Battery fix for Nokia Lumia 800 starts rolling out today

Last year it was discovered that the Nokia Lumia 800 had battery related issues and Nokia's investigation revealed that they were caused by a software glitched. They promised a fix for early this year and they just delivered on that promise. The update is ready and it starts rolling out today. Nokia say the update is happening in stages over the next two weeks - half of the Lumia 800s will get it this week and the other half are getting it next week. Note that not all Lumia 800 phones are affected by the battery issue, but if yours is (here's how to check) you can expect the update some time in the next two weeks. Battery fix aside, the update (version 1600.2483.8106.11500) also includes some Wi-Fi connectivity enhancements. The Nokia Lumia 800 will automatically check if an update is available and will notify you when it is. To update the phone, you'll need to hook it up to Zune (or Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac users). If you get the update, don't forget to drop us a line in the comments about any changes in battery life you've noticed. Our own tests shows that pre-update Lumia 800 isn't particularly impressive. Source

LG X3 to be a 4.7 Inch 720p Quad-Core Phone

The chums at PocketNow have gotten their hands on information about another yet-to-be-announced Android handset. LG will apparently be coming to market with a beast of a device called the LG X3. We're not sure what the X3 is for but this thing will have a 4.7 inch 720p display, a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, an 8 megapixel rear camera, a 1.3 megapixel front camera, 16GB of internal storage, an NFC chip and more. We could be in store for a nice treat at Mobile World Congress as they often tend to have a decent showing there. Winner?

Budget smartphones aren't dead yet, Samsung announces Star 3 and Star 3 DUOS

So, Samsung may have launched some very affordable smartphones like the Galaxy W and Y for example but that doesn't mean the company will stop making budget phones all together. The company recently announced the Samsung Star 3 and Star 3 DUOS, successors to its tremendously successful Star and Star 2. It may not be a smartphone and may not run on Android but because it is aimed at those who are constantly connected to friends, it feature various apps like Samsung's very own ChatON communications, various IM services, integrated Facebook, Twitter and emails to keep users connected anytime and anywhere. "We are pleased to launch the Star 3 and Star 3 DUOS, a further enhanced version of the bestselling Samsung Star series. With the new Star 3 touch phones, Samsung continues to offer the best social networking experiences and opportunities for our feature phone users." — JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. Both the devices are generally the same, they are packed with all the basic stuffs a 3.2MP fixed focus rear camera, a 3" display, and 20MB of internal storage (expandable via microSD card slot). What's missing is 3G connectivity and GPS capability. The Star 3 DUOS comes with a Dual SIM system that allows users to use two separate numbers concurrently. Both devices are scheduled for release in Russia in late January and will gradually roll out to CIS, Europe, Latin America, Africa, Middle East and Southeast Asia. Head on to Samsung for more information.

Symbian Belle Coming Soon, Sony Ericsson Swallows $317 Million Pre-tax Loss & Official Wikipedia App Comes to Android

Symbian Belle Coming Soon It has been a long time in the making, but Nokia has finally confirmed the arrival of their latest and greatest OS in regards to Symbian. Nokia took to their twitter page and said "Nokia Belle will be on the way next week". SmartPhoneEnvy Another Nokia Lumia 800 Battery Update Coming in Two Weeks Nokia said on Twitter Wednesday that a second software update will roll out to Lumia 800 devices over the next two weeks. It is largely expected that the update will help fix the poor battery life that has plagued some, but not all, Lumia 800 users. BGR Sony Ericsson Swallows $317 Million Pre-tax Loss as End Draws Near Sony Ericsson's tearful breakup continues with more woe as as the venture had to eat a pre-tax loss of €247 million (roughly $317 million). Bosses cited “unfavorable macro-economic conditions” and the Thai flooding as the reasons for the loss. Engadget Official Wikipedia App Comes to Android In addition to being able to view every article in mobile-friendly format, you can save them for offline use later. You can also use your GPS to search for nearby articles (like we saw in Wikitude). You can also share articles through the official Android channels, which is convenient. MobileSyrup

Nokia to launch Windows Phone handset in China first half of 2012

Microsoft has yet to officially launch their Windows Phone platform in China, but according to a Nokia spokesperson on Friday, Nokia has plans to launch their Windows Phone based smartphones in China in the first half of 2012, which will apparently make them one of the first, if not the first company to officially bring the Windows Phone platform into China. Without doubt China is one of the largest markets today, and a successful Windows Phone launch could help the Finnish company boost its sales and market share in China against Google's Android and Apple's iOS platform. This is despite Nokia still having the largest smartphone market share in China at 28% in Q3 2011, according to figures released by research firm Strategy Analytics. However this is a huge drop from Q3 in 2010 which apparently was at a whopping 70%. Either way for our China readers out there, if you are looking forward to seeing Microsoft's Windows Phone officially launch in the country, both Nokia and ZTE are expected to launch Windows Phone devices in 2012, with ZTE aiming for a Q3 release instead. Will Nokia's push into the Chinese market help boost their sales and the Finnish company regain some of its former glory? We guess only time will tell.

BLU Studio 5.3 Android Smartphone

The BLU Studio 5.3 features a large 5.3-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a 800x480 pixels resolution. The smartphone provides a 5.0-megapixels rear-facing camera, a 0.3-megapixels front-facing camera for video calls, a 512MB of RAM, an 8GB of internal storage space, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB), a 2,500mAh battery and the Google Android 2.3 OS. Measuring 150mm x 81mm x 11mm and weighing 90 grams, the BLU Studio 5.3 retails for $259.99. [Press Release]

LG Spectrum Now Available at Verizon

Verizon is adding yet another handset to their 4G LTE lineup as the LG Spectrum goes on sale today for $199 on a new two-year contract. The Spectrum features a 4.5-inch display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and 8MP camera and ships with Android 2.3.5. An Ice Cream Sandwich update is planned. You can check out our hands-on at CES with the latest from LG and Verizon for the full rundown.

Samsung introduces Star 3, Star 3 DUOS phone with dual-SIM capabilities

For international travelers, if you're looking for a smartphone with dual-SIM capabilities (one for your home country, and the other for the country you're visiting), Samsung may have the solution for you with their new Samsung Star 3 and Star 3 DUOS mobile phones, with the difference being that the latter device will feature dual-SIM capabilities, but other than that it appears that both phones remain the same as far as hardware is concerned. Both the Star 3 and Star 3 DUOS feature a 3" QVGA display along with a 3MP rear-facing camera. It will also feature a microSD card slot for memory expansion and will run on the latest Samsung TouchWiz UI and does not appear to be powered by Android. These appear to be rather basic phones and will provide connectivity up to EDGE with both 3G and GPS apparently missing from the picture. However we're guessing that EDGE should be fast enough for users to utilize Samsung's very own ChatON service. Both devices are expected to see a launch by the end of the month starting with Russia and then followed by the rest of the world. No word on how much either the Star 3 or Star 3 DUOS will cost.

Motorola MOTOLUXE Now Available For Pre-order In The UK

The Motorola MOTOLUXE XT615 Android smartphone is now available for pre-order in the UK via Clove. You can pre-order the MOTOLUXE for £215 or around $330. The Motorola MOTOLUXE XT615 is powered by the Google Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread operating system with the Moto Switch 2.0 user interface. The smartphone features an 800MHz Qualcomm processor, a 4-inch edge-to-edge display, a lanyard groove, an 8-megapixel camera, a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and DLNA. [Clove]

Windows Phone 8107 update rolling out

Remember the keyboard issue that arrived with the Mango update to Windows Phone sometime last year? It's been awhile but it looks like Microsoft has finally rolled out a fix for it. There have been reports of people with unlocked Windows Phone devices receiving a new update today. The update brings the phone up to version 7.10.8107.79 and includes a whole bunch of fixes. Firstly the update fixes the on-screen keyboard disappearing during typing, Gmail syncing issues, location access issues, an encryption issue, an email issue related to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, and a voicemail notification issue. Keep an eye out for the update notification to hit your phone, and as usual - be sure to backup all your data just in case something goes wrong.

Clove UK Now Offering Presale Opportunity for Motorola MOTOLUXE and and Motorola DEFY MINI

Our friends at Clove have pinged us to let us know that they’re now offering presales for the Motorola MOTOLUXE and the Motorola DEFY MINI, two new Android smartphones aimed at the affordable market. Prices (including VAT) for the MOTOLUXE and DEFY MINI are £258.00 and £174.99, respectively. Both devices are expected to hit shelves either late February or early March, according to Clove. If you need a refresher on specs, let’s get started with the MOTOLUXE (pictured above). It’s a bit more expensive but also has a bit more than the DEFY MINI does. It starts with a 4 inch display, an 800MHz single-core processor, 512MB of RAM, Android 2.3.7, an 8 megapixel rear camera, a VGA front camera and more. The DEFY MINI (pictured below) has only a 600MHz processor, a 3.2 inch display, 512MB of RAM and a 3 megapixel camera. It still enjoys the “durability” title as it’s water-resistant, scratch resistant and dust resistant. Head here to preorder the MOTOLUXE and here to preorder the DEFY MINI.

LG Prada 3.0 arrives at T-Mobile UK in February

The newest member of LG's Prada handset line is about to hit the UK. The Prada Phone by LG 3.0 (also known as the Prada Phone 3.0 by LG, or simply the LG Prada 3.0) was announced late last year, and has since made its way to stores in the company's native Korea. In the UK, it has so far been expected at the end of this month at some third-party retailers, and in early February at others. And today we know who the first operator in the UK to stock this phone will be: T-Mobile.

Motorola MOTOLUXE and Motorola DEFY MINI up for pre-order in the UK

Earlier this month, Motorola announced the launch of two new budget devices - the Motorola MOTOLUXE and Motorola DEFY MINI. Designed as entry level devices but with decent specs, the two Android smartphones are now up for pre-order in the UK. No specific release dates have been announced (late February or early March) but you can pre-order the MOTOLUXE for $330 (£215), while the DEFY MINI will be $225 (£145.83). If you're interested in picking up the phone, just head over to Clove's website now.

Samsung Galaxy S II HD getting a UK release?

An ad spotted on UK retailer Mobicity’s website lists an upcoming release of what is most likely a Galaxy S II HD LTE, except without the LTE designation. For those of you unfamiliar with the HD version of the Galaxy S II, the main improvement is, you guessed it, a bigger screen—4.65in@720x1280px to be exact. It also features an upgraded 1.5GHz processor, and a more robust 1850 mAh Li-Ion battery. The ad (now gone from Mobicity’s UK site) is found as a full-fledged listing on Mobicity’s Australian site, although it is listed as pre-order when we last checked. Whether the ad was shown in error or Mobicity jumped the gun by promoting a UK release remains unknown, but a UK release is not out of the realm of possibility, especially considering Samsung could unveil the Galaxy S III at MWC next month. Source | Via

Virtuous Quattro RC1 now available for public consumption

If you happen to own a HTC Desire HD, HTC Desire S, HTC Desire Z, or HTC Incredible S, then you might be pleased to hear that the Virtuous team has just rolled out their latest Virtuous Quattro RC1 to the masses. Just in case you have not heard of the Virtuous team before, they were the first to have ported HTC Sense 3.0 over to a bunch of HTC devices sometime last year. First announced in early January, Virtuous Quattro has been installed by a fair number of interested folk, and most of them have nothing but good things to say about it where an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich port is concerned. Of course, this is not the only Android 4.0 port out there, but it is one of the better equipped ones, considering its Quattro Control paves the way for additional lockscreen features alongside other system tweaks. You will find that the HTC smartphones listed with Virtuous Quattro RC1 will have its sound working just fine, alongside a smooth boot up experience. Wallpapers (live or otherwise), 3G, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, its touchscreen display, headphones, and camera all work just fine, while access to the Android Market is not blocked off in any way. You can even synchronize with your Facebook contacts, and you can still navigate through unfamiliar territory with the handset's built-in GPS chipset. Anyone given Virtuous Quattro RC1 a test run yet, and how do you find it?

Motorola Droid Bionic update tested

Motorola has started to test their Droid Bionic update on Verizon Wireless, with the mobile carrier sending one out at the beginning of December last year in the form of system software 5.5.893. Apart from that, the past one month plus has seen the arrival of an update to hit 5.9.901, where it will hold a rather extensive list of new features and changes. There is additional work and development done on the smartphone's next update, and whispers abound that a 5.9.902 update is already being prepared for distribution. Testers who have successfully applied the 5.9.902 update would have come across additional modifications to their smartphones, albeit these are minor ones that would not be missed too much even if they were not there. Verizon's VCast Music app has been removed with this particular update, but in return, Amazon's MP3 store will plant itself firmly in the handset's ecosystem. Notifications of this update should arrive shortly.

Motorola Defy Mini Available For Pre-Order At Clove UK

Motorola's latest Android smartphone ‘Defy Mini' is now available for pre-order in the UK via Clove. This rugged handset retails for 174.99 GBP / $268 SIM-free (VAT included). In case you didn't know, the Defy Mini packs a 3.2-inch 480 x 320 scratch proof Corning Gorilla Glass touchscreen display, a 600MHz processor, a 512MB RAM, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB), a VGA front-facing camera, a 3.0MP rear-facing camera, HSPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, a micro USB port, a 3.5mm headset jack, a 1650mAh battery and runs on Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread OS. [Product Page]

Nokia Lumia 710 Now Available Stateside

US retailer WalMart is now offering the Nokia Lumia 710 for free on T-Mobile with a new two year contract. This budget smartphone is powered by the latest version of Microsoft's mobile OS, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. The Nokia Lumia 710 also features a 3.7-inch WVGA touchscreen display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, a 1.4GHz Qualcomm single core processor, a 512MB of RAM, an 8GB of storage space and a 5-megapixel digital camera with a LED flash. Other specs include Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS, WiFi, a microUSB port and a 1,300mAh battery. [CNet]

News on technology Verizons Courses Online Digital slr camera News Technology New Samsung S5222 Duos dual SIM phone coming soon

Samsung is getting ready to launch a new dual SIM phone, namely the GT-S5222 Duos. Unlike the Galaxy Y Duos and Galaxy Y Pro Duos (both unveiled last month), the S5222 is not a smartphone. It does have a touchscreen display, though (3 inch, QVGA), and TouchWiz UI. Other features: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, stereo FM radio, Samsung ChatOn, Opera Mini, 3MP camera, and 1GB of internal memory. The new handset doesn't seem to have 3G connectivity. Most probably, the Samsung S5222 will be first released in emerging markets, where it's likely going to be a hit (if the price isn't too high, of course). Maybe Samsung will bring the handset at MWC next month - we'll try to find out more about it if this happens.

Verizon Motorola Droid Razr (16GB black version) now cost $199.99. Razr Maxx incoming?

Verizon has officially announced that the black version of its Motorola Droid Razr now costs only $199.99 online on contract ($100 less than the handset's initial price). If you're visiting the carrier's website (here) you'll find that there are now two Razr models listed: 16GB (the one that costs $199), and 32GB (which is still $299). They have the same amount of internal memory, but the latter has a 16GB memory card pre-installed. Verizon also said that the white and purple editions of the Droid Razr would cost $199.99, too, but only starting January 23 (the white Razr 32GB is currently $299, while the purple one isn't out yet). These price cuts are likely a sign that we'll see the new Motorola Droid Razr Maxx hitting the shelves pretty soon (probably on January 26). The Razr Maxx will cost $299.99 on contract, coming with a huge 3,300 mAh battery that's capable of providing up to 21 hours of talking one a single charge.

Sony Xperia S could be launched in the UK this month

Officially announced last week at CES 2012 as the first Sony smartphone, the Sony Xperia S (aka Xperia Nozomi) may be released in the UK sooner than expected. We've previously heard that the handset would be launched there in March. However, now retailer Play says the new Xperia is "due for release on 30 January 2012." Play is taking pre-orders as of now, asking £449.99 (about $693) for the device. It remains to be seen if the retailer will indeed ship the Xperia S before the end of January. Phones4U, Clove, Expansys, The Carphone Warehouse, O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Three will also sell the Sony Xperia S in the UK. The Xperia S features Android Gingerbread (an update to Android 4.0 ICS is scheduled for later this year), a 4.3 inch HD (1280 x 720) Reality Display, NFC, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 12MP camera with Sony Exmor R mobile sensor and fast capturing time (only 1.5 seconds from stand-by), and 1080p video recording.

MeeGo PR 1.2 now seeding to developers, out in a month

We've got some great news for the MeeGo fans out there. The expected Nokia N9 PR 1.2 update has completed yet another stage of its evolution and has now started seeding. Unfortunately, it's still only a developer-preview version, so you'd need to be a registered MeeGo developer who owns the N950 developer platform to get it, but the final release shouldn't be too far away now. Normally, it takes a month or a month and a half of testing, before such beta versions graduate. The changelog for PR1.2 includes app folders, video calling support, better camera and gallery and improved copy/paste functionality with brackets. As you see this is quite a major step forward for the Nokia N9, so the excitement is quite understandable. Nokia is obviously going to take good care of the N9, which is great news for all the owners, but it's bringing mostly sadness to the rest of the geek world thinking what could have been had Nokia stuck with the platform. Source | Via

Motorola Defy Mini pre-orders start in the UK for �174.99, shipping in late February or early March

After the original Defy and its successor, the Defy+, Motorola has recently announced a third rugged Android smartphone to join its lineup – the Defy Mini. As its name implies, this is smaller than the Defy+ (and unfortunately also lower-end). The phone is now up for pre-order in the UK in SIM-free and unlocked form, courtesy of Clove. The price you'll have to pay to get this little rugged device? £174.99, VAT included. That's certainly not much compared to the high-end smartphones of today, but this is a lower-midrange unit after all. Though that may be compensated by its sheer ruggedness. You be the judge.

Samsung Galaxy S2 WiMAX announced for Japan

It feels like Samsung isn't ever going to run out of Galaxy S2 phones to make. The company has announced just announced a new variant of the Galaxy S2, this time it's headed for Japan's KDDI au and it features WiMAX radios. The phone will be similar to the Galaxy S2 HD LTE except for the 4G radios. Other specs include a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 4.7″ Super AMOLED HD (1280 x 720) Display, 8-megapixel rear camera (1080p HD video capable), 2-megapixel front facing camera, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, microSD card slot, NFC support and 16GB of internal storage. Interesting how this phone doesn't seem to be packing a TV tuner like most Japanese phones these days.

Motorola's Defy+ JCB Limited Edition is Really Just a Rugged Phone With a Rugged Case for the UK

The folks at Motorola have just announced a new limited edition of the Motorola DEFY+ , the rugged smartphone that’s built to take a beating or three. We’re looking at the JCB edition of the device but you’d be hard-pressed to find anything worth paying extra for here – it’s simply the same phone that’s been out in retail, except it comes with a rugged JCB case. It’ll be available in the UK. Yep, that’s it. Oh, here are the specs if you needed a reminder: Powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and features more than 300,000 apps from Android Market™ 1 GHz processor that runs 25 percent faster for efficient Web browsing and multitasking Water resistant, scratch resistant and dust proof to withstand all that life throws users way Features scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3.7-inch high-resolution touch screen display MOTOBLUR™ lets users stay in touch with friends, providing quick access to social media accounts and live widgets directly from the homescreen Motorola Media Link allows users to sync their media content from their desktops at home or work Loaded with the ability to create group emails and communication Adobe® Flash® Player 10 for uncompromised viewing of applications, content and videos 5MP camera with auto focus, flash and digital zoom 2GB internal; 2GB microSD card in box, expandable up to 32GB1 Access to Google Mobile™ Services (Google Maps™ with Navigation, Google Talk™, browsing) 1700 mAH battery for 7.1 hours of talk time and 16 days in standby2

HTC Ville With Android 4.0 Headed To T-Mobile Later This Year? [Rumor]

If you’re a T-Mobile customer and the recent news of Galaxy Nexi and other high-end, Ice Cream Sandwich packing superphones arriving this year for all those other carriers has got you down, things may start looking up for ‘ol #4 in 2012. According to Pocketnow, the rumored HTC Ville could be making its way to T-Mobile as early as spring of this year. As a refresher, the HTC Ville is a dual-core smartphone that will be running Android 4.0 with the latest Sense UI topping, measures in at less than 8mm thick, 4.3-inch qHD display and HTC’s highest quality backside illuminated camera and all new 1.5GHz S4 dual-core processor. There’s a lot here to love and it looks like HTC is getting set to make a comeback in 2012 with the also rumored HTC Edge and HTC Zeta. The HTC Ville is believed to be making its debut at Mobile World Congress next month and if true, Phandroid will be reporting live from the event bringing you guys the very latest on all things mobile. T-Mobile customers, what do you think? Is the HTC Ville enough to keep you happy in 2012 or have you trained yourself to dismiss anything that doesn’t have “quad” in the spec sheet?

Samsung announces Galaxy S II WiMAX for Japan

Adding to the litany of Galaxy S II models comes another one. This one is exclusive to Japan and has WiMAX onboard and will be sold through au by KDDI. The Galaxy S II ISW11SC has a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED HD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, 1.4GHz dual-core Qualcomm QSC6085 processor, 8 megapixel rear camera with 1080p video recording, 2 megapixel front camera, 16GB internal memory, expandable memory, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and NFC. No exact pricing or release date available at the moment. Source

Prototype Sony Ericsson Windows Phone spotted

Sony Ericsson has never officially announced its plans to create Windows Phone devices, but it looks like the company is doing some testing on the side, according to some photographs that recently surfaced. The folks over at Nokiawp.net managed to get their hands on some pictures of a Sony Ericsson phone running the Windows Phone operating system. The device is clearly labeled as a prototype device and still has “Ericsson” in its name so these could be pretty old photographs, so it's likely that it'll never see the light of day; and it looks a lot like the cancelled prototype from last year. And let's not to mention Sony Ericsson's previous statement on aiming to be the largest Android handset maker. But companies have been known to change their minds at whim, so we shouldn't rule it out either. There may or may not be a Sony (Ericsson) Windows Phone device in the future - just don't hold your breath for it.

Samsung Galaxy Note may be launched by Verizon and Sprint as the Galaxy Journal

The Samsung Galaxy Note was announced by AT&T for the American market a few days ago during CES. Naturally then if you're an AT&T customer and crave this phone/tablet hybrid, you'll be anxiously awaiting its release. But what to do if your carrier of choice is Verizon, or even Sprint? Well, up until now you pretty much had to get used to the fact that you won't ever be able to buy a Galaxy Note. However, that may not be true. An analyst chimed in on the issue, and got quoted saying that the Galaxy Note is definitely headed to Sprint and Verizon as well. But, get this, it will be launched under a different name. The Samsung Galaxy Journal may be what it ends up being called. But it's surely going to be in Verizon and Sprint stores in the first half of this year. Now you should be wary of anything an analyst says. So be wary of this. Treat it as a rumor, and don't run to your nearest Verizon or Sprint store to get in line for a Galaxy Note/Journal just yet. If this is in fact true, expect many more details to leak out slowly over the next few months.

LG Marquee and Samsung Transform Ultra now free at Sprint

If you're looking for a new capable Android smartphone but aren't willing to spend anything on it, Sprint has an interesting limited time offer for you to look at. Both the LG Marquee (which is the Now Network's version of the internationally-launched LG Optimus Black) and the Samsung Transform Ultra can now be had for absolutely nothing – if you agree to sign a new two-year contract of course. That's down from $99.99 (after a $50 mail-in rebate) for the Marquee, and $79.99 (also after a $50 mail-in rebate) for the Transform Ultra. So depending on which device you choose, you may save almost a hundred bucks if you take advantage of this promo. And if you don't mind having Sprint as your carrier and you need a decent midrange Android device, you won't go wrong with either of these, although the LG Marquee is a bit higher-specced (and has the larger screen). That said, the Transform Ultra comes with a full physical side-sliding QWERTY keyboard, which may make up for its smaller screen in the eyes of some. If you're interested in these phones, keep in mind that we have no idea how long they'll still be free, so it's best to grab one as soon as possible. To do that, head over here for the LG Marquee and here for the Samsung Transform Ultra.

Motorola DROID 3 Now $99

With the announcement of the Motorola Droid 4 Verizon’s looking to push its predecessor off of store shelves and quickly. They’re now offering the 3G-only Motorola DROID 3 for just $99. It’s a decent deal for a great phone if you don’t care for 4G. You’d be working with a 4 inch display, a dual-core processor and Android 2.3 with Gingerbread. If you know someone who just can’t live without a keyboard and don’t care for 4G be sure to forward this link over to them. [via The Verge]

Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX to Launch January 26th?

When we met with Motorola at CES to discuss their newly unveiled Droid RAZR MAXX, representatives were tight-lipped about when the phone would launch. Luckily for us their website isn't. All the talk of a release in the next few weeks looks to be true as the RAZR MAXX landing page listed over the weekend a street date of January 26th. The date lines up with Verizon's typical Thursday release schedule. For those unfamiliar with the RAZR MAXX, it is an identical device to the original Droid RAZR save for two key changes: a larger battery and a slightly thicker profile thanks to that larger battery. Though the handset can playback eight movies in a row on a single charge of its 3300mAh battery, it still manages to come in at under 9mm. Check out our first look at this past week's CES.

No More WiMAX Phones for Sprint, LTE is the Focus

At CES 2012 Sprint revealed their first 4G LTE smartphones, the LG Viper 4G and Samsung Galaxy Nexus. At the same event, Senior VP David Owens revealed that Sprint has no plans to release further WiMAX devices. Sprint was the first to market with a 4G smartphone when it introduced the HTC EVO 4G back in the spring of 2010, but their gamble to choose WiMAX as their preferred next-gen network technology didn’t pan out as LTE has quickly become the standard. Sprint is currently in the process of migrating to the new format and doesn’t plan to slow things up or create confusion with consumers by releasing devices that rely on their previous 4G tech.

Eclipse Dual SIM Android Smartphone

Here we have another dual SIM Android smartphone from Chinavasion, the Eclipse. Specs-wise, the handset sports a 3.2-inch 480 x 320 resistive touchscreen display, a 460MHz processor, a 256MB RAM, a 189MB ROM, dual SIM card slots, a microSD card slot (up to 8GB), a 2MP rear-facing camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, built-in loudspeakers, a 3.5mm headset jack, a 1000mAh battery and runs on Android 2.2 OS. The Eclipse can be yours for just $121.42 fully unlocked. [Product Page]

A wild and sexy White Galaxy Nexus has appeared

We knew a snowed-out version of Samsung's Galaxy Nexus was on pace for a February release, and while we've still got a few weeks left, it looks as if one or two have slipped through the cracks. The fine folks over at HDBlog.it managed to get a hold of the prized possession and for anyone who has managed to pass their eyes over the white Galaxy S II, there's not a lot to be shocked by. The bezel along the front remains black, but hey — beggars can't be picky, right? Tap that source link for a gallery's worth of eye candy.

HTC Ville arriving on T-Mobile?

It's been awhile since we've heard about the HTC Ville, and there hasn't any news recently until last weekend when the folks over at Pocketnow.com reported that they were tipped off about the phone: apparently the HTC Ville (if that turns out to be its final name) will be headed to T-Mobile in the US when it goes on sale this Spring. The phone was nowhere to be seen at CES last week, but it is expected to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2012 next month. The phone is rumored to pack a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, HTC Sense 4.0, a 4.3″ qHD Super AMOLED display, an 8-megapixel rear camera with 1080p video support, Beats Audio, a 1,650mAh battery and is rumored to be HTC's thinnest phone to date. Will it steal the thunder away from the flurry of quad-core phones expected this year? We'll just have to wait and see.

Nokia Lumia 900 to be launched by AT&T in March

A few days ago, when Nokia announced the Lumia 900 for AT&T, it said the smartphone would be released "in the coming months." Now, thanks to the official Nokia Developer Newsletter (see the screenshot below), we know that the new handset should be out in March. Of course, that's when AT&T will launch it in the US only, as there's still no word if or when we're going to see the Lumia 900 on other carriers / in other markets. The Lumia 900 is Nokia's third Windows Phone Mango handset, and is pretty much a larger Lumia 800 with LTE connectivity. It features a 4.3 inch WVGA ClearBlack AMOLED display, 1.4GHz single core processor, 512MB of RAM, 8MP rear camera with 720p video recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera, and a 1,830 mAh battery. I'm really curious to see how well the Lumia 900 will sell. The Lumia 800 and Lumia 710 haven't done great until now. Can a launch via a major American carrier do wonders for Nokia? Well, we'll find out later this year.

Samsung Galaxy Note with LTE shows up at Telus Canada

Earlier this week, we told you that Telus is readying the launch of Samsung's Galaxy Note. Now the Canadian carrier has put the 5.3 inch LTE-capable handset up on its official website (here). Unfortunately, it doesn't provide a launch date (or a price) for it, only saying that it's "coming soon." The Galaxy Note will come with Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board. But don't worry, an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is scheduled to arrive sometime after launch. Rogers and Bell will also release the Galaxy Note in Canada, but they haven't got the handset featured on their websites yet.

Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX

Motorola has recently confirmed the availability of the Droid RAZR MAXX. The company will launch the smartphone on January 26th, 2012. For your info, the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX provides a 4.3-inch qHD display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel camera, a 32GB of storage space and the Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS. Its 3,300mAh battery provides up to 21-hour of operating time.

US Cellular's Samsung Galaxy S II (SCH-R760) approved by the FCC

Back in December, we told you that US Cellular could launch the Samsung Galaxy S II and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 at some point. Now, the carrier's Galaxy S II (model number SCH-R760) has been approved by the FCC, so an official announcement could come in the near future. We don't have any details on the features of US Cellular's Galaxy S II, but these shouldn't be too different from the ones found in the standard version (4.3 inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display, dual-core processor, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, and so on).

Samsung Galaxy Nexus Smartphone Review

Android fans have been eagerly waiting for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus because it is the first device on the market powered by Android 4.0. Otherwise known as Ice Cream Sandwich, this new version of Android merges the tablet (Honeycomb) and smartphone (Gingerbread) versions of Google's popular OS into one version that will be used across both types of devices. I was lucky enough to get my hands on this phone for a few days, so let's take a look at one of Verizon's latest Android smartphone. Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view. Before I begin, I will mention that I do not live in or very close to an area with 4G LTE coverage. I was only able to test the phone with a 3G connection. Hardware Specs OS: Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich CPU: 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor Memory Internal: 32GB Carrier: Verizon Network: CDMA/PCS/1xEVDO Rev. A: 800x1900 MHz,LTE: 700 MHz Data Speed: LTE, EVDO Rev. A Display: HD Super AMOLED™ 4.65" contoured display, 1280×720 pixels Rear-facing Camera: 5.0 MP Front-facing Camera: 1.3 MP Bluetooth WiFi Battery: Lithium Ion, 1850mAh Battery Standby 150 hours (6.25 days), Talk Time (hours) Up to 12 hours Dimensions: 5.33" x 2.67" x 0.37" inches Weight: 5.1 ounces As you can see from the image above, the Nexus is a big boy when you compare it to an iPhone 4S. Although it is a large device, it doesn't feel or look out of place when used as a phone. The Nexus has a gorgeous 1280×720 resolution display that is bright and crisp. It has vivid colors but isn't cartoonish like other Samsung Android phones that we've seen in the past. The 4.65 inch display takes up almost the entire front surface of the phone. A strip at the bottom of the display is devoted to 3 (and sometimes 4) touch sensitive buttons. From Left to Right, the buttons are Back, Home and Task Switcher. When appropriate, a 4th button will appear on the Right that has three small vertical square blocks. This is the Menu button. While the phone is in idle with the display turned off, there is a status LED that will slowly pulse when there's a new email, text message or you've missed a call. Above the display is the front facing camera. The back of the Nexus has the camera lens and LED flash. It's a little disappointing that Samsung opted to use a 5mp camera instead of an 8mp camera which seems to be the norm these days. That said, the camera captures decent pics and is crazy fast with no shutter lag whatsoever. The back of the phone has a thin piece of flexible plastic that is easily removed to reveal the battery compartment and 4G LTE SIM card slot. In my short time with this phone, I found battery life to typical in that I would need to charge the phone once a day with light to normal use. It's tough for me to offer concrete data about battery life since I've only been using this phone in an area with 3G and absolutely no 4G coverage. In my experience with other smartphones, I would say that the Nexus used power slightly quicker than HTC Rezound that I tested last. You'll notice that the Nexus does not have a microSD card slot. That's a bit of a bummer, but the phone does have 32GB of storage, which makes the lack of a flash card slot less painful. If you look closely at the side of the Nexus, you'll see that the display is slightly curved. Samsung claims that this will make the phone more comfortable against your cheek when you're on a call. Hmmm… I don't know about you, but I've never noticed my flat phones as being uncomfortable against my face. The Left side of the phone has the volume rocker button which has good tactile feedback and sticks up high enough that your thumb tip can easily find it when you're on a phone call. On the opposite side you'll find the Power button and electrical contacts for an optional dock. On the bottom edge is a micro USB connector for charging and connecting to your computer. You'll also find the microphone and headphone jack. I had a rude awakening when I plugged the Nexus into my iMac to transfer some files and found that the phone does not support the USB mass storage feature that I've been accustomed to using with every Android phone that I've owned over the years. At first I thought it was Android 4.0′s fault because it uses the MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) file transfer standard which is plug and play compatible with Windows machines, but not OS X machines. In order to transfer files to and from the Nexus with my iMac, I had to install a special file manager app. Bleh! After a bit of research, I came to learn that it's not exactly Android 4.0′s fault. Other 4.0 devices will support USB mass storage. The reason that the Galaxy Nexus does not support USB mass storage is because it does not include a microSD slot. As long as an Android 4.0 device has a removable flash card, it will support USB mass storage. In hand, the Galaxy Nexus is comfortable to hold due to the rounded sides. Although the phone is light weight, it is solid and easily passes my patent pending gadgeteer squeeze test with no flexing, creaking or cracking. It's a big phone though, so it's not really pocket friendly. Performance wise, this phone is very snappy. That shouldn't come as a surprise since one of the best things about the Nexus is that it hasn't been “polluted” with a lot of carrier bloatware and interface special sauce like HTC's Sense and Motorola Blur. Let's take a look at a few of the new features that Android 4.0 offers. The default lock screen isn't too different, but you do have the option to use the front facing camera and your own face to unlock the phone. It's kind of fun to play with and worked well for me. It falls back to a pattern matching unlock screen if the stored face isn't recognized. The app view scrolls left to right instead of up and down. In the image above you can see all the stock apps. Here is the 2nd page of apps minus the Tiny Tower and Where's My Water games that I installed. There are only two apps that have been added by Verizon and if you don't want to see them you can actually disable them. Disabling does NOT uninstall them though, it just removes them from the app view. But, I was happy to see that Android 4.0 offers easier app removal now. Instead of having to go into the settings/applications area to uninstall an app, you can just tap and hold the icon for the uninstall option. Also added to the app view are your available widgets. You can scroll through them just like you can your apps. There is also a button in the top right corner for quick access to the App Market. Here we see the dialer interface. Your favorites dialing screen reminds me of the Windows 7 phone interface. I didn't have any issues using the Galaxy Nexus to make and receive calls. I've read that it can have problems with 3G connectivity, but I didn't find that to be the case during the time I've been using the phone. In my area, 3G coverage is very good, so I rarely experience problems with dropped calls and the Nexus was no different in that regard. Call audio was clear and volume was very good even when I made calls from my basement with only 1 bar signal strength. Browsing the web on the Nexus is a joy. My iPhone feels pretty cramped after using the Nexus! The browser feels pretty snappy too… even under 3G. Another cool feature that I haven't been able to test because I don't know anyone else with a Nexus is the new Beam feature.  It will let you easily share contacts, websites, apps, maps, directions and YouTube videos with other people close by. The phone has NFC (near field communication) and when held near another NFC enabled Android 4.0 phone you can touch to beam and share. It kind of reminds me of the good old days when you could beam contacts and even apps back and forth to Palm OS devices. All in all, I like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus quite a bit. If I were in the market for an Android phone right now, it would be the one I would probably buy even though it lacks a microSD card and I would have to deal with the annoying lack of the USB mass storage feature. Except for those 2 things, I love the huge display, snappy performance and quick camera. It's definitely the phone to have right now due to the latest version of the OS and pure Android goodness.

Motorola i940 iDEN Android Phone Released In Brazil

Motorola has decided to release the Motorola i940 iDEN/ Push-to-Talk Android smartphone in Brazil. The i940 comes equipped with a 3.5-inch display, stereo Bluetooth, a 3.5mm audio jack for connecting to headphones or speaker, Wi-Fi, a GPS navigation, a noise cancellation technology, a 5MP rear-facing digital camera and a microSD card slot (up to 32GB). The Motorola i940 is currently available exclusively from Casas Bahia and Ponto Frio stores for around $670. [Press Release]

Verizon Motorola Droid 4 user guide now available

After many months of leak after leak, the Motorola Droid 4 was finally officially acknowledged by Verizon a few days ago. And then yesterday we got word that it may launch for $249.99 on contract. If you're thinking that all that's left now is for its release date to be leaked or announced, well, you're both right and wrong. Right, in that we still don't know when the Droid 4 will hit the streets. But wrong, because there's one other thing that usually gets out in the open just before a new smartphone is released: the user guide. So yes, the Motorola Droid 4′s user guide is now ready for your attention. You can find it here (warning, it's a direct link to the PDF). This indeed signifies that the Droid 4′s release is imminent. So expect that release date to leak any day now. And the official pricing info to be announced soon.