SMARTPHONE

Steve Jobs would have been proud of the unavoidable iPhone 4S collision with the Samsung Focus S. He famously called former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates unimaginative in the Walter Isaacson biography, 'Steve Jobs.' Gates probably didn't have anything to do with the Focus S, the newest and arguably finest device to wear the Microsoft operating system, so maybe that's why this new Samsung device has its sights set on Apple?

Shares of Nvidia, the PC chip graphics pioneer, appeared poised to gain at least 2 percent Friday after third-quarter earnings blew past Wall Street estimates.

In the latest development of the intense rivalry between Research In Motion (RIM) and Google's Android-based smartphones, the latter has indicated it will end support for Blackberry's Gmail App, beginning Nov. 22.

Ice Cream Sandwich has yet to make its debut, but the Microsoft system has been out for a while now, so let's see how the two systems' social features compare. As with Apple's iOS 5 update, the Android and Windows Phone operating systems are moving toward integrating the functions of social network apps right into the fabric of mobile devices.

Though there has been no official word as yet about the exact date for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, rumors of a November 21 release have been circulating, thanks to a product launch roadmap supposedly leaked from Verizon.

Shares of Nvidia, the PC chip graphics pioneer, jumped four percent after the graphics chip designer’s third-quarter earnings blew past Wall Street estimates.

iPhone 4S has had a bit of a rocky debut, but when the Droid Razr launches Nov. 11 at 11:11 a.m., the smartphone war will lurch forward once more. Motorola is taking the fight to Apple with the debut of its flagship Droid Razr, a refresh of a long-gone ultra-thin clam shell phone once known simply as the Motorola Razr

Shares of Nvidia, the PC chip graphics pioneer, were unchanged Thursday as investors awaited third-quarter earnings that may shed light on the company’s product transformation.

Motorola will begin selling the new Droid Razr smartphone Nov. 11 at 11:11 am, but you should wait to buy the Galaxy Nexus in a couple weeks. They both will be on Verizon, so they can take advantage of the 4G network, and even though Galaxy Nexus doesn't have a price yet, it won't be much more than the $300 Droid Razr.

T-Mobile reported Thursday a 2.8 percent net income boost to $332 million in the third quarter compared to the year-earlier period.

Motorola will begin selling the Droid Razr Nov. 11 and the recasting of the highly successful Razr brand that began in 2004 will be complete. Back then, Razr was a clam shell feature phone, but in 2011, it will live again as a next level smartphone that boasts the thinnest profile in the world.

Android and iOS mobile devices have grown their presence in the mobile gaming market from 19-percent market share in 2009 to 58 percent in 2011. The two challenge long-running mobile gaming champions Nintendo and Sony.

Galaxy Nexus and Droid Razr are two of the thinnest smartphones out there, but they are also two of the most compelling, powerful and fastest of the bunch. Where iPhone 4S was an upgrade to the iPhone 4 (a serious upgrade to be sure), Samsung and Motorola have totally new designs with all the tech trimmings.

Verizon Wireless plans to release the new Droid RAZR in stores Friday for $299.99. The smartphone will be launched at 11:11 a.m. on Friday's date of 11-11-11.

Samsung is almost through rolling out their holiday lineup of smartphones in 2011, and two of the best available now are the Galaxy S2 and Focus S. Galaxy S2 is the pinnacle of Samsung technology and their bestselling device the world over. In November, Samsung will debut the Galaxy Nexus, a true next generation device, but it's really a Google phone manufactured by Samsung.

HTC released its Sensation XL with Beats Audio in the UK market on Oct. 6. Despite not hitting the U.S. shores officially, the HTC Sensation XL with its huge 4.7-inch screen is expected to give tough competition to Apple Inc.'s iPhone 4S worldwide.

Ericsson, the world's top mobile network gear maker, cautioned that new lower-margin business would hit profitability in the fourth quarter and the global slowdown could mean its customers spend less.

Apple's newest update to its mobile system, iOS 5, brought with it some changes to the Safari Web browser, and Microsoft did the same to their system when they updated Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) with Internet Explorer 9.

Google Inc will continue to offer support to firms using its Android system that are involved in legal disputes, its executive chairman Eric Schmidt said on Wednesday, as the Internet giant looks to cement alliances in the face of toughening competition.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc shoppers can now research the trove of product data the world's largest retailer gathers, through a new iPad app and updated app for Apple Inc's iPhone.

Samsung Electronics plans to invest a record 38 trillion won ($33.9 billion) in facilities and R&D next year, a 27 percent jump from an estimated 30 trillion won this year, local media reported on Wednesday, citing Samsung and industry officials.