Motorola announced XT316 budget Android QWERTY phone

Motorola has announced a new budget smartphone based on Android. The XT316 has a candybar form-factor and a full QWERTY keyboard and is likely to compete against the likes of the Nokia E5 and the BlackBerry Curve 3G.

The XT316 has a 2.8 QVGA touchscreen display, 3 megapixel, fixed focus camera, 600MHz CPU ARM 11 with Adreno 200 GPU, 256MB RAM and 512MB built-in memory expandable with microSD cards. The XT316 supports 3G HSPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

The XT316 will be sold in Europe as ‘Fire’ and in Latin America as ‘Spice Key’. The phone is already on sale in China and is coming to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Latin America starting mid-July and Asia later this summer.
source: GSM Arena

Sony Xperia Play coming to AT&T

AT&T has just quietly revealed that it will be selling the Sony Xperia Play at a holiday preview event in New York City.

The phone will run on Android 2.3(Gingerbread), and will be AT&T's second Gingerbread phone behind the HTC Status. The device will run on AT&T's 4G HSPA+ network with speeds up to 21 MBps. AT&T will be getting its own special “Stealth Blue” version of the Play along with the stock black version. If you are unfamiliar with the Xperia Play, it spots a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon chip, a 4-inch display, and a 5 megapixel camera.

This Xperia Play is the same as Verizon's with the exception of a different color and different network speeds. AT&T has yet to release any info on pricing or availability, but we will keep you updated on the status of the Xperia Play.
source: Unwired View

Google updates Android Market app on the phone

Google has face-lifted the Android Market app on the phone. The new design ditches the curvy lines of the previous version and uses a more functional squarish design. The new UI fits more apps and content on the screen at once and uses convenient side swipes for moving between different categories. There are also new categories in the Android Market app, such as staff picks and Editor’s Choice apps.

Also included in the new Market app are Books and Movies, which were separate apps before. Both these services are currently limited to the US but will be made available to select other countries soon. You can rent movies starting from $1.99 and then stream them to your phone or download them for watching later.

The new Android Market will be available to device running Android 2.2 and later and will start rolling out to all the supported handsets in the coming weeks.
source: GSM Arena

Samsung shows new WP7 phone that may be based on Galaxy S II

After the initial crop of Windows Phone 7 devices, there haven’t been that many new gadgets. At the Microsoft Partner Conference however, a WP7 Samsung that may be based on the Galaxy S II made a quick appearance. This could be theSamsung i937, a phone that's been in the rumor mill for a while now.

Microsoft's corporate vice president Steve Guggenheimer didn’t give away much - "it's very thin and light" is about all he said. Which is what you would expect from a Galaxy S II based phone.

The styling of the mystery Samsung WP7 phone was reportedly similar to that of the S II and featured the Home, Back and Search keys that all WP7 phones must have. The phone was shown at a distance, so it's hard to say if the screen was a SuperAMOLED Plus or not.

We could probably expect the new Samsung WP7 phone in time from Christmas when HTC, LG, Acer, ZTE and Fujitsu will be unveiling new Windows Phone 7 mobiles as well.

Nokia's plans don't seem to include any WP7 action for this year. Still, maybe all these plans for new phones from several companies will please Steve Ballmer.

If you want to skip straight to the Samsung WP7 phone's appearance, click on the Steve Guggenheimer mark (the keynote is over 2 hours long).
source: GSM Arena

LG Optimus Chat C550 launched by O2 UK

Announced by LG back in February, during MWC 2011, the LG Optimus Chat C550 has been just released by O2 in the UK.

The new smartphone is targeted at young users, it runs Android 2.2 Froyo, and comes with a sliding QWERTY keyboard. It also features a 2.8 inch HVGA touchscreen display, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm headset jack, 3MP camera, 140MB of on-board memory, and MicroSD card support.

You can buy the Optimus Chat here at O2 for £139 on Pay As You Go.

For the moment, O2 is selling the Optimus Chat only in a black / pink version, but other colors should also be available (like the black & silver one pictured above).
source: Unwired View

Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro may start shipping in late September in the UK

A week ago we told you that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro (the similarly-named successor to the Xperia X10 Mini Pro) was delayed in the UK, with its release expected to happen sometime during the fourth quarter of this year, most likely in October. That information was based on the Carphone Warehouse listing of the Xperia Pro, which had October noted as the projected release time frame.

Those of you who are eager to buy an Xperia Pro in the UK may be in luck though, for the device may just start shipping a bit earlier. The Xperia Pro has showed up on Sony Ericsson's UK site, and the manufacturer is expecting to have it available in its online store in late September.

Now that may mean that Sony Ericsson's online shop will have some Xperia Pro stock a bit before everyone else in the UK, or it may also mean that the delay has gotten smaller than what it initially expected it to be. Either way, there's still a lot of waiting to do if you want this handset.

The price that Sony Ericsson asks for the Xperia Pro is £349.99. Of course that will net you an unlocked, SIM-free smartphone.
source: Unwired View

Cisco Cius Picks Up 4G LTE, Heads to Verizon

The Cisco Cius has been bouncing around flashing its enterprise tablet status for the better part of a year, but only recently started teaming up with mobile carriers on the release of the slate. AT&T will host an HSPA+ Cius later in the year, and now Verizon is announcing they will carry their own version of the tablet featuring 4G LTE connectivity.

The is one of the few Android tablets to feature an Intel Atom processor, in this case clocked to 1.6GHz. It also holds 32GB of storage, sports 720p videoconferencing capabilities, and will have access to Cisco's proprietary AppHQ apps market. The Cius will be available later this summer to Verizon business and government customers.

Verizon Combines the Power of 4G LTE with the Cisco Cius Tablet to Improve Mobile Enterprise Collaboration

Helps Businesses Employ Tablets for Industry-Specific Applications

NEW YORK, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The ancient Greeks relied on them. So did Moses when it came to accomplishing one of his most significant deliverables. And now businesses are equipping mobile workforces with tablets of their own to boost productivity and speed customer service.

To meet this newest trend in tablet use, Verizon is combining the power of its 4G LTE network with the Cisco Cius™ to help customers decentralize and accelerate decision-making for better business outcomes.

The Cisco Cius will be available to Verizon enterprise and government customers around the world later this summer, and those located domestically will be able to combine the device with a Verizon Wireless 4G LTE mobile hot spot. Designed for the enterprise, the Android-based Cisco Cius combines voice, video, collaboration and virtualization capabilities on one device. When powered by Verizon's 4G LTE network, mobile workers will be able to easily use bandwidth-intensive video applications - including between devices - for more effective collaboration.

“Mobile applications over intelligent high-speed networks will continue to eliminate barriers in the workplace,” said Mike Smith, vice president for Verizon enterprise communications, network and mobility sales. “We're forecasting a perfect storm where advanced enterprise tools such as the Cisco Cius mesh with the speeds made possible by 4G LTE to make the virtual office a more robust reality than ever.”

Putting Tablets to Work

In general, industries such as retail, financial services, healthcare and government can employ tablets to change the pace of their business.

Retail: Sales associates can employ tablets while out on the floor to look up product and inventory information for customers, in addition to processing transactions on the spot.

Financial Services: Bankers and financial advisors can take advantage of the video capabilities of tablets for face-to-face meetings with clients, saving the time it takes to meet up at physical locations.

Health care: Medical professionals can use tablets to collaborate on patient care and speed critical decision-making.

Government: Tablets can increase productivity of government users - from military to civilian government field workers to emergency first responders - allowing them to enter information or share it quickly with remote offices to complete the business of government more efficiently.

Through Verizon's Managed Mobility portfolio, enterprise customers can securely deploy a wide range of devices to employees. Capabilities include device management; expense tracking management; lock and wipe features for protecting sensitive data; and mobile delivery of popular business and consumer apps from the cloud. In addition, the company offers a full suite of professional services to help organizations create policies and design mobility programs to suit varied requirements.

Verizon is a global network communications leader in driving better business outcomes for enterprises and government agencies. Verizon delivers integrated IT and communications solutions via its global IP and mobility networks to enable businesses to securely access information, share content and communicate. Verizon is rapidly transforming to a cloud-based “everything-as-a-service” delivery model that will put the power of enterprise-class solutions within the reach of every business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 104 million total connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 196,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.
source: Android Phone

Verizon Motorola Droid Bionic gets its own page ahead of the summer release

Verizon's Motorola Droid Bionic is coming soon. It's been coming soon ever since January, when it was first announced at CES. In the meantime though, there were rumors about a delay, it disappeared from Motorola's site, then it turned out Motorola was busy redesigning the smartphone and adding features to it. Recently Motorola thought it was time to reassure us that the phone was still on track, and that it would finally be released sometime ‘this summer'.

Thankfully, that projected time frame apparently hasn't changed. We know that because today Verizon put up a special page for the Droid Bionic, and it clearly states that the device is “Coming This Summer” (as you can see below).

The page doesn't do much yet, but it does let you enter your email address so the carrier can let you know when it finally launches the Droid Bionic.
source: Unwired View

Quiz franchise Scene it? launches on Android

The popular mainstream trivia quiz series Scene It? has just arrived on Android, in the form of Scene It? Daily. It's a free mobile app, offering a constantly updated collection of trivia, plus it's cross-platform – so you can play on Android, on a browser or through the Facebook app.

We suspect you're going to get rather a large number of questions about US TV programmes and the love lives of basketball players, but the app is available right now to UK Android users.
source: Eurodroid

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S updated to Android 2.3

According to an announcement over on the T-Mobile UK support forum, an update for the original Samsung Galaxy S has just gone live on the network, which will upgrade phones branded with T-Mobile features to the Android 2.3 Gingerbread release.

This took the network quite a while. There must've been some absolutely LIVID Galaxy S users on T-Mobile…

…but no doubt they're all happy now. Anger quickly subsides when you have an almost new telephone to play with.
source: Eurodroid

Microsoft claims that there will not be Windows Phone 7 based tablets

Fans of the Windows Phone 7 platform out there will be disappointed to know that Microsoft has announced that there will not be any tablets running on the Windows Phone 7 operating system. Microsoft claims that the company views tablets as a personal computer, rather than a new age mobile device, which is why WP7 will not be making an appearance on tablet devices.

Windows Phone president Andy Lees was quoted as saying "We view a tablet as a PC."

The good news is that if you were looking for a Windows based tablet, chances are it will be the tablet-centric Windows 8 operating system, which Microsoft has planned for 2012, and will be the only tablet OS to be issued by the company.

For now Windows Phone 7 fans will have to contend with the platform being available only on smartphones, which is not necessarily a bad thing as it is reported that there will be a slew of WP7 based smartphones coming up, with Nokia's offerings probably being the most hyped up about.
source: Ubergizmo

Virgin Mobile to throttle data after introducing a new price structure

Companies are in business simply because they have one thing in mind – their bottom line, alongside the usual reasons such as making the world a better place, providing jobs for the local populace, improving the life of those around amongst many others. Well, the bottom line is still a huge concern to many CEOs, as they spend sleepless nights wondering how to increase the profit margin without looking as though the customers were taken advantage of. With Virgin Mobile, could the latest revamp in their pricing structure for cellular plans be part of such as exercise?

This Sprint-owned entity will lower the price of its Beyond Talk “unlimited” voice, data, and text messaging plan to $55 per month, but that sweet piece of news is dampened with word that its two more affordable Beyond Talk plans will be raised to $35 and $45 each month, respectively.

These new prices will come into play from next Tuesday (July 19th) onwards, while the word “unlimited” will be desecrated yet again come October as all data usage after 2.5GB will be throttled – going down all the way to 256 kbps or less from 3G speeds.
source: Ubergizmo

Retailer: LG Optimus White launching on July 15

That weird white version of the Optimus Black has been given a release date by UK retailer Phones4U, which says you'll be able to acquire the shiny white version of LG's super-skinny 4″ Android phone from July 15.

The site's now accepting pre-orders, with the Android 2.2 phone available on contracts starting at £20.50 per month…

…although you'll have to pay at least £25 per month if you want your White Black supplied with a mobile data allocation.
source: Eurodroid

T-Mobile rolls out optional caller ID service

Don't you just hate it when you get calls from unknown numbers? You never know whether you should pick them up or you should avoid them. Well, T-Mobile customers now have the option to identify unknown callers, with T-Mobile's new caller ID service called Name ID. Costing $3.99 a month, the service will allow T-Mobile users to identify who's calling them even if they don't have their number saved in their contact list.

The service will identify the name, city and state of the callers - provided the number has those details attached to it. And if users wish to, they can save these details onto their address books for future use. The days of receiving prank calls or sales pitches from telemarketers are finally over - unfortunately the service isn't for all T-Mobile users yet. Only those with the Samsung Exhibit 4G will be able to make use of the feature. Other handsets including the myTouch 4G Slide will get it later this month.

T-Mobile Name ID is available starting today, with a free 10-day trial for users who are unsure about spending money for the service.
source: Ubergizmo

Nuance Dragon Go! brings contextual voice search to iOS

Jealous of Android users being able to use voice commands on their phones for almost everything while you are limited to just voice searching on the internet with your iPhone? Well, those days are drawing to an end. The folks over at Nuance have just released a new app for iOS called Dragon Go! which brings a whole load of new speech to text functions on your iPhone.

You can perform regular voice searches on the internet online just like with Google Voice Search, but you're not limited to just searching for websites. Dragon Go! applies some context to your searches to make life easier for you. For example if you ask for directions, it will launch Google Maps with the route to where you want to go. If you search for a product name, the Amazon page will come up showing the product you want. If you ask for an artist on Pandora - it will launch Pandora with the artist you want to listen to.

Sounds like a pretty useful app for iPhone users to use especially when they've got their hands busy. Head over to the Apple App Store to download Dragon Go! for free now. Give it a shot and let us know what you think.
source: Ubergizmo

Samsung Epic 4G Android 2.3 Gingerbread on the way?

There were whispers of the Samsung Epic 4G receiving an Android 2.3 Gingerbread update this July, and it is nice to see such rumors getting more substantial backing with word from Sprint. Yes, Sprint's site has actually listed the Epic 4G to ship with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, never mind that existing Epic 4G owners already know that they have long been living with Gingerbread's predecessor, the Android 2.2 Froyo.

This might not be a 100% confirmation as we have to take into account human error when posting that ad, as a typo cannot be ruled out of the question. Still, we don't think that Sprint might actually make such a blunder, so it could be a not-so-subtle hint for subscribers that Android 2.3 Gingerbread is all but confirmed. Anyone stoked yet?
source: Ubergizmo

Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray priced in Germany: €369

Already available for pre-order in the UK, the new Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray should also come to Germany soon, where Amazon lists the handset as costing €369. That's slightly lower than the price for the UK market (£349.99 - about €397).

Unfortunately, Amazon Germany doesn't say when the Xperia Ray will be available, and for now it doesn't even take pre-orders.

In the UK, the new smartphone will be likely out in August (although we've also heard that it may have been delayed until September), so German customers should expect to get it at about the same time.
source: Unwired View

Motorola XT860 4G Is Canada's Droid 3 Headed for Bell

Like many locations outside the US, Canada will be getting its very own version of the handset known stateside as the Motorola DROID 3 under the rather inconspicuous title Motorola XT860 4G. Why Motorola has decided to ditch the Milestone tag for the Canadian release is a mystery, but the details of the phone are not. The handset retains its 4.0-inch qHD display, 1GHz dual-core CPU, and slide-out five-row QWERTY keyboard. The XT860 4G is rounded out with an 8MP camera and 16GB of internal storage.

The phone will ship with Android 2.3 when it lands on Bell later this summer. Pricing details were not made available at this time.
source: Android Phone

LG Optimus Pro and Optimus Net seen again

Ever wondered just what the plural of Optimus is? Could it be Optimii, so that we can just call it the LG Optimii collection – with the Optimus Pro and Optimus Net being released a couple of days ago, joining the ever expanding Optimus family. With newer videos of both smartphones hitting the Internet pipeline, it goes without saying that you can find out more about said smartphones without purchasing one – both in terms of features and performance. They do seem to be settle in nicely within the mid-range scheme of things, so that means bragging rights are not part of the package should you decide to bring either model home.

The LG Optimus Net and Optimus Pro do not seem to be too far removed from one another where hardware and software are concerned, powered by a similar 800MHz processor coupled with a 3-megapixel autofocus camera and 3.6Mbps 3G connectivity with Android 2.3 Gingerbread running right out of the box.

The LG Optimus Pro is different in a sense where it sports a QWERTY keyboard, making the pro-BlackBerry crowd happy. Regardless, both models look set to arrive at Europe before they make their way to the US.
source: Ubergizmo

Google: 130 million Android devices now in use, 6bn apps installed

Google has announced another couple of interesting Android milestones to go along with the 550,000 activations figure revealed earlier, claiming that there are now 130 million Android devices in use around the world. That's a significant percentage of the planet's population.

Plus those Android owners have, between them, managed to install six billion apps from the Android Market. That's a lot of bandwidth.

Image taken from the Android Dev Twitter feed, which is currently picking out the most interesting mobile-related facts from Google's financial presentation.
source: Eurodroid

Nokia prepping $120 million ad campaign ahead of Windows Phone launch?

With the dust from its Microsoft partnership having somewhat settled, Nokia is reportedly looking to kick off its forthcoming line of Windows Phones with a major marketing campaign. As we've seen with their latest marketing strategy on their latest N9, it seemed that Nokia will be heading the Apple method of advertising.

According to Marketing Magazine, Nokia have already devoted some £80 million to the six-month ad endeavour, which is expected to launch in October. And yet we though the WP7 Nokia handsets will only come in 2012.

Considering all the job cuts and downwardly revised corporate forecasts, an advertising refresh would seem like a logical way for Nokia to embark on a new era. Cut some skin from there and mend it here, a common strategy in business's logic. But the company is remaining rather mum on the subject, saying, “We are excited about the Nokia with Windows phone, but it's not our policy to comment on specific campaigns for unannounced products.” Awkwardly executed “leaks,” on the other hand, are an entirely different matter.
source: 2DayBlog.com

Panasonic Lumix Phone P-05C

Panasonic has recently released the Lumix Phone P-05C in Japan via KDDI. It is claimed to be the world's first camera phone with an optical image stabilization. The Panasonic Lumix Phone P-05C features a bright f/2.8 wide-angle lens, several digital filters such as Miniature, Soft focus and Pinhole and Full HD video recording capabilities. No word on pricing at this time. [Panasonic]
source: TechFresh

LG Optimus 3D Hits The UK Market

LG has decided to launch the Optimus 3D in the UK market. The world's first 3D smartphone is now available at Clove for £454.80 (unlocked/SIM-free). As a reminder, the LG Optimus 3D has a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen, a 1GHz dual-core TI processor, dual 5MP cameras with 3D capture and video recording and 2D 720p HD video recording, an 8GB of internal storage, a 512MB of RAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, DLNA, an HDMI out and a 3.5mm audio jack. The LG Optimus 3D runs on the Google Android 2.2 Froyo OS. [Clove]
source: TechFresh

LG invades the portable gaming market with the Optimus 3D

While the Xperia Play may be at the top of our lists for handheld gaming goodness on the Android Platform, LG has joined the fray with the launch of the LG Optimus 3D and the introduction of 17 Stereoscopic 3D games from mobile games powerhouses Gameloft.

Full versions of 3 titles will come pre-installed with the LG Optimus 3D, namely Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, N.O.V.A and Let's Golf 2, with 14 further games to be available via download including Assassin's Creed and Avatar, which aren't low-tier games that lets you to shoot some pigs with some birds.

Also, special software available only on the Optimus 3D lets you convert 2D photo and video content into 3D. Furthermore, LG is also coming out with free software that can convert 2D games into 3D in Q3 this year.

"Today's Smartphones have the horsepower to compete with the best portable gaming devices and LG Optimus 3D is our proof," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "We think 3D is the natural next step in portable entertainment and LG is eager to throw its hat in the ring with the Optimus 3D and Gameloft's 'must-be-seen-to-be-believed' titles."

The LG Optimus 3D is also the world's first smartphone with full 3D and dual-core, dual-channel and dual memory architecture, designed with maximum performance and efficiency in mind.

The LG Optimus 3D is currently being introduced into over 60 markets across the globe and no word on the RRP as yet.
source: 2DayBlog.com

LG Optimus Pro C660 with Android 2.3 Gingerbread coming soon

LG is getting ready to introduce its third Optimus Android smartphone that features a QWERTY keyboard, after the Optimus Chat C550 and the Optimus Q (released in Korea only). The new handset is called LG Optimus Pro C660 and, unlike the other two models, which are sliders, it's a candybar with a portrait display (2.8, inches, QVGA) and a keyboard beneath it - thus resembling the Motorola Droid Pro and the Samsung Replenish.

The Optimus Pro runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and it looks like it doesn't have 3G. it does have Wi-Fi and GPS, though, plus a 3MP camera, and a 1,500 mAh battery.

According to AndroidWorld.it, the LG Optimus Pro C660 should be available in Italy soon for about €170.

For the moment, we don't know if LG has any plans to launch the Optimus Pro outside Europe. But I guess it does, since the Optimus brand has become quite popular thanks to the Optimus One (and its different versions).
source: Unwired View

Samsung GT-i8350 may be the WP7 Mango-running successor to the Omnia 7

Steve Ballmer has said that a new wave of Windows Phones is due out for release before the end of this year, and as we're approaching that deadline, the leaks are starting to come in. Today we have what is probably going to be one of Samsung's new WP7 handsets, one to run the Mango update (which will likely be called either WP 7.1 or 7.5) from day one.

Japanese site Nanapho has uncovered a user agent profile (UAProf) of the Samsung GT-i8350, and apparently its Web browser will be IE9. Now, those following Microsoft stuff closely know that Mango is the first version of WP7 to come with what the company is branding IE9, so that can only mean that this new device will run just that.

The GT-i8350 will have an 800×480 resolution screen (which is the standard resolution for WP7), and will come with support for Bluetooth 2.1, and HSPA+.

The i8350 has also received its very own (blank, for now) page in Samsung's UK support database, pretty much confirming that it's real. You can see a screengrab of that above.

WMPU speculates that this may be the successor to the Omnia 7, Samsung's first WP7 device released last year, which has the model number GT-i8700. However, that may not be the case. The i8350 may just be a lower-end device to accompany that successor onto the market. This is also pure speculation, but let's keep in mind that Samsung likes to increment model numbers for sequels (successor devices). So, for example, the Galaxy S II is GT-i9100 whereas the original Galaxy S was GT-i9000. If Samsung hasn't just changed that strategy, logically it means that the i8350 should be part of the WP7 lineup, yes, but not a successor to the Omnia 7. Perhaps the Omnia 7 will get a higher-specced successor that will be called i8750, or i8800. That would make sense.
source: Unwired View

UK: HTC 7 Pro now only £229.99 at Play.com, SIM-free and unlocked

If you're into Microsoft's newest mobile effort, Windows Phone 7, and if you happen to live in the UK and enjoy physical QWERTY keyboards, this is one deal you just can't miss. Well known online retailer Play.com has cut the price of the HTC 7 Pro all the way down to an amazing £229.99.

That's for a device that was going for no less than £432 when it was launched in the UK in February. So it's almost half price right now. And, aside from the screen and that QWERTY keyboard, this is pretty much your standard WP7 device. Since Microsoft has clear minimum specs drawn for the platform, you can be sure you won't be getting an underperforming handset.

The HTC 7 Pro has a 3.6-inch 480×800 capacitive touchscreen, a 1 GHz processor, a 5 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recording, 8 GB of internal storage space, a 3.5 mm headset jack, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, HSDPA, and a 1500 mAh battery. It runs Windows Phone 7, of course, and its main selling point in a world full of lookalike WP7 handsets must be the side-sliding QWERTY keyboard.

If you're interested, head over to Play.com and order one. Do keep in mind that we don't know if this price represents a limited time offer or not, so it may be best to do that as soon as possible.
source: Unwired View

Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray hits the FCC with AT&T 3G bands

Officially announced a few weeks ago, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray may hit North America soon, as it has just passed the FCC's tests. The Ray that got the Commission's approval features UMTS II and UMTS V bands (850 MHz and 1900 MHz), so it could be released by AT&T in the US, or by Canada's major mobile carriers.

Sure enough, an FCC approval doesn't guarantee a launch in North America, but it certainly hints at such a possibility.

Although it can't compete with the high-end Android smartphones currently on the market, the Xperia Ray is certainly a nice piece of hardware. It's only 9.4mm thin, and features a 3.3 inch FWVGA Reality Display, Bravia Mobile engine, 8MP autofocus camera with 720p video recording, and 1GHz processor. Like all the other new Xperias introduced this year, the Ray runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
source: Unwired View

Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray may have been delayed until September in the UK

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray was announced last month as the company's stylish 3.2-inch Android device that's probably supposed to be more affordable than its (literally) bigger brothers, the Xperia Neo and the Xperia Arc. Since then, we've heard a lot of information about when it will actually be released in the UK, some if it quite contradictory.

First of all, Carphone Warehouse put a page up for the Xperia Ray and said that it's expecting the phone to be released in August. Then online retailer Play.com put the Xperia Ray up for pre-order, and estimated that it would start shipping it on August 15. And, for a while, that was that. We were expecting the Ray to be out in the UK around the middle of August, if not exactly on August 15.

Yet today things have changed a bit. The Carphone Warehouse page that previously announced an August release for the Xperia Ray has changed and now estimates that the phone will only hit the streets sometime in September. Strangely though, Play.com still lists August 15 as the release date for the Android-powered device.

So what's going on? It's tough to tell. The best case scenario for those eagerly expecting to be able to buy the Xperia Ray is that Carphone Warehouse will simply get its first stock of devices later than other retailers such as Play.com. It may have initially expected that stock to come in August, but for some reason it's since been delayed by about a month (for all we know, ‘August' could have meant August 31, and ‘September' may mean September 1, in which case this isn't much of a delay after all).

The worst case scenario is that Play.com simply wasn't told about the delay yet, or hasn't acted upon the new information so far. That would, of course, mean that the Xperia Ray would be delayed throughout the UK. This wouldn't be the first delay that Sony Ericsson has faced this year in the UK, but it's unclear what the cause may be this time (when the Xperia Neo got delayed, the infamous Japanese earthquake and tsunami were to blame).

The thing is we just can't tell at the moment which of the above possibilities is what's really happening here. Things though are bound to get cleared up in the near future. After all, if Play.com also receives notice of a delay, it will change the expected release date at some point. If it doesn't, than there's still hope for would-be Ray owners that the phone will still be out next month.

Whatever happens, we'll keep you posted.
source: Unwired View

PANTONE launches myPANTONE colour tool for Android

If you're seriously into your colours or have a job based around designing things, you'll know all about PANTONE. It's sort of an official rainbow, giving everyone the correct data to ensure all their colours look right in all the various forms of media in which they're reproduced.

And now it's possible to check all that sort of stuff on Android, thanks to myPANTONE – which grants access to the full range of PANTONE colour libraries on your mobile phone. Like this:

A more complicated version of the Dulux brochure, basically. The app costs £5.00 and can be bought on the Android Market here, if you're the sort of person who could write it off as a legitimate business expense. Here's the press release.

Pantone Extends Mobile Access For Colour Communication on the Go

Delivers First myPANTONE Android Application; myPANTONE 2.0 Improves Colour Accuracy for iPhone

11th July, London: As design projects continue to become more digital and designers more mobile, the demand for applications to support an ever-changing work dynamic intensifies. Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT) and the global authority on colour and provider of professional colour standards for the design industries, today announced two new mobile applications to meet this growing need – myPANTONETM for AndroidTM and myPANTONE 2.0 for the iPhoneTM.

myPANTONE for Android brings Pantone’s popular iPhone application for capturing, creating and sharing PANTONE® Colour Palettes to the Android platform – giving graphic, digital, multimedia, fashion, interior and industrial designers access to more than 13,000 PANTONE Colours wherever they go, whenever they find inspiration.

myPANTONE 2.0 incorporates feedback from more than 80,000 Pantone fans to extend the functionality of the original myPANTONE application and meet the growing needs of designers. myPANTONE 2.0 adds several enhanced features, including colour calibration tools to improve the appearance of PANTONE Colours on screen, CMYK support for PANTONE PLUS SERIES Colours, access to ICC colour-managed values, and the ability to print colour palettes straight from the iPhone.

“We continue to see a fundamental shift in the way designers work and smartphones are increasingly acting as portable colour studios,” said Andy Hatkoff, vice president of technology licensing for Pantone. “myPANTONE for the iPhone was our first mobile application. Since its release, our Facebook community has been passionate about telling us the features they would like to see in future versions, including CMYK values and display calibration for more accurate colour representation on screen. And, as the mobile market continues to expand, requests for an Android version of myPANTONE could not be ignored.”

myPANTONE for Android

Much like the myPANTONE application for the iPhone, myPANTONE for Android gives designers access to all the PANTONE Colour Libraries including:

· PANTONE PLUS SERIES FORMULA GUIDE (coated and uncoated), a two-guide set consisting of 1,341 solid PANTONE Colours on coated and uncoated stock with corresponding printing ink formulas for each colour

· PANTONE PLUS SERIES CMYK (coated and uncoated) provides a comprehensive palette of 2,868 colours achievable in four-colour (CMYK) process printing

· PANTONE PLUS COLOUR BRIDGE® (coated and uncoated) features CMYK values for all 1,341 solid PANTONE Colours

· PANTONE PLUS PREMIUM METALLICS (coated)

· PANTONE PLUS PASTELS & NEONS (coated and uncoated)

· PANTONE GoeTM (coated and uncoated) and PANTONE GoeBridgeTM coated

· PANTONE FASHION + HOME Colour System Library (paper and cotton)

· PANTONE FASHION + HOME nylon brights

Each colour swatch in the myPANTONE for Android application includes sRGB, HTML and L*a*b* values. myPANTONE for Android also automatically generates a variety of harmonious colour combinations. Additionally, invaluable cross-referencing colour capabilities make it simple for users to find similar colours among the various PANTONE Colour Libraries. For example, users can identify the PANTONE FASHION + HOME Colour that most closely matches any PANTONE PLUS Colour.

myPANTONE for Android takes advantage of Android’s built-in camera to let the user capture whatever inspires them. Colours can be extracted from any photo stored on the Android and matched to the closest PANTONE Colours.

Once created, users can share colour palettes by email with their friends, colleagues and clients. Colour palettes can be sent as PANTONE Colour Chips, or as swatch files that can be used in Adobe® Creative Suite® (.ase) and QuarkXPress®. Designers can also share their colour palettes by automatically posting notification of new palettes to Facebook or by sending them to the Pantone hosted website, www.mypantone.com.
source: Eurodroid

HTC ThunderBolt teardown might show the way to LTE iPhone rumor

So there is this rumor going around that the iPhone 5 will sport dual cameras, and while we aren't too sure whether the next generation iPhone will be known as the iPhone 4S or the iPhone 5, here is yet another rumor that will further fuel more debates – a teardown of the HTC ThunderBolt might actually reveal more clues concerning a LTE iPhone as the next model to hit the market, or at least that is what IHS iSuppli Teardown Analysis Service claims.

While the HTC ThunderBolt sported the 4G LTE wireless standard that added in another $39.75 to the overall cost, the same figure might be seen in the next iPhone when September rolls around – or at least, that is what we are led to believe by the many rumors that swirl around the Internet at the moment. What do you think of the next generation iPhone? Will it come with 4G LTE connectivity or not?
source: Ubergizmo

New Samsung Wave 725 with Bada 2.0 leaked

Remember those two unnamed Bada smartphones seen back in April alongside the Wave 578? One of them seems to be the Samsung Wave 725, which was discovered recently in the Bada 2.0 SDK by the folks over at badaworld.net.

The Wave 725 should feature a 3.65 inch HVGA (320 x 480) display, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, 5MP rear camera, and a VGA front-facing camera.

What we're seeing below are just silly renders of the 725, but the real device probably doesn't look too different.
source: Unwired View

Verizon Clearing Out Stock on Pair of Low-Cost LG Androids

The high-end LG Revolution is still a fresh face in Verizon’s lineup, but a couple of lower-end Android handsets from the manufacturer look to be making their exit from Big Red. You know the saying. Out with the old, in with the new. According to sources speaking with PhoneArena, VZW is clearing out stock on a number of phones and mobile hotspots including the LG Ally and LG Vortex bringing the product life cycle of the handsets to an end.

If Verizon is really pushing to move their stock quickly and free up some shelf space, look for prices on the already affordable duo to drop even lower, though we can’t confirm this is the case. If you were just dying to get your hands on one of the LG handsets, you can still pick up a Vortex-like device on several other carriers as part of LG’s Optimus One series, and the LG Ally as the LG Apex on US Cellular (if you are in their coverage area).
source: Android Phone

LG Optimus Pro C660 Android Gingerbread Smartphone

LG is ready to launch the Optimus Pro C660 Android Gingerbread smartphone. This candybar handset comes jam packed with a 2.8-inch QVGA display with a QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 3MP digital camera and a 1,500mAh battery. The LG Optimus Pro C660 will be available in Italy for €170 or around $238. [Eurodroid]
source: TechFresh

AT&T's HTC Status Release Date Unveiled

AT&T will launch the HTC Status on July 17, 2011. The handset comes with a dedicated Facebook share button, the Google Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread OS, a full QWERTY keyboard, a 2.6-inch HVGA touchscreen display, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 5MP rear camera and a front-facing VGA camera. Available in black, silver, pink and blue, the HTC Status is priced at $49.99 after a two-year contract.
source: TechFresh

Motorola FIRE confirmed for Europe – Android 2.3 plus QWERTY keyboard

This is the Motorola XT316, which will launch in Europe as the Motorola FIRE. It comes with a 2.8″ capacitive touchscreen, runs Android 2.2 (but Motorola is promising it'll arrive with 2.3 at launch in the EU) and has a modest 3megapixel camera.

It's as entry level as they get. This phone was announced by Motorola for release in China back in March, but now it's coming out here too. Here's the best photo of it we can find right now:

And here's the full announcement, complete with poorly-formatted tech specs beneath:

Motorola Mobility Brings Color, Fun and Functionality to Budget Friendly Android Smartphones

With a QWERTY keyboard and a 2.8-inch touchscreen, Motorola's budget friendly smartphone offers the fun of social media in a personalized package

Never compromise individuality with the new budget friendly Android™ smartphone from Motorola Mobility. The fashionable Motorola smartphone offers a full QWERTY keyboard with touchscreen display, interchangeable fashion jackets and ultimate personalization options users expect from the fun and versatile Android platform. The Motorola XT316™ is now available in China and will be available starting in mid-July in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Latin America. It will be available throughout the rest of Asia and in Europe later this summer.

Motorola XT316 has a sleek, modern design and a sophisticated finish. Its full QWERTY keyboard and 2.8-inch touchscreen display provide the perfect combination of tools for emailing, texting and browsing the Web. Users can stay in constant contact with friends and family through the world's leading social media applications. And, Motorola XT316 transitions seamlessly between work and play, with a friends-centric widget to make it easier to manage contacts.

Motorola XT316 also comes with best-in-class battery life, allowing users to talk, browse the Web, text, play games and videos all day long. Motorola XT316 also has the Moto Switch user interface, which allows users to switch to a friends-centric mode when they finish work and head home for the day.

“With a fun, beautiful design and a great package of social media options, Motorola XT316 gives busy users the smartphone experience they crave at a price they can afford,” said Fei Liu, senior vice president, Mass Market Consumer Products, Motorola Mobility. “With the combination of the physical QWERTY keyboard, the touchscreen display and access to the entertaining apps and games, the Motorola XT316 outperforms other low cost mobile devices.”

The Motorola XT316 will be marketed as Motorola SPICE Key in Latin America and Motorola FIRE in Europe.

Key Features and Specifications:

Motorola XT316 runs on Android 2.2 (upgradeable to Android 2.3, Gingerbread in Fall); Motorola SPICE Key and Motorola FIRE run on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)

Motorola XT316 Features

Talk and Standby Time

Up to 8 hours talk time and 27 days standby in 3G mode

Bands/Modes HSDPA7.2Mbps/UL384Kbps, WCDMA850x1900 or 850x2100 or 900x2100, GSM 850x900x1800x1900 EDGE class 12

Dimensions 116.5 x 58x 13.45mm (4.6 x 2.3 x 0.53 inches)

Display 2.8” QVGA display with capacitive multitouch and full QWERTY keypad

Weight 110g

Battery 1420mAh battery

OS Motorola XT316: Android 2.2 (Upgradeable to Android 2.3, Gingerbread in Fall)

Motorola SPICE Key: Android 2.3

Motorola FIRE: Android 2.3

Connectivity 3.5mm audio jack

Network EDGE class 12;HSDPA:DL7.2 Mbps/UL384Kbps

WLAN Wi-Fi b/g/n

Camera 3MP camera

Sensors Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer

Audio FM Radio with RDS support, 128poly MIDI, AMR, MP3, AAC, eAcc+ and AAC+

Video Capture/playback/streaming, H.263, H.264, MPEG4

Memory 512MB ROM / 256MB RAM; MicroSD card slot up to 32G external

Location Services

GPS/aGPS, E-compass
source: Eurodroid

Samsung Omnia 7 now only €199.95 in Germany sans contract

The Samsung Omnia 7 was among the first batch of Windows Phone 7 devices to make it to the market, and was launched last October. It may be getting a successor this year, but right now it's still selling, and it represents our second WP7 great deal of the day after the HTC 7 Pro.

If you're in Germany and want a WP7 device, or just want a smartphone in general and aren't sure what to get, you may want to look at the Samsung Omnia 7. Especially now, since T-Mobile is selling it for the incredibly low €199.95. That's without needing to sign a contract, and it's in a price range usually reserved for midrange handsets, and not high-spec ones such as the Omnia 7.

The phone may or may not come network unlocked (check with T-Mobile Germany before you buy), but if the magenta company is your operator or you don't mind it being just that, you should probably head over there right now and place your order.

Since WP7 launched last year, smartphones powered by Microsoft's latest mobile operating system have seen many, many price cuts, across all continents. Only an idealist would not see the link between WP7′s still very low market share numbers and these price cutting moves. Then again, the lower the prices, the better for consumers. It certainly seems like this is a good time to buy a WP7 handset.
source: Unwired View

INQ Cloud Touch will be available at Telus and Koodo Mobile in Canada on July 13

The INQ Cloud Touch is officially coming to Canada in a couple of days, after having been available in the UK for a few months. The Facebook-centric offering will be sold by both Telus and Koodo Mobile starting on July 13.

The Cloud Touch may not have a dedicated Facebook button like HTC's Salsa and ChaCha do, but it does have prominent Facebook integration throughout the UI, making keeping up with the social network as well as sharing stuff as easy as it can get.

The INQ Cloud Touch will cost $29.99 with a new three-year contract at Telus, and $50 with the Tab on Koodo Mobile, or $200 outright. Koodo already has a page up for the device, while Telus will probably have one ready for the launch. There will also be a special black version of the phone later this month which Best Buy will sell for Koodo Mobile.

The INQ Cloud Touch has a 3.5-inch 320×480 capacitive touchscreen, a 5 MP autofocus camera with VGA (640×480) video capture, 512 MB of ROM, microSD card support, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 1300 mAh battery.
source: Unwired View

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray lands at FCC, gets shot on camera

The Sony Ericsson Xperia ray found itself in the hands of the FCC, going through their full set of tests and more importantly for us, a full set of photographs that give us a better look at the phone.

As noted by Engadget, the device will have support for AT&T network thanks to the quad-band HSPA support but the lack of AWS band means it won’t work on the T-Mobile network.

If you have never heard of the Xperia ray, it is Sony Ericsson’s upcoming Android smartphone that was announced last month, having a slim 9.4mm body and just 100g weight. The device packs in a 3.3-inch TFT display with 854 x 480 resolution, 8 megapixel camera with auto-focus and LED flash and 720p video recording, 1Ghz Snapdragon processor and Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. The phone is slated to release sometime around August for around US $555.

For now check out the images clicked by FCC.
source: GSM Arena

Google+ hardware button set to hit Android smartphones?

Remember the HTC Status that is available over at AT&T which sports a dedicated Facebook button? The social network wars heat up all the more on mobile platforms, with rumors of the Google+ hardware button making its way to future Android smartphones. Certain quarters think so, touting that the next Nexus handset might just sport such a button.

Of course, before such rumors can be substantiated, we ought to take a closer look at the source first – and this potentially explosive piece of information hails from a Facebook page that claims that this golden nugget is from an “official” Google employee. We suppose that such a button would make it a whole lot easier to let one share data from other apps with one's Google+ contacts in a jiffy.

The same source also touts that the next Nexus will be from HTC – which is different from what we reported a while ago, with Samsung at the helm. Well, rumors are rumors until something official comes out, but in the mean time, just sit back and enjoy the show. Which side of the fence are you leaning on?
source: Ubergizmo

Verizon Droid Incredible 2 receives Android 2.3 Gingerbread update

For those who are Verizon Wireless subscribers in possession of the Droid Incredible 2, here is a piece of good news that you and your smartphone would love to hear – the handset is on the receiving end of the long awaited Android 2.3 Gingerbread update (2.18.605.4), where said update will also ensure a bunch of glitches are fixed while your mobile instant messaging experience is improved.

Apart from that, you ought to benefit from better global connectivity, but until you start living the international roaming lifestyle as a jet-setter, we think that would not be that high up on your list of fix priorities. Interestingly enough, wireless charging capability has been thrown into the mix in addition to a new desktop dock app.

We would highly recommend you rely on a Wi-Fi connection to make the update since it weighs in at around 116MB, so do ensure your handset has adequate battery life as well so that the installation process can run smoothly without getting botched in any way.
source: Ubergizmo

Mango brings navigation improvements to Windows Phone 7

Besides the previously announced features of Windows Phone 7 Mango (multi-tasking, speed up of apps, Windows Live Messenger integrations etc), the folks over at the Windows Team blog have decided to reveal even more about the update. With over 500 new features they'll be able to reveal quite a bit before Mango is finally released.

One of the new features that Mango brings to Windows Phone is an improved app list that allows users to easily locate apps without having to scroll so much. Users now have access to a quick jump menu like the phone's contact list. Users just tap the first letter of the app's name and the app list will scroll down to the corresponding section of the list. A search option has also been implemented for users to locate an app just by typing in its name.

The post also gets pretty detailed about the new multi-tasking system that comes with the update. Windows Phone is shaping to be a worthy competitor against iOS and Android. I wonder what other features Mango will bring to the table?
source: Ubergizmo

HTC Desire Z Gingerbread almost here

Great news for HTC Desire Z users (well, for those of you who still haven't rooted your phone for a custom ROM) - according to the Romanian HTC Facebook page, the official Gingerbread update is coming very soon. While it isn't the end of June ETA promised previously, it still falls in summer, which was the estimate for when the Desire family phones would be getting the update anyway.

The Gingerbread update for the HTC Desire Z is in its final testing phase right now, and the roll-out should begin at the end of the month, though some carriers will be getting it earlier than others. HTC does promise that it should be on all Desire Z devices by the end of July.

No word on when the official G2 Gingerbread update will be arriving, but it seems a bit strange that we'll be getting Gingerbread with Sense earlier than stock Gingerbread. After all, didn't people buy a phone with stock Android so they could receive updates faster?
source: Ubergizmo

Samsung: Nexus 3 Tweet Based on Rumors, Not Facts

After letting what seemed to be the proverbial cat out of the bag via their Romanian Twitter yesterday, Samsung is backtracking on comments posted that indicated the company would manufacturer the next Nexus device and it would feature a Super AMOLED HD display. It turns out that the tweet wasn't intended as an announcement and was rather meant to engage in a conversation on current Nexus 3 rumors. In a response to our own Chris Chavez, Samsung Romania stated “We haven't got any info.”

Samsung Romania further clarified that the tweet was uploaded by mistake and that it was not intended as official confirmation of the Nexus 3 or any of its specs. The original tweet was most likely based on rumors originating at BGR and not any sort of top secret insider info. While there is still a chance the rumors could pan out, it seems unlikely that Google would favor Samsung for two Nexus handsets back-to-back, but it wouldn't be a total shocker. So boys and girls, back to your speculating on this one. Nothing is official just yet.
source: Android Phone

Basic flip phone Samsung C414 makes its way to SaskTel

The Samsung C414 is one flip phone that's clearly pretty fond of Canada. Or Canadian carriers. Either way, after we've seen it on both Mobilicity and Videotron, it's now become available from SaskTel. The phone is the same, so don't expect any difference in specs across carriers.

This is as ‘basic' as they get, as feature-stripped as possible, and (dare I say so) as retro as possible. The flip phone form factor that has pretty much defined North American mobile telecommunications before the iPhone still lives, apparently. Or maybe it just lives because it's cheap. Who knows, maybe some people out there would rather buy this than a smartphone.

The Samsung C414 then has a 2.2-inch internal screen, a 2 MP camera, Bluetooth, and it comes with a music and video player, and a microSD card slot that can take cards up to 16 GB in size.

SaskTel sells the Samsung C414 for $39.99 with a new three-year contract, and $149.99 outright. In between those options you can also get it with a two-year agreement for $99.99, or with a one-year commitment for $129.99. If you're interested, just go to the carrier's website here and order yours.
source: Unwired View

Sprint's Update Woes: Nexus S 4G GRJ90 Delayed, Samsung Transform EF09 Pulled

As Sprint Nexus 4G owners are probably well aware, the GRJ90 update scheduled for yesterday never went out. For one reason or another the system update comprised of mostly bug fixes (and possibly bumping the Android version up to 2.3.5) was deemed not ready for prime time. A new date has not been set for the updates rollout at this time.

In related news, the EF09 update for the Samsung Transform was pulled after widespread instances of the new system file failing to install. Samsung is working on a fix with a proper update hopefully on the way in the near future.
source: Android Phone

White Samsung Google Nexus S now available at Telus in Canada

It's been a while since we've last seen the white Samsung Google Nexus S. The most famous sightings of this mythical beast have happened back in January, when it leaked in Germany, and then in February, when Vodafone announced that it plans to launch the Nexus S around the world, including the white version.

If you've missed the white Nexus S, it's back. This time not leaked, not coming soon, not rumored, but actually sitting pretty on a carrier's website, ready to be ordered. Said carrier is Canada's Telus, and it certainly looks like you can now order a white Nexus S from there.

The pricing is the same as the black version. You'll need to pay $49.99 with a new three-year contract, $399.99 with a two-year commitment, and $449.99 with a one-year agreement. If you'd rather get it sans contract, you can do that too of course, if you agree to shell out no less than $499.99.

As you can see from the picture above, if you were expecting a Nexus S fully clad in white, you're probably disappointed. Even so, if you're in Canada and like your black&white smartphones, head over to Telus and hit the Add to cart button.
source: Unwired View

Motorola Fire (XT316) with Android 2.3 Gingerbread announced

Motorola has officially introduced a new QWERTY Android smartphone - it's not a slider, like the Droid 3 is, but a candybar, just like the Droid Pro.

The new handset is called Motorola XT316, and is an affordable device with a 2.8 inch QVGA touchscreen display, Moto Switch UI, HSDPA, Wi-Fi b/g/n, GPS, 3.5mm headset jack, stereo FM radio with RDS, 3MP camera, 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227-1 processor, 256MB of RAM, 512MB of ROM, MicroSD card support (up to 32GB), and a 1,420 mAh battery.

The XT316 is available as of now in China, and should be released in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Latin America, and Europe in the next few months. The smartphone will be called Motorola Fire in Europe, and Motorola Spice Key in Latin America (I assume the Spice XT300 was a success there, that's why Moto decided to keep this branding).

Although the XT316 currently runs Android 2.2 Froyo, the Fire and Spice Key will have Android 2.3 Gingerbread at launch. In China, the XT316 costs about $230, and I guess the Fire and the Spice Key will have similar prices.
source: Unwired View

LG And Verizon Wireless To Release Cosmos 2 QWERTY Phone

Verizon Wireless and LG will release a new messaging phone namely the LG Cosmos 2. The handset has a four-row QWERTY keyboard and access to Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, making it easy to stay connected while on-the-go. The LG Cosmos 2 also features a document viewer, a 1.3-megapixel camera, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB), a music player, Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The LG Cosmos 2 will be available on July 14, 2011 for $29.99 after a $50 mail in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. [Verizon]
source: TechFresh

Samsung phone runs on Windows Phone Mango

Remember our story earlier this month concerning a new Samsung Galaxy S II variant that ran on Windows Phone Mango as we were busy cleaning up after the Independence Day BBQ at our backyards? Well, it seems that all systems are go where this smartphone variant is concerned, where it was present at the Microsoft WPC 2011 conference, accompanied by other new Windows Phone handsets. Apart from that, we also got whiff of additional manufacturers joining the Windows Phone parade – and they are none other than Acer, Fujitsu and ZTE.

It would be interesting to see just what Microsoft has in store for Skype after purchasing them, perhaps the integration into the Windows Phone environment would be something worth looking forward to? Samsung might be wading knee deep in Android at the moment with their bevy of handsets, but they have yet to put all of their eggs in a single basket with the bada OS and Windows Phone being supported as well.
source: Ubergizmo