HTC Thunderbolt Verizon Price Expensive & Release Pending

The HTC Thunderbolt has caused a lot of stir of late surrounding the release date, well now we can report on the price point that some may find to be a little too expensive.

The release date pending, which hopefully will be March 4th if all goes to plan has annoyed many customers seeing as dates like the 24th then the 28th of February was suggested, now we would love to know what you think of the HTC Thunderbolt Verizon price.

Now we have visited HTC website and put a few Zip codes and and no prices have shown up for us, but Phandroid has a screenshot of the price (Image shown below).

The HTC store is showing a price of $699.99, now we would love to know if this price is expensive or it is indeed a price you would pay for the HTC Thunderbolt. Please do let us know when you visit Verizon Wireless or HTC if when you enter your Zip Code if a price shows up for you.

If the HTC Thunderbolt price is $699.99 would you buy it or still steer towards the iPhone 4? All comments welcomed below, thanks. If you would like to discuss anything to do with this smartphone please visit our discussions page.

Source – UnwiredView via UberGizmo

Verizon HTC 7 Trophy Windows Phone 7 Device May Possibly Come in March

Windows Phone 7 is slowly but surely making its way onto the CDMA carriers’ networks. First announced was the HTC Arrive for Sprint, which is due out on March 20. However, up until now we haven’t heard anything conclusive about any specific Windows Phone 7 device being headed to Verizon, after all the USA’s biggest CDMA carrier.

According to WinRumors though, Verizon will launch the HTC 7 Trophy as its first Windows Phone7 device sometime in late March. That would more or less coincide with Sprint’s Arrive launch, and it makes sense.

Verizon will reportedly charge $200 for the 7 Trophy, provided you sign a new two-year contract (as is customary with smartphones in the US). Both the HTC Arrive for Sprint and HTC 7 Trophy for Verizon will have WP7s first major update, codenamed NoDo, already preinstalled when they ship.

This is the update that will, among other things, bring copy and paste functionality to Microsoft’s platform. This update will also improve application start-up and resume times.

Source: Unwiredview

Nexus S 2.3.3 update adjusts screen's color temperature, we go eyes-on

We've been hearing reports about Nexus S' Android 2.3.3 update adding a yellow tint to the screen and even washing out its colors, but according to Google's Ry Guy, said patch is indeed intended to tweak the display's color temperature. Here's the full quote from Google's support forum:

"With your new OTA complete, you may notice a slight difference in the way colors are displayed on your Nexus S. For Nexus S, we have adjusted the color temperature settings to more accurately reflect darker colors at all brightness levels. The Gingerbread UI being darker, we found that the colors were not as accurate when the device was being used at lower brightness levels. For example, some users reported that the initial color temperature was too high leading to some darker greys having a reddish tone; with the new color temperature this is no longer the case."

So while this display tweak is well-intentioned, it looks like many commenters on both the forum and XDA-Developers aren't too happy with this. Being curious geeks that we are, we went ahead and manually updated our own Nexus S (and by the way, be sure to match your build number with the appropriate patch). As you can see in our comparison photos (shot with the same manual camera settings and medium screen brightness), the new overall color temperature is no doubt subtly warmer, although the dimmer brightness settings no longer suffer from the aforementioned red tone. Interestingly, we actually approve this change, and the Super AMOLED display certainly doesn't look washed out to us, nor do we see any noisy dithering that some have reported. Surely we can't be alone. Well, there's only one way to help solve this mystery: if you happen to be a fellow Nexus S owner who's applied this update, why not chime in below?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Nexus S 2.3.3 update adjusts screen's color temperature, we go eyes-on

Are you happy with your Nexus S with its 2.3.3 update?

Yes, mine's looking good here.No, my screen looks terrible.No, mine's plagued with other bugs here.No, everything's gone wrong!I don't have a Nexus S...

Apple iPad 2 “Near Immediate” Release Next Week

Well now, we know that Apple is holding an event on the 2nd of March, which has been rumoured to unveil the next generation Apple iPad, but what about when will we see the Apple iPad 2 release to the public?

Well according to an article over on Redmond Pie by way of Apple Insider, it appears that potential customers could have their mitts on the next generation Apple iOS tablet just after the event.

Here’s what Apple Insider says the “people familiar with the matter” say…” Apple is preparing several of its operating segments to perform functions during the second half of next week that are representative of nothing short of a large scale, consumer-oriented product roll out (not just an announcement). And with official invitations to next Wednesday’s press briefing clearly indicating a focus on iPad, these people believe at least one version of the refreshed device will be in transit to retail outlets during that briefing.”

Apparently the “people familiar with the matter” have constantly delivered accurate info on Apple gear in the past, so if those people are correct, potential customers could well see the Apple iPad 2 release sometime next week.

Anyone going to be rushing in line to snap up the Apple iPad 2 right after that Apple event at the Yerba Buena Centre in Sans Francisco?

iPhone 5 Parts Surface Confirms Suspicions

Remember not too long ago there was a rumour that Apple was looking at an edge-to-edge display for a future iOS device, and another that the next generation iPhone would have a larger display, well they were almost right.

According to an article over on Phone Dog and by way of 9to5 Mac, it appears what is presumed to be an iPhone 5 part has surface on Chinese website Ideals China, and just might be the digitiser panel for the iPhone 5.

Apparently there’s no confirmation as to the size of the display but word has it, it could be 4-inches and sports a very thin bezel which would make the display almost edge-to-edge, thus if true we could well be seeing this new display when the iPhone 5 hits later in the year.

Of course as usual it’s all speculation and no one in any officially capacity is saying a word on the matter. Personally I’m still not convince that an edge-to-edge display is the way to go as I can see many operating that display by mistake at one point or another.

But what do our reader’s think, would it be good for the iPhone 5 to have a 4 inch almost edge-to-edge display, or do you feel that holding the device would be somewhat more awkward?

Android v2.3 (Gingerbread) Coming To HTC Desire Z, Desire HD, Desire, and Incredible S In Q2

Do you carry an HTC Desire Z, Desire HD, Desire, or the brand-friggin’ new Incredible S? Are you wondering when you’ll get a bite of that sweet, sweet Gingerbread (or, in non-mega-geek-speak, when your handset will be updated to Android v2.3)?

While HTC isn’t naming any specific dates (that just tends to make people rage when the unavoidable delays occur), they’ve confirmed to Slashgear that the four aforementioned devices will get Gingerbread, and they’ve offered up a pretty big window for when those updates will come: Q2. That means we probably won’t see any of them by March, but all of them should be floatin’ over the airwaves by the end of June.

RIM, Bank of America partnering up for Mobile Wallet NFC trial

We've known for some time that RIM is going all-in on NFC (isn't everyone?), but we didn't realize they were going retroactive, too. A NFC payment trial coming up involving RIM and Bank of America will allow selected testers to get an NFC-capable back for their Curve 8520 or 8530, Tour 9630, or Bold 9000, 9650, or 9700 -- in other words, most of the company's portrait QWERTY models from the last couple years. You'll also need an active Bank of America account, at which point you'll be able to tap your 'Berry on NFC terminals to get your pay on. The trial starts this spring; no word on when it might be open to everyone.

[Thanks, Dylan]

Motorola Atrix 4G PC Sync: Wi-Fi, USB, Secure & Google

How would you like different ways to sync data between your phone and PC? Well a new four way sync has been introduced for the Motorola Atrix 4G by CompanionLink Software, who are providers of data synchronisation for mobile phones and CRM software and services.

The software introduced by CompanionLink offers four ways to sync with the Atrix 4G: a wired USB sync, secure hosted wireless sync service, automatic wireless sync via Google and local Wi-Fi sync.

The wired USB sync works in conjunction with DejaOffice, which is a free Android app that operates on the Atrix 4G and enables the sync of contacts, calendar, tasks and notes between the smartphone and PC.

Please note the the automatic wireless sync is triggered when the Atrix 4G is in close proximity to the user PC thus, providing a secure and convenient sync. The sync via Google, transfers PC data to any Google account, which through its data connection then syncs automatically with the Motorola Atrix 4G.

The local Wi-Fi sync uses the user Wi-Fi network to automatically sync data between DejaOffice on the Atrix 4G and PC.

We are also informed by a CBR staff writer that the PC database software for the Atrix 4G supports Microsoft Outlook, Sage ACT!, IBM Lotus Notes, Novell GroupWise, Palm Desktop, Highrise and Salesforce.

I would also like to add that we previously wrote about the Motorola Atrix 4G HD dock, which would make a great addition to this device, for more info click on the above link.

Please let us know about your thoughts on the four way PC sync for the Motorola Atrix 4G, by leaving your comments below.

Samsung and Sprint Pull Epic 4G Update

Not long after rolling out the long awaited Samsung Epic 4G Froyo update, Samsung and Sprint have decided to pull the update from over the air rollout as well as the over the wire PC update due to issues with data access and SD card data issues. The full statement follows below:

There have been an increased number of calls into Care regarding issues with the Epic following the upgrade. As a result, the upgrade will not be pushed to more devices until a resolution for these issues is in place. The OTW update on the Samsung website will also be taken down.

Sprint and Samsung are actively working to correct these problems and release the update to all devices.

The issues being reported are related to data connectivity following the upgrade and SD card issues when attempting to access photos, music, etc. If you are experiencing these issues, a hard reset has been reported to resolve the problems. A hard reset will wipe out all the data on your device, so a backup should be done first.

Android App (Google My Tracks) Helps Prevent Speeding Ticket

If you are going down a road in your car and the police stop you because they say you was speeding but you was not, then we know this Android app aka Google My Tracks will help you.

According to Android Community by way of SkatterTech this particular app saves a driver from a speeding ticket, this story is all about driver Sahas Katta who was ticketed by police for speeding and apparently going 15 miles per hour over the speed limit.

The drive was so confident that he was under the speed limit because of the Android app on his Motorola Droid called Google My Tracks could prove so, the app allows drivers to keep tabs on miles traveled and the maximum speed whilst in transit and according to the apps records the maximum speed he was doing was 1mph under the legal limit.

The courts decided to drop the ticket and the driver was left happy, so it goes to prove apps are indeed powerful and Google My Tracks is well worth having on your Android mobile phone.

You can read more about this app right here; if you already have this application installed please do send in your reviews.

Visualized: Android activations mapped geographically, chronologically, breathtakingly (video)

Do you ever wish for an easier way to show your uninitiated friends what you mean when you say Android is growing? Well, here's the video for you: a Google-produced map of the world that throbs with Android activations over time, highlighted by some truly eye-opening flourishes in the immediate aftermath of marquee handset launches. The Google guys have even given us handy countdown timers -- "Droid launch in 3, 2, 1..." -- and broken things down by continent for easier viewing. Only thing missing is a soundtrack, so just have your Tron: Legacy OST loaded up and ready before jumping past the break.

[Thanks, Leo Z.]

Nokia C3-01 to Be Unveiled By Telus in Canada

Being already available in Europe and later expected to be released in India this quarter, the Nokia C3-01 Touch and Type will be introduced in Canada, too.

According to the MobileSyrup reports Telus is going to bring the C3-01 to Canadian customers, although it’s not clear when exactly. C3-01 is Nokia’s second S40 phone to feature a touchscreen display (2.4 inch, QVGA).

It also has an alphanumeric keypad, Wi-Fi, HSPA, Facebook and Twitter integration, 3.5mm headset jack, FM radio with RDS, 5MP camera, VGA video recording, and MicroSD card support. Telus currently offers other two Nokia handsets, the Symbian-based E72, and the 3710 clamshell (priced at $349.99 and $149.99, respectively, without contract).

There’s no word on how much the Nokia C3-01 will cost when released by the Canadian carrier.

Source: unwiredview

T-Mobile’s Limited Time Promo Plan: 1500 Minutes + Unlimited Text/Data = $80

Lookin’ to hop on board with T-Mobile? Do you burn through data and texts like no ones business, but don’t really use your phone as a phone all that much? The stars have aligned for you, my friend — but only for a limited time.

They’re not saying how long this deal will stick around, but T-Mobile has just put up a new Limited Time promo plan. $80 gets you Unlimited Data, Unlimited Texts, and 1500 minutes. That’s $20 less than their Unlimited Everything plan, and $10 less than their non-promotional 1000 minute, Unlimited Data/Text plan.

iPhone 4 Kicked Out of Top 5 in Best Phones Chart

With all the hype over Apple Gear such as the Apple iPad 2 and the iPhone 4 one would have expected the iPhone 4 to command a high ranking when it comes to mobile phone popularity charts: however, apparently the latest survey by uSwitch sees the iPhone 4 16GB drop out of the top 5.

According to an article over on ITProportal, according to the survey conducted by uSwitch, Android dominates the top 3 slots with the HTC Desire, HTC Desire HD and HTC Wlidfire. The uSwitch Tracker ranks the top handsets by way of live searches and sales.

Bringing up 4th place in the chart is the BlackBerry Curve 8520 and 5th place goes to yet another Android smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S, pushing the iPhone 4 out of the top 5 to sit in sixth position.

Thus it would appear that Android is beating the iPhone in the mobile space, and could be one of the reasons why Apple is considering putting out a cheaper version of their iconic handset. According to the figures Android devices now account for fifty percent of the most popular smartphones on the market.

According to uSwitch communications expert, Ernest Doku, “The competition is taking a huge bite out of Apple’s market. And, with over 800,000 deals currently giving away a smartphone for free, it’s easy to see how consumers are being lured away from the iPhone.”

So have any of our readers been lured away from the iPhone and have purchased an Android device instead? Do you think the iPhone is finally losing its grip over the mobile space to Android handsets, or do you believe the iPhone will always be tops in your view?

AT&T Confirms Samsung Captivate and HTC Aria Froyo Updates

AT&T has confirmed in a series of videos on its Facebook page that it will rollout its Android Froyo update for its variant of the Samsung Galaxy S in the Samsung Captivate starting tomorrow as an over the wire update with full instructions from Samsung. AT&T has also confirmed that the HTC Aria will also be updated to Android Froyo with testing underway for a release “very soon”.

Motorola Xoom Android Tablet Unboxed on Video

For those that are thinking about snapping up the new Android 3.0 Honeycomb packing Motorola Xoom tablet on the Verizon network, we have a couple of Motorola Xoom tablet unboxing videos for your viewing pleasure below.

The first unboxing footage comes our way courtesy of the guys over at Gear Live and delivers seven minutes of unpacking the Android device, while the second video comes our way courtesy of the guys over at Wirefly, who also deliver seven minutes of footage.

In the first Motorola Xoom unboxing video the guys take a look at the tablet and accessories in the package and also power up the device and let us have a gander at the Xoom set up process while the Wirefly unboxing is more about the specs.

As for the Motorola Xoom specs I won’t bore you with listing them yet again here, but if you need reminding you can head on over to our previous post (here) and check them out.

So that’s about it, I’ll shut up now and simply let you make that jump to hit those play buttons if you haven’t already done so, to sit back and enjoy the Motorola Xoom unboxing.

HP TouchPad WebOS Tablet Price, Release & Review

The latest HP TouchPad WebOS 3.0-based tablet is coming to the market sooner than expected and here we will give you the news covering the price, release and a review.

DiGiTimes and Barrons have reported that HP (Hewlett-Packard) is going to start selling the new HP TouchPad in April and it’s price is rumoured to be around about $699 according to Rethink Wireless, if this is the final price do you think it is a reasonable or a little too expensive considering the specs and features within?

HP is apparently going to get shipments in the region of about 4-5 million TouchPad WebOS 3.0-based tablet PC units in 2011.

The tablet will feature 1024 by 768 with aspect ratio of 4:3 (9.7-inch) display made of Corning Gorilla Glass, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 processor, 1GB of RAM and buyers will have a choice of 16GB and a 32GB versions.

For more information about the HP TouchPad please visit TablePCReview where they have a hands-on review, well worth a read to get a little idea of what to expect. Please do post all comments below

Barings Fund Prices iOS App Enables Real Time Tracking

If you are a professional or retail investor with an iPhone or Apple iPad and wish to keep track of Barings’ fund prices well you can now do so whilst on the go with the Barings Fund Prices app for iOS devices that is now available from the App Store.

The Barings Fund Prices iOS app enables the user to customise their display along with filtering funds that are of more concern to them in regards to currency preferences and geographic location, and can pick from Barings range of fixed income, global emerging markets, EMEA, Asia Pacific, multi-asset and European investment funds.

The head of marketing and communications for Barings Asset Management, Ian Pascal says…“While the use of smartphone applications is relatively new for the asset management industry, we’ve discussed the concept with a number of our clients and found that there’s a real demand for financial data at their fingertips. Nearly a third of the traffic to our website is to view fund prices and our new app for the iPhone and iPad will make accessing this data even simpler.”

The Barings Fund Prices app in addition to delivering an overview of funds also enables the user to find out fund charges, minimum investment requirements, and bid and offer prices.

The Barings Fund Prices app can be downloaded to the iPhone or Apple iPad as a free download by hitting up iTunes.

SDK for Android 3.0 Honeycomb: Developers API Must Have

Good news for app developers because the new and final Android 3.0 Honeycomb platform and updated SDK Tools are now available.

The new API has now been pushed up to level 11, if you visit Android developers you will see that the new platform is available and they have released updates to their SDK Tools and ADT Plugin for Eclipse.

So what are the main features then? Well it gives you UI Builder improvements in the ADT Plugin like a new palette with categories and rendering previews, more accurate renderings of layouts, Selection-sensitive action bars to manipulate View properties, Zoom improvements, Improved support for layouts, Traceview integration for easier profiling from ADT and much more.

We recommend you getting started in development and testing applications on Android 3.0 Honeycomb by visiting the Android Developers site. Please do check out the Android 3.0 highlights here.

Please do let us know what you think of the above, the more input we receive from you will give us a better idea how everything is running. Your comments are very important to our readers and of course us.

Source Android Developers via Engadget

Sprint renames the HTC 7 Pro the Arrive, launching it tomorrow

Punch sprint.com/arrive into your address bar and the above is what you shall find. Not a generic error marker but a URL-specific "coming soon" message that would seem to confirm the existence and indeed near-future arrival of the HTC Arrive. Beyond that bit of web sleuthing, we also have ourselves a proven tipster informing us that this will be a carrier-branded version of HTC's 7 Pro and confirming that it will be launched tomorrow. A tweet from Sprint earlier this week, intimated heavily that it's about to introduce a Windows Phone 7 handset on the 24th, which we surmised to mean exactly the long-awaited 7 Pro QWERTY slider. Already available in Europe, this device will serve as the first CDMA representative from the WP7 stable, meaning that you'll soon be able to Glance and Go on the Now Network of alliterative advertising slogans.

Huawei Ideos Android Phone India Price & Specs: Aircel

If you love Android phones and live in India then let us talk about the Huawei Ideos Android 2.2 Froyo smartphone by Aircel covering price and specs.

At last the Huawei Ideos by Aircel has been launched and will go up against the likes of Micromax Andro A60, Samsung Galaxy 5 and the Dell XCD28 according to PCWorld India.

The Huawei Ideos handset main features include Android 2.2 Froyo OS, 256MB of RAM, 528MHz processor, 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen with 256K colour output, 3.15MP camera, you can record in CIF resolution (352×288), has 200MB of built-in memory, Adreno 200 GPU and much more.

Times of India say that this mobile smartphone will allow you to access the internet with ease because it comes pre-loaded with great services such as Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk and Google Maps, which makes emailing and social networking a breeze.

If the Huawei Ideos Android smartphone is something that interests you then how does Rs. 8,499 sound. For more information about this device please visit Aircel website.

Just to give you more of an insight to the colourful mobile phone please watch the YouTube video courtesy of howtechscom below.

Motorola Atrix 4G gets the teardown treatment, fourth G nowhere to be found

If our review of the Atrix left you hungering for more, you can now feast your eyes on the guts of Motorola's new Android powerhouse. Thanks to the folks at iFixit, its teardown reveals a familiar range of parts -- 16GB of NAND flash, 960x480 PenTile LCD, 1GB DDR2 RAM and that beast of a NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU. What's more, is that the teardown brings to light some enticing news -- the glass panel is not glued to the LCD. This allows for the clumsy to not have to spend the extra dough if they crack the glass (which is usually affixed to the display). Hit the source link if you've got your Atrix and are ready to dismantle the thing yourself.

P.S. -- There is a Qualcomm MDM6200 HSPA+ chip inside the phone. The title is meant to be a joke in reference to misconceptions about 4G wireless technology. You can read all them here.

White iPhone 5 Is On The Cards

Well now here’s one rumour that just might perk up those iPhone faithful that have seen that the next generation iPhone may be delayed until September, remember the elusive white iPhone 4 that never materialised? Well we could well be seeing a white iPhone 5.

According to an article over on Engadget by way of DigiTimes and by way of the Economic Daily News, that beast of a smartphone that is more elusive that the mythical unicorn or Pegasus, is on the cards as the Economic Daily News reports that Wintek will be the exclusive supplier of the white touch panels for the iPhone 5.

Furthermore according to the Economic Daily News report, Apple is to focus on the paler than pale model of the iPhone 5, so perhaps Apple feels they let their faithful followers down too much by not delivering on the white iPhone 4?

However; this should still only be treated as rumour as apparently Wintek declined to comment, and no doubt Apple is keeping the usual closed mouth on anything to do with Apple gear. So will our iPhone toting reader be overjoyed and drooling at the bit if Apple finally manages to deliver a white iPhone 5?

Apple iPad 2 Event Scheduled for 2nd March

Well now it could well be that all the rumours flying around about the next generation Apple iPad suffering a delay until sometime in June may be somewhat unfounded as the word is Apple has scheduled an Apple iPad 2 event for the 2nd of March.

According to an article over on Slash Gear, Apple will apparently unveil the Apple iPad 2 at the event which has been reported by AllthingsD, who claim the usual “sources close to the situation,” will be held at the Yerba Buena Center of Arts in San Francisco.

If true then Apple should be sending out invites to the event round about now so the media can get to the event on time; whether Steve Jobs will be present at the event is unclear as the iPhone chief is still on medical leave.

So, if this is true then at least the delay of the Apple iPad 2 will be proven to be unfounded. So does this news excite the iOS faithful out there waiting in eagerness for news of the new Apple tablet?

Latest Handset Comparisons For Mobile Fans

In the ever-expanding mobile market there is barely a day that goes by without a new batch of handsets being launched or new prototypes getting discussed in detail. Here are just some of the latest handsets which are set to light up the interest of mobile fans around the world.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
The first handset to get PlayStation certification is the Xperia Play, a touchscreen smartphone with slide-out physical controls that have led many to dub it the PSP Phone. It features a four inch display and a 1GHz processor onboard powering Android 2.3. It also has a number of unique gaming features, including access to specially emulated PlayStation One games from the early days of Sony`s console dominance. Prices are set at around 520 for this high end handset, although whether it will actually appeal to gamers in place of a standalone device like the PSP remains to be seen.

LG Optimus 3D
Another smartphone based on Android 2.3, the Optimus 3D has a market-leading glasses-free 3D display which will produce stereoscopic images and enable users to enjoy movies, pictures and games in greater depth than ever before. A dual-core 1GHz processor will help it chew through the 3D content and on the rear a pair of five megapixel cameras will allow it to take 3D photos and even record video clips in 3D and high definition at the same time. This might cost roughly the same price as the Xperia Play but from a technical standpoint it is clearly superior.

Samsung Galaxy S2
The Galaxy S2 replaces last year`s original which sold more than 10 million units and so has a lot to live up to. With a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Plus display it will not be short on visual clout or size. It is also going to be eminently thin and even a little slimmer than the iPhone 4 which has held the crown as the world`s slimmest smartphone since it launched last summer.

HP Pre3
Following its acquisition of Palm last year HP is finally getting around to properly reinventing the Pre smartphone which was a critical success but a commercial failure for the firm. The Pre3 has all the right specs, with a 3.6 inch display, a 1.4GHz processor and a solid five megapixel camera with that all-important HD video capture. The webOS software has also been modernised and rejuvenated, offering what will arguably be the best multitasking performance on the market. Whether it will be able to win any fans with so many powerful alternatives grabbing the headlines is a different matter.

Motorola Atrix
Like the Optimus 3D from LG this will sport a dual-core processor and a four inch display which will have a high resolution that almost matches that of the iPhone 4`s Retina Display. 16GB of storage and Android 2.2 should make it a competitive device and no mobile phone is complete without a five megapixel camera with the obligatory 720p HD video capture. If you are fan of Motorola`s MotoBLUR interface then this too will be available, although you can turn it off if it turns you off.

Samsung Indulge Review: Great Features, Poor Battery Performance

MetroPCS' first 4G Android smartphone is now available and it's quite an attractive offering.  Called the Samsung Indulge, the handset brings strong specs, excellent usability and one downside that may prove a deal-breaker for some users.

Physically, it's your typical touchscreen candybar.  Just like other Galaxy S handsets, it has a glossy black finish, rounded corners and a sturdy build.  While completely plastic, the make hardly deters from the experience.

Display is a  3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen (480 x 800 resolution), showing crisp images and facilitating excellent touch response.  It's not AMOLED, though, so it's not quite as good as some of Samsung's other releases.  Slide-out QWERTY keyboard offers well-spaced, slightly flat keys that actually turn out to be very good for typing.

As a phone, the Indulge makes for good calls.  Voices go through clear and there was very little distortion, although you'll often need to turn the volume up to max if you're outdoors.  Speakerphone is just as capable, sounding very clear with just a slight harshness.  The battery is the low point here (and could very well be the deal-breaker for some).  Rated at only 3 hours of talk time, the 1,500 mAh module will probably drain before the day is over if you use your phone regularly.

Packing a 1Ghz processor, the handset zipped through Android 2.2 without any problems.  It runs TouchWiz 3.0, which I actually like.  With skins like these being a matter of preference, of course, your mileage may vary.  The big deal about the Indulge, of course, is its 4G support (which downshifts to 3G when a signal isn't available).  Speed is impressive, but don't expect it to beat the Epic 4G under Sprint's WiMax in head-to-head tests.

It's got all the usual Froyo smartphone fare -- multiple calling options, basic and advanced messaging, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, PIM tools and Google's suite of apps.  WiFi hotspot isn't enabled, though, which puts a slight damp on the attractive 4G speeds.  A slew of additional apps  also come preloaded, including Samsung's AllShare service (DLNA sharing), a social networking and IM bundle, and various productivity tools.

The music player looks better because of the TouchWiz skinning; otherwise, it still has the standard Android features.  Playback of both audio and video clips is very speedy.  The 3.2 megapixel camera snaps good shots, although the general quality of images is pretty dull, even with good lighting.

If you can live with the deficient battery life, the Samsung Indulge is actually a very cost-effective choice for an Android smartphone.  We love that it's available without a contract, although the $399 price will likely be restrictive for some.

First Windows Phone 7 update not going smoothly for some Samsung handsets (update: Microsoft suggests temporary fix)

So this is why they do phased rollouts, eh? If Twitter is the font of truth and reality that we suspect it to be, it sounds like users of some Windows Phone 7 models by Samsung are struggling with that minor first update that Microsoft started pushing this week. Basically, it sounds like the update isn't consistently completing; it some cases, users get an error message, and there doesn't appear to be any way to roll back or restore the prior firmware and get the phone back to a working state. Mass bricking is probably the greatest fear of software engineers before deploying handset updates to the field, so it's a good thing they're taking it slow; of course, that's not much consolation to the folks who are stuck making a call (on someone else's phone) to Samsung support.

[Thanks, jdog25]

Update: the::unwired is reporting information straight from Microsoft on how to fix a "bricked" device that doesn't complete the update, and it's deceptively simple: just pull the battery, put it back in, and turn the phone on. Failing that, perform a hard reset. Either way, the company is recommending you don't attempt the update again until the phone reminds you, which it says will happen in about three days.

Motorola Xoom Gaining Flash 10.2 Coming OTA Soon

As you know and may have been somewhat disappointed, the new Android 3.0 Honeycomb sporting tablet from the Motorola camp, the Motrola Xoom will not have Adobe Flash support on initial release, as reported (here), but all is not lost because the Xoom will get Flash quite soon.

According to an article over on Droid-life and by way of Android Central, the Motorola Xoom will gain the latest version of Adobe Flash, Flash 10.2 rather than Flash 10.1 in a few weeks time by over the air update.

According to Adobe…” Adobe will offer Flash Player 10.2 preinstalled on some tablets and as an OTA download on others within a few weeks of Android 3 (Honeycomb) devices becoming available, the first of which is expected to be the Motorola Xoom.”

So basically although the downer with the Motorola Xoom is that there will be no Adobe Flash support at the outset, it shouldn’t be that long before the Android tablets plays nice with Adobe Flash 10.2, of course that is if there are no unexpected delays in pushing it out.

Case study: Diabetic Friend iPhone App

Diabetic Friend is an online community that helps people with diabetes manage their condition and share their stories.

Tecmark developed an iPhone app for Diabetic Friend, called DF Diary, which lets users record their glucose levels, what they have eaten, and what medication they have taken.

DF Diary incorporates a UK food database, which shows the nutritional content (calories, carbohydrates, sugars, fat and saturated fat) for around 6,500 separate items, and a UK restaurant database, which updates automatically and helps people manage their diet.

The app also lets users calculate their carb: insulin ratio, and suggests the appropriate insulin dose. Additionally, it produces graphs showing glucose readings, nutritional targets and medication, which can be emailed to the user or their doctor, and syncs with www.diabeticfriend.co.uk to ensure that data on the app and the website stay concurrent.

Richard Heyes, MD at Tecmark, says, “As mobile Internet usage continues to soar, organisations will increasingly benefit from linking their conventional web presence with mobile apps or other mobile-optimised content in this way.”

DF Diary iPhone App Main Features: Keep an online diary of your blood sugar levels, medication and nutritional values, Currently 13 restaurants and increasing, to help control what you are eating, it also features A database of English foods showing Calories, Carbs, Sugar, Fat & Sat Fat, plus Help carb counting and this app also gives a data in graph form to help you and your healthcare team.

You can buy this app via iTunes for only 1.79 if you already have this app we would love for you to send in your personal review. Thanks

Flick Ninjas Mobile Game for iPhone: Video

Do you enjoy passing the time away by playing games on your iPhone or iPod Touch, then perhaps you should check out this latest game for your iOS device called Flick Ninjas, apparently a star of the 90′s 8-bit game era.

Flick Ninjas for iOS devices apparently love to be flicked, the mobile game has bee exclusively built for the iPhone and iPod Touch multi-touch display whereby users flick or tap their way through the levels, which 360 degree freedom of precise flick and power meter controls.

The Flick Ninjas app for iOS features 30 levels of flickability, and the user needs to collect all the coins to records their high scores to OpenFeint and the Game Centre leaderboards. The user can earn up to 3 stars for each level and 27 achievements totalling 800 points. With Flick Ninjas the user simply flicks to move fast, taps to stop or finer walking, and hold to bring up the power meter.

Flick Ninjas can be downloaded to your iPhone or iPod Touch at a cost of just $0.99 by hitting up iTunes. We have a short Flick Ninjas gameplay demo video for your viewing pleasure below courtesy of the guys over at Game Trailers, so don’t forget to check that out before grabbing the app…enjoy.

webOS 2.1 for the Pre Plus now available to download for O2 Germany users

In spite of HP's strong assurances to the contrary, the Palm Pre Plus is actually going to give users the option to ride into webOS 2.x territory. As we speculated yesterday, O2 Germany Pre Plus owners can now download a new firmware package for their slider handsets, which will work its magic and update them to version 2.1 of HP's magnificent software. The company has been actively discouraging users and programmers from pairing the older hardware with the latest software, so we can't promise it'll be a bump-free ride for all upgraders, but having the option is all people have been asking for and now it's there -- and by "there" we mean the source link below.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Verizon dropped 10,000 emergency calls during January snowstorm in Maryland, FCC finds it 'alarming'

Uh oh, Verizon's got itself into a bit of hot water with the old FCC. An outage during a snowstorm last month has reportedly resulted in a whopping 10,000 calls to 911 not being connected by the big red carrier. That would be bad enough in itself, but the less-than-pleased Communications Commission also notes that the emergency services that missed out on these calls were not alerted to the connectivity failure -- in fact, Maryland's Montgomery County officers were the ones to inform Verizon of the fault it was having, which was then promptly repaired within 15 minutes. The FCC is now curtly asking the network to check its entire footprint for similar vulnerabilities -- as the January events were apparently "not unique" -- and to propose remedial actions and monitoring systems to prevent it happening again.

Vodafone and Telstra Upgrade Mobile Networks in Australia

Looks like our Aussie buddies will be getting upgraded mobile networks from both Vodafone and Telstra over the next year and a half, with Vodafone, who has in the past been criticised over poor network performance, replacing practically all of their base stations.

According to an article over on The Register, Vodafone Australia is to replace their current equipment or install new with Huawei equipment at their 8,000 base station sites which could take up to a year and a half to complete.

Apparently the overhaul will begin at the 5800 Vodafone sites already in service and engineers have been asked to locate which sites are getting the highest level of traffic while 2200 new sites will be commissioned.

Apparently upgrades will apply only to the base station that Vodafone brought to the table as Hutchinson base stations are subject to the firm’s 3GIS network sharing agreement with Telstra and once that agreement draws to an end will Vodafone Hutchinson Australia incorporate the remaining base stations.

As for Telstra, apparently the company announced in AustralianIT that they would use QoS tech to handle traffic on their LTE network, which is currently under deployment, and state that QoS technologies are required on a radio network to halt bandwidth hogs such as IPTV along with HD streaming from degrading network performance.

Motorola WX345 now available for Free from Consumer Cellular

A new phone has been added by the Consumer Cellular to its line-up, and just like all the other handset it offers, this is a low-end feature-phone.

Though, the Motorola WX345 makes up for it not being a smartphone or having many features with its pricing, as it’s free (with a $35 activation fee).

However, thanks to Consumer Cellular’s flexible contracts, that ‘free’ do not come tied to the usual requirement that you sign a two-year contract. Motorola WX345 is a flip phone and it has large and easy to use keys, a speakerphone, a camera, an MP3 player, FM radio, Bluetooth, and it comes with hearing aid compatibility.

That gives you an idea of who it’s targeted at: people who use a phone primarily for talking, the elderly perhaps as well.

Source: Unwiredview

Minecraft for iOS confirmed, the hunt resumes for free time to squander

You know all of that time you've been wasting on Angry Birds HD? Looks like your flying friends may have company when it comes time to, um... kill time, as Markus Persson has confirmed to Gamasutra that an iOS port is "in the works." That means that an official Minecraft build will soon pop up in Apple's App Store, with iPhone and iPad versions hinted at. Aron Neiminen, a new recruit to the Mojang team, is responsible for the port, and if all goes well, it'll be let loose later in the year. Persson also confirmed that the iOS version won't receive every update that the original browser / download versions get, but that it'll be "granted features that make sense for the touchscreen platform." Raise your hand below if you're giddy beyond control.

Windows Phone 7 Update is Live: Oh Dear Me

Yes you can sit right on the edge of your chair because the new Windows Phone 7 update is live, if you are on the edge of your seat we might suggest you shimmy on back into an upright position because it is nothing special, oh dear me.

Microsoft give their due has finally released its new update to Windows Phone 7 but it is only a pre-update so to speak design specifically to prepare your WP7 handset for the real imminent software update.

This new update that has gone live does NOT and we say does NOT feature third-party multitasking, cut and paste functionality, if you are waiting for these in the update you will have to wait until March. Before you get annoyed it has been said by sources below that this update is still very important because it helps the full release update next month easier and better.

This new update is being rolled out bit-by-bit (Gradually), you will get an alert on your device when available, it is not an OTA update; USB tethering to the Zune software (for Windows users) or Windows Phone 7 Connector (for Mac OS X users) will be needed according to Arstechnica.

Please check out the Microsoft published history page to allow updates to be tracked, if you have anything to say about this new update please do scroll down a little and post all your comments. Thanks

Sources – Pocket-Lint

Motorola Xoom Pre-Register at Carphone Warehouse UK

For those waiting for the Motorola Xoom tablet will be happy to know you can pre-register at Carphone Warehouse UK right now with expected release in April 2011.

Carphone Warehouse is allowing you to pre-register for the Motorola Xoom 3G + Wi-Fi (The first Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet) as of now, the Motorola Xoom in the UK will be exclusive to CPW and Best Buy for the U.S.

The Motorola Xoom has stunning features such as HDMI connectivity, Android 3.0 Honeycomb, dual core processor and a cool 10.1-inch display. In the U.S the price for the tablet will be $799 but no price has been mentioned yet for CPW, check out this full Xoom information page

Other Features: 1280x800p with 16:10 aspect ratio display, full HD entertainment, 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity and so much more. You may want to check out the specs and HTC Flyer comparison here.

We also mentioned a little earlier on today that we suggest you reading, that the Xoom will NOT support Flash. Please let us know if you will be pre-registering on Carphone Warehouse today. PRE-REGISTER HERE

Source – Know Your Mobile

Angry Birds Playable Game You Can Eat: Video

Well you would certainly have to be one dedicated Angry Birds fanatic to want your birthday cake to resemble the highly popular multi-platform mobile game Angry Birds, but as the video we have for your viewing pleasure below confirms there are those about.

The Angry Birds Playable Birthday Cake video comes our way courtesy of the guys over at Gizmodo and by way of Electric Pig and delivers three and a half minutes of seeing the Angry Birds birthday cake being constructed and then watching Ben launch the birds at the green pigs.

I have to say whoever made the Angry Birds cake is a culinary artist, as those green pigs and ice Angry Birds sure do look just like those in the popular Angry Birds game, and the great advantage is you get to eat what’s left as well, and not a smartphone in sight.

Apparently the Angry Birds birthday cake took ten hours to make, while it took 6-year old Ben just two minutes to destroy, but no doubt they all had a good time clearing up.

Hmm, I wonder what green pig tastes like? Looks like Ben had a great time too. So head on down, mash that play button and check out this rather unusual take on the Angry Birds game phenomenon…enjoy.

Calories Counter and Calculator: FoodPad Calorie Tracker App

Watching your calories is something many of us do and trying to keep track is somewhat a little hard to cope with sometimes, well we would to let you know about the calories counter and calculator “FoodPad Calorie Tracker” app.

The FoodPad Calorie Tracker iOS app is a very good application to have installed on your iPhone, thanks to Lightbringer Software things have just got easy to keep track.

All you need to do is enter the name of the food and number of calories it has and then tap the add food, it is as simple as that. There are many main features such as ‘Food History’ that when you have entered a food this app will remember it, basically in a nutsell if you have type it in before soon as you start typing again it will find it for you and you simply tap to add.

Another cool feature is the ‘Recipe Calculator’, if you have just eaten some homemade foods how do you know what calories it contains as the label is not on homemade foods, well this feature is good because the Recipe Calculator makes it so easy to find how many calories are in your favorite homemade meals, the app also comes with a history graph to see how well you are doing over a period amount of time.

The app also had an update that has given the interface an enhancement; this update added a new button to the history list view that allows you to add foods to previous days.

For more information and option to install please visit iTunes, if you have this app please use the commenting area below to send in your personal review.

London Underground Mobile Phone Coverage Free from Huawei

If you live in the UK and use the London underground you’ve probably noticed that mobile phone reception is somewhat hit and miss, but London wants the underground covered for mobile phone reception by the Summer Olympics in 2012.

Thus according to an article over on Engadget and by way of Yahoo News, China’s Huawei is apparently offering to equip the London underground with mobile phone coverage for free, picking up the estimated 50 million bill or $80 million, to do so.

Apparently Huawei would regain their cash layout over time via maintenance of the system while word has it O2 and Vodafone have agreed to fork the bill to get the system of mobile transmitters installed in the ceilings of the tunnels.

A spokesperson for Transport for London has said… “Transport for London and the Mayor of London are currently in discussion with mobile phone operators and other suppliers about the potential provision of mobile phone services on the deep Tube network.”

However, Conservative lawmaker Patrick Mercer has said “It has been proven that a proportion of the cyberattacks on this country come from China. I wonder when the eyes of the world are upon us whether there is sense in using a Chinese firm to install a sensitive mobile network.”

Having said that, someone needs to get mobile coverage on the underground, and if Hauwei is prepared to foot the bill then why not let them?

Nokia E7 Smartphones Up For Grabs in Search for 7 Contest

If you enjoy entering hunt contests and working out the clues to a location, you just might be in with a chance of grabbing a free Nokia E7 smartphone, because the Nokia Search for 7 contest kicks off today whereby entrants can win a Nokia E7 device.

We have a promo video of the Nokia Search for 7 contast for your viewing pleasure below courtesy of the guys over at Daily Mobile and by way of the Nokia YouTube page, so make sure you check that out.

For those that wish to go on the global Nokia E7 Search for 7 treasure hunt you can grab the first clue by hitting up the Nokia Europe website and is of course an online contest, so not like you have o travel the globe in search of that Symbian^3 toting Nokia E7.

I believe people are given three clues per day, with the first clue being…” A successful story never begins as you expect…” and the second clue is…” I hold more relevance than you think!” along with a tiny map, the 3rd clue releases in roughly an hour and a half so keep your eyes open.

Nokia says…” If you are the FIRST person to share the correct virtual location in Ovi Maps via TWEET @WOMWorldNokia – the first Nokia E7 could be yours!”

Anyway, don’t forget to check out the Nokia E7 Search for 7 video below, and of course feel free to let us know how you get ion in your quest by dropping us a comment below.

First Pics Of The World’s Thinnest Smartphone, The NEC Medias, Leak

NEC is apparently to unveil the “world’s thinnest smartphone” (7.7mm) on Thursday, if a “leak” covered on a Japanese blog today is to be believed. That leak, reported today by Akihabara News, is actually a few days old (see this Japanese blog post, for example).

But the “Draft Life with blog” [JP] unearthed what appear to be the first pictures of the device today – and if these photos are real, we are in for a very thin and very pretty Android phone. The Galaxy S II is 8.49mm thick.

Here’s what Japanese blog Datacider says will be the main specs:

size: 127627.7mm

weight: 105g

Android 2.2 as the OS

4-inch LCD with 854480 resolution

5.1MP camera

800MHz CPU

three buttons on the bottom (from left to right: menu, home, back) plus on/off button at the top left (see pic below)

digital TV tuner

e-wallet function

Needless to say, please take this information with a grain of salt. We will report back on Thursday when Docomo shows their new cell phone line-up.

U.S. Presidents List iOS App Great for Kids

If you are studying at school, college or university and want all the information on each U.S. President to date then this iOS app is definitely for you, we say this app is great for kids and of course adults.

This is a great all round app to have on your iOS device as it is one of the best education and information apps on the app store, how much do you know about each President to date?

This application will let you know all about each President, where they lived and history that will help you understand, this app is all a great application for Test preparation. It is very easy to use where users can touch the portrait of a desired President and all information will pop up in front of you revealing all.

Main features Include: Their term dates, Beautiful portraits of each President, When they lived, If and which currency they are on, Which political party the president belonged to and Who the Vice President was.

This app also features an updated app info page, improved loading and overall performance, improved selection of Presidents and a few bug fixes to give you the perfect app.

For more information on U.S Presidents iOS app please visit iTunes, and as usual if you have this application installed please do send in your personal reviews and opinions. Thanks

Motorola Xoom Unveiled Via Carphone Warehouse, and Paramount Buy in the UK, T-Mobile in Europe

Only quite a few days after announcing that it would probably bring the Xoom to Europe in the second quarter of the year, Motorola has now unveiled more details on the tablet’s European launch.

In the UK, the 3G/ Wi-Fi Motorola Xoom will be sold by The Carphone House and Best Buy.

There will also be a Wi-Fi only version, available via Currys and PC World. Deutsche Telekom (which operates under the T-Mobile brand) will offer the new tablet – the world’s first to run Android 3.0 Honeycomb – in other select European markets (Motorola didn’t say which ones exactly).

There’s no word on how much the Moto Xoom will cost in Europe. In the US, where the tablet will be available at Verizon Wireless, the 3G version will cost $800 (about €590 or 494 GBP), while the Wi-Fi only version should be offered for $600.

Source: Unwiredview

BlackBerry Monaco makes brief video appearance with Verizon branding

Needless to say, the Storm 2's past its prime -- if it ever had a prime -- and if Verizon is going to continue with the touchscreen BlackBerry theme, it needs to re-up fast. That would be where the so-called Monaco comes into play, a phone that's been leaking under various names for over half a year now, and now we've got it captured on a brief, moderately blurry video with a Verizon logo clearly and prominently featured around back. It's looking pretty laggy here, but it's unclear how close the phone is to production -- both the hardware and software (said to be BlackBerry OS 6.1 with mobile hotspot capability, among other features) could be extremely early or near final. RIM's still got some repenting to do for the original Storm, so it'll be interesting to see if the Monaco (which could come to market as the Storm 3, or some other name altogether) fits the bill. Follow the break for the video.

[Thanks, Zecharias]

Apple iPad Accessories: XGear 360 Shield Case: Video

If you are the proud owner of an Apple iPad then no doubt you’ll want to maintain your precious iOS tablet in pristine condition and thus would probably be on the lookout of an iPad case of some description.

So what we have for your viewing consideration below and a video review of the Apple iPad XGear 360 Shield Case, which comes our way courtesy of the guys over at Daily iPhone Blog and by way of YouTube user MrDoubled50 and delivers a two and a half minute look at the iPad accessory.

The XGear 360 Shield case for the Apple iPad is a clear polycarbonate swivel case, isn’t heavy and doesn’t add too much bulk to the iOS tablet and also enables the user to place the Apple iPad in a type of tepee to watch videos.

The XGear 360 Shield case for the Apple iPad is available to purchase from XGear Live and commands a price tad of $24.99, so all you need do now is head on down and check out that review video…enjoy.

Idapt's $40 i2+ universal charging dock now shipping, patching over divides

Fancy a way to charge his and her phones with a single dock? Idapt's i2+ has you covered -- the multifaceted mobile charging machine that launched at CES is now shipping directly from the company, with Walmart, Crutchfield, Costco and loads of others slated to pick it up in the coming weeks. It'll set you back $39.99 (or €34.99 across the way), with that tally netting you six of the most popular charging tips: miniUSB, microUSB, iPod / iPhone, Samsung 4, Nokia 2 and Sony Ericsson 2. Head on down to the source link if you're anxious to drive one more faction out of your current domestic situation.

Show full PR text

Charge up to 4,000 different mobile electronic devices in one simple solution

Barcelona, Spain – February 16, 2011 – IDAPT, a leading mobile technology leader, is excited to announce the availability of the new IDAPT i2+ universal charger. The new charger, announced originally at CES, allows users to charge up to 3 different mobile devices simultaneously while eliminating cord clutter.

The IDAPT i2+ has 2 charging ports and a bonus USB connection to meet all mobile electronic charging needs. The new i2+ also features IDAPT's unique interchangeable tips system, making it compatible with over 4,000 different devices including iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Nintendo PSP, XBOX controllers, GPS systems and Bluetooth products. Additionally, the "quick release" button allows for safe and easy ejection of the interchangeable tips.

The IDAPT i2+ is available now for $39.99 at IDAPTweb.com and soon at PC Richard, Batteries Plus, BiMart, Costco.com, Walmart.com, Crutchfield.com and Frontgate.com with other IDAPT branded products. The packaging includes 6 of the most popular tips – miniUSB, microUSB, iPod/iPhone, Samsung 4, Nokia 2 and Sony Ericcson 2. Additional tips can be purchased at IDAPTweb.com.

Acer jumping on the Windows Phone 7 bandwagon this fall?

One manufacturer who has not boarded on the Windows Phone train to commerceville is Acer, who is certainly all over when it comes to Android. Why no WP7 love? No word on that front, but we're told that may be changing this fall. The company is reportedly looking at releasing one or more handsets for the platform to coincide with the first major Windows Phone update, currently given the saucy nom de guerre "Mango." That's right about when we're expecting our first Nokia WP7 handsets, which means things could be getting interesting in Microsoftia this September.

Microsoft Windows 8 Tablet Codenamed Peju From Dell in 2012

Seems like the world is being inundated with tablets lately with the likes of the Apple iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, LG Optimus Pad, BlackBerry PlayBook, Motorola Xoom and an abundance of others, and apparently there will be a Windows 8 tablet coming from Dell next year.

According to an article over on Itproportal, and by way of Android Central, Dell is to push out a Windows 8 sporting tablet, which has an internal codename of Peju in Q1 of next year.

Apparently the Dell Peju wont have an Android alter ego and they say that the device may be a slot-in replacement for Windows 7 in Rosemount, a tablet also show in a leaked roadmap and means that the Rosemount will be an X86 tablet rather than being ARM based.

According to said Dell roadmap from Android Central, Dell will also deliver 4 Android tablets, the Android 3.0 Honeycomb Dell Gallo coming in April this year, the Dell Steeling in Q4, the Dell Opus One and Dell Silver Oak in Q1 of next year.

It is expected that Windows 8 will be released sometime near the end of this year with numerous Windows 8 products following thereafter.

Microsoft Moves To Trademark The Look Of The Windows Phone 7 Homescreen

Microsoft is proud of the way Windows Phone 7 looks. Like, really, really proud. As in they spend 5 minutes telling us how proud they are of it every time they hold a press conference. That and the fact that the camera button works even when the handset is locked are totally (and deservedly) their two favorite talking points.

Lookin’ to make sure no one tries to pull off anything that too closely resembles their precious, Microsoft has just filed a trademark covering the look of the homescreen. So, take heed: if you were considering building an OS with a homescreen made up of a bunch of squares floating in a sea of black.. best tread carefully, bub, because Microsoft did it first. Well, except for iOS, but hey — those were icons, not tiles.

Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 10.1 Confirmed up on UK’s Website

Announced at MWC 2011, the all new brand Samsung S II and Galaxy Tab 10.1 are vault to hit the UK.

Conceivably Vodafone seems to be the first carrier to sell them. Both the Galaxy S II smartphone and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet are now featured on Vodafone UK’s website.

Unfortunately, the carrier doesn’t say when exactly it will launch them but anyway it should happen pretty soon. There’s no info on pricing, either, but Vodafone will likely offer the Galaxy S II for free on select plans – of course, the same thing can’t be said about the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 10.1 come with the latest versions of Android (2.3 and 3.0, respectively) and feature dual-core processors.

Source: Unwierdview

First Live Appearance Of New BlackBerry Storm Successor

A video has surfaced demonstrating the successor of the Verizon BlackBerry Storm series of touch display oriented BlackBerry smartphones. The device, codenamed Monaco is said to be running BlackBerry OS 6.1 and is clearly branded with the Verizon logo, suggesting that the carrier has revived and is testing the device after it was canceled last year.

Specifications for the Monaco are as follows:

Dimensions: Sleek, thin profile – 11.5mm thick (120 x 62 x 11.5 mm)
Processor: Qualcomm 1.2GHz Processor
Radio:Dual band CDMA, EV-DO Rev A, RX Diversity ; Quad band EDGE / Single Band UMTS
Display: 3.7″ – 800×480 resolution, 15:9 aspect ration, 253 DPI
Camera: 5 MP – Flash – Image Stabilization – HD Video Recording (720p)
Navigation: Capacitive touch + BlackBerry navigation keys + optical navigation module. One convenience key
Memory: 4GB storage + 768MB RAM + up to 32GB MicroSD
WiFi/GPS: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n + GPS + Bluetooth 2.1 EDR + Mobile HotSpot
Connectivity: Micro USB – Bluetooth – NFC
Sensors: Magnetometer – Accelerometer – Proximity
Software: Enhanced BlackBerry SW v.6.1, BlackBerry Evolution 6, Open GL ES 2.0, APIs for magnetometer and augmented reality apps

BlackBerry Storm 3 Captured on Video

Well I thought this one was dead and buried long ago but apparently I was wrong because it appears that someone has managed to capture some video footage of the BlackBerry Storm 3 also known as the BlackBerry Monaco.

Apparently the original poster of the video quickly pulled the footage after only a few minutes of being live, but thanks to the fast acting guys over at Crackberry they managed to grab a copy of the video and we have that for your viewing pleasure below.

The video comes our way courtesy of the guys over at Slash Gear and by way of Electronista and of course the Crackberry YouTube page and delivers just 59 seconds of BlackBerry Storm 3 viewing.

According to the Crackberry guys, the BlackBerry Storm 3 should come sporting a 3.7-inch 15:9 aspect ratio display, Qualcomm 1.2GHz processor, 5 megapixel camera with flash and 720p video, 4GB storage, microSD expansion up to 32GB, GPS< WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, OpenGLS 2.0, BlackBerry Evolution 6 and Enhanced BlackBerry SW v6.1.

Apparently the BlackBerry Storm 3/ Monaco isn’t expected to be announced until sometime in May so RIM could still change a few things with the software. So, with that said, all you need do now is jump on down and hit the play button…enjoy.

iPhone and iPad Accessories: Bluetooth P25-M Printer Announced

Innovative provider of electronic payments solutions, Blue Bamboo has announced their mobile Bluetooth P25-M Printer made for the iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple iPad, and the device is now in the final testing stage for MFi approval.

Customers and merchants will be able to experience a completely wireless experience with the new Blue Bamboo wireless payment solution, which delivers the benefits of secure encrypted magnetic stripe card data by wirelessly passing it from a printer to an iOS device.

The Bluetooth P25-M is fast, durable and lightweight, and supports Bluetooth, USB, Serial and Apple port connectivity and can print up to 200 coupons and barcodes per charge and can print payment receipts wirelessly along with swiping credit cards for mobile finance applications.

Blue Bamboo Corporation CEO Justin Anderson says…“With our P25-M mobile payment system, we introduce the second in a series of products that works with iPhone, iPad and iPod, include our industry-leading security, deliver the latest features and technology for the lowest total cost of ownership, and thus will enable merchants to deliver new services to their customers today and well into the future.”

Apparently the Bluetooth P25-M Printer is the first to the market and will be processing global mobile payments by spring and summer this year.

Android 2.2 Froyo Update for Samsung Epic 4G: Happy Days

Now if all correct that the Android 2.2 Froyo update for the Samsung Epic 4G release is coming February 21 then we can see it being happy days for the smartphone’s customers.

According to Phandroid by way of BGR the Samsung Epic 4G will get the OTA Android 2.2 aka Froyo update on the date given above, according to a source of BGR they claim that the build number will be EB13, which is different to earlier speculation that was EA17.

This OTA update will happen on Feb 21 and will roll over a course of four days, many Android handsets are still running 2.1 so to see 2.2 making it to the Samsung Epic 4G will be fantastic news for its customers.

The Sanyo Zio is apparently getting the same update; obviously this has not been confirmed that either phone is getting the update so please treat this as a rumour until further notice. What do you think?

Source – Mobile Whack

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Playstation Phone First Glimpse

It is surely that time of the year where ‘first glimpses’ aren’t a rarity and that is beacuse the uber popular MWC is on song. The latest revelation from the event (after the HTC Flyer of course) is the much-awaited Sony Ericsson Playstation phone, righteously dubbed the PLAY. And of course, there are no marks for guessing that this rarity of a device runs on the highly adorable Android OS.

To be honest this device has been around for a couple of days now, but we insisted to hanker the details for the speculations could have ruined our soup. Anyway, we can now afford to be a little more precise with the PLAY which features Android 2.0 Gingerbread OS with Timescape UI.

Just to make you feel more assured, the PLAY is indeed the first PlayStation-certified smartphone.It features a side-sliding gaming control with a digital D pad, a couple of analogue touch pads, two shoulder buttons and the four PlayStation icons: circle, cross, square and triangle, which therefore gives you very less opportunity to differentiate between the PSP GO and the PLAY.

Since this isn’t just a smartphone but a highly potent gaming device as well, we are pleased to inform you that the PLAY features a Qualcomm SnapDragon 1Ghz processor with Adreno 205 graphics chip to render 60fps playback 3D mobile gaming.

Honestly speaking its a more of a gamers smartphone than a smartphone admirers gaming device. You’ll get two devices to choose from-Black or White.

[Courtesy: iTechNews]

Intivation intros Umeox Apollo smartphone: $100, solar-powered, Android 2.2 (hands-on)

Rugged? Check. Built-in flashlight? Nod. Solar panel on the rear? Yep. Android 2.2? For sure. All of the essentials (and then a few extras) have been tossed onto the Umeox Apollo smartphone, shown off for the first time today at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. It's hardly a high-end device -- in fact, at just $100 off-contract, it's bound to be one of the less-capable Froyo handsets on the market. But considering that this is positioned to put Android into the hands of those who aren't exactly champing at the bit to spend a month's wages on a phone, we'd say it's a huge step in the right direction. When asking about specifications, we were told to expect a MediaTek processor, microSD card slot, rear-facing camera and a SIM card slot. The unit on display was a non-working mockup, with an on-site representative noting that shipments should begin to Europe, Latin America and India this May (with other nations to follow). The device felt satisfactorily solid, but unfortunately, no technical details were available regarding the solar panel on the rear.

In related news, the company was also showcasing a couple of other innovations: a new solar cell microchip and its first solar cell. Prior to this week, Intivation only sold the microprocessors, forcing partners to go and find their own panel supplier. Now, it's entering another business with the Sunboost3 all-in-one solar module, and if it's hopes and dreams come true, you'll start seeing these on a slew of upcoming handsets. Hit the PDFs below for more of the nitty-gritty, and peek the Apollo mockup in the gallery below.

Intivation Umeox Apollo smartphone hands-on at MWC 2011

Xperia Play shows up in Verizon's inventory

By now you should be doubt-free that the Xperia Play exists and is coming to Verizon, but if not, let this clear things up. A well-trusted tipster has just sent us the above screen shot of the Sony R800X (the 'x' here indicating CDMA as opposed to the model R800i we've been seeing), better known as the Xperia Play, hanging out in Verizon's system. We're bummed to not have a release date or price, but we're digging for more info. Head past the break for some exclusive product details straight from the depths of Verizon's backend.

Xperia Play product info

Nokia C5-04 Revealed for T-Mobile

Following its apparent cancellation in January, the US version of the Nokia C5 has been submitted to the Bluetooth SIG with a live shot that prominently displays its T-Mobile branding. The submission follows Nokia’s landmark decision to transition to Windows Phone 7 as its smartphone platform.

As previously reported, the Nokia C5 was to be branded as the Nuron 2 and would have featured S60 5th Edition, a 3.2 inch resistive touch display with a resolution of 640 x 360, 5.0 megapixel camera with no flash and video recording at 15 frames per second, Wi-Fi, GPS, a digital compass, quadband GSM/EDGE support and triband 3G, 3.5 mm headphone jack, microUSB port and Bluetooth 2.0.

No further information is available at this time.

Pre 2 available for $150 through Verizon on February 17th

Call it The Curious Case of the Pre 2: If you check the handset out on HP's site, it will cost you $100 after rebate (under contract of course). But if you wander over to Verizon's little piece of the Interwebs, the same phone has just been announced for $150 (new contract price) after rebate. So, let's suppose for a moment that you had a choice between the two -- which would you pick? That's what we thought. Available on February 17, check out the mind-bending PR after the break for more details.

Show full PR text

Verizon Wireless' Network To Include Next Generation Of Intuitive Multitasking Platform With Pre 2 From HP

Verizon Wireless Customers Have Fast, Fun Access to Work and Play on HP webOS 2.0

02/15/2011: Verizon Wireless, the company with the largest and most reliable wireless voice and 3G data network, announced today that the Pre 2 smartphone by HP will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com on Feb. 17. Pre 2 is the first device to run on HP webOS 2.0, allowing quick and easy multitasking of e-mail, games, music and more.

Key features:

3.1-inch glass multi-touch screen with a vibrant 24-bit color, 320 x 480 resolution HVGA display
Slide-out physical QWERTY keyboard
Support for Microsoft® Exchange e-mail, as well as personal e-mail support (Google Gmail™ push, Yahoo!®, POP3, IMAP)
Integrated IM, SMS and MMS
VZ Navigator® capable – Receive audible turn-by-turn directions to millions of points of interest and share the directions with others
TI OMAP 1GHz processor with 512 RAM
5-megapixel camera with LED flash, extended depth of field, geo-tagging and video capture
Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11 b/g/)
Bluetooth® wireless technology 2.1+ EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
3G Mobile Hotspot capability
Dimensions: 2.34 inches (w) x 0.66 inches (d) x 3.96 inches (h)
Weight: 5.1 ounces

Lifestyle features:

Contact Integration via HP Synergy – Customers can keep contacts and calendars up to date automatically with built-in integration for Facebook®, Google, LinkedIn®, Yahoo! and Microsoft Exchange.

Customized Inbox – Customers can view all of their accounts together or separately to access work e-mail alone or combined in a favorites folder with personal e-mail from places like Gmail or Yahoo! Mail.

Full HTML Browsing – Customers have access to full websites just like on their Macs or PCs. They can play video, upload photos, access online banking and much more. webOS also now integrates a beta of Adobe Flash Player 10.1 in the browser, which provides access to rich, Flash-based Web content.

With Just Type in webOS, customers can start an e-mail, create a message, update their status and search their favorite websites – all before they even open an app.

Mobile Music Store – Customers can buy and download music right from their webOS smartphones using the Amazon MP3 app when on a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Skype mobile™ – webOS 2.0 supports Skype-to-Skype calls and messaging while in the United States to anywhere in the world, and low-rate calls to international landlines and cell phones.
Pricing and availability:

Pre 2 will be available from Verizon Wireless for $149.99 after a $50 mail-in Verizon Wireless rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Pre 2 customers will need to subscribe to a data plan. Unlimited data plans are available to customers starting at $29.99 monthly access. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest and most advanced 4G network and largest and most reliable 3G network, and serves more than 94 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 82,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Pre, Synergy, and webOS are trademarks of Palm, Inc., a subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard Company.

####

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Goes White Exclusive for UK on O2

For some reason it appears that a virginal white is the popular colour for smartphones these days with virtually every smartphone manufacturer shoving out a white version of their top handset sooner or later, with of course the exception of Apple and the joke that is the white iPhone 4; yes we are still waiting for the elusive device to materialise.

However, a new shiny smartphone that hasn’t hit the public arena yet, the first PlayStation certified smartphone, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play will be coming out to play in white according to an article over on Engadget.

Apparently over here in the United Kingdom, O2 have announced that they will be the exclusive carrier of the white Sony Ericsson Xperia Play by using their Twitter account to tweet…” Great news: not only will we be selling Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, we’ll have an exclusive white version! Pics at http://j.mp/fxpoYg”

Sony Ericsson hasn’t thus far announced if other markets will see the white version of the PlayStation phone, but no doubt at some point they will. So any of out Brit readers excited that they will be able to snap up the Android Sony Ericsson Xperia Play in white?

Apple iPad 6-inch Model Possibly On Its Way

Ah the rumours of possibly a mini iPhone simply isn’t enough for the tech world, now we have the possibility of a mini iPad as well, which apparently may hit the mobile space sometime later this year if all pans out to be spot on.

According to an article over on the Boy Genius Report, by way of 9to5 Mac and Super Apple cz, although Apple chief Steve Jobs has already express his view that 7-inch tablets are “dead on arrival” the word is Apple is looking at pushing out an even smaller Apple iPad at 5.7 inches.

Although the origin of the information doesn’t offer up any other details on this 6-inch Apple iPad they do apparently claim to have had said information confirmed by 2 independent sources, unnamed of course.

Apparently the article suggests that the new 6-inch iOS device could see release sometime in the middle of this year.

Personally I can’t see Apple shoving out a smaller version of their iPad that soon after the release of the Apple iPad 2, but stranger things have happened. Perhaps this new iPad if it materialises will be the Apple iPad 2.5, or even the Apple iPad 3 we’re heard rumour of in the past…who knows for sure.

O2 Launches Guru TV Channel on YouTube

The UK’s leading mobile phone operator, O2, has launched its new YouTube channel – O2 Guru TV. The channel promises to be a valuable source of information on new mobile phone models as well as user guides and help on subjects such as setting up wi-fi capabilities and learning to use complicated smart phones.

The channel has already been extremely popular, with over 80,000 channel views, making it one of the fastest growing commercial channels on YouTube. The videos are presented by qualified O2 gurus who are trained to help O2 users set up their mobile phones and get the most out of their handsets.

As of February 2011, O2 started adding hundreds of new videos to their channel in order to help address some of the most common issues and problems experienced by mobile phone users. The idea is that users will no longer have to battle with instruction booklets or expensive telephone helplines – they can simply log on to YouTube and see a live example on their computer screen. The unique aspect of the O2 Guru TV Channel is that it has absolutely no focus on sales. O2 don’t sell anything through the channel, nor do they promote their products or services. It really is just a very helpful tool designed to assist O2 customers and mobile phone users.

The O2 videos are all very professionally produced and contain step-by-step information presented by their knowledgeable and informative Gurus. Being able to see the steps carried out on the screen in front of you, as opposed to having to read through the steps in an instruction booklet, is absolutely invaluable. Many of the videos are only seconds long, which goes to show just how simple many of these tasks are to carry out when someone shows you, rather than tells you, how to do them.

The O2 YouTube channel also contains a number of reviews of new mobile phones, so if you’re thinking of changing or upgrading your handset, you might like to have a look at some live, real-life reviews and see the phone in action before you decide on which one to buy. There are even helpful videos on checking mobile broadband coverage, checking your allowance, connecting to O2 wi-fi, and setting up your O2 email account.

This move further underlines O2′s commitment to customer service and ensuring that you are able to get the best out of your mobile phone package. There are no sales adverts or techniques whatsoever – just handy, helpful tips.

Sony Ericsson breaks out white Xperia Play, makes it an O2 exclusive in the UK

We'll confess, we did see Sony Ericsson execs flashing white Xperia Play handsets during the company's MWC 2011 press event, but curiously enough none of those made their way to the demo areas. Now we've finally got ourselves some fully fleshed out press shots, along with the news that O2 will be the sole carrier for this alabaster gaming smartphone in the UK. Other markets have yet to announce availability of the white Xperia Play, but you'll know more just as soon as we do. Skip past the break to see how the front end looks.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]