huawei

If, like me, you had assumed that the Samsung Nexus S would be the first Android phone to receive the official update to Ice Cream Sandwich (after its debut with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus), we'd both be wrong.

Huawei has bypassed carriers to distribute the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) operating system to owners of the Huawei Honor through its Web site. (The second tab below the image translates to Software.)

Of course, this demo build is not an official carrier push, and you'd have to be comfortable manually updating your phone from the kernel contained on the Web site. If you don't read the Chinese alphabet, you'll still be able to switch to other languages that Android supports.… Read more

A year from now, you may be coveting a flashy new ZTE smartphone.

At least, that's what ZTE is hoping for. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Lixin Cheng, the head of ZTE's North American business, said he plans on introducing high-end smartphones in the U.S. By 2015, he expects the U.S. to be the largest market for ZTE.

ZTE, which makes mobile devices and telecommunications equipment, is a growing power in the mobile-handset business. Globally, the company is the fifth-largest handset maker by market share--just behind Apple, according to Gartner. But … Read more

Android continues to inch its way higher as the leading mobile OS on Millennial Media, according to the ad network's October Mobile Mix report.

Google's mobile platform grabbed 56 percent of all ad impressions on the network last month, double iOS's 28 percent share, figures that include both smartphones and tablets together. Android has been the leading mobile OS on Millennial Media's network for almost a year now.

Among the rest of the pack, RIM's BlackBerry OS took home a 13 percent share, leaving 1 percent each for Nokia's Symbian, Microsoft's Windows Phone, … Read more

Huawei announced that it will begin shipping its next Android handset, the Honor, in December to select markets.

Powered by Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread and running the latest build of Huawei's custom software, the handset features a single-core 1.4GHz processor, an 8-megapixel camera, 512MB RAM, and 4GB internal storage.

Obviously, it's not the most advanced smartphone on the market, but one particularly interesting detail about the Huawei Honor is the battery life.… Read more

"Not another 7-inch tablet!" you say. Well, hold that thought and feast your eyes on the T-Mobile SpringBoard, first announced at CTIA.… Read more

Just when you thought the world didn't need another 7-inch Android tablet that few would end up buying, here comes the T-Mobile SpringBoard, the 7-inch tablet you'd do well to look at, for the right price.

Announced just before CTIA officially kicked off in San Diego, the SpringBoard offers quite a bit--"4G" speeds, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1,280x800 screen resolution, and surround sound. There's also a 5-megapixel camera that can record 720p HD video, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, support for HDMI, and up to six hours of battery life. There are … Read more

SAN DIEGO--For the last decade, Shenzen-based Huawei has been a little-known brand in the U.S., but at a press conference today here at CTIA, the company made some ambitious plans known. Their goal: to become one of the top five wireless vendors in just three years.

That may sound like a lofty and highly unrealistic goal for a company whose highest profile devices include the rather basic Android-powered Huawei Impulse 4G for AT&T and the co-branded T-Mobile Comet, a much more entry-level Android smartphone. Sure, the just-announced T-Mobile Springboard tablet could help, but a few modest devices … Read more

T-Mobile's fall roadmap landed online earlier this week, tipping the carrier's device plans for October and November. Judging by the look of things, T-Mobile is betting heavily on Android for smartphones and tablets as the fourth quarter gets underway.

Two of the handsets listed, the HTC Amaze 4G and Samsung Galaxy S II, were recently announced by T-Mobile and will be available on October 12. According to the roadmap, there will be a third smartphone arriving a few days later on October 19 in the form of a Huawei "Wayne." Considering the $99 price (with contract), … Read more

Earlier this year, we told you about the National Geographic-themed Samsung B2100 Xplorer. If you don't remember, it was the durable handset in bright red that was packed with features for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts.

This time around, Huawei is tackling the general theme while taking a slightly different route for getting there. The manufacturer announced today that it was partnering with the Discovery Channel to launch a new phone called the Discovery Expedition.

The Discovery Expedition, which sports a bright-orange skin, has a rugged candy bar design that's water-resistant, dustproof, and shock-resistant. Features include GPS, a flashlight, … Read more