference pattern and reconstruct an image of the sample. Since it's dual-mode, both large samples and small samples can be analyzed through processes called "transmission" and "reflection," and doctors could potentially use their laptops or smartphones to access the images remotely. Although still considered a prototype, researchers think the development has the opportunity to revolutionize health care by allowing doctors to test things like water, blood and food. Check out the full PR after the break.
App logs reportedly confirm dual mode CDMA / GSM iPhone 5 in testing
While the world waits to find out what the fifth-generation iPhone looks like, TechCrunch reports an anonymous app developer has pulled information from their registration logs confirming the existence of a new device that's rocking both CDMA and GSM radios. That conclusion is based on registrations that came from the same device that show mobile network codes and mobile country codes from both AT&T and Verizon. This is hardly shocking however, since the Verizon iPhone 4 already has a dual mode chipset from Qualcomm with the GSM side turned off, and we'd heard back in January that Apple was planning to go the one-size-fits-all route this time around. Who this does matter for however, could be world travelers that will find keeping their device connected between countries and networks much easier with a world iPhone, whenever the new phone is revealed later this year. The bad news is still the same however, as this probably also means there's no plans for speedy LTE access -- pencil in a pithy explanation from Steve about why it's not necessary here.
Verizon CFO: Next iPhone works on both CDMA and GSM networks
As part of the Reuters Global Technology Summit, Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo today talked about data plan discounts, prepaid plans and the next-generation iPhone. During his talk, Shammo noted that the next iPhone model will be released simultaneously for both AT&T and Verizon. This is an indication that the next iPhone supports CDMA and GSM networks, possibly using the same Qualcomm-produced dual-mode chipset that is in the current Verizon CDMA iPhone 4. While the GSM bands aren't enabled in the current Verizon iPhone 4, bringing that capability to the next generation device would give the company a chance to sell a true "world phone" that can work in as many countries as the GSM-based iPhone. Shammo also noted that although he is "happy" with sales of the Verizon iPhone, some customers held off on purchasing as they were waiting for a 4G device running on Verizon's LTE network. The CFO isn't concerned about the next iPhone not supporting LTE, stating that Verizon has enough high-speed alternatives to keep customers happy. Referring to the lack of LTE, Shammo was quoted as saying "I think it's a bigger issue for Apple than it is for us."
Verizon CFO suggests next iPhone will be a 'global device'
We're guessing it wasn't on the company's agenda for its earnings call earlier today, but Verizon CFO Fran Shammo let slip one other interesting iPhone tidbit in addition to its news of 2.2 million iPhone 4 activations. Here's what he said: The fluctuation, I believe, will come when a new device from Apple is launched, whenever that may be, and that we will be, on the first time, on equal footing with our competitors on a new phone hitting the market, which will also be a global device. That pretty clearly suggests that the next iPhone -- supposedly coming in September -- will be a world phone, which just so happens to coincide with rumors to same effect we've heard as recently as this week. Of course, there's been talk of a dual-mode GSM / CDMA iPhone even before that, considering that the Qualcomm baseband chip used in the Verizon iPhone is technically capable of supporting both CDMA and GSM networks -- Apple simply chose not to or wasn't able to take advantage of that particular functionality at the time.
Samsung Galaxy S II hits the FCC, potentially ready for AT&T 3G
Surely you remember the Samsung GT-i9100, colloquially known as the Galaxy S II? Sammy's been tight-lipped about which US cellular carriers might offer it, but the Federal Communications Commission might have an idea. You see, the Exynos 4210-toting Super AMOLED Plus smartphone just made its way to the FCC authorization database, 850MHz and 1900MHz GSM frequencies in tow -- which just so happen to be the ones required to get a gig at AT&T. Mind you, the handset could also be moonlighting in Canada with those particular bands, but the odds are decent we'll see it stateside sooner than that. By the by, this particular Galaxy S II is also sporting 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, meaning it'll almost certainly come with dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi. The Galaxy S II wasn't the only Samsung to hit the FCC this week, though, as the SGH-i708 also dropped on by -- it appears to be a worldphone with 850 / 1900MHz GSM frequencies alongside CDMA, EV-DO, and the standard Bluetooth and 2.4GHz WiFi.
Bloomberg: Apple working on 'cheaper, smaller' and dual-mode iPhones, trying to kill SIMs along the way
Bloomberg is citing -- you guessed it -- "people who have been briefed on the plans" as saying that Apple is hard at work on taking the iPhone downmarket with a new model that's roughly one-third smaller than the existing iPhone 4, possibly with the intent on delivering it midyear using mostly carryover components from the iPhone 4 to keep pricing down. Thing is, Bloomberg says that Apple is looking at launching the "cheaper" model at $200 off contract, which would be the same as the 16GB iPhone 4 on contract currently. Let's not understate the fact that $200 off contract is dirt cheap by modern smartphone standards, which means Apple would have to be using every scrap of its enormous economies of scale to pull that off. In all likelihood, in fact, it'd have to abandon the 3.5-inch Retina Display -- it might be too big for a "smaller" model anyhow. The pub goes on to say that the device could've been delayed or scrapped altogether since its source saw the device last year, but it's something to keep an eye on; after all, Apple's probably leaving money on the table right now by failing to go after the midrange with a current-generation handset, so this could be its golden opportunity. Moving on, they're also saying Apple's working on a dual-mode iPhone that'd work on both CDMA and GSM -- not a surprise at all, really (if anything, it was a little surprising to us that Apple didn't kill off the existing GSM iPhone 4 and replace all SKUs with CDMA / GSM ones when it announced the Verizon model). There's no mention of whether this model would have any manner of 4G support, but CDMA, GSM, and LTE in a single phone -- with at least five bands, if not more -- would be pretty wild indeed. Finally, Bloomberg says (and our own sources have corroborated) that Apple's working on a so-called "Universal SIM" technology that would eliminate physical SIMs altogether and make using the iPhone on different networks a simple matter of provisioning, not unlike American CDMA networks today. Of course, this rumor's been through the mill before -- and has already been killed off -- so it's hard to say whether this is something Apple is actively working on or has been shelved. The device independence afforded by the SIM has been one of the chief advantages of GSM networks around the world over the past twenty years, and we'd hate to see Apple succeed in killing that off in favor of some sort of locked-up iTunes nonsense, but let's be honest: if anyone could pull off that kind of coup, it'd be Cupertino. More on all these rumors as we hear it.
Droid Pro dropped to $50 on contract by Best Buy Mobile (update: $20 at Amazon)
If free Android phones on every US carrier weren't enough to entice you into a Best Buy Mobile store this month, maybe a deeply discounted Droid Pro will be. Motorola's Android 2.2 handset, which launched at $179.99 with the usual two-year Verizon tie-in, is now available for purchase for exactly $130 less at Best Buy's mobile outlets -- both the online and brick-and-mortar varieties will let you walk away with one for $49.99 and a 24-month commitment. We don't know where all these crazy deals are coming from, but we ain't complaining. [Thanks, Tony] Update: Amazon.com is undercutting Best Buy with a $19.99 price for those opening new Verizon accounts when buying the Droid Pro.
Sprint CEO claims WiMAX is here to stay, says Clear's LTE trials were for potential multi-mode phones
Sprint and Clearwire have characterized LTE as complimentary to WiMAX time and again, but if that doesn't allay your suspicions of turncoat tactics in the wireless data space, take it from Sprint CEO Dan Hesse's lips. "Our 4G strategy is WiMAX, full stop!" he told GigaOM, adding that LTE isn't necessarily on Sprint's roadmap. Quizzed about WiMAX partner Clearwire's LTE trials, however, he dropped a very intriguing hint about the possible shape of phones to come: "We have so much spectrum that we decided to do tests so in case we have multi-modal phones with other air interfaces, we can add LTE on top of WiMAX and run both networks," he told the publication. Dual-mode WiMAX / LTE smartphone, anyone?
Nemoptic shows off OLED screen with dual-mode Binem display
We've already seen some of Nemoptic's so-called Binem displays on their own, but the company's just made things considerably more interesting by combing the low-power, black-and-white display with a full color OLED. That would function as a dual-mode display (a la Pixel Qi), giving you the ability to use the reflective Binem component when you're outdoors or just looking to save power, and switch to the OLED as needed. What's more, the Binem display can actually retain an image even when the power is off, which could let you spruce up your e-reader with a favorite image as a persistent wallpaper, for instance. Unfortunately, there's no word as to when the display might make it into an actual product, but you can check it out in action in the video after the break.
HTC's dual-mode CDMA / GSM Android slider hits the FCC, decked out in shades of Verizon
Remember that big, honking red-and-black HTC slider that dwarfed an EVO 4G? It's back sporting Verizon colors just as we were told, and with a few more confirmed specifications thanks to the ever-reliable FCC. The HTC "PD42100" is still missing a proper internal codename, but test reports confirm it's ready for at least CDMA 2000 and GSM 850 plus EV-DO Rev. A, Bluetooth and 802.11b/g/n WiFi at 2.4GHz frequencies. There's no word on that 1.2GHz processor or 4-inch display, but it's clear we're looking at some chunky chiclet keys and there's definitely a removable battery. We can't wait to get our hands on what surely looks like the new king of Droids. %Gallery-101407% Update: As it turns out, the size of the screen has been staring us in the face for hours -- we just had to think back to high school geometry class, specifically the Pythagorean Theorem. Starting with the FCC's handy-dandy picture of the phone's rear next to a square ruler, we had only to superimpose an image of the front on top, then calculate the diagonal (after translating to inches, of course) to discover it was a 4-inch display all along. Oh, and the phone has EV-DO Rev. A for data. [Thanks, Mark]
Droid Pro is the global Droid 2: the evidence grows
We'd reported before our belief that the rumored Droid Pro is nothing more than the dual-mode version of the Droid 2, but the question remained: knowing that the Droid 2 has a model code of A955, what the heck is the difference between the model codes A956 and A957 that have been showing up in Verizon's systems? Looks like we might have some clarification on that question this afternoon thanks to a new shot clearly calling out the A957 as the R2-D2 version of the Droid 2 that's launching late next month. What does that mean? Well, it means that if the Droid Pro is a separate product with insane specs, it hasn't shown up in any screen shots and we don't have a model code for it. Our original tipster was pretty insistent that Verizon didn't have any product on its 2010 phone roadmap with crazier specs than the Droid X -- and besting it inside of six months would seem like an awful business move anyway -- so now, the only question seems to be whether Big Red will go with the "Droid 2 World Edition" or "Droid Pro" branding when this thing launches in the coming weeks. [Thanks, anonymous tipster]
