Rumor: Samsung To Kill 10.1″ Netbook Production In 2012, Replace With Ultrabooks.

While some would say tablet computers are a “flash in the pan” type of product and category, we’d argue that it is netbooks whose lives are to be rather short-lived. And a new rumor published by Blogeee supports such an argument by claiming that Samsung will kill off their 10.1″ netbook line(s) in 2012…

Help The Chronic Dev Team Find Exploits!

With all the buzz on Twitter about what might be released tonight, we finally know what it is. About 10 minutes ago p0sixninja finished and released the post on the Chronic Dev Team blog. No, it isn’t an untethered jailbreak for the iPhone 4S and iOS 5.x. What it is is a cry for help. A need for iPhone users’ crash reports from their iPhones to find new and un-patched exploits.

Instead of allowing this vicious cycle to continue, we decided to write a new program to turn Apple’s own beast against its master, per se. All this program requires from you is to attach your iOS device to your computer and click a single button!

It is really that simple. After reading the blog post, and then downloading the application, I had submitted my crash reports before WordPress had enough time to open so I could write this post. The process is simple. The idea is great. Let’s forget about the lost exploits that Apple has patched and move on to bigger and better things. Hopefully we’ll see great things come from these reports!

Jump on in for a download link to the application…

Patched Version Of Tweetdeck Upgraded To Play Well With Ice Cream Sandwich, Regain Deck.ly Support.

Bummed that the Twitter acquisition has effectively killed off Tweetdeck’s fast paced update schedule and excellent support? You’re not alone. Public outcry has begun building over the last few days now that Android 4.0/Ice Cream Sandwich is gaining presence, as the latest version of Android does not play well with Tweetdeck. But one loyal Tweetdeck user, MoDaCo founder Paul O’ Brien was so frustrated he took matters into his own hands by creating an “upgraded” version of Tweetdeck.

The patched Tweetdeck app not only updates some UI problems that have become more noticeable on larger-screened devices (such as the Galaxy Nexus), but also changes the notification icons to align with ICS and re-adds support for Tweetdeck’s old Deck.ly feature for tweets over 140 characters — one of Tweetdeck’s defining features until Twitter took over.

While we’re more than appreciative for Paul’s efforts, we hope that Twitter/Tweetdeck get the ball rolling and start fixing their own problems and not rely on end users to keep everything in proper working order.

Download the patched Tweetdeck app over at MoDaCo here.

Microsoft Lync For Mobile Reportedly Dropping “In 4 Weeks” On WP7, BlackBerry, Android, And iOS.

Business communications tools are about as exciting as watching paint dry. But the necessity of keeping finely tuned businesses running is a tricky business that ultimately relies on good communication across its parts. Microsoft thinks their Lync service is the perfect tool — an all encompassing server based solution that provides collaboration via IM, file sharing, picture/video messaging and more all based around a more contextual approach. Taking a brief trip through the various descriptions and demos at lync.microsoft.com shows that it certainly looks cool enough. But what good is it stock on a desktop platform in a world increasingly moving to mobiles?

Windows Phone 7 support has been a work in the making for many months now, and is thankfully almost here (rumor says “in the next 4 weeks”). The source of the rumor is Australian based tech enthusiast “Gary Holden”, whom otherwise would have gone overlooked if had it not been for Microsoft Australia re-tweeting Gary’s original tweet with “Confirmed” in front of it. The real surprise, however, is not that WP7 support is so close but that other platforms including Android, BlackBerry and iOS will gain Lync support on launch day alongside WP7.

Anyone excited?

Carrier IQ Suing XDA Member Who Found Their Spying Software Hiding On Android Phones.

Own an HTC, Samsung, competing manufactures’ Android device? Chances are your phone is spying on you thanks to kernel-level tracking software by Carrier IQ. No, this isn’t another Android virus article, but one that is potentially more alarming given the depth of the tracking.

The gist of the story: Carrier IQ is installed on Android (and potentially more) devices from more mainstream manufactures (as listed above) and runs at an extremely low-level (read: kernel-level) environment. Because of this, end users have absolutely 0 control over how it racks, what it tracks, or when it tracks. Hell, we don’t even have the ability to see when it’s running or what data is being sent where.

Even more alarming, however, is how Carrier IQ has responded to the XDA memver who discovered the software, Trevor Eckhart (TrevE) — they’re suing him. The legal letters sent Trevor’s way are pretty intense and full of lots of C&D verbiage and legal buzzwords.

Cutting through Carrier IQ’s BS, it’s easy to see the company is simply trying to cover their tracks and keep the scope of their tracking out of the public spotlight. Unfortunately for Carrier IQ, it appears they’re all incompetent and/or haven’t heard of the Streisand effect — that is, trying to suppress potentially incriminating news will only lead to a much more public, brutal reveal down the road.

All that said, Trevor has signed the EFF as his legal council who know a thing or two about strongly worded legal letters themselves. Ball’s in Carrier IQ’s court now. This should be interesting…

• Carrier IQ’s legal claim: Read

• EFF’s official response to Carrier IQ’s claims: Read

Update

Carrier IQ has officially dropped the lawsuit and issued a formal apology regarding the matter.

Sprint Begins Sending Out Press Invites For January 10th Media Event. Galaxy Nexus Launch Event?

Looks like Sprint has something fancy to show us on January 10th, as is evident by these nifty, “exclusive” press invites heading out to select members of the press. With one of the more popular Sprint rumors of 2011 now (iPhone) now fulfilled, what possibly could it be? We’re going to go ahead and agree with TFTS on this one and hypothesize that Sprint will be showing off their own version of the Galaxy Nexus/Nexus Prime. Remember, Verizon’s wording in marketing material has always been set up in such a way paints a picture with them being a “launch partner” enjoying a short exclusive rather than full-on permanent exclusive.

Of course that little gem would bring about another big question concerning 4G — would a sprint Galaxy Nexus/Nexus Prime be WiMAX or LTE? Sprint’s already said their focus moving forward is on LTE, but it’ll still be a good 6 months before there is any measurable LTE-ified Sprint service.

Speculate away. January 10th isn’t too far away after all…

Bonus: Verizon Tosses More Cities Into Mid-December LTE Rollout.

While there are certain things you can perform too fast, rolling out a nation wide LTE network is not one of them. In addition to previously announced Indiana and Ohio cities, Verizon has added the following to the list of towns getting sweet, succulent LTE service December 15th:

• Delaware: Dover

• Georgia: Skidaway, Whitemarsh, Wilmington and Tybee Islands, Garden City, Rincon, Springfield, Guyton, Pembroke, Richmond Hill, Midway, Hinesville, and Savannah

• Hew Hampshire: Greater Manchester and Nashua

• Massachusetts: Fitchburg, Leominster, Lunenburg, and Townsend

• New York:Clintondale, Fishkill, Hyde Park, Kingston, New Paltz, Plattekill, Poughkeepsie, Red Hook, Rhinebeck, Saugerties, and Wappingers Falls (along I-87 corridor in New York).

Certainly not a bad way to end the year, eh?