Mobile Miscellany: week of March 19th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we've spotted the Lumia 610 in two new colors, and the open source community received new goodies from the likes of HTC, Qualcomm and Samsung. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of March 19th, 2012.
Lumia 610 spotted in orange and purple
Blueberry, strawberry, tangerine, grape and lime -- okay, maybe not quite, but it looks like Nokia will be adding two new colors to its Lumia 610 collection: orange and purple. When it was officially unveiled at Mobile World Congress, the handset was said to be available in white, cyan, magenta and black. It seems that Nokia will use the two new colors to help reinforce the handset's youth appeal. Kids these days... [WMPoweruser]
Google Play Store update brings more useful reviews
A new version of the Android Market Play Store packs a few features that should help make app reviews a bit more relevant. After the update, you'll find the ability to read reviews that relate to only the latest version of the app, or to peruse write-ups that were written by only those who own the same smartphone as you. [The Verge]
Samsung Galaxy Beam coming to India, packs dual-core CPU and pico projector
Looks like Spice Mobile's Popkorn is about to get some very stiff competition. The Samsung Galaxy Beam is set to arrive in India next month, which packs a dual-core 1GHz CPU, a 4-inch WVGA display, a five megapixel camera and Android 2.3. Most unique about the handset, however, is that it'll include a pico projector, which allows purchasers to expand their entertainment options without needing to purchase a television. [Phone Arena]
Samsung releases source code of Ice Cream Sandwich for Galaxy S II (GT-I9100)
No, you can't go ahead and flash this to your phone, but Samsung's release of the source code for Ice Cream Sandwich on the Galaxy S II (GT-I9100) will usher in a new era of custom ROMs that are based on Sammy's work. [Phandroid]
Qualcomm releases Adreno drivers for Android 4.0
If you've installed a custom ROM on your smartphone or tablet, only to find less-than-ideal support for video hardware acceleration, take heart -- you may find good luck around the corner. This week, Qualcomm released the source code for the Android 4.0 graphics driver of all its Adreno 2xx series GPUs. [Android Community, MoDaCo]
HTC releases Ice Cream Sandwich source code for Sensation, Sensation XE and Vivid
Samsung and Qualcomm weren't the only companies showing a bit of responsibility to the open source community this week. Similarly, HTC has released the kernel source code of its Android 4.0 build for the Sensation, Sensation XE and Vivid. [Android Central]
MetroPCS welcomes the ZTE Score M to the low, low end
MetroPCS has just added a new penalty phone to its lineup. Just what is a penalty phone, you ask? Well, let's say you have a handset you really dig, which you accidentally take into the hot tub or lose in a bad hand of poker. The penalty phone is something you can buy in a pinch -- on the cheap -- which constantly reminds you of your dumb mistake. The ZTE Score M has been available on Cricket for some time, and we can personally testify to its overall crappiness. It includes a 600MHz CPU, a 3.5-inch HVGA display, a 3.2 megapixel camera and Android 2.3. MetroPCS will sell it for $49, after a similarly lousy mail-in rebate. [Pocketnow]
Windows Phone crosses the five percent threshold in Finland
If you need some random trivia for the evening, try this on for size: Windows Phone now holds five percent market share in Nokia's home country of Finland. Based on info from Statcounter, Windows Phone is the only platform that shows a significant rise in popularity, which seems to have come at the cost of both Android and Symbian. Meanwhile, iOS remains the dominant platform in the country, although its user base is relatively stagnant. [WMPoweruser]
