Daily News Courier

Windows 8 Isn’t Looking Like Microsoft’s Savior Yet

In its first earning report since key product launches, Microsoft’s results are just so-so.

Reporting record revenues of $22 billion, Microsoft painted a rosy picture today in its first earnings report to include sales related to its Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 software, as well as its new Surface tablets. 

The U.N. Isn’t Regulating the Internet–but Governments Still Exert Control

A vote on new International Telecommunications Regulations means no change in terms of control over the Internet

Is the U.N. now somehow regulating the Internet now that its International Telecommunications Union

Android, Windows Be Damned: The Tablet Market Isn

Despite huge growth and Windows making a comeback, the tablet market really won

T-Mobile Wifi Calling isn’t coming to the Nexus 4

The folks over at TmoNews have just confirmed that when the LG Nexus 4 goes on sale at T-Mobile stores in just a couple of weeks that it won't be coming with Wifi Calling (UMA) on board. Now this will come as no surprise to anyone who has followed previous Nexus phones in the past. The Nexus One, Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus all worked on T-Mobile's network just fine, but none of them were given official Wifi Calling support. Just because T-Mo is selling this one directly doesn't mean that changes now.

This may sound bad on the surface because many users would like the ability to have the battery life and call quality improvements that come with Wifi Calling, but this is actually a good thing. Not having the Wifi Calling app pre-installed on the Nexus 4 means that there's a really good chance it has the exact same firmware as the unlocked version coming from Google via the Play Store.

When it comes to updates and variants of Nexus devices, the fewer models that need to be supported, the better.

Source: TmoNews

More: Google Nexus 4 Forums

Romney Aide: Reducing Carbon Emissions from Coal Isn’t a Legitimate Goal

Obama and Romney campaigns debate climate change and energy policy.

The presidential campaigns haven’t had much to say about climate change, with energy policy taking a backseat to other issues for the two candidates. That changed at least for a few minutes last Friday at MIT, as the domestic policy advisor to Mitt Romney and a former special assistant for energy and the environment in Barack Obama’s administration debated energy policy and the role of government in promoting new energy sources.

A Solar Startup that Isn’t Afraid of Solyndra’s Ghost

Braving comparisons to the bankrupted Solyndra, SoloPower is going forward with the production of thin-film solar panels.

There is no doubt that last year’s bankruptcy of Solyndra, a maker of thin-film solar panels that received a $535 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy, is casting a huge shadow over the market for solar power. So it’s no surprise that when SoloPower, another Silicon Valley manufacturer of solar panels, opened the first 100-megawatt production line of its planned 400-megawatt manufacturing facility in Portland, Oregon, this week, it raised eyebrows and howls of protest.

Maybe a matte EVO 4G LTE isn’t that bad after all …

OK, maybe I was wrong. Me, the guy who from Day 1 stuck up for the EVO 4G LTE, saying that the plastic section above the kickstand — the glossy, fingerprint-loving, mirror-finish plastic section that nearly caused wars on both coasts before the phone was ever released — the section that nearly led apple to cancel its complaint with the International Trade Commission ("Let them have it!" Tim Cook reportedly never said) — the section that …

You get the point. Some folks hated it. Some didn't. 

Me? I never thought it was that bad. But check out what Android Forums member yocubed did to his EVO with $23, a few minutes of time and some Ghost Armor. Be gone, Glossy finish, and hello, marvelous matte! And it looks pretty damn good, even if it's not a perfect match. Hit the link below for more info on the mod.

More: Ghost Armor Matte Backing on the HTC EVO 4G LTE

S-Voice isn’t another Siri, EVO 4G LTE [From the Forums]

We're back from the weekend and have quite few things lined up this week for you — nevermind those silly Canucks, being on vacation and all. If you happened to miss out on anything because you were out soaking up some sun, now is your chance to do so both here on the blogs and in the forums.

• Samsung Galaxy S III Forums - S Voice isn't just Vlingo/Siri
• HTC One X Forums - Spinning home screens effect gone in Sense 4.0?
• HTC Amaze 4G Forums - Where's mah' Ice Cream Sammich?
• HTC EVO 4G LTE Forums - If they are shipping this evening, when does Best Buy get them?
• Google Galaxy Nexus Forums – Receiving updates with international based location

If you're not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today.

From the Editor’s Desk: A slow CTIA, whose app is it anyway, the EVO 4G LTE isn’t as bad as you thought, eh?

Two thirds of these guys busted their butts at CTIA in New Orleans. One of them was not me.

Another CTIA has come and gone. I'm not usually one to gripe about the pace of a show, given that at these things we're essentially on a working vacation in cool city. But this spring's CTIA was pretty meh. The biggest announcement was, what, Verizon's Droid Incredible 4G LTE? Not an unimportant phone, I suppose, and it should sell just fine. But while Sprint and AT&T and T-Mobile are rocking phones from the new-and-improved HTC One line, with much-improved cameras, Verizon's missing out.

Samsung missed a pretty big opportunity in New Orleans, too. Not even a week after it unveiled the Galaxy S III to a worldwide (or at least European) audience in London, Sammy squandered a great chance to get the U.S. even more excited about it, and to get CTIA attendees (mostly of the American variety, we wager) proper looks at the new flagship phone. Strike while the iron is hot, they say.

Of course, the U.S. carriers will put their own spin on the Galaxy S III. And it's pretty likely that we'll see some sort of event to show them off, just like what we had with the Galaxy S and Galaxy S II. But it was pretty surprising to see a minimal showing from Samsung here in New Orleans. No both. Just a brief appearance at the Mobile Focus event, where journos and companies cram into a ballroom for food, drink and a slightly more intimate look at products than on the show proper. The Galaxy S III is an important phone that was mostly kept off the floor, and that's a shame. Good thing we went to London to get a proper introduction. (By the way, if you haven't read Alex Dobie's piece — "Hype, expectation an the Galaxy S III" — you've missed out.)

The roundtable keynote featuring the CEOs of Sprint, Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, moderated by CNBC's Jim Cramer, was entertaining if not overly substantive. (It also went a bit long, with each of the four's intro remarks taking more time than many of us would have preferred.) But Sprint CEO Dan Hesse hit home a little bit with a renewed push for mobile privacy, security and safety. Those are three things that will only become more important in the coming years. The Sprint Guardian program, which covers all applicable lines on an account for a relatively small fee, should be an interesting way of going about it.

Otherwise, no real showstopping announcements. No real major releases. Will CTIA in the fall (back in San Diego) make up for it? Or is the usefulness of trade shows starting to run its course for manufacturers?

Oh, by the way. Those two guys in the picture above — Jared "The Body" DiPane and Anndrew "Yes that's how it's spelled" Vacca kicked some serious ass last week. Cheers, boys.

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The EVO 4G LTE isn’t the HTC One X

"But I wanted the HTC One X!"

So we've noticed. But here's the deal, Sprint fans. You're getting the EVO 4G LTE. The Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE. And you know what? It might actually be better than the One X.

Crazy talk, I know. But think about it. No, wait. First, go back and read our HTC One X review. Now let's think about it. How much of the EVO 4G LTE (or the E4GLTE for not-so short) is exactly in line — on paper, anyway — with the One X? Quite a bit. And, more important, it's in line with features of the One X about which we're still shouting from the rooftops.

And it doesn't stop there. Consider:

• Both have a 4.7-inch Super LCD2 display. It's gorgeous.
• Both have 720×1280 resolution. Beat that.
• Both have the Qualcomm S4 processor at 1.5 GHz. (Which, by the way, really isn't "slower" than the Tegra 3 variant because it has half the cores.)
• Both have HTC's excellent new camera and app.
• Both have Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
• Both have Sense 4.
• Both have Beats Audio.
• Both get you 25-gigabytes of online storage from Dropbox free for two years.

But, no. It's still not the One X.

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