Massive DROID BIONIC update on the way

The Motorola DROID BIONIC might be one of the most eagerly awaited phones of the year, but when it was finally released many user realized that the phone was plagued with problems. Well it looks like we can finally say goodbye to them as Verizon has announced that a massive bug-fixing update is on its way. The huge update is said to improve stability to avoid power cycles, a faster auto focus in the camera, better 3G/4G connectivity, support for up to 8 devices on hotspot, a fix for the phone powering itself back on when it is off and faster SIM card activation. Talk about massive!

The update is said to be 54.5MB in size, so make sure you're home on WiFi or on 4G if you don't want to waste time downloading the precious update. No word on when the update is going to be released, but look out for it in the next 1-2 weeks. In the meantime, head over to the source link to check out the full list of fixes. How many of you still have your DROID BIONIC and are waiting for this update?

HTC Desire HD Getting Android 2.3.5 and HTC Sense 3.0

The HTC Desire HD may no longer be the most powerful smartphone in HTC’s stable of Androids but it’s still quite capable. It has gotten an upgrade to Android 2.3.5 and a more recent version of Sense, 3.0 (the most recent is 3.5). Users around the world with unbranded handsets are receiving the upgrade and we can’t imagine carrier-branded handsets will be too far off. If you have an unbranded handset be sure to check for it at your earliest convenience. [via EuroDroid]

HTC Sensation 4G update rolling out

Great news for HTC Sensation 4G owners. If you're plagued by bugs and performance issues, you'll be glad to know that T-Mobile started pushing out a software update for the Android device. The update will bring the HTC Sensation 4G up to version 1.50.531.1, and is touted to fix what was wrong with the phone.

According to T-Mobile, the Sensation 4G update will address software stability, improve the phone's battery life, improve the Trace dictionary; resolve screen unresponsiveness, screen shot features, lock screen, and icon pixilation; improve its WiFi connectivity and fix the green line on photo issue. The update should already be rolling out to Sensation 4G users by now, but in the event you haven't received your update yet, you can manually check for it by going to Menu > About Phone > HTC Software updates > Check.

As usual, backup your device before attempting any updates and let us know how it goes for you.

Motorola DROID Xyboard Arriving in Verizon Stores

Like the Galaxy Nexus the Motorola DROID Xyboard hasn’t gotten an official launch date. And also like the Galaxy Nexus, the Motorola DROID Xyboard tablets (10.1 and 8.2 inch variants, 1GB of RAM, dual-core processors, etc.) are starting to arrive in stores.

Verizon pegged them for a December release in their original press release but didn’t give a solid time frame or date beyond that. Early rumors have shown 12x12 as the date but, like the Galaxy Nexus, we won’t make any assumptions that the date will hold up. [via Droid-Life]

Samsung Galaxy S II LTE gets a white paint job too

Samsung seems to have fallen in love (again) with white recently. After launching a white version of AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket, the phone maker decided to bring the color to the original – the Samsung Galaxy S II LTE. We say ‘the original' since the Skyrocket is basically just AT&T's version of the Galaxy S II LTE which was unveiled back in August.

As you'd expect, there are no other differences between the white Galaxy S II LTE and its black incarnation. It's just the color. Thankfully though, the entire device is clad in white, this isn't a case of just the back side getting a new paint job, as you can see.

Samsung says that it expects the white version to be more appealing than the black one to women and youngsters. We don't know if the company is right or not, but more color options for smartphones are always something we like seeing. Especially because black seems to have completely taken over in recent years. But perhaps that trend is bound to change in the future. We'll see.

Meizu MX Smartphone

The Meizu MX Android smartphone has a powerful specification such as a 1.4GHz dual-core processor with a 1GB of RAM, a 16GB of internal storage, a 4-inch (960 x 640) ASV display, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD recording, a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls and HSPA+ support. The smartphone is equipped with the Flyme OS, which is Meizu's heavily customized Android 2.3.5. The Meizu MX smartphone will be released in China on January 1st, 2012 for 2,999 Yuan ($470). [Meizu]

Android 3.1 Honeycomb update for Logitech Revue

Great news for all you Logitech Revue owners out there. The Android 3.1 Honeycomb update for the set top box has finally begun rolling out and is trickling down to users everywhere. Also known as “Google TV 2.0,” the update brings a refreshed new UI and the addition of the Android Market. The Logitech Revue finally feels like a true Android device. Whether you recently picked up the Revue at the discounted $100 price or have been a long time user/early adopter, this update comes as a very welcomed upgrade. I’m going to power up mine and see if I’m one of the lucky ones.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc HD live shots leak again

Sony Ericsson is really having a hard time keeping their Xperia Arc HD smartphone under wraps. Their upcoming flagship droid broke loose again and appeared on a couple of live shots, confirming some of its specs in the process.

The smartphone codenamed Nozomi, will sport a dual-core CPU, clocked at 1.5 GHz, a 12 megapixel camera and a 4.3x720p screen. It will offer 1GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, but there will be no microSD card slot, so you won't be able to expand that. A nicely sounding 1750 mAh battery will power the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc HD.

According to the source of one of the two leaked images, the Arc HD should make its official debut at CES 2012, which takes place from January 10 to January 13 next year.

With such a sleek design and a specs sheet like that, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc HD will certainly be one of the hottest devices of 2012. The only problem might be that the flagship will bring a dual-core CPU to a quad-core party, but we are yet to see about that.

Special thanks to Alfred Sung and Alex Thrystan for sending the links in.

Source 1 | Source 2

Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket goes up in smoke

Talk about living up to its namesake: one Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket, which is yet another variant of the hugely successful Samsung Galaxy S2 range, recently combusted in the confines of the owner's pocket. Good thing there was no serious injury reported, and the family jewels of the owner remained intact so that he can continue to have progeny of his own down the road. Someone over at the XDA Developers forum put up a series of images of the exploded Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket, where "he said he heard a sound, [felt] a burning sensation on his leg and as he pulled the smartphone out of his pocket, he smelled burning. There was smoke coming out of his pocket and out of the phone." Well, I guess if there is a positive from all of this, you can say that the Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket is one smokin' hot smartphone!

White Motorola DROID RAZR hits Verizon this month, same price

Verizon has officially announced that a white version of the Motorola DROID RAZR will hit shelves in time for the holiday season.

Besides the color of the frame, nothing has really changed in the smartphone hardware. It features the same 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced screen, a dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9 processor and 1GB of RAM as its black sibling.

Verzion remains mum about the exact release date of the white RAZR, but the carrier said that users should expect it by the end of the month. The smartphone will cost you $299.99 with a new two-year contract.

ZTE Blade V881 sequel sees marginally better specs

Just like any good movie, phones too, have sequels as well as the third iteration. Take a look at the iPad followed by the iPad 2 (OK, so that is a tablet, but it goes to show just how popular such a naming convention can get), and if you need a smartphone example, you can't go wrong with the iPhone range, as well as the Samsung Galaxy handsets. Well, the ZTE Blade V881 might not take on the role of a true blue sequel in terms of its numbering, but it is still the successor to the ZTE Blade V880 which was officially released in February this year at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Wow, just barely 10 months down the road, and a sequel is already announced?

The ZTE Blade V881 will come with a 3.8″ touchscreen display at WVGA (800 x 480 pixels) resolution, not to mention running on a Qualcomm MSM8255 CPU that has been clocked at 1GHz, carrying around 512MB RAM and a 5-megapixel camera that is located at the back. There is still no word on pricing or availability, so stay tuned!

Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Nexus i515 on display in New York

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has been flaunting its 720p SuperAMOLED screen in shop windows in the US for a couple of weeks now, but that's the GSM version only. Those who want 4G LTE connectivity on Verizon's network are still waiting - now they have a chance to take the Samsung Galaxy Nexus i515 for a spin if they go to the Samsung Experience Store in New York.

It's still not available for purchase and reportedly, there's no way test how the Galaxy Nexus i515 handles on Verizon's LTE network (the samples are hooked to Wi-Fi only). Still, the holidays are coming and the time for picking gifts is running out fast - if you were looking at Google's pure-blood droid as a potential gift, a quick hands-on is a welcome opportunity.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus i515 for Verizon should go on sale this Sunday (December 11). It will come with Android 4.1 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box - the 0.1 update is reportedly focused on improving the performance of the basedband.

Source 1 • Source 2

Samsung SCH-W999: for people who like pairs

Samsung has recently announced the launch of a very interesting Android phone in China, the SCH-W999. Designed for folks who love things that come in pairs, this phone features dual 3.5″ Super AMOLED (480 x 800) displays, dual SIM slots, dual-mode connectivity (GSM and CDMA2000), and a Qualcomm MSM8660 1.2GHz dual-core processor (okay, the last one isn't really a pair). What are missing would be dual cameras and perhaps, dual-boot capabilities (now we're getting ahead of ourselves).

Instead, the SCH-W999 features regular keypad, a five-megapixel rear camera, Android 2.3 with TouchWiz, a HyperSkin back cover (like the Galaxy Nexus), Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi, WAPI, and GPS. No word on pricing or if the phone will reach our shores, but a device like this could probably help some folks make the transition from feature to smartphone. But with dual super AMOLED screens and a dual-core processor, don't expect this phone to come cheap.

NEC Medias PP N-01D Smartphone May Go Outside Japan

NTT Docomo, one of Japan's leading mobile carriers, has announced its Medias PP N-01D smartphone will be available for retail beginning December 9. The bar-shaped device is the latest from NEC's Medias series and will probably hit other markets soon.

The NEC Medias PP N-01D features a 4-inch OLED screen with 480×800 resolution, a single-core 1.4GHz MSM8255 processor, 2GB internal memory, 8.1-megapixel CMOS camera, e-wallet function, digital TV tuner, DLNA support, infrared connection, Bluetooth, WiFi, and microSDHC card slot, all encased in a waterproof and dust-proof body. The smartphone also supports wireless battery charging, an advanced technology currently enjoyed in Japan.

The phone is powered by a built-in 1,700mmAH battery that lasts for up to 630 hours of standby and 380 hours of talk time.

Fujitsu ARROWS ES IS12F to be the thinnest Android smartphone?

At the moment the title of the thinnest Android smartphone is currently held by the very sleek Motorola DROID RAZR. Well, it looks like that title is about to be claimed by another device. Fujitsu has just announced what is said to be the world's thinnest Android smartphone. Arriving in Japan next month, the Fujitsu ARROWS ES IS12F is said to be only 6.7mm thick (the DROID RAZR is 7.1mm thick at its thinnest part).

However, unlike the RAZR, the ARROWS ES IS12F only features a 4″ 800 x 480 OLED display (with Gorilla Glass), a 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 5-megapixel camera, 512MB of RAM, 1GB of internal Storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, CDAM and GSM support, a 1,400mAh battery and runs on Android Gingerbread. So even if it might be the slimmest phone, consumers will probably overlook it due to its specs. No word on whether it'll be arriving stateside, but it did hit the FCC not too long ago with the name ARROWS F-07D.

HTC Flyer Android Honeycomb update finally rolls out starting today

The Android Honeycomb update for the HTC Flyer tablet has finally started rolling out today in France. This comes after many months in which Flyer owners have been waiting for the Honeycomb update, which was promised by the Taiwanese company ever since the tablet's launch.

The update is currently only available in France, and it's unclear when it will make it to other countries. Furthermore, even in France it's only out for one specific version of the device – the one with 32 GB of built-in storage and both Wi-Fi and 3G functionality. Wi-Fi-only units have yet to see the update become available for them.

The update comes over-the-air. That means that your Flyer will notify you when it's reached it. The size of the download you need to perform is around 210 MB, so you may want to make sure you're on Wi-Fi before attempting to pull it.

After installation, your Flyer will run software version 3.55.405.1, or, in simpler terms, Android 3.2.

While this update is clearly a step in the good direction, HTC Flyer owners still don't know if it will be the last one they'll ever receive. Hopefully the company will eventually decide to give them some Ice Cream Sandwich love too, but that's not been decided yet.

ZTE V881 is Blade's successor, adds modest bumps in specs

We saw the ZTE Blade V880 make its official outing at MWC in February, and given how quickly sequels to other phones have been coming out this year we'd say it's ripe for a successor. Enter the ZTE V881, a device that essentially adds a +1 to a few of its parent's specs: a 3.8-inch touchscreen at WVGA (800 x 480) resolution, a Qualcomm MSM8255 CPU clocked at 1GHz, 512MB of RAM and a 5MP rear camera. There's no availability date as of yet, but it appears poised and ready to cost around 1000 yuan (around $160) when that time comes.

Chinese Motorola XT928 gets hands-on: less RAZR, more double-edged sword

China's own Motorola RAZRs have arrived, and have plenty to differentiate themselves from the Verizon-coated version available in the US. Thankfully, our colleagues over at Engadget Chinese have managed to get some intimate hands-on time with the dual-SIM capable XT928. Whether it's the upgraded 13 megapixel camera, or the 4.5-inch HD display crammed inside, this Motorola mobile arrives slightly chunkier than the RAZR we're used to. In fact, it looks more like a distant cousin than a simple variant. A not-particularly tapered backing is now removable, giving access to the two SIM card slots. Ports and buttons have also been rejigged, although the main difference is certainly the carrier's decision to opt for network flexibility over the wafer-thin styling and Kevlar credentials of its fellow Moto countryman, China Mobile's MT917.

Droid XYBOARD Accessories Arriving at Verizon

The Motorola Droid XYBOARD, in both 10.1 and 8.2-inch varieties, is barreling towards a launch at Verizon. There is no set release date for the first tablet entries into the Droid lineup, but accessories arriving in Verizon stores are as good a sign as any that it could be soon. Seen in stock were docking stations, screen protectors, and a Smart Cover-esque “protective portfolio.” The packaging provides a glimpse of the XYBOARD channeling Ghost Rider with its fiery Droid eye.

Both slates will be 4G LTE equipped out of the box and should be available with several storage options ranging from 16GB to 64GB. Prices on-contract could range from $429 for the lowest capacity 8.2-inch model to $729 for the highest capacity 10.1-inch XYBOARD. Will updated hardware and a new name be enough to propel the XYBOARD past the so-so sales of the original Motorola XOOM on Verizon? We will be finding out soon enough.

LG Optimus Link Dual SIM (P698) Introduced In Russia

LG has introduced another dual SIM android smartphone in Russia namely the LG Optimus Link Dual SIM (P698). Specs-wise, the handset sports a 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen display, an 800MHz processor, a 512MB RAM, a 150MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot (2GB card included), dual SIM card slots, a 3.0MP camera with VGA video recording, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, a 3.5mm headset jack, a 1500mAh battery and runs on Android 2.3 OS. The LG Optimus Link Dual SIM (P698) will retail for 8,990 Rubles (about $290).

LG Nitro HD, white Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket launched by AT&T

As expected, today AT&T launched the LG Nitro HD, its first smartphone to feature an HD (1280 x 720 pixels) display, as well as its third to have LTE connectivity (after the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket and the HTC Vivid).

Although the normal price on contract for the Nitro HD is $249.99, customers in select markets (probably the ones where LTE services are available - like New York) can get it online here for only $149.99.

The Nitro runs Android 2.3Gingerbread, and it will be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich next year. Other features include: 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, 4GB of internal memory, and a 16GB MicroSD card pre-installed.