Apple has confirmed that Game Center, its social and gaming networking application included with iOS 4.1, will work on the second-generation iPod touch, but not on the iPhone 3G.

The iPhone 3G joins the first-generation iPhone and iPod touch models as the only iOS-based devices that cannot access Game Center. But there is key difference: the iPhone 3G can run iOS 4, while the first-generation iPhone and iPod touch are locked out of the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system. Apple confirmed the compatibility of the new Game Center application on its website this week. The company also on Tuesday reset all Game Center accounts that had been registered by developers testing the golden master of Apple's forthcoming iOS 4.1 update, expected to be released on Wednesday.

Game Center compatibility with the second-generation iPod touch is a change from last month, when a beta build of iOS 4.1 excluded both it and the iPhone 3G.

[source:engadget]

Samsung are to take steps to try and alleviate the global shortage of Super AMOLED screens by building a ew production facility near Seoul. Currently Samsung has the capacity to produce around 3 million units per month, the the new plant should see that increase by a factor of ten to 30 million units per month. The move is necessitated by the chronic shortage of displays that has affected a number of manufacturers and led them to using alternative Super LD screens from Sony to make up the shortfall.

Samsung themselves have been affected as they have not been giving their own products priority over their competitors. In an email to the Dow Jones Lee Woo-Jong, vice president of marketing at Samsung, explained the situation "We've put in a great deal of effort to move up mass production" and noted that Samsung too were feeling the effects of the shortage.

The new plant will cost $2.1 billion, but with manufacturers going to rival Sony for their displays and the appetite for smartphones seemingly insatiable it looks to be money well spent.

We all saw the Motorola Milestone2 photos a while ago. As for the rugged Motorola DEFY, it is dust-scratch and waterproof, weighs only 118 grams and it sadly does not have Froyo onboard but it runs Android 2.1 Eclair. Its features an 800MHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 2GB of internal storage. And on its back there is a 5 megapixel autofocus snapper.

Samsung Galaxy S will launch in China in three different versions one for each of the three major telecoms in the country. One of them, headed to China Telecom, is even going to feature GSM and CDMA dual-standby.

Samsung Galaxy S will launch in China before the end of the year. China Telecom will launch its version this month. Samsung SCH-I909 is a capable of working on both CDMA and GSM networks, but has CDMA2000 as its 3G standard.

The version for China Mobile is the TD-SCDMA Samsung GT-I9008. It will support the Chinese CMMB mobile TV service and will run on the Ophone 2.0 platform.

[source:WSJ]

Apparently, the recently announced Motorola MILESTONE 2 and the rugged Motorola DEFY are both coming to Vodafone Germany at some point. They have been spotted over at the Vodafone stand at this year's IFA fair which takes place in Berlin.

The two devices made their first public appearance a week ago and now, during the IFA in Berlin, they are paying Vodafone a short visit. This undoubtedly means that soon both of them will show up in the Vodafone stores across Germany (and maybe elsewhere).