Apple have for a long time now been boasted as the pioneers of the superphone. Since 2007 we've watched as company after company have tried to recreate the big A's success with ever-so-slightly different variants of what's essentially just an iPhone. Along the way, Apple have taken various legal shots at the intellectual freeloaders, the most recent of which being Samsung for their "infringing [Galaxy] product line".

Well in an unexpected and quite frankly hilarious twist of events, it appears the two companies may have more plagiaristic history between them than we first expected. And no, Apple aren't going after Samsung's Series 9 for taking on the MacBook air, rather the following image surfaces online of a handset Samsung produced back in 2006 which challenges the iPhone's own originality all together.

Yesterday, France's SFR jumped the gun and announced the Palm Pre 2 and WebOS 2.0. Tonight, MobiFrance have uploaded some exclusive spy-shots of the prematurely-outed device, which do indeed appear to be the real deal. The pictures show an even sleeker Pre, with a slightly different form to the ones already on the market. Yesterday's shenanigans revealed the handset will boast a 1Ghz processor, 512mb of RAM, and the next generation WebOS software - 2.0. So far, nothing too extraordinary has been thrown out there, something which has been serving facepalms to Pre fans left, right and center. Read on for the rest of the snaps.

So incase you weren't already lactating for Smartphones after Microsoft's big Windows Phone 7 roll-out announcement, french telecoms company SFR have just prematurely outed the Palm Pre 2. The follow-up Web OS handset has a upgraded 1Ghz processor, 512MB of RAM and runs version 2.0 of Palm's WebOS mobile operating system.

In December, Google introduced Goggles on the Android, allowing users to search the web using the phone's built-in camera. Well today the big G rolled out the same functionality for their Google Mobile iPhone app. To search with Goggles, simply tap the camera icon and take a picture of the item you wish to look up. The app will then scan the photo using it's image recogniton software and return what it thinks are the most accurate results.

So as soon as the rumours began, they have ended. Earlier today we reported that TechCrunch had got wind of a mystical Facebook phone being developed secretly by senior members of the company. Spokesperson Jaime Schoflin has just now debunked these claims, stating that:

"The story, which originated at TechCrunch, is not accurate. Facebook is not building a phone... it's just not what we do" 

It's no secret that Nokia's been in big trouble lately, back in July the company revealed quarterly profits were down 40% year-on-year. Although the now former CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo blamed the drop primarily on price pressures and a tough economy, we haven't exactly been seeing breakthrough device line-ups for quite some time.

Well today Nokia are hoping to renovate their brand with the announcement of the C6, C7 and E7 smartphones.

Wireless electronics manufacturer Parrot wowed us back in Janurary when they showed off their enemy-seeking quadricopter at CES. Now, the all-flying, dog-fighting augmented reality copter is available for purchase in selected stores and on-line, for about $300.  

I think most people are over the fact that the iPhone is never going to have a hardware keyboard. Although most users are more than happy with Apple's softkeys, there's always going to be those far-and-few crazycats who just can't get over tactile buttons! Well here's a solution courtesy of Nuu. Mini Key is an iPhone 4 case with a built-in slide-out pysical keyboard.

The Android-esque solution does add a mighty load of bulk, but let's face it, if you really want to fashion your brushed-metal and glossy-glassed iPhone in a plastic keyboard, your probably a bigger fan of function than form.

The Mini Key is expected to go on sale before the end of the year for around €60 / $60. Read on for more pics...

Okay so we ought to know better than to get exited by Apple's vapourous blueprints, but Patently Apple's latest findings have been provoking some serious buzz. The premise is a proximity based social network that takes location aware web 2.0 to the next level via the iPhone.

In a total smartphone fail to keep new handsets under wrap, Mobile blog Pocketnow have leaked snaps of HTC's new candybar smartphone, the 'incredible'. So with such a modest title, what's this baby boasting?

We're talking Snapdragon CPU, 256mb of RAM, a 3.6-inch* WVGA touchscreen (possibly AMOLED) and a 5MP camera all crammed into a delicious bright orange exterior. The incredible runs Android 2.1 w/ Sense UI, an undoubtedly saucy combination, giving this smartphone beauty to balance the brawn. 

In an artistic marketing twist, the team behind Google's second smartphone have put together a series of online webisodes, documenting the story behind creating the Nexus One. Google's key message behind the four-minute first episode: 'Concept and Design', seems to be this idea of perfectly marrying hardware to software, which ironically automatically springs the iPhone to mind.

Still, this Nexus One promo remains a nice touch. Hosted entirely on YouTube, installment one and two of five are live now, although Ep.2 'Display & 3D framework' seems to be having some streaming problems.

Lately Mophie have been making some killings in the iCase market, and with news of a partnership with FLO TV it was only a matter of time before the rumours became realities. Well in a recent press release from the kings of mobile television, FLO have announced development of a new iPhone/iPod Touch product that promises to pack their terribly clunky reciever into one of Mophie's ground-breaking Juice Packs.

If (like us) this is the Apple accessory you've been dreaming of, you'll be pleased to hear this case should be rolling out in the first half of 2010, which is plenty of time for some healthy competition to brew! This is one of those products that we really hope will be done right first time. Luckily Mophie's reputation for ergonomic quality is somewhat of a reassurance, and to date, we can't think of a better manufacturer to follow through the tech in question.

Smartphone security, a worry to us all at the best of times. All that desktop standard software piled in-to a tiny little device, of course some inconsistencies will surface, all good super-phones have had their fair share. Well now it's Motorolas turn!

Droid users have reported a somewhat major (yet somewhat epic!) bug in it's Android 2.0.1 OS, that allows any nosy parker full access to your passlock protected phone with just the click of a button. After receiving a call on the device just hit the dedicated 'back' button to flash forward to the Droids homescreen, giving complete access to e-mail, web history, address book and all other personal information on the device.