Technology Feeds at MentalBreeze.com

AT&T's GoPhone prepaid brand has been around for some time, but as it stands today, the service doesn't officially support iPhones or LTE/HSPA+ connectivity. However, some new reports suggest that that'll all be changing tomorrow.

According to Engadget and MacRumors, AT&T's GoPhone brand will launch support for iPhones, LTE/HSPA+ and Visual Voicemail starting tomorrow, May 24. A leaked memo explains that customers will have the option of bringing their own iPhone or HSPA+/LTE-capable device or buying a new one without a commitment. Those users will then be able to sign up for a $25, $50 or $65 GoPhone plan. All three plans include Visual Voicemail support, but any customers signing up for the $25 or $50 plans will need to buy a separate data package.

The internal memo also notes that existing GoPhone customers with an iPhone or HSPA+/LTE-enabled device will automatically receive an update on June 21 that will enable this new GoPhone data access. Thankfully, any subscribers that don't feel like waiting for June 21 to roll around will be able to contact AT&T Customer Care and gain data access before that date.

AT&T's GoPhone service currently offers a $65 per month plan that includes unlimited talk and text as well as 1GB of smartphone data. There are also $25 and $50 options that include unlimited texting and either 250 minutes or unlimited minutes, respectively, but those require a data package for smartphones that are priced at $5 for 50MB, $15 for 250MB and $25 for 1GB. These plans may not offer much data, but for people that nibble on megabytes or are frequently near Wi-Fi, AT&T's GoPhone service may be worth considering. The change is reportedly taking place tomorrow, so stay tuned and we'll give you a shout if it does indeed go down.

Via Engadget, MacRumors

The battle between Apple and Samsung may be the most well-know legal war currently taking place in mobile, but it's certainly not the only one that's happening. Nokia has confirmed to AllThingsD that it has filed new suits against HTC in the U.S., including one in California as well as a second complaint to the U.S. International Trade Commission. According to FOSSPatents, the California lawsuit includes three RFID patents and targets many HTC devices, including the One, First and DROID DNA. Nokia's ITC complaint includes the HTC One as well, though it focuses on different patents.

In all, Nokia is asserting 50 patents in the different cases that it's involved in around the globe. Concerning its battle with HTC, the Finnish phone manufacturer said that even though a German court found HTC to have infringed on Nokia's patents, "HTC has shown no intention to end its practices; instead it has tried to shift responsibility to its suppliers."

These latest suits show that Nokia isn't afraid to keep its litigation train humming along if it feels that HTC is continuing to infringe upon its patents. Whether or not HTC will be found in violation of Nokia's patents in these cases remains to be seen, but one thing that we do know is that anyone hoping for a decrease in the number of wireless legal battles won't be getting their wish any time soon.

Via AllThingsD, FOSSPatents (1), (2)

It isn’t looking good for HTC. Some might tell you that it was inevitable. Some may even say you could have seen it coming from a mile away. While others may try to convince you that this is just a slump, another hump in the road, but that HTC is going to overcome their troubles and bounce back. Sure, it may look like, right this second that the whole wide world is working against them, but the company has survived this long, and it’s certainly not been all rainbows and butterflies the whole time.

So, some might tell you that this just another hurdle, but not an impossible one. That, my friends, is looking at the glass half full! And there’s nothing wrong with that at all. In truth, I’ve got my fingers crossed for HTC, too. You’d be crazy to actually want HTC to go out of business. That just wouldn’t be cool, and that’s putting it nicely.

But the tea leaves are drifting around. People are making their estimations for what the future holds. Of course, the news isn’t helping much.

Hopefully you didn’t miss the recent reports, or you’d miss that reference. Well, we should probably go over it again anyway, just to cover our bases. HTC confirmed to AllThingsD that Chief Product Officer Kouji Kodera has left the company. That’s big news by itself, but it’s a snowball-turned-avalanche when you add it to the other departures: Jason Gordon, VP of global communications; Rebecca Rowland, manager of retail marketing; John Starkweather, director of digital marketing; and Eric Lin, product strategy manager. That’s a lot of talented executives jumping ship.

What’s more, Eric Lin threw in some color commentary on his way out the door, too. He went as far as to say that his friends working at the company should “just quit,” and that they’d be “so much happier” if and when they did. Ouch, Eric Lin. Ouch.

It isn’t good news, no matter how you look at it, but it is what it is. It’s a reality that HTC has to live with, and one that they’ve got to work with. They have to figure out how to change plenty of different things, both internally and with the consumer, and they have to figure all of it out pretty quickly. Our own Anna Scantlin suggested that HTC should “take a breather,” and essentially “go dark” while they try to figure all these things out.

But HTC has to keep making phones if they want to try and make money. Probably not phones like the HTC First, mind you, considering all the negativity swirling around that device these days. But, more devices like the One? Yes. Yes please, HTC. Your flagship device is only struggling due to component issues, and hopefully that gets figured out sooner, rather than later. Then maybe those five million units you’re sitting at right now can see a bigger boost in the next couple of months.

That gets me to the meat and potatoes. The One. The device that I, and many others, believe is simply the best Android-based piece of hardware around. And, if there are negative points against it, they come from the software. Specifically, the changes that HTC made to their proprietary Sense UI. So when a rumor starts to float around that HTC could be considering launching a One-like device with stock Android, there’s an obvious uptick in excitement.

This is the Nexus-branded device a lot of people have been waiting for. This is a Nexus One to replace the old Nexus One. (Please don’t call it the Nexus One, HTC.) This rumored device would immediately gain plenty of traction, especially if Google could sell it in the Play Store, and for something cheaper than what that stock Galaxy S 4 is going for.

If HTC is indeed planning a stock HTC One, could it be the company’s swan song? Could this be the device that they go out on? Like I said, I don’t like the idea of HTC going anywhere anytime soon at all, but the news keeps traveling downhill, and that can’t be good year-in and year-out. Would a device like a stock One be able to turn it around? That depends. It would depend on a lot of things, like marketing for instance, but also availability.

I’d love to see HTC stick around. Keep “kickin’ it,” or whatever the saying is these days. But there’s obviously a lot that the company has to figure out, work on, and get better before that can happen. Before they can really compete against Samsung and/or Apple. Both. Just one. Whichever.

Here’s a question that I’d like you to answer for me: even if HTC can make a phone that’s sitting high atop the Android pile like the One, but still be faced with all this downtrodden negativity, what would it take for the company to make a real, lasting comeback? Let me know what you think.

Rumored details of iOS 7 and its "flatter" design have been trickling out in recent months, and today some more information on what Apple executive Jony Ive has been busy with has leaked out. 9to5Mac claims to have details on some of the changes coming to iOS 7, and according to the report, Ive and Co. have made alterations to nearly every aspect of Apple's mobile OS that focus on black and white UI elements and a flatter overall look.

The changes start at the lock screen, which while expected function similarly to the way it does today, will reportedly exchange its shiny time bar up top for a simple black look. The sources also claim that lock screen notifications could gain more manipulability.

Speaking of notifications, Apple's Notification Center is allegedly set to gain a new look as well, losing its dark linen background for a simple dark-colored background with white text. Apple is also said to be testing new widgets similar to the existing weather and stock feeds. Those include "localized news feeds" and a quick access panel with toggles for system settings like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Moving on to the home screen, we're told to expect home screen app icons that are shaped in a similar way, but without any shine or shadows. Many of Apple's own app icons are said to be getting redone, with the Camera and Photos apps becoming "flatter" and the Game Center app icon dropping its green felt. Another big home screen change that's reportedly coming is panorama wallpapers that will pan as the user moves between home screens, similar to how Android's home screens work.

Finally, many of Apple's own apps are expected to receive new looks that go along with the focus on black and white colors and flat design. Many apps are said to feature a white base with a theme color that's unique to that app. The Notes app will allegedly ditch its yellow notepad in favor of a clean white look, while the App Store, iTunes Store and iBookstore are said to be getting makeovers to become flat and white. We're also told to expect animated images in the Weather app, a Game Center without its casino feel and a dedicated FaceTime app.

We've been hearing for months now that iOS would be receiving quite a makeover with Jony Ive at the helm, and today's report certainly makes it sound like that is indeed the case. While iOS 7 will likely retain much of the same basic look and functionality in order to keep things simple for users, these latest rumors suggest that it could also be one of the biggest iOS updates that Apple has shipped to date. The Cupertino firm is expected to offer the first glimpse at iOS 7 during WWDC next month, followed by a launch this fall. So, what do you make of the changes detailed in today's report? Do you like the sound of the makeover that iOS is reportedly receiving?

Via 9to5Mac