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RIM has reportedly frozen production of the BlackBerry PlayBook and axed development of future tablets, according to one analyst, faced with lackluster sales of the QNX slate. The rumor comes from Collins Stewart analyst John Vinh, BGR reports, who cites unnamed sources at Quanta, RIM’s manufacturing partner, for the intel. Although Quanta had already confirmed that PlayBook production had been scaled back, this is the first sign that RIM may be rethinking its entire tablet strategy. “While Quanta last week acknowledged that it had laid off a significant number of production workers from a factory focused on producing the PlayBook,” Vinh wrote, “our research indicates that the ODM has essentially halted production of the tablet.” Suggestions had already been made that RIM could have as many as 800,000 PlayBook units stockpiled, after sales of the 7-inch tablet had fallen well short of expectations for two quarters running. In Q2 2011, the company shipped a mere 200,000, down considerab

The NFC Forum has released its latest specification for the short-range wireless standard, v.16, throwing device to device data transfer into the mixture. The Simple NDEF Exchange Protocol (SNEP) will allow users of NFC-equipped devices to swap content – such as business card information – simply by holding their phones together. In short, the peer-to-peer system will allow two-way data exchange rather than forcing a reader/writer mode switch. Another potential use of SNEP, the NFC Forum suggests, would be collecting data from various NFC tags on your smartphone while you’re away from home, and then beaming that data to another device – such as a computer or a smart TV – when you’re back. That way, you could collect information from NFC-tagged movie posters and then squirt it over to an NFC-enabled HDTV to watch streaming trailers. “Previously, NDEF was applicable only to NFC tags in reader/writer mode. Now, SNEP enables the use of the openly standardized NDEF in peer-to-peer mode, mak

Apple is apparently working on a hybrid hard-drive system, pairing a platter-based traditional drive with flash memory in a configuration that could prevent data loss if your MacBook is dropped or jolted. Detailed in a newly-published patent application, 20110238887, for “Hybrid-device storage based on environmental state” Apple’s solution is positioned as a way to avoid errors caused by “changes in temperature, vibration and acceleration” but could also have an impact on the speed of data access. “By selectively storing the block of data in the flash memory, the hybrid storage device can address the sensitivity of the HDD to changes in the environmental state of the hybrid storage device. For example, if the change in the environmental state information results in an operating state of the HDD in which failure or shut down of the HDD is to occur during the write operation, or if there is an imminent risk of data loss during the write operation, the write operation can be completed usi

Apple’s iPhone 5 will support HSPA+ 4G for up to 21Mbps downloads, according to carrier China Unicom, with the reference to data speeds made at a presentation in China earlier this week. According to China Unicom research VP Huan Wenliang, speaking at Macworld Asia 2011, Impress reports, the fifth-gen iPhone we’re expecting to be released on Tuesday, October 4, will support HSPA+ with no mention of LTE. It’s unclear, however, whether this is a limitation of the iPhone 5 or of the China Unicom network itself. According to reports earlier this year, the Chinese carrier is not expected to roll out a commercial LTE network until 2013, instead focusing on 3G and WiFi hotspots to get its subscribers online. Contrasting rumors have circulated for some time about whether Apple would include LTE support in the new iPhone. The company decided against the high-speed connectivity option when it launched the CDMA iPhone 4 on Verizon, suggesting at the time that the first-gen LTE radio chipsets were

LG has launched a new range of LCD display, the IPS5 series, and as the name suggest the four-strong line-up each uses an IPS panel rather than cheaper TN. Available in 21.5- and 23-inch sizes, all supporting Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution and 250 cd/m2 brightness, the IPS5 range is pre-calibrated by imaging experts who even include a report on the monitor’s tuning in the box. That, LG reckons, is enough to ensure that “onscreen colors are identical to real-life colors” with color temperatures of around 6,500K. Viewing angles are also improved, as we’ve seen on other IPS implementations, while there’s a dynamic contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1. LG will also offer a so-called Dual Package feature, which will supposedly make setting up a second display more straightforward, including spreading the Windows task bar across both monitors. The IPS5P throws in a height-adjustable, posable stand too. No word on pricing at this stage, but the IPS5 series will go on sale this month and the IPS5P wi

Nokia could be readying two new N9 color variants, it’s suggested, with white and green versions of the MeeGo smartphone spotted. According to the picture shared with SlashGear from Ricciolo1, the white N9 will be part of a limited market release in Q1 next year, though there’s no telling exactly which markets those will be. Meanwhile, the green Nokia N9 has no suggested availability, at least at present. It’s possible it could be a prototype not intended for actual release, as Nokia finesses the polycarbonate machining process used in the production of the N9 chassis (and, we expect, the chassis of select Nokia Windows Phones). It’s not the first time a white N9 has been caught in the wild. Back in August the phone was caught taking a photo in the hands of model Sanja Suzanna, who has also been featured on Nokia’s own N9 mini-site. At the time it was suggested that it could be a close-fitting case, though no official explanation has been given and, according to Nokia, red, blue and bl

Spotify has added a “Private Listening” feature to its streaming music service, allowing users to temporarily – or, indeed, permanently – conceal what tracks they’re listening to. Billed as a way to “temporarily hide your guilty pleasures” by the company, the move follows widespread criticism at the close integration between Spotify and Facebook. That integration – which now means all Spotify sign-ups will need a Facebook account – had seen users bombarding their Facebook walls with information on what music they were currently playing. In return, Spotify offered six months of unlimited streaming, something the company says around 250,000 people a day are clamoring for. Whether this private listening feature will be sufficient to diffuse complaints remains to be seen, though Spotify did go on record earlier this week with a more in-depth description of the privacy setting. For a temporary fix, meanwhile, you can enable Private Listening via the new option in the File menu of the Spotif

Japanese carrier Softbank has revealed its latest line-up of Android smartphones, and if you love high-res screens and megapixel-packed cameras then it’s enough to make you weep. Among the gems are the Sharp AQUOS 104SH, which Softbank says will launch running Ice Cream Sandwich on a 1.5GHz dual-core TI OMAP4460 processor, paired with a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 display, 12.1-megapixel camera and IPX5/IPX7 ruggedness, expected to arrive in spring 2012. There’s also the Sharp AQUOS 102SH, which has the same display and camera as the 104SH but pairs it with a 1GHz dual-core and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. That will drop in early December this year, complete with both CDMA and GSM connectivity for data speeds of up to 21Mbps downlink. The Panasonic LUMIX 101P is the photographer’s phone, with a 13.2-megapixel camera packed inside an Android 2.3 handset. The display is a 4-inch qHD 960 x 540 panel, there’s IPX5/IPX7 ruggedness and all in something just 9.8mm thick. Japanese shutterbugs can expect i

Microsoft’s Xbox Dashboard upgrade has been tipped to roll out on November 15, with a leaked internal PayPal email supposedly confirming the third-gen interface’s full launch. Although Microsoft expects to begin a trial of the updated Dashboard in October, the email shared with Kotaku suggests users not part of that beta won’t have long to wait until they too can have it. According to the message, PayPal employees are being roped in to test the Xbox Dashboard, given that the company is one of Microsoft’s payment option partners with the service. That was added back in May, allowing those registered with PayPal to purchase Microsoft Points, Xbox LIVE Gold subscriptions, and Game On Demand titles. As for the new Dashboard, that will take a leaf out of Windows Phone with a Metro UI style interface consisting of dynamically updated tiles. It will also add in gesture and voice navigation support, using the Microsoft Kinect sensor to allow gamers to move through the interface via movements a

Verizon has begun selling the Rhyme, the Android smartphone that’s manufacturer HTC insists is definitely not obsessed with ladies. Announced earlier this month, the Rhyme has a 3.7-inch WVGA display, a mere 1GHz single-core processor and a 5-megapixel camera, but is bundled with a healthy range of accessories: a docking station with integrated Bluetooth speakers, a “charm” dongle that lights up to show you when you have a new call or message, and a set of tangle-free headphones. There’s also a choice of a matching Bluetooth headset and a matching Bluetooth in-car speakerphone, though you’ll have to pay extra for each and Verizon is yet to add them to its site. Altogether, it’s hoped that the accessories will offset any performance shortfall related disappointment from the Android 2.3.5 handset; well, that and the compelling plum-purple color scheme. Verizon is offering the smartphone at $199.99 with a new, two-year agreement including mandatory voice and data packages. More on the Ver

Pioneer continues to polish its virtual DJ controller line-up, with the latest DDJ-ERGO-V model packing so many LEDs you could probably outshine a half dozen glitterballs. Hooking up to your PC or Mac via a single USB connection, the DDJ-ERGO-V offers a pair of 115mm controllers, an integrated audio interface, the ability to control up to four decks from one unit, and various blinking light patterns to show you how well you’re doing on your mixing, beat matching and more. For instance, Blue LEDs on the jog wheels show how close the mix phase is, pulsing more strongly when you’re closer in pitch. The channel fader lighting, meanwhile, match track beat with their flashing as well as showing output levels by their brightness. There are also dedicated controls for loops, filters and sample playback, while ports include a MIDI output, microphone input and line-out. The angled physical design means you can slide your laptop keyboard underneath and keep the overall footprint low. The Pioneer

Samsung has lashed out at Google over Android patent issues, with an executive at the company claiming it signed the Microsoft licensing deal because “Samsung knows it can’t rely on Google.” The unnamed official dismissed suggestions that Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility would be beneficial to the ecosystem of Android device manufacturers at large, telling The Korea Times that “if Samsung truly believed that Google’s takeover of Motorola Mobility was going to be helpful … it would have waited until that deal was closed before concluding the license agreement with Microsoft.” “We’ve decided to address Android IP issues on our own” the source concluded. Other execs at Samsung basically confirmed that, to Microsoft, the cross-licensing deal was a way to lock the Korean firms not-inconsiderable might into producing handsets running its own Windows Phone OS. “As long as Samsung builds devices running Windows Phone,” the Samsung sources confirmed, “it will benefit from Microsoft’s p

Skype has added video calling support for Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1, the original Google Nexus One and the Motorola Photon 4G, as well as a host of other Android devices. Skype for Android v2.5 adds fourteen new phones and tablets to the compatibility list, bringing the total to 41, as well as adding support for switching between portrait and landscape orientation midway through a video call. Also newly added in this version of the app is the ability to zoom in during a video call, by double-tapping on the display. Skype has made various bug-fixes and speed tweaks, as you’d expect, and there’s improved Bluetooth headset support if you’re not keen on having your entire conversation overheard by everyone around you. Unfortunately, the updated Skype also brings the advertising recently added to the PC and Mac versions, though you can escape it by having a Skype subscription or adding some credit. As always, it’s a free download from the Android Market.

Apple ex-CEO Steve Jobs personally contacted Samsung management in 2010, in an attempt to hash out the ongoing patent concerns and give the Korean company “a chance to do the right thing” it has been revealed. The exec outreach news was shared as part of Apple’s legal presentation in Austalian courts yesterday, the WSJ reports, though Jobs’ involvement was apparently limited to just the initial olive-branch. “The discussions started with contact from [Jobs], and then he wasn’t involved in meetings beyond that” senior Apple exec Richard Lutton confirmed during cross-examination. Although Lutton described Samsung as an “important” supplier of components – the Korean company provides memory chips and other hardware for the iPad and iPhone ranges, among others, with an estimated $45.68 of the bill of materials for a 16GB GSM iPhone 4 going into Samsung’s pocket – and one with which Apple has “a deep relationship,” it seems Jobs’ contact was nonetheless merely a prelude to demanding acquies

Amazon may well be planning a version of its Silk browser for PC, Mac and mobile platforms, rather than just theKindle Fire tablet announced yesterday, if domain name registrations are anything to go by. The retailer has gone on a URL spree, buying over 500 domains, but it’s registrations for “amazonsilkforandroid.com”, “amazonsilkformac.com” and “amazonsilkforpc.com” that have particularly caught attention. Silk uses a combination of caching and on-the-fly server-side compression to boost browsing speed on the Kindle Fire. Although the so-called “split browser” architecture of Silk is initially an exclusive feature of Kindle Fire, it’s entirely possible that Amazon has broader ambitions for the software. As the company explains it, Silk uses Amazon’s EC2 servers to cache websites at high speed, maintaining a persistent connection open to the backend server on the AWS cloud, and using compressed pages to minimize loading times. It’s Amazon’s page suggestions that are the biggest indica

Tizen, the platform that gobbled up MeeGo, may only be a few days old but already it’s reportedly gaining support from new companies including ASUS and Acer. The firms are each apparently set to add Tizen development to their engineer’s workload, DigiTimes‘ sources claim, with HTC said to be “currently evaluating its decision.” The shift in OS focus will mean that ASUS and Acer’s existing MeeGo device plans are put on ice, it’s suggested. That could mean delays if you were hoping to pick up an Acer Iconia M500 tablet, which promised MeeGo on an Atom processor, but it’s unclear what will happen to the ASUS Eee PC X101. The MeeGo-based netbook is already up for sale, though it’s possible that it could be the last ASUS model to support the platform. DigiTimes’ sources also claim that Samsung’s integration between bada and Tizen is pretty much a foregone conclusion, with the suggestion that the new OS’ app store will “merge the current resources of Intel’s MeeGo and Samsung’s Bada.” With T

Samsung has collaborated with bicycle specialists 14 Bike Co to create a customized road bike complete with a holder for the Galaxy Tab 10.1. The tablet holder itself is made from the same carbon fiber as used in F1 cars, 14 Bike Co claims, while the bike itself uses a steel frame and has a two-tone black and white paintjob. Although Samsung says the tablet holder leaves the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in a position to be “used easily whilst on the move” we can’t exactly see many people reaching down between their legs for some mid-pedaling multitouch action. Better, then, to wait until you’re at the side of the road and snap the 125g case out of its frame. While bespoke concepts like this are generally done for attention and not sales, 14 Bike Co will in fact be offering both the bicycle and the custom holder to anybody who wants to go tandem with their tab. No word on exactly how much they’ll cost, though we’re looking into it.

Facebook’s HTML5 app push, codenamed Project Spartan, looks set to launch next week, with a Monday unveil for the mobile platform – and the iPad Facebook app – tipped. The scheduling, so TechCrunch‘s sources say, is designed to offer Facebook a fallback option if Apple decides not to share stage-space with the social network at the iPhone 5 launch on October 4. Meanwhile, a prematurely posted (and subsequently yanked) Facebook page seemingly documented exactly what Project Spartan will offer to users and developers. Spotted by TechCrunch, and hastily screen-grabbed before Facebook’s engineers could pull the pages down, the system centers around Bookmarks, Messages, Notifications and Friend Requests and the integration of Facebook mobile app functionality. There’s app searching, invite support and app bookmarking, along with promised support for both iOS and Android devices. Project Spartan, so the rumors go, is Facebook’s attempt to grab a share of the fast-growing mobile app market. R

Samsung has announced its latest Exynos mobile processor, the Samsung Exynos 4212, a 1.5GHz dual-core chip intended for the company’s upcoming smartphones and tablets. Built using 32nm processes, the Exynos 4212 has apparently been designed for 3D gaming and graphics in mind, with developers Gameloft already onboard with a selection of titles that take advantage of the new chip’s abilities. The previous Exynos found fame as the heart of the Samsung Galaxy S II, the company’s best-selling Android smartphone. There running at 1.2GHz as standard, the chip was found to be overclock friendly by the legions of Android modders, making the Galaxy S II something of a mainstay for those looking to squeeze the very greatest performance out of their device. Samsung hasn’t explicitly said which devices the Exynos 4212 is likely to appear in first, but it’s worth noting that the Galaxy S II HD LTE and Galaxy S II LTE announced last week for the South Korean market both run a 1.5GHz dual-core, and ar

HTC can’t stop announcing Android smartphones these days, and the HTC Explorer – the company’s ‘droid on a budget – is the latest to slot into the range. We’re talking at the bottom of the range, mind; the Explorer replaces the easily-forgotten HTC Smart and falls under the Wildfire S, with its 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen, 600MHz processor and 3-megapixel camera. Other specs include 3G, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0, along with GPS and a microSD card slot to expand the minuscule 483MB ROM. No front-facing camera, of course, and the 512MB of RAM is minimal, though you do still get Android 2.3.5 and HTC Sense 3.5. The latter, as we saw on the HTC Rhyme, prioritizes ease of use, with simple homescreen shortcuts and – on the Explorer – Smart URL Prediction that guesses the address you might want to visit based on the top 100 sites. HTC has used the Explorer to quietly debut a couple of new apps, the most useful of which for the budget smartphone’s target audience of students and prepay users