Verizon Casio G'Zone Commando Android 2.3 Gingerbread update now rolling out

Verizon's rugged Casio G'Zone Commando has now caught up with its higher-end non-rugged counterparts in the Android world, for it has received an update to Android 2.3 Gingerbread, which is the latest version of Google's mobile operating system.

We heard that this was going to happen, and according to Android Police the update is now rolling out. The G'Zone Commando launched running Android 2.2 Froyo back in April, and that has been one of its major downsides ever since. Now though you won't need to worry. Not only will the Casio G'Zone Commando impress your friends with its ruggedness, but you won't have to look away in shame when OS versions are discussed.

The update comes over-the-air, so your device should notify you when it's available. If you're impatient, you can always go to Settings > About phone > System updates > Check new.

Clove UK To Release HTC Explorer On October 31st

Clove UK is set release HTC's latest Android smartphone ‘Explorer' on their network starting on October 31st. The handset will be sold for 192 GBP / about $297 (including VAT) unlocked. To remind you, the HTC Explorer packs a 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen display, a 600MHz processor, a 384MB RAM, a 512MB ROM, a 3.2MP camera, GPS, HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, a 3.5mm headset jack and runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS. [Clove]

Sprint's Samsung Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G only $99 at Amazon

Sold by Sprint for $199.99 on contract, and by Walmart and Wirefly for $149.99 (also on contract), the Samsung Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G can now be bought for just $99.99 thanks to Amazon.

I'm not sure when exactly Amazon started to offer the Epic Touch 4G for $99.99 – since no one seems to have reported this until now – but that doesn't matter. What matters is that you can get it for half the price Sprint is asking for it – just go here at Amazon Wireless.

Just like AT&T's Galaxy S II (which, by the way, also costs $99 at Amazon), Sprint's Epic Touch 4G runs Android Gingerbread. It has a larger screen, though: 4.5 inches, as opposed to 4.3 inches. The rest of the features are similar, including a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, 2MP front-facing camera, and 16GB of internal memory.

Windows Phone Xbox Companion App revealed

Earlier today we had the official announcement from Microsoft about the Live TV arriving on the Xbox 360, well it turns out they had more in store for us as well. In addition to the update for the Xbox 360, Microsoft will also be introducing a new app for Windows Phone devices called the Xbox Companion app. The app is designed to let users find, learn more about and control content from the Xbox Live Marketplace on the Xbox 360 using Windows Phone.

With Xbox Companion, users can easily search for content: movies, music and TV shows using the app on their phones, and launch it on their Xbox consoles. If users want to find out more about what they are watching/listening to, they can easily find out more about it through the app. Think of it as IMDB for music as well as video on the Xbox. Lastly, the app will allow users to turn their phones into remote controls to control the playback of content.

No word on whether it'll be available for non-Windows Phone users, or when it'll be released, but if it turns out to be on Windows Phone-only, I guess it gives Xbox 360 owners another reason to buy a WP 7 device.

Nokia Lumia 800 and Samsung Monument Windows Phones listed online

OccasionalGamer has a history of revealing unannounced Windows Phone devices thanks to its Game Stats page that track the devices that download and play games by the developer. According to its recent stats page, it looks like we've got two new phones to add to the list of upcoming Windows Phone devices from Nokia and Samsung. Beyond their names, no other details about the phones were provided on the stats page.

First up we have the Nokia Lumia 800. We've never heard about the phone before, but the folks over at WPcentral think it could be the code name for the SeaRay rebrand, the Nokia Sun - seeing how Lumia is related to light, and light comes from the Sun after all. Then again, it could be something totally different.

Secondly, we have the Samsung Monument - which sounds like it could be a high-end Windows Phone device, judging by its name. A Galaxy S2 Windows Phone-variant or a new Samsung Focus? I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Check out the full Game Stats page at OccasionalGamer, maybe you'll discover a new phone we missed out.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Nexus Prime) Specs Get Detailed [UPDATED]

While some confusion still exists around what the final product name will be, new details emerging from the BGR camp are clearing up the specifics on the Nexus Prime (or Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Droid Prime, Droid Nexus). Claiming a trusted source, a new report gives us an almost complete look at the spec sheet Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich flagship. Here’s the dirt on the next Nexus:

• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• 9mm thin
• 4.65-inch 1280 x 720-pixel Super AMOLED HD with curved glass
• TI OMAP 4460 dual-core Cortex A9 processor clocked at 1.2GHz
• 1GB of RAM
• 32GB of built-in storage
• 5-megapixel camera on the back, 1.3-megapixel in the front
• 1080p HD video capture support
• LTE/HSPA depending on carrier
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n
• NFC
• 1,750 mAh battery

Motorola's Facebook phone (EX225) hits the FCC

Discovered by us in early September, the Motorola EX225 – which comes with a Facebook button and Facebook UI integration – has just been approved by the FCC.

The FCC has confirmed that the phone features 3G and Wi-Fi, in addition to the features we've already presented in September: a 2.4 inch display, full QWERTY keyboard, and a rear camera of unknown resolution. Most likely, the EX225 runs Brew MP, not Android.

Alleged Nexus Prime specs surface ahead of announcement

After the mixed feelings that the announcement of the iPhone 4S brought us, it's time to focus our attention to the next Google phone, dubbed the Nexus Prime. A trusted source has told BGR some interesting bits of info regarding the specifications of the next Google phone, which could be also known Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

According to the trusted source, the Nexus Prime will pack a 1.2GHz OMAP 4460 dual-core Cortex A9 processor from Texas Instruments rather than the rumored Exynos chipset with two cores clocked at 1.5GHz each. Blissfully, on the specs list remains the sensational 4.65-inch 1280x720 pixels SuperAMOLED HD with that curved glass that was a signature feature of the previous Nexus phone.

The other internals are quite expected, 1GB of RAM, 32GB internal memory, Wireless N and a 1,750 mAh battery. Unfortunately, the tipster says there's a 5-megapixel camera on the back of the Nexus Prime instead of a more desirable 8-megapixel one, but we'll see if this turns out to be true. It's also said to capture full 1080p HD video. On the front, there'll be a 1.3-megapixel shooter.

In addition to being the first Droid running version 4.0 of Google's mobile OS, petnamed Ice Cream Sandwich, the Nexus Prime will also include NFC support, which will be put to use by Google Wallet. If the rumors are to be trusted, the Google Nexus Prime will be offered exclusively by Verzion Wireless in the U.S, which makes sense considering the company's deep partnership with Google.

Finally, since this is going to be a Google phone, there'll be no TouchWiz magic thrown into the mix and it'll be running pure Android 4.0. Speaking of it, one feature has surfaced and it's the ability to monitor the data usage of each app. Nifty, indeed.

HTC Sensation XL is HTC's new flagship Android model

HTC ups the ante even more for Android-powered smartphones with their latest addition to the Sensation family, which is the aptly named Sensation XL. After all, to have a smartphone ship with a 4.7″ touchscreen display is saying something – and this Beats outfitted device will certainly appeal to those who have entertainment on-the-go at the very top of their minds.

This will be the third Android smartphone from HTC that bears the Sensation moniker, which means HTC is probably taking a page out of Samsung's book by releasing a range of devices using a similar brand presence, case in point, the Galaxy family.

The body of the Sensation XL is crafted from a single sheet of aluminium, where it will house a single-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, 768MB RAM, an 8-megapixel camera alongside a f/2.2, 28mm wide-angle lens with BSI sensor, 720p HD video recording capability, Google's Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread right out of the box, and the HTC Sense 3.5 interface.

No idea on pricing, but the HTC Sensation XL will arrive sometime early this November onwards, giving you slightly less than a month to start saving up for a new phone if you want one.

HTC Sensation XL gets official with 4.7-inch touchscreen and 1.5 GHz processor

HTC has finally decided to announce the Sensation XL today. This device is basically an Android-running twin of the Windows Phone-touting Titan. The HTC Sensation XL has leaked many times over the past few months under its codename Runnymede, and is now the third Sensation in HTC's portfolio, after the original Sensation and the recently announced Sensation XE.

The HTC Sensation XL has a 1.5 GHz single-core processor, a gigantic 4.7-inch 480×800 Super LCD touchscreen, an 8 MP camera with wide angle lens, back side illumination for low-light shots, dual-LED flash and 720p HD video recording, a 1.3 MP front-facing camera, 768 MB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in storage, 14.4 Mbps HSDPA, 5.76 Mbps HSUPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 1,600 mAh battery.

The smartphone runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread with HTC Sense and comes with Beats audio integration, complete with a set of urBeats headphones and a dedicated Beats sound profile.

Samsung Omnia 7 smartphone begins Mango testing

“Better late than never” is most probably the mantra adopted by Samsung with the Omnia 7 handset that runs on the Windows Phone 7 platform. Why do we say so? Well, for starters, while plenty of folks have already received the unofficial update for the Samsung Omnia 7, the firmware is still unavailable through legit means.

It seems that this might change in due time, as Microsoft apparently has already updated the “Where's My Phone Update” list, and in there it previously mentioned “Except Samsung Omnia 7 models” – only to have it changed to the more favorable “Except Samsung Omnia 7 models, which are Testing at this time.”

One step at a time, after all, you can't expect the Omnia 7 to run before it is able to walk. For the moment, we're all too happy to take baby steps instead, and wait for a possible end-of-October release date for the Mango firmware update on an official basis. Be patient, Omnia 7 owners – after all, since you've waited for so long already, what is a few more weeks or even months of tapping your fingers on the table?

HTC Sensation XL

HTC has confirmed the availability of the Sensation XL. Powered by the Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, the new smartphone is equipped with a 1.5GHz single-core processor, a 4.7-inch (480×800) Super LCD touchscreen, a 768MB of RAM, a built-in 16GB of storage space, an 8MP front-facing digital camera and a 1.3MP front-facing camera. Other specs include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 1,600mAh battery. The HTC Sensation XL will be released in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia next month. No word yet on pricing. [Unwiredview]

Android Overload: Samsung's 3rd Quarter Saved By Galaxy S 2 Sales, HTC Scribe Pen Half-Off At Best Buy and More

Greetings, late night and overseas Phandroids! It’s time for another episode of the Android Overload. For those of you that are still hungry for more Android/carrier/Google related news, we pooled all the stories we weren’t able to get to throughout our day and placed them here. For you to nibble, snack or gorge upon. Are any of you counting down the days until the Nexus Prime is announced? I know I am! Oct. 11th is the day!

• HTC Scribe Pen now half off at Best Buy for $40 (still too expensive). [BestBuy]
• How long does it take to fix Google Maps? Fast than you think. [RWW]
• Intellectual Ventures suing Motorola Mobility for — you guessed it — patent infringement. [BGR]
• Samsung’s quarterly reports are better than estimated, thanks largely to Galaxy S II. [Reuters]

Motorola EX225 Passes Through the FCC – Here Comes Another Facebook Phone

The Motorola EX225 (and EX226) have both made their way through the FCC revealing AT&T's 3G bands. The EX225′s claim to fame seems to be the HTC Status-like Facebook button integrated right into the hardware keyboard; the EX226 however, will come without. Still unsure if that's a good or bad thing. The EX225 recently passed through the Bluetooth SIG so we should be expecting this device (or maybe both) any day now.

HTC Amaze 4G Shows Off HSPA+ Data Speeds Ahead Of October Launch

The HTC Amaze 4G was only officially announced 3 days ago and someone has already gotten a hold of the device ahead of its October 10th launch date. So what did this lucky Amaze owner do? Lucky for us, he took to YouTube to show off one of the Amaze’s most amazing features — its 42Mbps HSPA+ data speeds. There’s actually 2 separate videos for you guys to gawk over. 1st one shows off a few speed tests of the device in downtown Chicago (a certified HSPA+ city) and even compares it to the data speeds of the G2X. Have a gander.

Next up is some real world tests of how the browser takes to handling webpages (load times, responsiveness, etc.). As expected, webpages load up super quick thanks in part to T-Mobile’s uber-fast network in Chicago. Something I’m quite envious about. Take a look and be amazed.

And that pretty much wraps up for the HTC Amaze 4G network test. Even though I’m on Sprint, I’m salivating over those amazing data speeds. The lucky Amaze owner is taking requests via his YouTube videos if you want to see more tests of the device. As a refresher, the HTC Amaze 4G will be available October 10th for $260 after $50 mail-in-rebate and a 2 year agreement. Anyone going to pick up this amazin– (okay I’ll stop) device?

Sony Ericsson Supports The Android Modding Community – Helps Developers Build Custom ROMs

Sony Ericsson is well aware of the Android modding community and unlike other OEM’s who try and squash it, they’re doing their part to help support it. Whether it’s creating a custom ROM or modifying the kernel, the Sony Ericsson Developer program is aimed at helping these devs cook up nice and stable custom ROMs and they’re starting with a group of devs called “FreeXperia.” These are the guys responsible for creating custom ROMs based on CyanognenMod and porting/modifying them to various Xperia devices lke the Play and Arc.

Sony Ericsson was one of — if not the first Android OEM to announce they would provide the option to unlock the bootloaders in their 2011 Xperia lineup. Karl-Johan Dahlström, Head of Developer Relations for Sony Ericsson and all around nice guy (whom I had the pleasure of meeting at E3 this year), has been doing a great job at keeping Sony Ericsson devices open thanks to his close work with developers. According to Mr. Dahlström,

“We firmly believe in the openness of Android and we are really impressed by the huge activity shown in our products. By being supportive and open, we hope to both learn from the open community, and also share knowledge when that is possible.

When it came to Sony Ericsson’s involvement with the FreeXperia developers,

We were impressed by the passion shown and decided to help out with some bits and pieces. A few proprietary solutions needed to be explained and we helped them with that. We also supported the group with approximately 20 devices, to make their work easier.

Sony Ericsson would also like to remind you that unlocking the bootloader and loading a custom ROM on their devices will more than likely void your warranty. A risk we’ve been willing to take since rooting our G1′s back in the day. For your normal, average Joe Schmoe consumer, keeping your device is 100% stock is usually the wisest choice. Either way, it’s refreshing to see the steps Sony Ericsson has taken to support the Android modding community and something other Android OEM’s can definitely learn a thing or two from.

Motorola DEFY+ lands in the UK, costs £240

Motorola DEFY+ is the upgraded version of the last year's rugged droid - DEFY. It keeps almost everything the same but the chipset - it goes from TI OMAP 3610 to TI OMAP 3620. This means now you get a 1GHz single-core Cortex A8 as opposed to the 800Mhz one in the previous model but with the same PowerVR SGX530 graphics.

In case you need a refresh, Motorola DEFY+ comes with a 3.7-inch WVGA display, 512MB RAM, 2GB internal storage, a 5 megapixel snapper with HD video recording and all-round connectivity package.

Motorola DEFY+ runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box and has the same IP67 certifications as its predecessor. The latter means dust and water proof, but doesn’t include shock resistance of any kind.

The carrier-independent Motorola DEFY+ is now available in the UK through The Smartphone Centre and Clove on about £240.

Source

Orange to launch the Sharp Aquos SH80F 3D Android smartphone next month

Phones made and released in Japan usually stay there, and are almost never introduced in other countries. That's why I was surprised to find out that Orange will officially release the Sharp “AQUOS PHONE SH80F” in France sometime in October.

Already available in Japan via NTT docomo as the AQUOS PHONE SH-12C (pictured below), the new Sharp handset runs Android Gingerbread and features a 4.2 inch qHD 3D display, 8MP dual cameras for 3D photos and videos, and a 1.4GHz Qualcomm processor.

The Sharp Aquos SH80F will be Orange's “first mobile device capable of converting images and videos from 2D to 3D in real time.” The carrier didn't say how much the handset will cost, and neither if it's planning to launch it in other markets except France.

All in all, the SH80F is a phone that will certainly give the HTC Evo 3D and the LG Optimus 3D a run for their money.

HTC Thunderbolt Gingerbread update suspended temporarily

If you're a HTC Thunderbolt owner who was looking forward to the Android Gingerbread 2.3 update for your device, it looks like you're in for bad news, or good news depending on how you look at it. It appears that the Gingerbread update that has been rolled out to several Thunderbolt owners have been reported to be rather buggy, thus causing Verizon to suspend the update for now.

According to Verizon they are aware of the issue and had this to say:

“It has come to the attention of Verizon Wireless and HTC that customers using the Thunderbolt by HTC have experienced a voicemail notification error with the recent software update. As a result, the update has  been temporarily suspended while the companies work together to resolve the issue. Verizon Wireless and HTC anticipate the update being available soon; customers will be notified directly on their devices when it is ready for download."

Apart from the voicemail notification error, it seems that there are complaints about issues over the camera, locking, Google Talk, clock app and even HTC's own UI – Sense. No word on when a new update is expected to roll out, but if you get the notification asking you to update, it looks like you'd be better off running on Froyo 2.2, at least for now until Verizon has officially released a fix.

HTC Thunderbolt Gingerbread OTA Supposedly Suspended Due to Voicemail Bug

Well this doesn’t sound so good. Wireless and Mobile News has apparently heard it from Verizon that the Android 2.3 update for the HTC Thunderbolt has temporarily been suspended. It was reportedly due to a voicemail bug. They mention it specifically as a notification bug which sounds like the same bug Sprint’s EVO 4G had for a long while. We’ve seen at least one user report of this at AndroidForums.com but have since been able to corroborate the report.

Verizon reportedly had this to say:

It has come to the attention of Verizon Wireless and HTC that customers using the Thunderbolt by HTC have experienced a voicemail notification error with the recent software update. As a result, the update has  been temporarily suspended while the companies work together to resolve the issue. Verizon Wireless and HTC anticipate the update being available soon; customers will be notified directly on their devices when it is ready for download.

We haven’t been able to confirm this report ourselves but we’ve certainly reached out to Verizon and will update you folks the moment we hear back. In the meantime, let us know if you’re seeing the same bug, and if you’re on Froyo let us know if you are able to pull update down. [Thanks Mike!]

HTC Titan, Radar and Sensation XE to arrive in the UK in early October

We already know that the HTC Titan, Radar and Sensation XE are going to be released in the UK starting next month. What we didn't know is that all three new smartphones may become available to British customers in the first week of October.

According to Clove, the Radar and the Sensation XE should be in stock starting October 4, while the Titan is expected to arrive three days later, on October 7.

The HTC Titan (a true Windows Phone Mango flagship) will be the most expensive handset among these three, since it's priced at £498 (including VAT). The Android Gingerbread-based Sensation XE will cost £492, while the Radar (a mid-end Mango phone) is going to cost £342.

Apart from being available unlocked, the Titan, Radar and Sensation XE will also be sold via various British networks. For example, O2 will offer the Sensation XE, and Orange is going to sell the Radar.

HTC and Orange to launch Windows Phone try before you buy program in Poland

Good news for folks living in Poland thinking about picking up a Windows Phone device. Instead of just forking out the money or trading in their current phones without knowing what they're in for, consumers will get the chance to borrow a HTC 7 Mozart phone from Orange stores for a limited period of time to see what it's like to live with a Windows Phone device. After all, you never really know how well a smartphone works for you until you've spent some time with it right? Playing with the models on display for 10 minutes just doesn't cut it.

This isn't the first time that Orange has pulled off such a stunt, as the carrier previously did the same thing but with Android devices instead. It's going to be interesting to see how well consumers respond to this trial. After all, the Android test must have been a success, if not I'm pretty sure Orange wouldn't be doing it again. The trial program will be announced at a press event October 4th.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S Now Available in the UK, But Not Really

This phone has been delayed a couple of quick times, but retailer Clove UK has finally made available the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S That’s unless, of course, you wait for it to actually ship on October 3rd. It’s comforting to know that they finally have the devices in stock, though, and that you’ll be able to get them bright and early next weekend. It’ll cost you £349.99 incl. VAT but don’t let that deter you as this package is pretty worth it.

You’re getting a 1.4GHz single-core processor, a 4.2 inch Reality display with BRAVIA Engine, an 8.1 megapixel Exmor camera sensor with LED flash and 720p HD video recording, an HDMI port, comes with an 8GB microSD card and more. It’s an Android 2.3 device and has Sony Ericsson’s solid custom user interface on top of it. Give it a look at Clove’s site. White version is here and the Blue version is here.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V Now Available For Pre-Order In India

You can now pre-order the all new Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V in India via online retailer Letsbuy. The handset is sold for Rs. 17,999 (about $365) and will start shipping from October 12th. In case you didn't know, the Xperia Neo V is packed with a 3.7-inch 854 x 480 touchscreen display, a 1GHz single-core processor, a 512MB RAM, a 320MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot, a VGA front-facing camera, a 5MP rear-facing camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recording, 7.2 Mbps HSDPA, 5.76 Mbps HSUPA, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 1500mAh battery and runs on Android 2.3 OS. [Product Page]

HTC Amaze 4G caught in the wild

The HTC Amaze 4G was only announced a few days ago and slated for an October 12th release date, but it looks like the phone has already started arriving in stores. The folks over at TmoNews recently got their hands on some photographs showing the phone in its full glory, together with its retail packaging. No videos of the phone in action yet, but I'm pretty sure those will surface soon enough.

The HTC Amaze 4G is one beast of a phone, packing a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, a 4.3″ qHD display, NFC, Android 2.3.4, HSPA+ 42 connectivity, 8-megapixel camera and more. The phone will go on sale for $259.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and with a 2-year contract.

Nokia developing 'Meltemi' OS for feature phones?

Although Nokia still hopes Windows Phone will round out a "three-horse race" with iOS and Android, it's said to be cooking up an entirely new operating system aimed at lower-end handsets. According to the Wall Street Journal, the OS (codenamed "Meltemi") is meant to cement Nokia's top dog status in emerging markets, where feature phones remain king. Makes sense: low-end phones accounted for 47 percent of the company's device-and-services earnings in the second quarter. We're not sure if the adage "when one door closes, another one opens" exactly applies here, but either way, it looks like we've hardly seen the end of software updates out of Suomi.

HTC Desire S gets Gingerbread 2.3.5 and Sense 3.0

We first met the HTC Desire S at MWC in Barcelona, back in February earlier this year. As the natural successor to the HTC Desire. We saw performance improvements in terms of a better GPU, bigger amounts of RAM and ROM, and faster connectivity, but that aside, the step up wasn't as dramatic as we'd have liked.

Once it launched, the Desire S came running Android Gingerbread 2.3.3 and HTC's Sense 2.1 UI out of the box. The latest development however is that the next update for the Desire S, has started rolling out without so much as a whisper. Users in the UK are reporting that they've noticed the update innocuously popping up on their devices since the last day of September.

As with any ROM update, when you get the all important notification isn't exactly set in stone. The update appears to be coming to users in the UK with stock Desire S ROMs, so carrier specific variations will, as usual take a little longer.

With this update, not only does your S get a boost from Gingerbread 2.3.3 to 2.3.5, but Sense UI moves up to 3.0 which means key updates like the interactive lock screens, new animations, an updated launcher as well as a host of new widgets, the latest version of the Android Market and access to HTC's Watch service. Users are also reporting better GPS performance.

Back in May, at Google I/O, it was said that Android devices, at least from a group of selected manufacturers and carriers, would receive full support for at least 18 months after a device's launch. In this instance, it seems HTC are most certainly making good on that promise. We've had no word on carrier locked ROMs and when the update will spread overseas, but if you notice anything, let us know.

Thanks to Nathan for this one.

Alleged Nokia Searay for T-Mobile Germany image leaks

A very legit looking image of the Nokia Searay has just been leaked by The Nokia Blog. The image is allegedly from T-Mobile Germany and has a short description of the phone on the side.

If we translate the text to English, we get the following result:

Drive safely to your destination with Nokia - including 3D.

Representation and voice navigation

Windows Mobile 7.5 (Mango) operating system.

3.7" brilliant domed AMOLED display.

The phone itself looks identical to the N9, as it did in all the previous leaks, which means it is also very easy to fake it. Just like The Nokia Blog, we're finding it a bit hard to swallow that Nokia would call the final version of the phone by the name 'Searay'. More so because recently Nokia had a poll to decide the name for their series of Windows Phone 7 devices, with options like Phoenix, Genesis, etc. This means the actual phones will probably be called something like the Nokia Genesis N1 instead of simply Searay.

Things are yet to get finalized though, so eventually they might just go with individual names instead of having a name for the series. Whatever it is, we'll find out before the end of this year.

Source

Samsung Stratosphere lays it all out with spec sheet treatment

The upcoming Samsung Stratosphere for Verizon Wireless is hardly a secret, but other than a few rumored details, the specs for this LTE-equipped QWERTY slider have remained a bit of a mystery. Now, all that has changed, thanks in large part to its leaked spec sheet from Big Red - just take a peek after the break. It'll be packing a 4-inch Super AMOLED display with WVGA resolution, a (presumably) single-core 1GHz processor, along with 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a 4GB microSD card that's pre-installed. Curiously, it'll be the first of Verizon's LTE phones to incorporate a Micro SIM in place of the larger, traditional offering. Other than that, it looks as if the speculation of Android 2.3, along with its 5MP rear / 1.3MP front cams were dead on. There will also be an LED flash in tow, although video capture will be limited to a rather mundane 480p. That said, if you're thirsting for speed but are needing a keyboard, the Stratosphere is looking like your obvious (albeit only) choice.

Aurous Dual SIM Android Smartphone

Check out this newly added dual SIM Android smartphone ‘Aurous' to Chinavasion's product page. The handset sports a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 capacitive multitouch display, a 416MHz ARM 9 + 208MHz ARM 7 CPU, a 256MB RAM, a 183MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot (up to 16GB), dual GSM SIM card slots, a 0.3MP front-facing camera, a 2MP rear-facing camera, an accelerometer sensor, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 3.5 mm headset jack, a 1200mAh battery and runs on Android 2.2 Froyo OS. The Aurous retails for $199.69 unlocked.[Product Page]

Sharp Aquos Phone 102SH Smartphone

Sharp will release the Aquos Phone 102SH in the Japanese market. The smartphone is powered by a 1GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor with a large 4.5-inch (720 x 1280) glasses-free 3D display, a 1GB of RAM, a microSDHC card slot and a 12-megapixel digital camera with CMOS sensor. The Sharp Aquos Phone 102SH also supports DLNA, infrared, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, e-wallet functionality and Bluetooth 3.0. SoftBank Japan is ready to release the Aquos Phone 102SH in December 2011. [Engadget]