| Facebook Home can be disabled on HTC First, stock Android sits underneath Apr 6th 2013, 14:05 
The new Facebook Home-optimised HTC First runs a stock version of Android Jelly Bean, which can be accessed simply by turning off the social network's new, custom UI, reports on Friday revealed. The Phandroid site discovered that those seeking to use Android in its purest form can, ironically, achieve this by buying a phone designed to almost completely hide the Google-built OS from view. In its hands-on time with the device, Phandroid found that the Facebook Home skin can be completely disabled in the app's settings menu. It also found that the Android notifications bar, missing from the core Facebook Home experience, could be summoned through the same setting application, while still using Facebook Home. You want pure Android? Turn of Facebook HomeHTC later confirmed to The Verge that this was indeed the case and stock Android is the beneath-the-surface version of the OS. Why is this somewhat of a surprise? Well HTC phones are usually dripping in its own skin for Android, the love-it-or-hate-it Sense UI. In fact, it hasn't launched a Sense-less Android phone since 2010's T-Mobile G2 handset and the company recently admitted it was "very proud of Sense" and wants it to ship on every device. Android fans are often seeking more handets with pure versions of the operating system, beyond the Nexus series, so the 'Facebook Phone' could all of a sudden become an option for those folks. Check out the video below from around 6:30. YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPHSPFx_Byw&feature    |  | Apple device sales projected to shut out Windows for the first time Apr 6th 2013, 00:38 
Apple has always had a leg-up in the "cool factor" over Microsoft, but its devices may also finally outsell Windows hardware in 2013, according to a market research group this week. Devices such as the iPhone, iPad and Mac will result in more sales than Windows PCs, tablets, and smartphone, according to analysis by Gartner picked up by The Financial Times. This is significant because Windows PCs have long-dominated Apple's market share. However, it's not all that surprising given consumers' trend away from buying PCs in favor of purchasing smaller devices like smartphones and tablets. Apple vs Microsoft sales in 2013Apple's Mac and iDevice sales totaled 159 million in 2012, with hardware running Microsoft's Windows operating system slightly ahead at 175 million. For 2013, Apple's sales forecast is currently at 233 million, according to Gartner, with Microsoft reaching 181 million, but losing its lead over its long-time rival. "If consumers don't buy [Windows], developers aren't interested in it," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi to the Times. "Microsoft needs to win in the consumer space if they want to remain relevant." Microsoft's game planThe good news for Microsoft is that it saw this trend coming before these forecasts were released - though perhaps a little too late. The company went so far as to release its own tablet, the Surface, and it's rumored to be developing a Surface smartphone, possibly one that runs its Windows Phone 8 mobile OS. Microsoft isn't the only company struggling in this PC-turned-mobile world, as other computer manufacturers are complaining about the slow sales of Windows-based products. Samsung, for example, called Windows 8 no better than the much-maligned Vista operating system. Likewise, Fujitsu referred to W8 demand as "weak," and blamed its poor sales on the OS. Whether or not sales of Microsoft-branded devices reverse Apple's rising trend remains to be seen. At the same time, it's just as unclear if Apple can maintain its level of cool now that it's no longer the underdog.     | | iMessages encrypted so well it even thwarts law enforcement Apr 5th 2013, 23:20 
Blue ice meth isn't the only problem for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, as Apple's blue iMessages service is the latest concoction that is thwarting the law enforcement agency's ability to spy on suspected drug dealers. The DEA warned that iMessages' encryption made "it is impossible to intercept iMessages between two Apple devices," according to an internal document seen by CNET. "The DEA San Jose Resident Office learned that text messages sent via iMessages between Apple products are not captured by pen register, trap and trace devices, or Title III interceptions." This eavesdrop-block happens even if the DEA has obtained a court-ordered warrant by a federal judge and regardless of the carrier. Dangerous gapApple boldly claimed to provide "a secure end-to-end encryption" when it launched iMessage in 2011, according CNET, and it's living up to that promise. However, situations like this have become a concern for top U.S. officials, including FBI director Robert Mueller. "There is a growing and dangerous gap between law enforcement's legal authority to conduct electronic surveillance, and its actual ability to conduct such surveillance," said Mueller to a U.S. House of Representatives committee two weeks ago. "We must ensure that the laws by which we operate and which provide protection to individual privacy rights keep pace with new threats and new technology." All a DEA ruse?The FBI memo could be a ruse to trick drug dealers into thinking that Apple's prevalent iMessages service is more secure than it really is, theorizes the Cato Institute's Julian Sanchez. He comes to this out-of-the-box conclusion in part because Apple's iCloud service still holds the keys to unlock iMessaging data for law enforcement, even if the device is locked-up. "Messages may not be interceptable from a suspect's cell carrier, but Apple has to be capable of handing them over when the authorities come knocking with a warrant," he said in a comment picked up by Forbes. "All Apple has to do is provide the cops with an appropriate authentication token and they should, in principle, be able to turn an ordinary iPhone into a de facto clone of the suspect's own device." Since that hasn't been proven to be true, at least according to law enforcement officials, Apple can continue to claim that iMessages is between you, your recipients, and not the DEA.     | | Microsoft tells Android users: 'Forget Facebook Home, get Windows Phone' Apr 5th 2013, 17:13 
Microsoft has applauded Facebook's efforts to bring the 'people first' experience Android is "sadly lacking", with its Facebook Home UI, but said Windows Phone has been offering that for two years. Frank X. Shaw, Microsoft's communications kingpin, said yesterday's event was "remarkably similar" to the Windows Phone launch two years ago, when Microsoft unleashed its own people-centric OS. In a post on the official Microsoft blog, Shaw, who was complimentary of Facebook's efforts, cheekily joked that he had to check his calendar to make sure it wasn't 2011 when he tuned into coverage of the event. However, he also "humbly suggested" that Android users shouldn't bother adding Facebook Home to their phones when it is launched on April 12, but should simply get "the real deal" Windows Phone instead. Put People FirstShaw, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President of Corporate Communications, wrote: "When we sat down with a blank sheet of paper and designed Windows Phone, we put three words on the wall to guide the team: "Put People First". "People are more important than apps, so phones should be designed around you and the people you care about, not the apps you might use to reach them. So, we got to work and built a phone that asked and answered questions like these: "Instead of rows and rows of apps, why not have a screen full of the people that matter most to you, and start with them? Instead of having to launch an app to see what's behind that notification icon, why not just bring the content to the home screen? Instead of having SMS and Facebook Messaging as separate chat threads, why not bring them together in one conversation? "Instead of having photos on your phone and photos in Facebook, why not bring those photos together in one place? Instead of having to launch an app just to check in, why not just tap your own face and do it directly?" Just upgrade to Windows Phone, duh!Shaw went on to talk about how millions of Windows Phone users are already experiencing many of the benefits Facebook unveiled on Thursday and claimed Android users had become frustrated by the app-centric approach. He added: "So, we understand why Facebook would want to find a way to bring similar functionality to a platform that is sadly lacking it. But as Android owners know, that platform is complicated enough without adding another skin built around another metaphor, on top of what is already a custom variant of the OS. "So, while we applaud Facebook for working to give some Android owners a taste of what a "people-centric" phone can be like, we'd humbly like to suggest that you get the real thing, and simply upgrade to a Windows Phone."     | | Samsung to earn the ire of everyone with profit estimates Apr 5th 2013, 16:53 
It seems nothing can stop the freight train known as Samsung, which gave a glimpse into its record-breaking first quarter with an expected US$45.9 billion in sales. Samsung released its quarterly guidance Friday to offer an advance peek into how much all those gadget sales amount to, and the numbers are whopping. The world's top smartphone vendor appears to be taking no prisoners, expecting to take in an operating profit of nearly 8.7 trillion Korean won (US$7.7 billion), up from approximately 52 trillion Korean won (US$45.9) in sales. If all the chip line up, those figures would set a new first-quarter record for the Galaxy device maker, exceeding the predictions of many analysts. Anticipation growsSamsung traditionally offers such earnings guidance ahead of its official quarterly earnings results, which won't be disclosed until approval by its Board of Directors. The post-holiday quarter is traditionally slower for consumer electronics companies, making Samsung's more than 50 percent increase in operating profits a nice way to kick off the new year. The best is yet to come, with this year's flagship Galaxy S4 handset starting to ship by the end of April, which should help lift Samsung to even loftier heights for the second quarter. While Samsung notes the estimates announced Thursday "may differ from the actual results," the numbers seem to be a clear indicator the South Korean giant will continue to dominate the smartphone market for the foreseeable future.     | | BlackBerry R-series caught on camera Apr 5th 2013, 16:19 
A sneaky picture of a new BlackBerry device has surfaced online, giving us a peek at what is seems to be a Curve-like model for BB10. Popping up over at BlackBerryOS, the poster claims that this model is from a new R-series, and comes with a big ol' QWERTY keyboard. We can also seen some not-very-exciting activity happening on the screen. The Curve series has been a popular one of BlackBerry's and it's obviously keen to keep the momentum going - and answer the please of those still crying out for a physical keyboard. Button mashersBlackBerry's QWERTY Q10 has only just gone up for pre-order in the UK, but it looks like keyboard fans still have another on its way that will be a successor in the Curve series. At the same time, BlackBerry Empire has posted a sketch of what is supposedly the same device, claiming that it will have 8GB of internal memory and a 1800mAh battery. It'll also be priced between $300 (£196, AUS$290) and $400 (£260, AUS$385) to put it at the entry-level end of the spectrum.     | |
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