sWaP watch phone likely won't change your opinion of watch phones

[Via Coolest Gadgets]



We'd already gotten a general idea about what Google's RC29 and RC30 Android updates for the G1 did, but if you're curious about all the little details, you'll no doubt be pleased to know that the Google Android Security Team has now finally come out and explained the updates themselves. As we had heard, the RC29 update fixed a vulnerability that could potentially let malicious sites take over your browser, but it apparently also fixed two other software bugs, including a universal cross-site scripting problem that could also give someone control of the browser, and an exploit that let folks bypass Android's locking mechanism by booting the phone into safe mode. As for RC30, it apparently not only fixed that little root access issue, but two other bugs related to WebKit, which could, again, let someone take over your browser, and access to the G1's memory to, for instance, read stored cookies and gain online privileges. Google has also clarified that it intends to wait until all users have access to updates before it discloses the full details about them, so it looks like this cycle of confusion is going to be a regular occurrence for G1 owners.


There's not exactly a lot of details to go on here (or any, really), but AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega has just confirmed during an interview at the Web 2.0 Summit that an AT&T-approved iPhone tethering option will indeed be available "soon." That lack of detail includes any word on pricing or, of course, an actual release date, though MacRumors is reporting separately that it's hearing the tethering capability will be built into the 2.2 firmware, which seems like at least a reasonable guess.
As you might have noticed, there's already plenty of Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1s out in the wild by this point, but there's apparently not quite as many as SE would like, and it's laying the blame on some slightly mysterious manufacturing delays. According to IDG News, Sweden, Germany and the U.K. have been hardest hit by the delays, but Sony Ericsson isn't about to get much more specific than that about the matter, saying simply that a lack of "certain materials" is causing the shortages. The company has said, however, that more phones should be shipping into Sweden in the next few days, with the U.K. and Germany set to get additional shipments in the next few weeks. It also says that planned launches in other countries like Switzerland, France, and Singapore, to name a few, won't be affected by the delays, and that the phone is still on track to be released in the US sometime in November.
Nokia's North American N96 has already made an appearance at Best Buy Mobile locations but, if you're the die hard type that prefers to keep things as Nokia-centric as possible, you'll no doubt be pleased to know that Nokia's flagship phone is now also available at Nokia's two flagship stores in New York and Chicago. You will have to pay a slight premium for all that Nokia-ness, however, with the phone running a hefty $842 (unlocked, of course) at the stores compared to the $800 Best Buy is asking. Those with a bit more will power and slightly less affection for Nokia may want to think twice though, as Amazon now also has the phone listed for just $705.99, albeit with a promised ship date of November 9th.
We'd already heard that ASUS had been invited to join the Open Handset Alliance, and DigiTimes is now reporting that the company is, in fact, planning to launch an Android-based handset -- go figure. That phone, some unnamed company sources say, will roll out sometime in the first half of 2009 (we're guessing late first half), and could possibly be released in Taiwan first under ASUS' own brand before making its way overseas in the form of different "customized models" for various clients. Of course, any other details are non-existent at this point, but those same sources did also note that ASUS will be phasing out its use of the Ericsson Mobile Platform (or EMP) in its phones in favor of handset platforms from Qualcomm and Marvell, which is interesting insofar as that both Qualcomm and Marvell are members of the OHA, while Ericsson is not.
Well, it looks like G1 owners (or some, at least) will be getting a bit of an unexpected surprise when they turn on their brand new device tomorrow, as T-Mobile is apparently already set to start pushing out the very first OTA software update for the phone. Nothing too major, it seems, but the update will include a fix for a bug that has prevented folks from listening to songs on Amazon, as well as a number of other unspecified "enhancements." As with all OTA updates, however, it's likely everyone won't get their fix at once, and T-Mobile helpfully recommends that you simply just "wait," or "wait a little longer" to make sure you get yours, or check your software version to see if you may have gotten the update without noticing (the new release is version RC28).





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