Android

With Verizon announcing the release date of the Thunderbolt earlier this morning, the focus shifts again to the horizon. What does the carrier have lined up in the future in terms of Android devices? Is it easing off Android now that it's secured the iPhone or is it going to keep its foot on the gas? Based on numerous leaks from this week, it appears Verizon doesn't plan on giving up on Android any time soon.

The Droid Incredible looks to be the next device to get a refresh now that the Incredible S has been announced. AndroidSpin … Read more

Fooling people on the Internet is far from a difficult feat, but Web magicians are finding creative ways to make us question our own skepticism. Take YouTube user BITcrash44's concept video that shows him hacking video screens in Times Square.

This guy supposedly fashioned a broadcast device that pulls video data from the headphone jack in an iPhone and can hijack any feed in the process. The accompanying video makes creative use of After Effects, but real techies should be able to spot the discrepancies--even still, without dissecting it to death like everyone else has online, can we at least appreciate the humor and ingenuity in this project? Well done BITcrash44!

Unfortunately, not everyone uses the Internet in jest like our buddy BITcrash44--some people use it to exploit the philanthropy of innocent people who just want to donate money to charities in Japan to assist the relief effort. Be careful if you receive an e-mail that claims to be from the British Red Cross using the subject line "Japan Tsunami Appeal | British Red Cross"; it's a charity scam.

You should also keep a lookout for traps hidden… Read more

Office retail giant Staples appears to be getting serious about tablets as evidenced by two leaked roadmap images. Coming from two separate sources, they confirm the company's plan to offer at least eight Android tablets from a variety of manufacturers. While some devices are a few months old and currently offered through carriers, other products have yet to be announced and have been treated only as rumors until now.

The first tablet expected to arrive at Staples is the 10.1-inch Motorola Xoom. While previously listed with a price of $599.99, PreCentral's documents show a $649.99 sticker, which is slightly higher than the $600 price Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha mentioned back in February. Staples also could get the Wi-Fi-only Xoom.

As to when the Xoom will arrive remains a mystery. DroidLife lists April whereas PreCentral taps the tablet with a launch on March 17. Both are different from DroidLife's previous listing of March 27 but still on track for the next few weeks. … Read more

I like to highlight content from smaller sites, and have linked in the past to theunlockr.com, which is run by David Cogen. The site has several videos related to "rooting" or hacking the Nook Color with custom firmware that allows you to turn Barnes & Noble's color e-reader into a full-on Android tablet.

Cogen recently put together a video comparing a Nook Color rooted with a Froyo (Android 2.2) hack with a Samsung Galaxy Tab that has very similar specs but includes front-and-back facing cameras and a 3G data option for those who want to pay the added service fees. The Galaxy Tab has a smaller footprint, whereas the Nook Color is slightly thinner. … Read more

Verizon announced today that its first 4G smartphone, the HTC Thunderbolt, will be available starting March 17 for $249.99 with a two-year contract.

Announced at CES 2011, the Thunderbolt has been one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year so far, as it's the first phone to take advantage of Verizon's LTE network, which promises download speeds of 5Mbps to 12Mbps and upload speeds of 2Mbps to 5Mbps.

The smartphone can be used as a mobile hot-spot capabilities for up to eight devices and comes preloaded with several 4G-optimized apps, including EA's Rock Band, Gameloft's Let's Golf, Tunewiki, and Bitbop. CNET also confirmed with Verizon that the Thunderbolt will be able to do simultaneous voice and data over 3G.

In addition to the 4G capabilities, the Android 2.2 device features HTC Sense, a 4.3-inch WVGA touch screen, a kickstand, an 8-megapixel camera with HD video recording, and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video calls. The smartphone is powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and has 8GB of onboard memory, as well as preinstalled 32GB microSD card. … Read more

The T-Mobile Sidekick as we once knew it may be gone forever, but that doesn't mean it's the end of the franchise. Far from it actually.

T-Mobile dished out fresh details about the upcoming Sidekick 4G this evening, and the smartphone mixes a bit of the old with the new to offer something that's both familiar to Sidekick fans and modern enough to keep it relevant in today's competitive smartphone market.

Right off the bat, you'll notice that the design doesn't stray far from its roots. You get the five-row keyboard and even the … Read more

OK, so you just replaced your antiquated, not-even-a-year-old iPad with a brand new iPad 2.

To complete the succession, you have one last task to complete: to transfer all your apps, music, movies, and settings from that archaic piece of "technology" (that was never good enough for you, anyway) to your new honey, who's going to love you forever.

I don't state it in the video, but make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your PC. Also, just to be completely safe, go ahead and upgrade your current iPad to the latest … Read more

Happy Pi Day; it's March 14, which means it's the day to commemorate the mathematical holiday started by Larry Shaw, who created it in 1989 while working at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. We're all about celebrating nerds, so enjoy a sweet or savory pie today with us!

Wilson's enjoying Pi Day with a slice of his own Apple iPad 2; he and Jeff waited patiently in line to become two of the 500,000 estimated iPad 2 owners over the device's launch weekend. Many Apple stores officially ran out of stock this weekend, and now analysts are expecting up to a two-week backlog on orders reserved online.

You can read CNET's official review of the iPad 2 here, but we also want to talk about the new features being added to the iPad 2 with the public release of iOS 4.3.… Read more

The Wi-Fi-only versions of Motorola's Xoom and Samsung's Galaxy Tab tablets could reach consumers very soon, at least according to a couple of product flyers discovered by the folks at DroidLife.

Displaying what appears to be an upcoming flyer for Staples, DroidLife has zeroed in on a launch date of March 27 and a price tag of $599 for the Wi-Fi-only Xoom. Though the price seems accurate based on information from Motorola, the new date contradicts earlier information sent to DroidLife indicating an April 3 debut for the Wi-Fi-only Xoom.

Motorola Mobility's CEO Sanjay Jha recently revealed that the Wi-Fi-only version Xoom would sell for around $600. Staples' price for the Wi-Fi Xoom is a bit higher than the $539 that Sam's Club reportedly will charge. But if accurate, the difference makes sense since Sam's Club discounts its prices for members. The Wi-Fi Xoom is slated to launch in Europe starting in the second quarter.

We've reached out to Motorola and Staples for comment or further details.

Meanwhile, another supposed product flyer uncovered by DroidLife says the Wi-Fi-only Galaxy Tab will start shipping by April 4 and sell for $399. Launched last November, the 3G version of the 7-inch tablet currently sells from a variety of carriers for a variety of prices, with T-Mobile offering the Tab at $249 with a two-year contract.

A Samsung spokeswoman told CNET that the company has not announced pricing or availability for the Wi-Fi-only version of the Tab.… Read more