smartphones - News, Features, and Slideshows

News

• Apple may patch serious SMS vulnerability on iPhone

  Apple may be working to fix an iPhone vulnerability that could possibly allow an attacker to remotely install and run unsigned software code with root access to the phone.

• Leaked: Sony Ericsson's upcoming Android phone

  We know for some time now that Sony Ericsson (SE) is working on a Google Android based mobile phone, but the company has been keeping mum on details. However, pictures leaked by a Danish site appear to reveal Sony Ericsson's upcoming Android phone, and it looks like a good one.

• Will iPhones get tactile feedback, fingerprint ID?

  It's always fun to speculate about what Apple has up its sleeve, and one way to get the rumors flying is to uncover Cupertino's latest patent applications. MacRumors has done just that, and the paperwork shows Apple has its eye on some intriguing technologies that may find their way into future iPhones and iPods.

• Jailbroken iPhones leave users more vulnerable

  Jailbreaking an iPhone leaves users vulnerable to attack by stripping away most of the handset's security protections, a security researcher warned Thursday.

• Apple admits iPhone overheating issues -- sort of

  Apple has issued a warning on its support pages regarding iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS overheating, marking the first time the company has officially acknowledged the problem. Reports that the iPhone 3GS is having overheating problems have surfaced last week, merely days after the devices was launched.

• Palm Pre hardware glitches hard to evaluate, analysts say

  Customer forum complaints about shoddy hardware in the recently released Palm Pre are hard to put in perspective, analysts said today, considering it is a first-generation device that still has promise for its new WebOS.

• Symbian Foundation makes progress, but challenges remain

  The Symbian Foundation expects to begin beta testing of a new version of its mobile phone operating system within the next few weeks. Symbian, the first version of the software since the foundation said it planned to go open source, should be ready for release six months after that, so smartphone buyers may see the first devices using the software in the first half of next year.

• Users complain about poor Pre hardware

  Some Palm Pre owners are complaining about poor hardware quality of the phones, with at least one person saying that he's already had to return four devices.

• Nokia N97 debuts with widgets and Ovi store

  Nokia's latest-generation Nseries phone, the N97, was released today officially beginning the era of programmable widgets and the bundling of the Ovi apps and content store.

• HTC Hero finds a killer app in Flash

  The HTC Hero opens up a whole world of multimedia content with support for Flash 9, intensifying the spotlight on Apple's lack of cooperation with Adobe in bringing Flash to the iPhone.

• Palm's financial loss widens, but less than expected

  Palm today reported still wider quarterly and year-end losses, but less than what analysts and investors expected.

• Palm CEO: We don't have to beat each other to prosper

  Palm's new CEO on Thursday said he thinks the smartphone market is growing fast enough that multiple handset makers can thrive, and he also hinted at updates to come for the new Pre phones.

• Aussie mobile app aims to slash call costs

  Sydney-based mobile application developer BigTinCan has released its BigTinCan Connect for the iPhone promising to slash international mobile costs by connecting existing mobile networks.

• Wireless charging comes to iPhone

  In less than three weeks, the iPhone has caught up with the Palm Pre in the one area where the Pre held an undisputed lead: wireless charging. The ability to charge without wires is an idea that's been teasing us for a long time, with Palm the first company (I am aware of) to take it mainstream. The feature will soon be available for iPhone users, too.

• HTC puts new face on latest Google Android phone, Hero

  Smartphone developer High Tech Computer (HTC) introduced a completely revamped user interface (UI) on its latest smartphone running Google Android software, the HTC Hero, highlighting the importance companies see in making users love the software on their handset.