HTC Mozart (Schubert) with Windows Phone 7 in the wild


HTC Mozart is, alongside the HTC Mondrian, one of the smartphones that’s been confirmed by HTC to run Windows Phone 7.

Surprisingly or not, the Mozart has appeared in some leaked photos at the end of last week, and in even more photos today.

What’s odd is that it looks exactly like the HTC Schubert seen on video not long ago. So these two codenames might designate the same device – or maybe the Schubert and the Mozart are similar on the outside but different on the inside (one of them could be a GSM/HSDPA device, while the other one could be a CDMA/EVDO handset for Verizon or Sprint).

2PM releases ‘Thank You’


The song was first revealed through their first solo concert, and received lots of attention ever since. Thank You is a soothing R&B song that has a piano melody playing in the background. The song was meant for 2PM to express their true feelings to fans by giving back love and thanking them for supporting the group for so long, even through the hard times.

Remember to thank and support 2PM by purchasing the music and check out the track below.

Super Junior releases new trot single, ‘Knocking’


Following their huge success with Super Show 3, Super Junior recently made a surprise announcement that they would be officially releasing a trot single entitled, Knocking.

Their new single was revealed on the 16th through various music websites such as MelOn, Cyworld, and more.

Joe Jonas Not Having A Sexual Relationship With Demi Lovato!

Joe Jonas might not be hooking up with Demi Lovato after all!

Reports last week claimed the Jonas Brothers rocker and the singer/actress — who had previously dated but recently split — had become “friends with benefits”.

Sources told blogger Zack Taylor that the former couple had been secretly hooking-up — despite claims Joe had been romancing Twilight star Ashley Greene.

“They partied after their first concert and ended up hooking-up back at the hotel,” said one loose-lipped insider.

“It’s no secret that she wants him, and Joe finally gave back in for whatever reasons.

“While on tour, I guess we can say they are doing that whole ‘friends with benefits’ thing, but keeping it low!”

But, in a bid to debunk the claims, Joe has gone and got his lawyers involved!

In a letter to Zack, which he forwarded to TMZ, Jonas’ attorney claims the story is “completely false, offensive and defamatory” and accuses the blogger of a “malicious attempt to attack and devalue [Joe's] good name and reputation.”

Sassy!

New Apple hire confirms iPhone 5 as 'iWallet'

If you've been wondering what to expect from iPhone 5, the next-generation, beyond an all-new and improved antenna, then let me share a few ideas with you -- your iPhone will be your wallet, your house keys, your identity, the centre of your mobile existence. At least, that's how it appears on news of Apple's hiring of near field communications (NFC) expert Benjamin Vigier.

In one of my early blogs here I talked about Apple's move into exploring NFC technologies. The company has filed many related patents for uses of such technologies within its devices, and its subsequent hiring of relative NFC industry veteran Vigier means plans are moving forward fast.

Most recently Vigier was product manager for mobile wallet, payment and NFC at mobile payments specialists mFoundry. He has stints at a French mobile network and flash memory maker, Sandisk, to his name. This chap knows his stuff.

He is the man behind both the PayPal Mobile service and Starbucks' barcode-based mobile payments service, according to Near Field Communications World.

Justin Bieber's Revenge: Tweets Phone Number to 4.5 Million Followers

Justin Bieber has a serious Twitter following -- 4.5 million strong and growing larger by the second. So what would happen if he blasted out your phone number to these frenzied masses? Well, your phone would probably become a constantly vibrating paperweight.

This is precisely what happened to one unlucky Detroit teen this past weekend. "Everyone call me 248-XXX-XXXX :) or text," Bieber tweeted before deleting shortly after. But the damage was done -- the boy wonder's dedicated army of fans rushed to the front lines, launching an unfathomable strike of calls and texts to the mystery number.

So what's Justin's deal? Some serious high school 2.0 payback drama.

Gawker's Adrian Chen went super sleuth on the case and found out that the number belongs to Kevin Kristopik, a Detroit teen whose phone was rendered useless by tens of thousands of calls and texts.

George Clooney Engaged?! Here's the Real Deal

Fear not, mildly delusional women of the world: you still have a shot with George Clooney.

Despite Elisabetta Canalis continuing to publicly mark her territory—this time around, by flashing a conspicuously large ring-finger bauble at salivating paparazzi and weeping women—Clooney's rep tells E! News that the newly-sported bling was not an engagement ring.

Which isn't to say it wasn't a ring of a different sort…

Clooney's rep says, presumably between fits of laughter, that the bejeweled band was nothing more than "a napkin ring."

Speculation ran rampant that the perpetual bachelor had finally decided to settle down after Canalis flashed the ring at cameras in Italy over the weekend, when the couple dined with a group of pals.

Guess Clooney's not the only prankster in the relationship.

IE9 fails to excite me

Despite the preview platform releases, and a beta that’s supposed to land on September 15th, I just can’t seem to muster up any excitement over Microsoft’s upcoming Internet Explorer 9.

Sure, I’ve downloaded the previews, and had a look at the demos that Microsoft has showcased, but even this leaves me feeling a little cold. Compare this to IE4, released back during the heady days of Dynamic HTML, when Internet Explorer seemed fresh and exciting and the browser that everyone (in my opinion) should have been running.

So what’s changed?

Well, several things. First, while IE4 was a developer and user’s paradise, Microsoft dropped the ball when it came to IE5, dropped the ball again with IE6, left IE6 festering about for way too long, and then dropped the ball again with IE8. Then came better browsers, such as Firefox, Opera and Chrome. Heck, even Safari makes IE seem like a mess in terms of plain old usability, and I say this as someone who dislikes Safari which a passion.

Motorola DROID Pro, World Edition and Tablet all found in Verizon Wireless systems


One of our Verizon Wireless sources has done a little digging for us, and we have turned up some awesome information. We exclusively reported that Verizon Wireless is gearing up to launch a barrage of Android handsets and devices, and we are now able to further clarify that report.

The Motorola DROID Pro, the handset with a 4″ display, 1.3GHz CPU, and global roaming capability gets the model number A957, and is set for a November launch. Motorola is also apparently working on a more business-focused version of the DROID 2 with a World Edition global roaming feature, and it looks like that device will launch relatively soon with the model number A956. If that’s not enough, it also appears that the phone will come in two color choices, black and white.

Song Seung Hun and Son Dambi dating reports are unfounded

This came totally out of the blue but both management agencies for actor, Song Seung Hun and singer, Son Dambi have moved quickly to deny rumors that the two were dating.


There were eye-witness reports that the two had been spotted together dating like a couple in Gangnam, Seoul but it has been strongly denied by their respective agencies this afternoon.

Pledis Entertainment, which represents Son Dambi, expressed, “They have not even met each other before. This rumor is totally unfounded and we are unhappy about the spreading of this wrong information, without doing proper checking.” Meanwhile, representatives from Song Seung Hun’s management agency, Storm S replied, “This report is absurd. This is not true at all.”

BlackBerry Torch half-price at Amazon

Read our BlackBerry Torch 9800 review, loving the touchscreen/QWERTY combo but unwilling or unable to stump up the $200 AT&T are asking in-store? Amazon have the answer, with a $550 instant discount on the Torch’s list price, bringing it down to $99.99 or just half of what AT&T want.



That’s of course assuming you’re content signing up to a two-year agreement, with the usual data package and voice plan. Alternatively, Amazon are selling the Torch contract-free, though you’ll need to find $599.99 if that’s your preferred option; we’re guessing it’s still SIM-locked to AT&T, too, though that’s not clear from the retailer’s listing.

The Torch has a 3.2-inch touchscreen, slide-out QWERTY keyboard and WiFi b/g/n, along with triband UMTS/HSPA and Bluetooth. It runs the latest version of RIM’s OS, BlackBerry 6.

Nokia N8 pre-orders go live in the US, $549 for 'end of September' delivery


Itching to get some hands-on time with Symbian^3? Or maybe it's the promise of a 12 megapixel camera that's drawing you? Whatever the case may be, you might be interested to know that Nokia's US outpost is now ready to take your name down for an N8 with availability expected at the "end of September 2010." In the past, Nokia has often bundled goodies like Bluetooth headsets for anyone willing to pre-order well ahead of time, but not so much this time around -- $549 will net you the phone, and that's it. Heck, they're not even throwing in free shipping. Maybe waiting for the actual release isn't that bad of an idea, eh?

HTC Desire HD gets early Amazon UK listing

It’s still up in the air whether HTC’s press event midway through next month will be for the company’s first Windows Phone 7 handset or something running Android, but with Electricpig spotting an Amazon UK listing for the HTC Desire HD we’ve a feeling it’s the latter. The listing – which suggests the Desire HD will be shipped from Amazon themselves, not a third-party seller – prices the smartphone at £415 but mentions no specifications.



According to previous leaks, the HTC Desire HD will be a larger version of the existing Desire, with a 4.3-inch WVGA display like the US-only HTC EVO 4G. There’s also an 8-megapixel camera and 1GHz Snapdragon processor tipped, together with Android 2.2 Froyo as the OS with HTC’s own Sense interface on top.

We will be at the HTC event on September 15th 2010 so we’ll have all the details as to what exactly they’re planning then. Whether it’s WP7 or the Desire HD, one thing is for sure: the big-screen Android smartphone is coming.

Katy Perry debuts new bobbed look as she arrives in Japan... but is it a wig?

Most brides-to-be are busy trying to grow their hair for that perfect wedding day photo.

But Katy Perry has never been one to follow the crowd.


The singer was seen sporting a short, casual bob as she landed in Tokyo for a leg of her California Gurls tour, having apparently lopped off her long hair.

Wearing sleek black pants, an embellished T-shirt, and a pair of Ray-Bans, she walked through the airport glancing at her cell phone.

Perhaps she was texting her fiancé Russell Brand to tell him she'd landed safely.

Of course, one can't be sure that she has actually cut her hair.

Jesse James and Kat Von D Get Cozy in Las Vegas

Is Jesse James ready to move on?

The motorcycle mogul, whose divorce from Sandra Bullock was finalized in June, was spotted having dinner with fellow tattoo enthusiast and LA Ink star Kat Von D in Las Vegas Saturday night.

Settling into a table at Palms Casino Resort's N9NE, the duo didn't bother spreading out in the oversized booth, but got cozy by sitting right next to each other.

The two shared the restaurant's signature rock shrimp and classic caesar salad. They also both enjoyed the filet with a side of asparagus, and drank Fiji water with dinner.

Toward the end of the meal, the duo were spotted holding hands.

They continued holding hands as they left dinner and headed to a black Mercedes that James was driving.

A rep for James had no comment. Calls to Kat Von D's rep were not returned.

Samsung Epic 4G review


Of the seemingly countless variants of the Galaxy S that Samsung's in the process of deploying around the globe, one stands out in a couple very unique (and important) ways: Sprint's Epic 4G. The Epic hangs on to a couple of the Galaxy line's most important characteristics -- namely the 1GHz Hummingbird processor and the 4-inch Super AMOLED display -- but adds in a sliding landscape QWERTY keyboard, support for the wickedly fast WiMAX network that Sprint shares with partner Clearwire, and a handful of other notable one-off customizations.

We've already taken a look at two of the other US-bound Galaxy S models -- AT&T's Captivate and T-Mobile's Vibrant -- but it shouldn't take more than a quick glance at the Epic to tell you that this is a very, very different beast. Becoming just the second WiMAX phone released in the States (and the first with a physical keyboard), this is a pretty critical release for Sprint at a time when its subscriber count is just starting to pick up after several quarters of decline -- and making things even more interesting is the fact that Sprint's first WiMAX handset -- HTC's EVO 4G -- is simply one of the best phones we've ever reviewed. In other words, yeah, you could say that the Epic's got a lot to live up to. Is it up to the task? Let's find out.

Samsung Galaxy Tablet P1000 firmware leaks out, points to 1GHz Hummingbird core?


Samsung's Galaxy Tablet might debut with Vodafone. It might appear at IFA. And it might ship with a slightly slower processor than the last batch of rumors supposed. Samsung Firmwares claims to have stumbled upon a Android 2.2 software build for the Samsung Galaxy Tab P1000 complete with device specs in tow, and says it will have a 1.0GHz S5PC110 processor just like the Galaxy S at left. That's not the only characteristic the 7-inch tablet might share with that smartphone, as the website also fingers an 800 x 480 screen, which might explain why Sammy felt the need to smack the iPhone 4's pixel density. We wouldn't call it anything near confirmation, but the website also corroborates the 3.2 megapixel rear camera and tiny front-facing shooter our tipster tagged in June, plus a Swype keyboard, Flash and the ubiquitous WiFi and GPS. We're eager to find out what's actually under the hood when we finally see it in person.

Hangeng gets caught lip-syncing at press conference

Former Chinese Super Junior member, Hangeng, arrived in Taiwan yesterday to promote his solo album, Geng's Heart. He came out handsomely with his upbeat song, "My Logo," at the beginning of the press conference. However, it was obvious that he was lip-syncing. His explanation was that he had caught a cold, "My throat has been purulent in the past few days and I must carry medication on me at all times." Yet, later, he performed live for his slower song, "Heartache Notebook."

Yesterday, he was asked about the progress of his lawsuit with SM, to which he replied, "I am not too clear about it, I gave it to my lawyer to handle." Du Hua, the CEO of the Chinese record company aiding him in the lawsuit and production of the album, Yue Hua Music, revealed that both sides were hoping for a settlement; However, because of this, Geng's Heart will not be released in Korea temporarily. Regarding the critical words of his former group-mate, Kyuhyun, Hangeng quietly denied it, saying that when the two worked together, "there wasn't much conflict."

In regards to going from 13 member to fighting by himself, Hangeng stated, "There was some pressure in the beginning, but I can adapt well. I still like this (soloing)." When asked whether his fans have decreased after going solo, he answered, "More or less, but my fans treat me very well. I haven't had many opportunities to see them in the first half of the year, but they still collectively raised money for relief work spurring me on to be better." As for whether his income has increased, he tacitly replied with a smile, "There were 13 people before, now there is only me."

Yoon Eun Hye and Kim Hyun Joong for Basic House

Basic House’s main models, Yoon Eun Hye and Kim Hyun Joong, have released their latest photoshoot for the brand’s upcoming “campus look” casual fashion for the fall season.


As seen in the photos above, Kim Hyun Joong is wearing stylish clothes that look and feel relaxed, while Yoon Eun Hye as well is comfortable with her checkered shirts.

Furthermore, it’s known that throughout their photoshoot, the two posed together very well to the point where they looked like a real couple.

Stay tuned to see their photoshoot photos in Basic House’s fall issue!

Tila Tequila Attacked at Illinois Music Festival

Reality star Tila Tequila suffered facial cuts after patrons at the "Gathering of the Juggalos" concert in Hardin County, Ill., pelted her with rocks and feces early Saturday.


"I went onstage and immediately, before I even got on stage, dudes were throwing huge stone rocks in my face, beer bottles that slit my eye open, almost burnt my hair...cuz they threw fire crackers on stage," Tequila (real name: Tila Nguyen) told TMZ.com of the incident.

Hardin County Sheriff Tom Seiner confirmed Tequila, a singer who appeared on MTV's A Shot at Love, complained she was injured by concertgoers. Law enforcement officials declined to go into detail, citing HIPAA privacy laws.

Vlingo bows to Google Voice Actions, makes Android version free of charge


When Google Navigation hit the scene, it sounded the death knell for paid GPS on Android, so you can imagine the doom and gloom at Vlingo HQ last week when Google released the similar Voice Actions for free. As it turns out, however, Vlingo's not going to give up that easily; Vlingo for Android, once a $10 download, is now free as well. In a surprisingly gracious blog post that genuinely congratulates Google on the accomplishment, CEO Dave Grannan explains that he wants Android users to be able to freely compare the services as Vlingo adds features further down the road, and makes one valid point in his firm's favor -- you can try Vlingo now if you've got Android 2.0 or above, but Google's service only runs on Froyo. Interestingly enough, Vlingo on Android was the only version that actually charged; on Nokia, Blackberry and Windows Mobile, however, you could purchase a "Plus" license. Perhaps the company's not quite as generous as we thought, but there's still no arguing with a free voice command service that also reads your email aloud -- go ahead and give it a try.

Toshiba Libretto Hands-On Details Dual-Screen UI, Virtual Keyboard Layouts

A new video shows the dual-screen Toshiba Libretto W100 strutting its stuff in uncharted territory somewhere between a tablet and a traditional clamshell laptop.


What is the Libretto W100? It's a small 1.5-pound, 7-inch Windows 7 clamshell device that sports two capacitive LCD screens: one for viewing, one for typing. The typing screen is much like the virtual keyboard on the Apple iPad. Of course, the W100 can also function as a dual-screen tablet, which--in this respect at least--trumps the iPad.

That said, it needs to be stated up front that the Libretto W100 won't be cheap, roughly twice the cost of the cheaper iPad models. You do get two screens, however, and two batteries and a dual-core processor.

Charice is No. 38 on the Hottest 100 Stars of Summer List by Popstar

Popstar magazine released their list of 100 Hottest Stars of Summer…

And our very own international singing sensation–Charice–is at no. 38!

Topping the list, of course (hands down), is young superstar Justin Bieber who recently won Choice Male Artist, Choice Breakout Artist Male and Choice Summer Music Star in the recently concluded Teen Choice Awards.

Second in their list is the star of Twilight Taylor Lautner who outshone his co-star Robert Pattinson at the Teen Choice Awards. Pattinson is at no. 7 in the Popstar list.

Multimedia artists occupied the 3rd to 6th slot namely Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, The Jonas Brothers and Selena Gomez. These four have movies and tv shows of their own aside from being successful recording artists.

Charice is at no. 38. She outranked High School Musical’s Ashley Tisdale (#46) and Vanessa Hudgens (#51). She also ranked higher than Katy Perry (#50), the reigning American Idol Lee Dewyze (#56) and her friend David Archuleta (#60).

Stallone Durable at Box Office With "Expendables"

Sylvester Stallone outmuscled Julia Roberts at the weekend box office in North America on Sunday to score the biggest opening of his career with his new film "The Expendables."

The action hero's all-star mercenary thriller earned an estimated $35 million across the United States and Canada during its first three days of release, distributor Lionsgate said.

The opening, which was in line with bullish expectations, marks a boost not only for Stallone, who directed and co-wrote the project as well, but also for Lionsgate, whose Lions Gate Entertainment Corp parent is fending off a hostile takeover from investor Carl Icahn.

Julia Roberts, whose career has been almost as cold as Stallone's in recent years, followed at a distant No. 2 with "Eat Pray Love." The big-screen adaptation of a bestselling memoir of a woman's international search for herself, opened with $23.7 million, also in line with expectations.

Dell: Streak likely going straight to Froyo in US


Though it's really quite a capable handset, Dell's Streak brought several disappointments to its belated US launch; namely, a pastry-based OS without any creme filling, and a $549 version that's still SIM-locked. While we doubt AT&T's iron grip will release the Streak from the latter servitude, Dell's Lionel Menchaca suggests that the former problem may get solved all at once, because the company is considering skipping Android 2.1 altogether for stateside Streaks and upgrading them directly to the faster, more capable Android 2.2. We don't have a timeframe for a potential release, of course, as the device just went on sale, but it's clear that Dell hears your cries for the functionality Froyo brings.

2PM to hold 4 encore concert performances coming September


2PM will be holding 4 concert performances coming late-September for 38K fans for their encore concert.

Their concert planner representative revealed, “2PM will be holding their first encore concert in September in Seoul and Busan.” 2PM previously held 2 concert performances for ‘Don’t Stop Can’t Stop’ on 31st July and 1st August and 2 concert performances in Busan on 7th and 8th August.

The concert was visited by fans in various other countries like Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, England, America and China etc, garnering much interests.

JYP Entertainment commented, “We are thankful for the support and interests for 2PM’s concert. And through the encore concert, 2PM will show even more upgraded performances.”

The tickets for the encore concert will be available online from 16th August on Interpark and Auction.com.

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