T-Mobile giving away ten HTC Sensation 4G smartphones for Father's Day

If you happen to be looking for an awesome Fathers day gift and have had trouble finding one, T-Mobile may have a solution for you.

T-Mobile is giving away ten of HTC's flagship device, the Sensation 4G. T-Mobile stated that they were giving away the ten devices in honor of Father's day. If you aren't familiar with the Sensation, it features a a 4.3-inch qHD display, a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 8 megapixel camera in the rear with 1080p HD recording, and a front-facing camera for video chat. The device will run on Android 2.3 along with the latest version of HTC Sense.

It is uncertain when exactly these devices will be given away, but T-Mobile did mention that they would give more details on Monday, so we should know what all of the rules and regulations are by then. This would make a great Father's Day present, don't forget to enter.
source: Unwired View

Verizon Samsung Fascinate gets minor update that improves calling

Verizon's Samsung Fascinate is about to receive a software update. But don't go looking for the champagne – this isn't going to make your Fascinate run Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It's still Froyo.

Bad news aside, this update will improve incoming call connectivity, and it will also make the over-the-air update delivery mechanism work better. Those are basically the only things this update brings, but both seem pretty important to us, so perhaps you shouldn't postpone performing the update.

Speaking of that, the update will happen over-the-air, so just wait for your phone to notify you that there's an update available. Then go from there. Alternatively, if you're impatient, go to Settings > About phone > System updates and tap on Check New. This should force the update to come your way.

Either way, the update may not be immediately available for your particular device, as these things usually take a few days to trickle down to everyone. So don't panic. For full installation instructions, read this PDF here. To take another look at the benefits of this update, go through this PDF.
source: Unwired View

Verizon Sony Ericsson Xperia Play almost free at both Amazon and Wirefly

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, the world's first PlayStation Certified phone, has been launched by Verizon in the US at the end of last month. The price that Big Red asks for this Android-powered smartphone is exactly what you've come to expect when speaking about high-end devices and US carriers: $199.99 with a new two-year contract.

Amazingly though, you can get the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play right now for dirt cheap, almost free even. And all it takes is not buying it from Verizon. That's all. A new two-year contract is still required, but if you absolutely need to get yourself some of that hot PlayStation action on Android, here's the good news.

First off, Wirefly now offers the Xperia Play for $0.99. Yes, not even one dollar. Amazon, however, has an even better idea. It sells the Xperia Play for a mere cent ($0.01), just like the HTC Droid Incredible 2 we reported on earlier.

So why did we even bother posting Wirefly's offer if Amazon's is better? Well, because if you do opt to get the phone from Wirefly, you'll also receive $25 free credit to spend on apps in the Android Market. So if you like to install loads of apps on your smartphone(s), then Wirefly is probably where you should buy the Xperia Play from.

If, however, you don't care about such things, you can of course head on over to Amazon and save those extra 98 cents. Who knows what you'll need them for?
source: Unwired View

Verizon HTC Droid Incredible 2 now just $0.01 at Amazon

Yesterday we let you know that Wirefly has a great deal going if you want to purchase a new HTC Droid Incredible 2 for use on Verizon's network. $1.99 is a great price to pay for a top of the line smartphone that's only been out for about six weeks. This isn't last year's tech, it's fresh and cheap.

But what if even $1.99 seems like just too much to pay for a Droid Incredible 2? Well, if you think so, then Amazon has you covered. The well known retailer has one-upped Wirefly as it's now offering the HTC Droid Incredible 2 for one mere cent. That's right, $0.01 and the superphone can be yours – if you agree to sign a new two-year contract of course.

So what are you waiting for? If you want to get a smartphone on Verizon, this is a great deal. Just go to Amazon and order yourself an HTC Droid Incredible 2 now.

The HTC Droid Incredible 2 has a 4-inch 480x800 capacitive touchscreen with Gorilla Glass, a 1 GHz Qualcomm processor, an 8 MP autofocus rear camera with dual-LED flash and 720p HD video recording, a front-facing 1.3 MP camera, 768 MB of RAM, 1.1 GB of ROM, microSD card support, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 1450 mAh battery. It runs Android 2.2 Froyo.
source: Unwired View

HTC EVO View 4G has a go at the FCC

Folks over at the FCC have taken a closer look at the HTC EVO View 4G, which means the tablet device is very, very close to being released for the masses to part with their hard earned money. Initial test reports from the FCC have surfaced, where the tablet is also known by its model number HTC PG41200, complete with WiMAX support to make sure you will remain connected at the fastest speeds possible without missing a beat no matter where you are – subject to signal strength and availability, of course. No further details were divulged by the FCC documents, but we suspect the HTC EVO View 4G will retail for around $400 a pop by the time it arrives at store shelves, primed and ready to go head to head against the iPad and the rest of its Android-powered brethren.
source: Ubergizmo

Cheap flip Samsung Chrono now available from Cricket

The Samsung Chrono is a cheap, unassuming flip-style featurephone that was previously launched by US Cellular. And now it's made its way to Cricket, which has officially announced it today.

It's already available to buy from Cricket for $59.99, and it comes in ‘tanned silver'. You can get the Chrono with Cricket's unlimited plans, such as the $35 per month basic unlimited talk and text, or the more expensive $45 per month plan which includes unlimited talk, text, 411 information, navigation, international text, picture messages, and Web browsing.

The Samsung Chrono has a large easy to read 2-inch display with 128×160 resolution, large keys, and an easy to use interface. It's also got 55 MB of internal memory, an external 1-inch CSTN 96×96 display, 1000 contact entry Phonebook, Calendar, Alarm, Calculator, a VGA camera, an 800 mAh battery, Bluetooth, and mobile Web access.

If the above sounds interesting enough to you that you'd like to purchase a Samsung Chrono, head on over to Cricket right now and do just that.
source: Unwired View

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, Samsung Galaxy S free at O2 UK with £16.5/month contract until Monday

Are you in the UK? Have you already made plans for the weekend? If so, then perhaps you should consider changing them to include the purchase of a brand-spanking new Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, or a Samsung Galaxy S, from O2.

Why would you do that? Because you can, basically. No, because you can for cheap. Well, free even – but that's usually the case in the UK, you get the phone for free. However, in this case, if you get an Xperia Arc from O2 until Monday, you'll be able to get it for free while signing a new contract that will only cost you £16.5 per month. For that sum you'll get 50 minutes, 250 texts, as well as 500 MB of data each month (as part of the All Rounder bolt-on which is free).

If you need more minutes and texts, there's also a £21.5 per month plan which offers you 100 minutes and 500 texts, and the same 500 MB of data. Keep in mind that both of these plans require the signing of a two-year agreement.

The exact same offer, with the exact same terms, is also available if you choose the Samsung Galaxy S as your next smartphone. And even if you want a Galaxy S, you'll still have to act on it until Monday.

So what are you waiting for? High-end superphones are ready to be had with great deals. Go to O2 now and order a Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc or Samsung Galaxy S.
source: Unwired View

HTC Sensation now available in India for Rs. 30,699

The HTC Sensation has finally made it to India, about a month later than we first heard it would. Still, HTC's flagship Android smartphone can now be ordered in India, with delivery expected to happen in about 3 to 5 working days.

The offer comes courtesy of online retailer Letsbuy, which is asking Rs. 30,699 to give you a brand new HTC Sensation. Free home delivery within India is included, as is an In-Transit Damage insurance.

So if you're in India and would like to get a taste of one of the most powerful superphones on the market today, why not go to Letsbuy now and order yourself an HTC Sensation.

The HTC Sensation has a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, a 4.3-inch 960x540 capacitive touchscreen with Gorilla Glass, an 8 MP autofocus rear camera with dual-LED flash and 1080p HD video recording, a VGA front-facing camera, 1 GB of internal storage, 768 MB of RAM, microSD card support, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, and a 1520 mAh battery. The HTC Sensation runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread with HTC's Sense UI overlay.
source: Unwired View

AT&T's HTC HD7S only $49 at Best Buy

While Amazon is selling the HTC HD7S for $99.99 (unlike AT&T, which sells it for $199.99), Best Buy has an even more attractive offer: it lets customers buy the new Windows Phone 7 device for just $49.99.

Of course, you need to sign up for a new 2-yr contract agreement in order to qualify for that price.

If you order it online from Best Buy, the HD7S should be shipped to you within 2-5 business days.

Announced in March and released not long ago, the HD7S is AT&T's version of the HTC HD7, which was first introduced last year. The HD7S runs Windows Phone 7 (an upgrade to Windows phone Mango will be available in the fall) and features a 4.3 inch S-LCD WVGA touchscreen display, Wi-Fi, HSPA, GPS, Dolby Mobile and SRS sound enhancements, 5MP camera with 720p video recording, 1GHz single-core processor, and 16GB of on-0board memory.
source: Unwired View

HTC Sensation now available in the UK for free with £25 per month contract

The HTC Sensation is undoubtedly the Taiwanese manufacturer's flagship smartphone for 2011, and it is indeed a device very worthy of that title. The Sensation has been available in the UK for a while now, so far exclusively from Vodafone. Recently, third party independent retailers have started offering the Sensation too, some even on contract with other operators.

Right now you can get an HTC Sensation for free direct from Vodafone if you get into a £36 per month two-year contract. That's the cheapest contract you need to sign in order to get the phone for free.

However, Eurodroid has found that you can get the HTC Sensation with a much more affordable Vodafone contract from Phones4U (one of the best known third party retailers in the UK). Phones4U will give you the device for free if you sign into a two-year contract that will cost you just £25 per month.

For that amount of money, you'll get 100 minutes, 500 texts, and 500 MB of data each and every month. So if your monthly requirements aren't more than that, you should probably head on over to Phones4U right now and get yourself an HTC Sensation. There's no telling how much this offer will last.
source: Unwired View

Sprint extends instant rebates to July 23, may intro shared data plans on June 12

It looks like upping the 4G upload cap and launching a high-end Android device simply wasn't enough for Sprint to do these days, so the carrier is staying in the news with two rumored moves that, if actually put into motion, would benefit Sprint customers a lot.

First off, I don't know if you remember this, but back in March Sprint decided to get rid of the famed US tradition called the mail-in rebate. This wasn't necessarily going to stay the case forever, basically Sprint was just testing the waters. Well, it looks like that experiment has been paying off for the carrier at least in part, since a leaked internal Sprint memo obtained by BriefMobile clearly points out that the instant rebates (read: not mail-in) will be extended all the way through July 23.

Keep in mind that this doesn't necessarily mean that mail-in rebates will be making a comeback to sprint on July 24 – the carrier may well decide to keep extending the instant rebates even further. Or not, of course. But for now, if you're interested in becoming a Sprint customer, you're safe knowing that what you see advertised is exactly the price you're going to pay if you get a Sprint gadget.

In other Sprint news, it looks like the carrier is getting ready to introduce shared data plans for both 3G and 4G traffic. This information comes via IntoMobile, who have received a Sprint insider memo saying that Sprint will have a shared data plan ready on June 12.
source: Unwired View

Motoblur dies again, in name at least

Here we go again. Remember Motoblur, Motorola's oddly-named Android UI overlay? Akin to HTC's Sense UI, Samsung's TouchWiz UI, and the likes? Come on, you have to have heard of it. After all, everybody loves Motoblur.

Actually, Motorola has found out that pretty much no one even likes it. I kid you not, many, many months after first saying that it's going to basically phase out the name Motoblur, while keeping most of its actual features intact, Motorola has decided to basically phase out the name Motoblur, while keeping most of its actual features intact. And if that seemed copied and pasted to you, Motorola's words seem copied and pasted to me. Over the months.

Ten months ago, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha said that they had “decided that we will focus on the value proposition of products and not MOTOBLUR as a brand name in its own right”.

Fast forward to today, while not forgetting that in these ten months there have been many Moto device launches where Motoblur was touted as one of the features. A Motorola spokesperson confirmed to Engadget that the company is moving away from the name Motoblur, in a decision which was partly influenced by public feedback.

In other words, Moto is saying okay, okay, we know you hate Motoblur. So there, we're not going to be calling it that anymore. Happy now?!

I don't know about you, but I really don't think that those who complained to Moto about Motoblur were complaining about the brand itself (although, in fairness, it is a dumb brand). So I really don't get why Moto thinks it can get away with simply phasing out the brand, and not what it stands for.

So here's what will basically happen. Motorola will continue to add software bits and pieces to its Android devices, bits and pieces that it will no longer call “Motoblur” as a whole. Those bits and pieces will probably turn out to be just as useful, reliable, and bug-free as Motoblur has always been. And they will also help you get faster Android OS updates exactly as much as Motoblur did.
source: Unwired View

Nokia C2-02 to be a slightly different C2-06?

Spotted a couple of days ago on one of Nokia's official blogs, the unannounced C2-06 dual SIM phone seems to have a slightly different version: the Nokia C2-02.

The C2-02 looks exactly like the C2-06, thus it's a slider with a QVGA touchscreen display and an alphanumeric keyboard.

According to Mobil.cz (which got the photos and the details from a Chinese source), the C2-02 features a 3.5mm headset jack, FM radio, and a 2MP camera. Apparently, the new S40 phone doesn't have 3G, and neither Wi-Fi or GPS.
source: Unwired View

Motorola Photon 4G hands-on!

While it just was made official moments ago by Sprint CEO Dan Hesse and Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha, we were able to snag some hands-on time with the 4G beast earlier this morning. For starters, the Motorola Photon 4G features a 4.3-inch qHD display, 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 16GB of storage, an 8-megapixel camera, front-facing camera, and support for Motorola's webtop solution, which will allow the phone to power a full Firefox browser on your HDTV. As far the feel, the device is extremely solid and we're loving the futuristic styling of the design, complete with angled corners. Also, the glossy bezel contrasts beautifully with the rubberized soft-touch case back. The phone runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and felt incredibly snappy during the time we spent with it. The Motorola Photon 4G is scheduled to launch this summer, though pricing information has not yet been announced. Don't let that get you down, though - we have a gallery full of hands-on photos below!
source: Boy Genius Report

Samsung Galaxy S Plus will cost €449 in the Netherlands

Dubbed the “improved version of Samsung's most successful smartphone ever”, the Samsung Galaxy S Plus was officially unveiled in the Netherlands, just as we heard it would be.

The Netherlands is the second country in which this device was announced, after Russia where it's already available. When we last talked about the Galaxy S Plus and the fact that it will be sold in the Netherlands, I told you not to use its price in Russia as an idea of how much it will cost elsewhere – and for good reason. Smartphones are generally a lot more expensive in Russia than in the rest of Europe.

And once again that has been confirmed. The Samsung Galaxy S Plus will retail in the Netherlands for €449, as opposed to the (approximately) €540 it goes for in Russia.

Unfortunately, Samsung decided not to announce when exactly the Galaxy S Plus will become available in the Netherlands – not even a hint other than “soon” – which really isn't saying much. So we'll have to wait and see, and we'll let you know when you can finally buy one.

The Samsung Galaxy S Plus is very similar, in looks but not only, to the Samsung Galaxy S, although some aspects have been improved. For example, the Plus has a 1.4 GHz processor, a 1650 mAh battery, and it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread from day one. And it seems like it's going to be Samsung's upper-midrange offering from now on, at least in Europe.
source: Unwired View

First look: Motorola Triumph (on Virgin Mobile)

The Motorola Triumph is Virgin Mobile's first smartphone from Motorola. It runs Android version 2.2 (Froyo), so it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of their other Sprint offering announced today, but appears to be an attractive option for customers on Sprint's prepaid Virgin Mobile plans.

In recent months we've seen Virgin Mobile expand into the middle ground of the smartphone space, and the Motorola Triumph is no exception. The handset has a boxy shape with relatively sharp corners, but is slim and has a smooth finish. A 1Ghz processor powers the 4.1-inch touch screen as well as output to an HDTV via the micro HDMI port.

The Triumph features two cameras, a 5MP option on the back for photos and smaller VGA optics on the front of the device for video chat. Its memory can be expanded by up to 32GB via the micro SD card slot, and it will come pre-loaded with Virgin Mobile Live 2.0, Virgin's branded music stream.

Including the Photon 4G, XPRT and i1, Motorola and Sprint hope to have "more than 10" devices released together by year's end.
source: Unwired View

Telus to launch the LG Optimus Black Skype Edition this summer

For a month now we've known that the LG Optimus Black was headed to North America, and even if we didn't know back than exactly which carriers will sell the phone in which countries, it was kind of obvious that the handset would become available both in the US and in Canada. Well, it may just hit the streets in Canada first.

What we didn't know a month ago is that the Optimus Black will land in Canada being fully Skyped up (forgive the pun). Telus will launch the Optimus Black Skype Edition sometime this summer. Yes, you read that right, Skype Edition. What does that mean?

The phone will ship with sort of a Skype placeholder app that, once launched, will download the latest version of Skype for Android onto your Optimus Black. Aside from that, you'll also get 60 minutes of Skype international calling for free, and, get this, Skype credits will be charged directly to your Telus bill. That's some interesting cooperation there between a carrier and Skype, and we'll be very interested to see how it pans out – since carriers usually hate Skype.

Other than that, the Optimus Black that Telus will sell is the exact same Optimus Black that's been launched across the world, with its 4-inch touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera with flash, 2 MP front-facing camera, Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS, 1 GHz TI processor, 512 MB of RAM, 2 GB of internal storage, and 1500 mAh battery. The Optimus Black runs Android 2.2 Froyo out of the gate but is upgradeable to Android 2.3 Gingerbread. We'll have to see if Telus will also launch it with Froyo on board or if you'll get a taste of Gingerbread in Canada.
source: Unwired View

New Sony Ericsson Mix Walkman and Sony Ericsson txt pro announced

Today, Sony Ericsson has introduced two new handsets which (perhaps surprisingly, given the company's recent history) don't run Android. In fact, they don't run any smart OS - they're just featurephones.

The new handsets are the Sony Ericsson Mix Walkman and the Sony Ericsson txt pro.

Presented as a "music touch phone that truly focuses on entertainment", the Mix Walkman comes with a 3 inch (400 x 240) display, Four Corner Touch UI (similar to what you see on the Xperia Mini range), Wi-Fi, Facebook and Twitter integration, and a 3.2MP camera.

The Mix has a "cool karaoke mode", and a new feature called Zappin, which 'lets you browse through your songs in a fun way by automatically being served the chorus of the songs while skipping through them".

As its name suggests, the Sony Ericsson txt pro comes with a (sliding) QWERTY keyboard. Other than that, its internals are similar to what you find in the Mix Walkman.

Both the Mix Walkman and the txt pro will be available starting the third quarter of the year. Sony Ericsson didn't announce the handsets' prices, but they shouldn't be on the high side (especially since neither of the phones has 3G).
source: Unwired View

Motorola Triumph for Virgin Mobile hands-on

The Motorola Photon 4G from Sprint wasn't the only Motorola device that got official a little while ago. The company has introduced a low cost Android handset for prepaid carrier Virgin Mobile, and it definitely tries to set the bar for what a prepaid phone is in today's market. For starters, the Motorola Triumph's styling is eerily similar to the first Motorola DROID, just thinner, and without the slide-out keyboard. The unit is solid, and while we noticed a bit of resistance using the display, Motorola informed us that it wasn't a final production unit and that could change. Pricing wasn't communicated to us, but it sure looks like it will be the prepaid Android handset to beat so far. Check out another image of the Triumph after the break.
source: Boy Genius Report

Sprint intros Motorola Photon 4G with Android Gingerbread

Sprint and Motorola have surprised everyone today with the introduction of two new Android smartphones: the Motorola Photon 4G and the Motorola Triumph.

Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the Photon 4G is Sprint's first Moto smartphone to come with WiMax connectivity, as well as the first to rely on a dual-core 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor.

Like Verizon's yet to be released Droid Bionic, the Motorola Photon 4G has a qHD (960 x 540) display. Its other features include: Wi-Fi, 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capability, GPS, 8MP rear camera with 720p video recording, VGA front-facing camera, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board memory (expandable via a MicroSD card slot), and a kickstand.

The Motorola Photon 4G measures 126.9 x 66.9 x 12.2 mm, and comes with a 1,700 mAh battery. Sprint didn't say when exactly it would be available, and neither for what price.

We'll cover the Motorola Triumph in a bit, too.
source: Unwired View

Verizon Samsung Droid Charge gets an update that isn't Android Gingerbread

Verizon's Samsung Droid Charge is in the process of receiving a software update that will make it run version EE4. Unfortunately this isn't an update to Android 2.3 Gingerbread, it's still Froyo. The update does however contain a great number of bug fixes, enhancements, and performance improvements.

Battery life has been improved while making calls, the call log now has phone icons on entries for quick callback, outgoing calls from the Visual VoiceMail app are now placed properly, pressing and holding 1 now takes you to voicemail, audio has been improved, LTE is more accurately detected, the browser performs better, a new email folder structure has been implemented, email and calendar sync has been improved, the Droid Charge is now recognized immediately when plugged into a PC in USB mass storage mode, GPS performance is now better, and ringtones purchased from Verizon's website are now recognized by the device.

But perhaps the biggest improvement of all is that the mobile hotspot functionality now works. For a full list of the changes that this update brings, read through this PDF file over on Verizon's website.

The update is over-the-air, meaning that you won't need a computer to perform it. Your phone will notify you that there's an update available, and you go from there. If the update hasn't reached your particular Droid Charge, don't panic – these things sometimes take days to get to all devices. For detailed update instructions, consult this PDF that Verizon has made available.
source: Unwired View

UK: Samsung Galaxy S II now just �29 with �21.5 per month contract

If you're in the UK and want to have the latest and greatest superphone, then you probably already know of the Samsung Galaxy S II. This beast, announced back in February at MWC, tops all other smartphones on the market in terms of specs and raw power, and it's been available in the UK for a while – even outselling the iPhone 4!

However, as it is a top of the line device, you had to choose expensive monthly plans in order to get the Galaxy S II for cheap or free. Not anymore, though. Eurodroid reports that independent online retailer Dialaphone has you covered, with many options for you to purchase the Galaxy S II on contract with all the major UK operators.

Perhaps the best looking offer over there overall is paying a measly £29 for the device upfront, and signing a new two-year contract with O2 – which will cost you £21.5 each month. For that amount of dough, you get 100 minutes, 500 texts, and 500 MB of data traffic monthly.
source: Unwired View

Samsung Galaxy S Infuse 4G is headed to Rogers in Canada

The Samsung Infuse will not be an AT&T exclusive for long, it seems. MobileSyrup has found out that the Android superphone is also headed up north, and will be sold by Rogers in Canada at some point.

Unfortunately, details about an exact release date as well as pricing information are not available at this time. However, it is clear that this device will be sold by Rogers. And it will have a rather convoluted name too – Samsung Galaxy S Infuse 4G – a mouthful.
source: Unwired View

Verizon HTC Droid Incredible 2 can now be yours for $1.99

If you've been holding out buying an HTC Droid Incredible 2 because you just couldn't afford it, we have some good news for you. Likewise if you wanted to get a new high-end smartphone but didn't know which one exactly, and were perhaps waiting for a great deal to snatch one.

Well, the time has come. Here's a great deal – the HTC Droid Incredible 2 for Verizon can now be yours for $1.99. No, that's not the $199.99 that Verizon asks for this phone directly. No, that's one cent shy of two bucks. You give Wirefly that, and they'll give you a high-end smartphone. Fair, no?

You have to understand that, as with basically all of the US-based deals we publish, this requires you to sign a new two-year contract with Verizon. You also have to not be an existing Verizon customer to take advantage of this offer. Those are the only caveats, but both are pretty much the norm in the US of A.

So if you're interested, why not go to Wirefly now and order yourself a brand new DInc2, as we have no idea how long this deal will last.

The Droid Incredible 2 has a 4-inch 480×800 capacitive touchscreen with Gorilla Glass, a 1 GHz Qualcomm processor, an 8 MP rear autofocus camera with dual-LED flash and 720p HD video recording, a front-facing 1.3 MP camera for video calls, 768 MB of RAM, 1.1 GB of ROM, microSD card support, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 1450 mAh battery. The Droid Incredible 2 runs Android 2.2 Froyo.
source: Unwired View

HTC ChaCha now available from Vodafone UK

After arriving at Three a couple of days ago, HTC's Facebook-centric ChaCha QWERTY candybar touchscreen phone has also landed at Vodafone in the UK. And, unsurprisingly, Big Red's deals are a bit worse than Three's. Though that's pretty much the norm in the UK – if pricing was all that mattered, Three and T-Mobile would have all the customers.

Vodafone offers you the ChaCha for free if you get a £26 per month 24-month contract. That plan gives you 300 minutes, unlimited texts, and 750 MB of data. The normal data allowance for this plan is 500 MB, but Vodafone is throwing in an extra 250 MB until August 11. Of course there are many other, more expensive plans to choose from if you need more minutes.

If you don't even need 300 minutes each month, you can get a £20.50 plan which gives you 100 minutes, 500 texts, and 250 MB of data. However, opting for this plan will require that you pay £99 upfront for the HTC ChaCha.

If you're interested, just go to Vodafone and make your pick.
source: Unwired View

Live from Sprint and Motorola's press event in New York City!

We're here live and in living color at Sprint and Motorola's press event in New York City where Sprint CEO Dan Hesse and Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha will take the stage and presumably reveal what's next from the two companies. Could there be some Android handsets introduced? Well, if you know Motorola, that's probably a lock. The event is about to get under way, and all of our live coverage is after the break!
source: Boy Genius Report

Sprint announces the Motorola Triumph Android phone (for Virgin Mobile)

The Motorola Photon 4G isn't the only new Android handset unveiled by Sprint today. We also have the Motorola Triumph, a smartphone that will be exclusively available via Virgin Mobile on no-contract plans.

The Triumph should be available "this summer", coming with a 4.1 inch WVGA display, Virgin Mobile Live 2.0 app (for accessing the Virgin Mobile branded music stream), HDMI output, 5MP rear camera with 720p video recording, VGA front-facing camera, 512MB of RAM, and a 1GHz single-core processor.

As you can see in the photos below, the Moto Triumph is not exactly the best-looking smartphone around (the Photon 4G certainly has more personality):

Unfortunately, unlike the Photon 4G (which runs Gingerbread), the Motorola Triumph will come with Android 2.2 Froyo. The handset's price hasn't been announced yet.
source: Unwired View

Verizon Samsung Galaxy S II won't be available in July after all, the 4G LTE Galaxy Tab 10.1 will

Let's say your job is being a spokesperson for a company. How good a fit are you for that job, and for that company, if you get its upcoming products confused? If your brain allows you to get a tablet confused with a phone, or the other way round… should you be working for a carrier such as Verizon? I mean those are your employer's main methods of attracting consumers into its contracts, and yet you get them confused. Major loss of geek street cred there for Verizon.

What am I on about, you ask? Remember that yesterday we told you that the Samsung Galaxy S II would be launched (under a different brand, most likely) by Verizon in July? That post was based on information from ComputerWorld. The guys over there spoke to a Verizon spokesperson, and she told them that the Galaxy S II would be available from Big Red in July. Okay?

Well, not okay. Since apparently what she meant was that the LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available at Verizon in July. That's still some good news, but… and here the “how can you confuse those things?!” discussion begins.

Anyway, now you know. That we still don't know when Verizon will start selling the Samsung Galaxy S II, the superphone of 2011 (or at least the first half of 2011 – who knows what the ‘holiday season' has in store for us?).
source: Unwired View

HTC Sensation 4G already available at some Walmart locations?

Although T-Mobile said its brand new HTC Sensation 4G would only be available starting June 12, it looks like some Walmart stores are already selling the handset.

Quite a few customers are reporting over at the XDA Developers forum that they've managed to purchase a Sensation 4G for $148.88 plus tax (meaning almost $160). This being said, chances are that you'll be able to find a Sensation 4G at your own local Walmart.

The HTC Sensation 4G is T-Mobile's first smartphone to come with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It's also one of the carrier's best handsets ever, featuring a 4.3 inch qHD display, Sense UI 3.0, 8MP camera, 1080p video recording, 768MB of RAM, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, and an 8GB memory card pre-installed. Obviously, the Sensation will give the LG-made T-Mobile G2X (another new dual-core Android beast) a good run for its money.
source: Unwired View

Cellcom Samsung Galaxy S Showcase, Motorola Milestone X will be updated to Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Good news for those of you who are customers of regional carrier Cellcom! The company has announced that two of its high-end Android smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S Showcase (which is basically Cellcom's version of the now-ubiquitous Galaxy S) as well as the Motorola Milestone X (this is the name under which the Droid X is sold by carriers other than Verizon, which is the only one that can use the Droid brand in this context) will be updated to Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Both phones now run Android 2.2 Froyo, the previous version of Google's mobile operating system. Unfortunately, what you just read above is the entire extent of the information we have right now. Cellcom says:

“At this time there have not been testing timelines established, so we do not have any indication as to when the updates will be available.”

So there you have it. Cellcom's Galaxy S and Milestone X will get Android 2.3 Gingerbread updates. At some point. In the future. Yes, there still is probably a lot of patience needed, nay, demanded of you by your carrier if you own one of these devices. On the other hand, at least now you know for sure that an update will come your way. Eventually. You just can't have it all, it seems.
source: Unwired View

ZTE Skate announced in France: launches in July, will cost less than €200 SIM-free

This is exciting. If you're somewhere in Europe, at least. How would you like to get a smartphone that has a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen, and runs ‘untouched' Android 2.3 Gingerbread, for less than €200? That's sans contract, SIM-free, unlocked, you get the point.

Well, if the above sounds good to you, meet the ZTE Skate. This is an interesting offering from the Chinese manufacturer that has mostly midrange-ish specs, aside from that screen.

ZTE officially announced the Skate in France today, and it seems like our previous price estimate (€250 in Greece) was higher than what the device will actually end up selling for – less than €200, according to ZTE's French office. The ZTE Skate will become available in France sometime in July. No, we don't know exactly when, and ZTE hasn't even named its carrier-partners there. But July is close, so we'll find out soon enough anyway.

And if it launches in France in July, that means the UK launch can't be far behind. Before we've heard it will happen sometime this summer, and it looks like that's going to be the case. And even if ZTE prices the Skate at around £200 over there, it has the potential to sell massive quantities of this device – because that still isn't much to ask for what you're getting. So after the Orange San Francisco, ZTE may have another best seller soon.

The ZTE Skate has an 800 MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, 512 MB of ROM (around 200 MB free for installing apps), a 4.3-inch 800×480 capacitive touchscreen, a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and VGA (640×480) video recording, quad-band GSM, tri-band 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, microSD card slot, and a 3.5 mm headset jack. The ZTE Skate runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread without any UI overlay. That should, in theory, guarantee timely updates to newer versions of the operating system, however ZTE (and Chinese makers in general) doesn't have a particularly good track record in that regard, so don't count on it. Still, the lack of updates has plagued many other handsets which cost many times more than the Skate, so perhaps we should just enjoy that ‘pure Google' experience as is and look to the Android independent development community for OS updates.
source: Unwired View

Vodafone's Emporia RL1 is the ‘back to basics' anti-smartphone that costs £60 on PAYG

Vodafone has launched a handset that can rightly be called an anti-smartphone, with its clear focus on just making calls and texting. However, the lack of features is something that many will find refreshing, for not every single person on this planet needs or wants a superphone, not even in 2011.

For the ‘back to basics' crowd, the Emporia RL1 is perfect. Oh, and because it doesn't do much, it's also cheap. You can get it for £60 on Pay as you go, and it's free on contracts that cost £24.38 per month or more. That £24.38 per month gets you 600 minutes and unlimited texts, so you can put the Emporia's main features to good use.

The Emporia RL1 is easy to use, it has larger than average keys, and up to 8 days standby time (and 3 hours talk time). It comes with and charges in the ‘dock' thingie you see above. It's got 100 entries in its phonebook memory, 8 MB of internal memory, and the display is a 1.8-inch OLED affair. Speaking of that, text size can be adjusted, the ringing volume can be boosted, and there's even ‘extra powerful' vibration.

The Emporia RL1 has an alarm clock, calculator, and birthday reminder tool, but no camera, no internet access whatsoever, and no MP3 player either.

It's pretty clear who this phone is aimed at – and that's fine. Those who think Androids are (just) humanoid robots need mobile phones too.

To buy an Emporia RL1, head on over to Vodafone.
source: Unwired View

Verizon's Samsung Galaxy S II to be available in July

Samsung's Galaxy S II is coming to all the major US carriers, that much we know already. The Korean superphone wants to redo the success that its predecessor has seen worldwide, and for that it needs to launch in as many countries on as many carriers as possible. And it looks like that's exactly what will happen, with ComputerWorld reporting that the Galaxy S II is expected to have launched on about 140 carriers by the end of June.

As for the US, according to the same source, Verizon will start selling its version of the Galaxy S II sometime in July. A specific date is unknown right now, and may have not even been set yet, but a Verizon spokesperson did confirm the July time frame.

It's also very possible that the story of the Galaxy S II will be very similar in the US to that of the original Galaxy S, with each carrier getting its own version and its own brand name to go with it. We've heard before that Verizon's Galaxy S II will be called Function, AT&T's will be called Attain, and Sprint's will be the Samsung Galaxy Within. The naming scheme has not yet been officially confirmed by either carrier or Samsung.

We'll have to wait and see if the Galaxy S II manages to outsell its predecessor (which has apparently been sold in 14 million units so far), but it certainly looks like it could. It's got the specs too, being one of the devices to pack as much as is possible into a smartphone form factor.
source: Unwired View

Facebook-centric HTC Salsa available now in India

It looks like India is among the first countries where customers are able to buy the HTC Salsa.

Announced at MWC 2011 in February, the Salsa is one of HTC's two Facebook-centric Android smartphones (alongside the ChaCha, of course).

Indian retailer Flipkart is selling the Salsa for 2,0449 INR (about $457), saying it will ship it in 4 business days.

Running Android Gingerbread, the HTC Salsa features a 3.4 inch Gorilla Glass display with 320 x 480 pixels, a dedicated Facebook button, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, 5MP rear camera, VGA front-facing camera, and a 600MHz processor (which may be upgraded to 800MHz, since this happened in the case of the ChaCha).
source: Unwired View

HTC Sensation may receive update that will unlock bootloader

HTC recently announced that it would unlock the bootloaders on all future devices, but it was too late for them to implement the policy on the Sensation 4G.

A few concerned members of XDA forums contacted HTC and asked them whether or not the Sensation 4G would eventually be unlocked for bootloading. Here is HTC's response:

We are currently developing new bootloader unlocked software for your phone. HTC is still committed to allowing our customers to unlock the bootloaders if they wish, however we are still implementing the policy and many updates were already finalized prior to our change in policy. We apologize for the inconvenience, but be assured that we are working on a solution for our customers and our commitment has not changed. Please stay tuned to our official channels for ongoing updates on how we will be implementing this policy.

This is good news for prospective HTC Sensation owners(Release date of June 15th on T-Mobile), although HTC does need to notify customers which previous device models will receive the update and when the update will be issued. Hopefully the update will be issued not to long after the Sensation's release. It's nice to see HTC keeping to its promise and attempting to please device owners.
source: Unwired View

Huawei Ideos X5, X2 and Ideos Chat bring more Android to India

Huawei is launching no less than three new Android smartphones in India this month: the Ideos X5, Ideos X2, and the Ideos Chat.

Both the X5 and X2 run Android 2.2 Froyo, and are full-touch candybars.

The X5 (pictured below) features a 3. 8 WVGA display, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, 5MP autofocus camera, 800MHz processor, and 4GB of on-board memory.

The Ideos X2 only has a 3.2 inch HVGA display, and a 3.2MP camera.

As for the Huawei Ideos Chat, this seems to be a renamed U8300. It runs Android 2.1 (yeah, we know) and features a 2.6 inch landscape display, full QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi, and a 3.2MP camera.

All three new Huawei handsets should be available across India starting June 13. The prices will be as follows: 14,999 INR (Ideos X5), 8,999 INR (Ideos X2), and 8,199 (Ideos Chat).
source: Unwired View

T-Mobile G2 nearing ‘end of life'

After having been available from the magenta carrier for many months, and recently being offered for free on contract, it looks like the end is near for the T-Mobile G2. This device, in effect a Sense-less Desire Z (which is sold internationally and comes with HTC Sense, the Taiwanese manufacturer's UI layer), is approaching the end of its life, according to a leaked internal T-Mobile document obtained by TmoNews.

In fact, the T-Mobile G2 can no longer be found on T-Mobile's website, and can't be ordered online anymore. It's still available in (some) stores, but all signs now point to a slow phasing out of this handset, especially now that the G2x has launched (although it's still not in stock).

It's unclear how long the G2 will continue to be available in Tmo stores, so if you've always wanted one, but never got round to actually buying it, perhaps you should head to the nearest magenta store in your area and seal that deal – if you keep waiting, it may be too late.

Of course, even a few months may pass before the device is fully ‘end-of-lifed', but why risk it?
source: Unwired View

Samsung Indulge now available at Cricket, $329.99 without contract

After having been launched by MetroPCS in February, the Samsung Indulge is now available at Cricket. It's the first Samsung Android phone to be sold by Cricket. The Samsung Indulge is a midranger that should cater well to those Cricket customers who want a decent smartphone in their pocket.

The Samsung Indulge has a 3.5-inch 480×320 capacitive touchscreen, a 1 GHz processor, a 3-megapixel autofocus camera with video capture, microSD card slot, stereo Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, and a 1500 mAh battery. The Samsung Indulge has a full side-sliding QWERTY keyboard and it runs Android 2.2 Froyo.

Cricket will give you a Samsung Indulge if you agree to part with $329.99. However, keep in mind that there are no long term contracts to be signed here. Cricket operates exclusively with month-to-month rolling contracts that you can opt out of anytime. Their Android offering costs $55 per month and gives you unlimited talk, text, 411 info, navigation, international text, picture and video messaging, and even unlimited browsing.
source: Unwired View

MetroPCS Huawei Ascend Android 2.2 Froyo update now available

MetroPCS has launched the very affordable Android-powered Huawei Ascend back in December of 2010. The phone had reasonable specs for the price, but it was always let down by the version of the operating system that it came with – Android 2.1. It's still unclear why MetroPCS and Huawei thought it was a good idea to launch it like that many months after Android 2.2 became available.

And today, many months later, the carrier and the manufacturer have finally rectified their error, for an update to Android 2.2 Froyo has become available for MetroPCS' Huawei Ascend.

The update can be performed in no less than three different ways. First off, via an app (that's nifty and not something we usually hear) that you can find in MetroPCS' Android app market. Once the app is installed, just run it and it will update your phone.

Alternatively, you can update your Ascend using a computer, by downloading the update to it, and then transferring it over to the phone and installing it.

And finally, you can just go to your nearest MetroPCS store and have someone there update your phone for you.

Loads of options indeed. There are important things you need to know before you attempt the update though, such as the fact that all the data currently on your device will be erased. To get all the necessary info needed to safely update your handset, and to download the update files in case you decide to update via a computer, just head on over to this handy page that MetroPCS has put up. It explains, in painstaking detail, what benefits you get from upgrading, what you need to do – basically everything you need to know is there waiting for you.
source: Unwired View

Samsung Galaxy S Plus i9001 is on its way to the Netherlands

We first heard about the existence of the Samsung Galaxy S Plus at the end of March, when we discovered that this is meant to be a slightly updated version of the original Galaxy S i9000. In fact, it looks pretty much the same as that device or the Galaxy SL i9003. However, the Galaxy S Plus has a single-core 1.4 GHz processor, a 1650 mAh battery, and it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread from the start.

It has been officially launched only in Russia thus far, but it's clearly bound to become available elsewhere very soon. In fact, Samsung Hub has learned that the Galaxy S Plus will reach the Netherlands in the not so distant future. Unfortunately, there are no more details as of yet – we don't know anything about an actual release date or pricing. For figuring out the latter we can't really rely on the details in Russia, as that's usually one of the most expensive markets for unlocked devices (and the Galaxy S Plus is being sold there for around EUR 540).
source: Unwired View

Sprint HTC Evo 3D pre-orders have started, $179.99 or cheaper if you trade in an old Evo

With June 24 fast approaching, retailers, be they online or not, are starting to get ready for the many Sprint customers who'll want to get an HTC Evo 3D the second it comes out. June 24, you may remember, is the date when the Evo 3D will officially hit the streets, Sprint announced a few days ago.

The HTC Evo 3D is, as its name implies, a handset that's all about the three Ds. It's got a 3D capacitive touchscreen, and dual cameras for 3D pictures and 3D movie recording. If you're into that kind of thing, you'll be happy to know that Wirefly has started taking pre-orders for the device, and it's asking $20 less than Sprint will when it becomes available. That's not a huge discount by any stretch of the imagination, yet if you've always known you were going to buy an Evo 3D anyway, why not get it from Wirefly and save a cool $20 in the process? Exactly.

So the Evo 3D will set you back $179.99 at Wirefly. There are ways to get the handset even cheaper though, yet they involve trading in an old Evo. That's right – RadioShack for example will give you the Evo 3D for just $99.99 if you trade in an old Evo 4G or Evo Shift 4G.

However, the best trade-in offer of them all has got to be Target's. It will give you an Evo 3D for just $50 if you give them a used Evo 4G in return.

Now granted, these trade-in mechanisms will only be of any use for those already owning an Evo branded device. For everyone else however, there's Wirefly's offer. And we'll keep you posted on any new great Evo 3D deals we can find.
source: Unwired View

Sony Ericsson intros Xperia Play Experience Pack

While unveiling the brand new PlayStation Vita (which will be released by AT&T with 3G connectivity), Sony and Sony Ericsson have also announced something for the Xperia Play Android Gingerbread smartphone, namely a new Experience Pack.

The Xperia Play Experience Pack includes a DK300 multimedia dock (that can charge the handset and turn it into an "office desk stand"), a music cable, a pocket USB cable, and a QR code (or a voucher) that lets you download three Gameloft games.

You can choose between these games:

Assassin’s Creed – Altaïr’s Chronicles
Uno
Real Football 2011
Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus
Let’s Golf! 2
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction
Brothers In Arms 2: Global Front
N.O.V.A. 2 – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance
Eternal Legacy


Sony Ericsson didn't say how much the Xperia Play Experience Pack costs, and neither when and where it will be available.
source: Unwired View

Vodafone Smart now available in the UK for just £60 on Pay as you go

A couple of weeks ago, Vodafone officially announced the Smart – an own-brand Android smartphone that was meant to be sold cheap. Dirt cheap. This is no overachiever, and was never meant to be. This is an ‘introductory' smartphone, one that's meant for those who have no idea what a smartphone is. Or you may get it as a second device. Stuff like that.

Anyway, the Vodafone Smart is now available in the UK. And there's some good news too. Back when it was unveiled, we heard it would cost around €90. Well, it's even cheaper than that. A lot cheaper.

The Vodafone Smart can be yours for £60. On Pay as you go. So go, grab one now from Vodafone.
source: Unwired View

Verizon Motorola Droid 2 Global price drops to $149.99 possibly making way for the Droid 3

Verizon has decided to cut the price it asks for the Droid 2 Global by Motorola by $50, making the Android-powered world phone now available for just $149.99 with a new two-year contract. Since its launch last year, the Droid 2 Global has seen a lot of interesting deals and cut prices, but this is the first time that Big Red itself has changed the amount it asks for this device.

That may just mean that the Droid 2 Global has reached that phase in its life when the price needs to be discounted a bit to keep the phone interesting to consumers. Or, TmoNews speculates, the price drop may signify that the launch of the rumored Motorola Droid 3 may be imminent.

Verizon is known to drop prices on older devices to allow new handsets to be priced at the ‘standard' $199.99 with new two-year contract. That's even what happened when the Droid 2 Global appeared in the carrier's portfolio. And after leaking so many times during the past few weeks, the Droid 3 surely is quite close to its release.
source: Unwired View

HTC ChaCha now available at Three UK

The HTC ChaCha Facebook-centric Android-powered smartphone looks like it's going to slowly start becoming available from UK mobile network operators, after having been ready to order from third party retailers for a few days.

Today Three has announced that you can get an HTC ChaCha from its website or stores, and Vodafone seems also close to stocking the device since it's already got a video preview up.

At Three, the HTC ChaCha can be yours for free if you opt for a 24-month contract that will cost at least £20 per month. That cheapest plan gives you 300 minutes, 5,000 texts, and 500 MB of data each month. For an additional £2 per month you'll get 500 minutes and 1 GB of data, and for £29 per month you'll get 2,000 minutes, 5,000 Three-to-Three minutes, as well as All-you-can-eat data. In all cases, you get 5,000 texts.

If you don't like contracts, you can get the HTC ChaCha from Three on Pay as you go for £249.99.
source: Unwired View

Ericsson Launches Mobile Money Service For European Market

Swedish telecommunication provider Ericsson has launched its Mobile Money Service for its European Market, allowing mobile phone users to send and receive money from phone to phone via text message.

Users who sign up for the service can load money into an eWallet from a debit card, credit card or bank transfer. The money can then be transferred to friends and families in multiple countries. Mobile phone users will also be able to withdraw cash at Ericsson Money Card and Mastercard ATM locations where the service is provided.

Basic accounts will restrict the service of up to £1,600 ($2,600) a year, with premium accounts allowing users to load unlimited amounts of cash per year.

The service is currently free, although a commission fee will be charged after the free trial is complete.

Ericsson hasn't made mobile phones in years but is hoping to bank on the new service, as mobile payment options and text-and-go payment methods are increasing in popularity with smartphone users.

The service is currently available in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and Sweden, with expansion plans across Europe soon.
source: Unwired View

T-Mobile will launch the Samsung Dart (Galaxy Mini) on June 15, official pictures leak

Just a couple of days after Samsung officially announced the Galaxy Mini entry-level Android-powered smartphone we found out that in the US, T-Mobile decided to carry the device. Back then we had no more info, but in the meantime a T-Mobile roadmap has leaked showing the Galaxy Mini (a.k.a. t499) slated for a June 15 release.

Today more details are available. T-Mobile's version of the Galaxy Mini will be called Samsung Dart, and the official imagery has leaked to CellPhoneSignal. Here it is in all its glory:

According to the same source, June 15 will indeed be when this phone hits the (US) streets. The Dart will come in one color version – gray – as seen above. It will have a QVGA (240×320) touchscreen, a 2 MP camera with no flash, 3G, and Bluetooth. The Dart will run Android 2.2 Froyo when it launches.
source: Unwired View

Redesigned Motorola DROID BIONIC pictures surface

Motorola took the wraps off of the DROID BIONIC back during CES 2011, shortly thereafter announced that it had delayed the device until summer. Now, the first shots of the newly redesigned DROID BIONIC are beginning to surface. The images show the device has - what appears to be - a new version of Motorola's MOTOBLUR user interface. We assume most of the other specs remain the same: the phone clearly shows an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p video, it has a 4.3-inch qHD display, and support for Verizon's 4G LTE network. Unfortunately there's still no word on a possible release date, but let's hope the BIONIC's battery life is better than Verizon's other 4G phones. Hit the jump for two more images.

Read
source: Boy Genius Report

AT&T-friendly HTC Sensation hits the FCC

The HTC Sensation - which will be released by T-Mobile USA on June 15 - may also come to AT&T.

There's nothing official about this at the moment, but the FCC has approved a version of the Sensation (HTC PG58110) which features 850x1900 MHz WCDMA connectivity, thus being compatible with AT&T's HSPA network.

Certainly, an FCC approval doesn't guarantee the launch of a handset in the US. But it does move things in the right direction.

If AT&T decides to offer the Sensation, it will probably change the smartphone's name to differentiate it from T-Mobile's edition.

Already available in Europe, the HTC Sensation features Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 4.3 inch qHD (960 x 540) display, Sense UI, Bluetooth 3.0, 8MP camera with 1080p video recording, 768MB of RAM, and a dual-core 1.2GHz processor.
source: Unwired View

HTC Sensation also suffers from iPhone 4 Death Grip

Everyone remembers the iPhone 4 death grip fiasco and Apple's bumper program, but it looks as though one of the summer's highly anticipated Android phones also has the same problem.

T-Mobile's HTC Sensation 4G is the latest phone to suffer from the death grip problem. The death grip problem occurs when one grabs the phone in a certain way, which then results in the phone losing its cellular signal, and its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The problem is caused by the Sensation's back cover according to multiple tests done by Nordic Hardware. The metal battery cover has a few plastic patches that act as antennae for the phone. If you cover up one of the patches, your connectivity will weaken, especially with bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

As seen in the video below, when one puts the device on the palm of their hand, it stops audio playback. The death grip will also block weaker hotspots from showing up on your Sensation. The first reaction of most people to correct this problem is the same as the iPhone, use a phone case. This will not work on the Sensation since it actually blocks the antennae rather preventing the user from shorting it which was the case on the iPhone 4. Not sure how HTC plans on fixing this, but we will keep you updated on the situation.
source: Unwired View