[UPDATE: RESOLVED] Verizon Wireless 4G LTE suffering yet another nationwide outage

Verizon Wireless has confirmed via its official Twitter account that it is currently investigating customer reports of 4G LTE network connectivity issues this morning, the carrier's third major network outage in the past two months. At this time, it's unclear exactly how widespread the outages are, but it does appear to be nationwide.

The carrier says that 3G data, voice, and text networks are all functioning normally, and 4G LTE devices should automatically migrate to the slower network for the time being.

We'll keep you posted.

UPDATE: Verizon Wireless has provided an update, stating that the outage has been resolved.

Hacker team finds iPhone security exploit using paper clips

iPhoneIslam, a hacker team that is know for discovering security flaws with iOS, has posted a new video this week that shows off a newly discovered flaw that gives access to contact information, phone calls, emails, and more just by using a paper clip, patience, and the ability to call the phone that you're trying to get into.

The exploit is fairly simple - call the phone that you'd like to hack into, allow the call to go to voicemail, pop out the SIM card of the iPhone (using a paper clip), and swipe the missed call notification on the home screen. The process takes a while and requires patience since it's probably not going to work the first time (as seen in the video below), but it is reproducible. It also requires the device to be running iOS 5 and be a GSM iPhone so that it has a SIM card.

The only way to avoid this happening to you is by turning off missed call notifications on the home screen, but that's obviously going to be inconvenient for most. Apple hasn't commented on this yet, but we expect it to be patched in a future iOS update.

Twitter updates iOS app with “new” features

Yesterday, Twitter released an update to its official iOS app (App Store link) that brings back several features that were removed in the app's previous update, which brought in a refreshed user interface. The ability to use "swipe" gestures, copy and paste tweets, font size options, and the actions display are all back in this update. Bug fixes and performance improvements are also to be expected.

Full release notes:

Changes are for iPhone only:

• Swipe shortcut
• Copy and paste for tweets and profiles
• Press and hold actions on links in tweet details
• Font size settings
• Direct Message improvements
• Confirmation alert for Find Friends
• Improved startup time and general performance improvement
• Improved image quality in tweet detail
• Accessibility improvements
• Profile shows whether a user follows you
• Verified badges in people search results
• New language: Turkish
• Lots of other polish and bug fixes

Microsoft Office suite spotted on an iPad – release in “coming weeks”?

The Daily has posted a lone screenshot of what appears to be the Microsoft Office productivity suite running as a native app on the iPad, something that has been rumored numerous times now. The report claims that development on the app has been completed, and a submission to Apple for approval into the App Store is coming "soon." A release could come as soon as next month.

Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files can be opened and edited (both locally and online) through the app, which seems to have a taste of Microsoft's "Metro UI."

On a side note, the report states that no Android app for Office is currently in development.

China Telecom to begin selling iPhone 4S on March 9

China Telecom, the nation's smallest of three major carriers, announced today that it will begin taking pre-orders for Apple's iPhone 4S on March 2, with sales beginning March 9, 2012. Customers will be able to choose between the 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB models, the same options that are available world wide.

LG unveils ‘Optimus Vu’ 5-inch smartphone

Ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) conference that's set to kick off a little later this month, LG has officially unveiled its highly anticipated "Optimus Vu" smartphone to the public today. The device sports a 5-inch IPS LCD display, LTE connectivity, a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, and a 2080mAh battery. The Optimus Vu's display touts a 1024 x 768 pixel resolution, giving it a 4:3 aspect ratio.

The large 5-inch display with bright 4:3 aspect ratio makes viewing documents, books, internet and multimedia contents easier and more comfortable. The 4:3 aspect ratio is optimized for viewing to grasp more at a glance and note taking to increase productivity in everyday life. Moreover, IPS display realizes every color in its natural state for the best viewing experience even under bright sunlight.

The LG Optimus Vu is powered by Android OS 2.3 (a.k.a. "Gingerbread"), and includes a built-in "QuickClip" hotkey that can be used for quickly grabbing screenshots and memos.

Other technical specifications of the LG Optimus Vu:

• 8.5mm thin
• 32 GB of internal storage
• 1 GB of RAM
• 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera
• Update to Android OS 4.0 (a.k.a. "Ice Cream Sandwich") already in the works

The Optimus Vu will be unveiled in Korea next month, but pricing information has not been provided.

Google caught tracking iOS users through Safari with hidden code

According to The Wall Street Journal, Google has been caught tracking iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users via the Safari web browser on iOS by using hidden software embedded on certain websites. The software is designed to go around default privacy settings setup by the user, which allowed Google to track their behaviors on the Internet.

The issue lies with how Safari handles cookies, the information that is stored on devices that allow you to login to a website, leave the website, and come back still logged in. Cookies are also used by a number of advertisers, including Google, to display relevant ads to you.

Google is accused of placing specific cookies onto users' devices, which would allow the Internet giant to then track the behavior of the user. The company claims that the software being placed on certain websites was actually a mistake, and was done merely to use the Google "+1" button on domains other than Google.com.

Google has stated it has begun deleting the cookies that are causing the controversy from user' devices, but hasn't provided a current state of this. In addition, it's unclear whether any government agencies will begin to investigate this incident, but it's likely that it will happen eventually.

[UPDATE] Apple settles iPhone 4 “Antennagate” lawsuit – customers eligible to receive $15 or free bumper case

According to CNET, Apple has settled a class-action lawsuit with iPhone 4 customers that dates back to 2010. The lawsuit accused Apple of "misrepresenting and concealing material information in the marketing, advertising, sale, and servicing of its iPhone 4--particularly as it relates to the quality of the mobile phone antenna and reception and related software."

As a result of the settlement, U.S. residents who purchased an iPhone 4 are eligible to receive $15 or a free bumper case from Apple. A similar offer was being made by Apple back in July of 2010, shortly after the performance issues surrounding the iPhone 4 antenna system were uncovered.

Sometime in the next couple of weeks, customers will be able to go to www.iPhone4Settlement.com (website not working right now) to apply for a claim. In addition, emails will be sent to users before April 30, 2012 informing them of the outcome of the lawsuit, and the claims period will then be open for 120 days.

"We believe that the Apple iPhone 4 settlement is fair, adequate, and reasonable," Ira Rothken, co-lead counsel representing the class, told CNET. "We believe that it allows members of the class to choose, and they can get $15 of cash or a bumper, so we believe that type of choice is proportional to the circumstances."

UPDATE: Apple has issued a statement that reveals that this settlement is for any customer who didn't participate in the free case program of 2010, or elected to not return their iPhone 4.

HTC announces plans to update Thunderbolt, DROID Incredible 2 to Android OS 4.0

Earlier today, HTC announced via its official Facebook Page that Verizon Wireless customers with the HTC Rhyme, HTC Thunderbolt, HTC DROID Incredible 2, and HTC Rezound should all be expecting to be upgraded to Android OS 4.0 (a.k.a. "Ice Cream Sandwich") sometime in the future. The Taiwan-based manufacturer was reluctant to give any solid rollout dates, but it's expected sometime in the near future.

In addition, HTC revealed that the HTC Raider will be receiving the Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade for customers on Rogers and Bell in Canada.

Apple begins countdown to 25 billion iOS app downloads

Today, Apple launched a countdown on its website for 25 billion iOS app downloads from the App Store. At the time of writing, the countdown is at 24, 310, 616 apps downloaded. The person who downloads the twenty-fifth billion app will receive a $10,000 App Store gift card courtesy of Apple. Users can also enter the contest by filling in a submission form.

As of today, nearly 25 billion apps have been downloaded worldwide. Which is almost as amazing as the apps themselves. So we want to say thanks. Download the 25 billionth app, and you could win a US$10,000 App Store Gift Card.* Just visit the App Store and download your best app yet.

Apple ran similar countdowns for the 10 billion App Store downloads milestone just over one year ago, as well as a countdown to 10 billion songs being downloaded from the iTunes Store in February of 2010.

iPad 3 to have Retina Display

It has been rumored for some time now that the third-generation iPad will feature a high resolution Retina Display like that of the iPhone 4 and 4S. MacRumors now says the have obtained an iPad 3 display and examined it closely to reveal that it has double the resolution of previous iPads.

A Retina Display is a term that Apple uses for showing off high resolution displays in their products. The iPhone 4 and 4S have Retina Displays as with the latest iPod touch. With a high resolution display it allows the user to see sharper and clear images on the device.

With double the resolution a Retina Display iPad 3 would carry a full pixel count of 2048 x 1536. Previous generation iPads have had the same 1024 x 768 pixel resolution. The report also says that the parts obtained show the screen has the same 9.7" diagonal display.

The iPad 3 is expected to be officially introduced by Apple on March 7 at a media event. Other mainstream rumors suggest the device to have 4G LTE capability and a faster A6 processor while keeping the same form factor the iPad 2 has.

‘Clear’ iOS app launches to strong reviews

Ever since it was unveiled during the iWorld (a.k.a. "Macworld") conference last month, iOS users have been waiting to get their hands on "Clear," a to-do list app that takes advantage of iOS' diverse multi-touch features. Yesterday, Clear (App Store link), which is developed by Realmac Software and Impending, was released to the iOS App Store for a special introductory price of $0.99.

The app focuses on providing a clean user interface with as few buttons as possible because a majority of functions are accessible via gestures. The app includes some basic settings, as well as the ability to theme to-do lists. Alongside this, special themes can be unlocked if you have purchased other specific apps from the App Store. For example, if you purchase the app Tweetbot, a new theme for Clear will be unlocked that looks similar to the design of Tweetbot.

If you've bought the app, let us know what you think of it in the comments below!

Motorola reveals Android OS 4.0 update plans

Today, Motorola announced via its support forums which smartphones will be receiving the Android OS 4.0 (a.k.a. "Ice Cream Sandwich") update, and which ones won't. Most notably, Motorola plans to roll out the update to the following devices in the second quarter of this year:

• Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi only in countries other than U.S.
• Motorola RAZR

The company also revealed that the DROID 4, DROID BIONIC, DROID RAZR, DROID RAZR MAXX, DROID XYBOARD 8.2, and DROID XYBOARD 10.1 will also be receiving the update, but no timeframe was given. These phones are currently in the "evaluation and planning" stage of the update.

Updated Facebook for Windows Phone app released

Today, an updated version of the Facebook for Windows Phone app was released to the Marketplace (link to download), featuring improved performance, a refreshed design, and new features. The app sports a new "panorama design," a new profile design, improved navigation, and the ability to view Pages, Groups, and "Likes."

The update is available in the Windows Phone Marketplace now.

Focus areas for the v2.3 release:

• News feed performance improvements
• New panorama design.
• New profile design.
• Banner Images.
• Improved navigation.
• Pages
• Groups
• View “likes”.
• Feed filters.
• Posting privacy.
• Bug fixing

Deal of the Day: “Speaktoit Assistant” for iOS free for first 100,000 customers today

Back in October of last year, we introduced you to "Speaktoit Assistant," a Siri-like alternative for Android OS devices. The app allows users to ask general questions and receive intelligent responses in return, both via text and voice. The app also has the ability to update Twitter and Facebook statuses via voice. It launched on iOS (App Store link) back in late January for $0.99.

Today, Valentine's Day 2012 (February 14), Speaktoit Assistant will be free to download for the first 100,000 customers. If you're not on an iPhone 4S (or don't want to jailbreak to get Apple's Siri), Speaktoit Assistant seems to be one of the better alternatives available for download today. While it doesn't have the same integration that Siri has with iOS, it has the ability to answer a wide variety of questions.

If you download the app, be sure to let us know in the comments below!

European Commission and U.S. regulators both approve Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility

Earlier today, Google announced via its blog that the European Commission has approved its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility, which was initially announced last year. This approval is a huge milestone in closing the deal, and Google says its still waiting on a few other jurisdictions to make their final approvals. In addition, according to a report from The Associated Press, U.S. regulators have also approved the deal.

China appears to be the final major approval that Google is waiting for to officially close the deal that will put the web giant in control of Motorola Mobility's nearly 17,000 patents.

Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab 2 with Ice Cream Sandwich

Samsung unveiled Monday the first successor to the lineup of Galaxy Tabs, the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) which features Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 will be available in March, beginning the the UK, in both 3G HSPA+ and WiFi versions. The seven inch tablet features a 1 GHz dual core processor to power the device. Samsung has yet to reveal pricing for this model but it is expected soon.

In addition to the new Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system the Galaxy tab 2 will the same Samsung multimedia hubs as before but with the addition of the Video Hub. Samsung says the Video Hub will have over 1,000 movie titles available for purchase or rent straight from the device. The tablet will also have built-in calling features like Voice Call and ChatON. Google+ is also built-into the system for easy social networking and communication.

The Galaxy Tab 2.0 is the first tablet Samsung introduced this year replacing the original Galaxy Tab 7.0 the company announced two years ago. Indicating that more successors will follow this year the company says that this is only the first line-up of tablets for 2012.

Image via Engadget.

‘Temple Run’ surpasses 36 million downloads

Natalia Luckyanova, one of the co-founders of Imangi Studios, announced via her Twitter account that the insanely popular iOS game "Temple Run" has surpassed 36 million downloads. Temple Run was initially released back in August of 2011 and costed $0.99 to download. Following less than expected sales, the developers elected to make the game free and lo and behold, Temple Run shot up the charts.

It is currently the third top free app on the App Store, and it held first place for quite some time. An Android version of the game is expected sometime this month as well.

If you're not one of the 36 million who have already played Temple Run, we definitely recommend giving it shot.

Apple seeking preliminary injunction against Samsung Galaxy Nexus in U.S.

According to FOSS Patents, Apple has filed a motion that seeks for a preliminary injunction against the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the United States. Apple is claiming that the Galaxy Nexus, which is currently available exclusively from Verizon Wireless and is the world's first Android OS 4.0 phone, infringes upon four patents that it controls.

The patents in question deal with "data tapping," Siri and search functionality, slide-to-unlock, and automatic word completion. The patent that deals with data tapping has already proven successful for Apple once as it is the same patent that caused the ITC to place an import ban on some HTC devices. The patent dealing with search functionality will likely be the major concern for Google, considering the amount of search integration Android OS includes.

Due to the fact that all of these patents deal with software (Android OS in this case), the lawsuit doesn't seem to only be directed towards the Galaxy Nexus. In addition, three of the four patents involved are all relatively new filings for Apple, which is part of the reason why they haven't been involved in previous suits as well.

Apple files lawsuit against Motorola over Qualcomm license

According to Reuters, Apple has filed a lawsuit against Motorola that alleges that Motorola's lawsuit filed against Apple in Germany breaches a patent licensing agreement that Motorola and Qualcomm, a chipset manufacturer, hold together. The suit, which was filed in a United States court, is just the latest between Apple and Motorola as the two companies are currently engaged in a worldwide patent fight.

In the latest lawsuit, however, Apple accused Motorola of pursuing an aggressive international campaign of litigation that "flies in the face" of its promise to license standards essential patents on fair and reasonable terms.

"Despite owning scores of standards essential patents, Apple has never asserted a standard essential patent in litigation," it said.

Apple is arguing that, because Qualcomm is one of its third-party partners, it is a "beneficiary of Motorola's agreement with Qualcomm. Under that agreement, Motorola's rights under certain patents are exhausted, Apple argues."