Samsung Continuum May Have 2nd display

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According to a recent report, a new Samsung Galaxy S phone is on its way to Verizon, dubbed the Samsung Continuum. What is particularly interesting about this device is that in addition to the standard display, the Samsung Continuum will have a small secondary display. This display will be located beneath the main display and buttons, and will likely be used for scrolling information typically provided by widgets such as weather, feeds, and the time.

From what is known about this phone, it is expected to be a standard Galaxy S phone, including a 5 megapixel camera, a 4 inch screen, Android OS, and a 1Ghz processor. Being on Verizon, it is expected to have Bing as the default search engine as opposed to Google.

There has been no pricing information or release date details released, but it is expected that we could perhaps hear more information very soon.

Amazon App Store Near Certain

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In just a span of a few days (in which I did not cover the original story as i took a couple days off from blogging), an Amazon app store as gone from just another rumor to nearly confirmed.

Slashgear has obtained a copy of the initial terms and conditions for the Amazon App Store in which Amazon has asked developers to read and sign. A few things that stand out in the agreement include that developers will have to pay a $99 developer fee, as well as allow Amazon the rights to modify the code and add DRM protection.

The Amazon App Store is expected to be a boost to the Android platform, but not all critics are convinced. Some believe that another storefront will just add to Android's fragmentation problems and confuse the average user. However, the benefits could be substantial, and if anything, the Amazon App Store will at least push Google's App Market to keep improving.

2/3 of Android Apps Leak Private Data

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According to a study of 30 of the most popular applications in Google's App Market, as much as 2/3 of apps access personal information in a way not desirable for users. The study stated that of the 30 apps studied, 15 reported a user's location to remote advertising servers and 7 broadcast the device number or phone number to outside servers. Nearly 100 percent of the time, the data was being collected without the users knowledge.

The study shows a large flaw in security on the Android platform, as Android users do not have much of a way to discover what information is actually being used when they install an app from the App Market. This study was made possible because the Android operating system is open source, so it is unclear how the Apple App Store would fare in a similar experiment. For the time being, however, one must be cautious when downloading applications until improvements are made.

Droid X 2.2 Update Issues

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With the release of Android 2.2 for the Droid X, many users finally got their long anticipated upgrade. However, that upgrade has not necessarily gone smoothly. According to several reports, an issue with SMS (text) messaging has been discovered on the 2.2 update. Apparently some incorrect time and date settings in the software have affected the order of messages received, which can really be a hassle for users. There is no current workaround for this problem, but Motorola has stated that they are working on solving the issue, and we should expect a solution soon.

This problem was around during all of the beta builds of Android 2.2 for the Droid X, but was not addressed before releasing the official version for some reason.

Hopefully we will see a fix over the next few days (or perhaps weeks). Then we can finally turn our attention to Android 3.0, Gingerbread.

No Verizon iPhone?

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Despite very reliable information earlier this regarding the iPhone 4 going to Verizon, it appears talks between Apple and Verizon have stalled due to the prominence of Verizon's Android line. According to the report, Verizon has been very reluctant to come to a final agreement, as Apple wants to have the iPhone as the phone with all the focus on it for the carrier. The stronger the Android platform performs, the less likely Verizon is going to want to sacrifice it to obtain the iPhone.

It appears that both sides are unwilling to give in, so we may not be seeing an iPhone quite yet. If talks fail with Verizon, look for T-Mobile or Sprint to begin talks with Apple. With the Verizon iPhone almost certain earlier this week, it is disappointing that they have not yet resolved their dispute.

Keep a look out for new stories on the iPhone, I will be keeping very close tabs on this one, as it would be really big news if we get an iPhone on a new carrier.

Samsung Considering 10 inch Galaxy Tab

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According to a report, Samsung may be considering developing a model of the Galaxy Tab that measures up at 10 inches. This is the same size as the iPad, and would more directly put the tablet against Apple's device. This news seems contradictory to what Samsung has previously said, when it stated that according to a survey, the consumer would prefer a 7 inch device over a 10 inch device.

According to a report, the tablet will come with Android 3.5 (Honeycomb), which would suggest that the 10 inch tablet is still a long way off, as Honeycomb is not expected to be released until at least mid to late 2011. This does show that the tablet race is heating up however, and there will probably be many more rumors from multiple manufacturers about these potential tablet devices.

On another note, Samsung has released a new 9 minute video showing off what the Galaxy Tab can do (Watch below). Obviously Samsung is trying to hype up this device with it being the first Android based tablet on the market. As I stated earlier, it is very apparent that the tablet race is heating up. Stay tuned, because its going to be exciting.

Confirmed: iPhone coming to Verizon

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Today, Apple suppliers have released information confirming a CDMA iPhone is coming, with information suggesting that Apple will begin manufacturing the devices in December. Apple is expected to make 3 million devices during the month in order to support a early 2011 launch. Although both Verizon and Sprint use CDMA networks, it is pretty apparent that it will be Verizon receiving the iPhone, as they have the largest network and many rumors had already suggested that the iPhone would go to Verizon.

At this point in time, it is unclear whether there will be an specification changes to the new iPhone, but one could expect the antenna issue to be fixed. There are not many more details known, but it will be interesting to see how Android phones fare with this news. Now finally people will be able to enjoy an iPhone on a network other than AT&T, and who knows, maybe we will end up with an even better iPhone.