Vodafone Germany To Launch HTC Velocity 4G

Vodafone Germany is reportedly preparing to launch HTC's brand new Android smartphone ‘Velocity 4G' on their network. The handset is said to be announced next week by Vodafone, however, there's no word on pricing yet. In case you didn't know, the Velocity 4G sports a 4.5-inch 960 x 540 Super LCD capacitive touchscreen display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a 1GB RAM, a 16GB of storage, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB), a 1.3MP front-facing camera, an 8MP rear-facing camera with 1080p Full HD video recording, GPS, LTE support, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 with ADP, TV-out and runs on Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread OS. [Softpedia]

Nokia 803 leaked?

It looks like Nokia has quite a number of devices under wraps - after reports of the Nokia 801 yesterday, rumors of yet another Nokia device have sprouted up. This time it's from the folks over at BGR who have got some information on a device called the Nokia 803 - a Nokia Belle running phone that has a 4″ AMOLED display, an HDMI-out port, microSIM support and NFC capabilities. It is also touted to have “the largest camera sensor - ever seen on a mobile phone.” To corroborate with those rumors, Pocketnow.com also received an illustration of what is said to be the Nokia 803, which could also be the final Symbian phone that will be released by Nokia. There's no telling if these rumors are true, but if the phone ends up looking like the image - it's going to need one heck of a camera in order to move units. Let's hope MWC 2012 sheds some light on these devices.

DoubleTwist for Android Upgrade Introduces Podcast Support

DoubleTwist have just announced a new upgrade to their Android application. The biggest new feature is extensive podcast support, something users have been clamoring for since the app was launched. You can search or browse for new podcasts to download, manually add your own feeds, stream or download new episodes, skip and rewind by 30 and 10 seconds, respectively, and you can resume playback if you need to take a break from listening. It looks great doing all of that, too, something that can't be said for a lot of other podcatchers. You'll have to buy these new features, unfortunately, but they can be had as an in-app purchase so you won't need to download any extra “pro keys” or anything. Find the update here. [via DoubleTwist]

New Vonage app to directly challenge Skype

Vonage is crossing deeper into territory currently ruled by Skype with the launch of a new app for Android and iOS. Vonage Mobile opens up the internet calling service to anyone with a smartphone, whether they are a Vonage subscriber or not. Users get free VoIP calls and texts over WiFi, 3G, and 4G, and Vonage looks to undercut the competition by offering international calling at 70 percent the average per-minute rate of mobile carriers. More importantly, the rates best Vonage's biggest competitor Skype by 30 percent. Calling credit can be added in increments of $4.99 or $9.99 and calls from the app to Vonage home or business lines are free. Vonage Mobile takes advantage of the user's current mobile phone number and contact list, meaning integration is instant. The app is a big step for Vonage, a company that was on life support just a few years back. Vonage Mobile has the potential to attract a whole swath of mobile users looking to save big on calls. They'll still have to clear that Skype hurdle, an even bigger challenge now that the service is backed by Microsoft, but an improved smartphone experience is a big step towards doing so. Android Market Link: Vonage Mobile

Prada Phone by LG 3.0 starts mass selling in the UK

The Prada Phone by LG 3.0 has been on sale in the UK for a couple of weeks now, but its availability was limited to Phones4U only. Now a couple of other major UK retailers have the third edition of the LG Prada Phone in stock. UK online store Unlocked Mobiles has the LG Prada 3.0 for £424.98, while Clove sells it for £429.99. You can tell that LG have been pricing the phone and not Prada. Moreover, considering that the Prada Phone 3.0 sports a 4.3-inch 480x800 touchscreen, 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of built in storage, the price isn't all that bad. And you know, bragging about your new Prada smartphone is worth every quid. Source | Via

High-end Nokia Windows Phone to launch at MWC?

Nokia and Windows Phone seems to be in the news a lot recently - and now we've got one more article to add to that growing stack. According to Forbes' industry source - the Finnish phone giant will be unveiling “at least one new, high-end handset” at Mobile World Congress 2012 this month. Assuming the source of the information is correct, it looks like there will be one more Nokia phone besides the Lumia 900 (which hasn't even been released yet) to look forward to this year. It wasn't mentioned what “high-end” meant since most Windows Phone devices have similar specs thanks to Microsoft's strict standards about what the phones should have but we're guessing - a faster processor, larger display, better camera, and possibly LTE connectivity. With Nokia denying the existence of the 12-megapixel Lumia 910, it'll be interesting to see what other devices they have in store for us. Perhaps something with a new form factor? Ubergizmo will be at MWC 2012 to give you all the latest reports, so stay tuned and we'll keep you posted.

White HTC Sensation XE launching week of Feb. 20 in the UK

We've just received word from the folks at Clove UK that we can expect the white version of the HTC Sensation XE to drop its Beats Audio during the week of February 20th. Along with the inclusion of Beats by Dre audio technology, the Sensation XE sees a bump up in specs from the standard model with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor powering the phone's Android 2.3 operating system. A 4.3-inch qHD display, 8MP camera with VGA front-facing camera, 768MB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage round out the phone's hardware. Clove has the Sensation XE in white up for order now at a price of £408 after VAT.

Samsung Infuse 4G Gingerbread update put on hold

Remember the Gingerbread update for the Samsung Infuse 4G that was promised last week? It looks like things haven't gone according to plan. Judging by a notice on the download page, it looks like the update went live and then was taken offline. Apparently “there is an issue with the Infuse 4G update that affects a small number of users.” - we're not sure if this means only a small number of users downloaded the update and were infected, or a large number of users downloaded it but only a handful experienced problems with the update. Regardless, Samsung and AT&T are aware of the problem and are working on a fix now. This isn't the first time an Android update has gone wrong, but I really do think carriers and phone manufacturers should do a lot more testing to prevent such mishaps in the future. How many of you managed to download the update last week, and have you been experiencing any issues?

LG Optimus Vu with 5-inch, 4:3 display teased in Korea

LG has released a teaser for the upcoming Optimus Vu in Korea. The highlight of this phone is its 5-inch IPS display. But unlike almost every other touchscren smartphone out there, the display on the Optimus Vu has a 4:3 aspect ratio. Due to this, the display on the Optimus Vu will actually have a higher surface area than other 5-inch displays. The rest of the specs aren't official yet but we have heard it will have a 1024 x 768 resolution display, a 1.5GHz, dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1GB of RAM, 8 megapixel camera, 8GB internal memory, NFC and (sadly) Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It's unclear at this point whether the device will be limited to the Korean market or if we will see it elsewhere as well. Source

CyanogenMod 9 State Of The Union Address: Device Support, Drivers and Pitfalls

For some Android users out there, if it wasn’t for CyanogenMod — they probably wouldn’t even own an Android device. Well, TeamDouche and friends have graciously provided an update for the everyone in the Android modding community, giving us some insight on the progress of CyanogenMod, as well as newly and upcoming supported devices, and some pitfalls the team has been facing. When it comes to roadblocks, CM has been hit with a big one, dealing specifically with closed-source device drivers. If you were hoping you local “dev” would get that camera app working in the Ice Cream Sandwich ROM you’re running, it might be awhile. We’re all at the mercy of OEM’s who will have to release them in a devkit or new device release. Officially, CM9 (a modified Android 4.0 ROM) is supported on devices like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, HP TouchPad and Motorola Xoom. New devices being added to the fold are Samsung devices using Exynos processors, with Qualcomm MSM 8660 and 7×30 chipsets in the near future. Where things become a little more uncertain is when dealing with devices powered by the aging 1st gen Snapdragon processor, but CM would like to remind everyone that when dealing with the Android community, workarounds can usually be found for these types of things. The ultimate goal of CyanogenMod is to create a seamless, near-stock, Android experience for users that’s makes them feel as if their device should have shipped with the ROM out of the box. Where normally the CM team is able to beat OEM’s to the punch when dealing with firmware updates — Android 4.0 in this case — it seems at the soonest, you can expect a fully working and stable CM9 ROM on your device is around the same time manufacturers officially update their devices. In the meantime, if you appreciate CyanogenMod and the hard work their team puts into bringing the stock Android experience to your Sensified/TouchWizzed/Blurred out device and others like it,

Motorola Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX gets Android 2.3.6 OTA update

If you happen to be a proud owner of the Motorola Droid RAZR or the Droid RAZR MAXX, then here is a hat tip for you – there is a software update available for both smartphones, although do not be disappointed that it isn't Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but rather, the incremental Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread update. Software version 6.12.173.XT912.Verizon.en.US is currently being pushed to the aforementioned smartphones via OTA (Over The Air), and for those who prefer to initiate things instead of waiting for stuff to happen, you can always go about it the manual method via Settings > About Phone > System Updates. In this update, you can now have peace of mind that Mobile Hotspot will successfully allow other devices to connect to all with better security, not to mention enjoy the latest 3D map improvements in VZ Navigator, among others. Perhaps Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is the next item on the menu – who knows? In the mean time, enjoy the latest update!

Hasbro Brings NERF Lazer Tag to Smartphone Era

There will always be room for more smartphone-connected laser guns. We have already seen Xappr do its thing, now it is prominent toymaker Hasbro introduces its take by combining Augmented Reality Shooting and old-school Laser Tag. The NERF Lazer Tag system is redone and updated for the smartphone-crazy generation, allowing users to plug their iPhone or iPod Touch to the plastic guns, providing the devices with an augmented HUD view. Users can either play against virtual players or fellow smartphone-NERF-totting friends. The game experience is enhanced with new attacks and unlocked gear as you play. The app will even display your shot's trajectory, giving players an idea how precise your blast would be. The 2012 edition of Lazer Tag will hit retail beginning August 1 with individual toy guns costing $40, while a set of two is priced $70.

Vertu Constellation Quest Ferrari GT

Vertu has unveiled its Ferrari 458 Italia-inspired luxury smartphone, the Vertu Constellation Quest Ferrari GT. This luxury smartphone is available in three variants such as a brushed stainless steel black leather, a polished stainless steel brown leather, and a polished stainless steel black leather. The Vertu Constellation Quest Ferrari GT features the Ferrari logo embossed in the leather on the front face, a polished sapphire crystal, a polished black ceramic and a titanium battery cover. No word on pricing at this time. [Vertu]

Samsung Star 3 hits UK in March as Tocco Lite 2

The Samsung Tocco brand is still enjoying pretty good reputation in the UK and Samsung is doing all it can to squeeze every possible penny out of it. The company just introduced the Samsung Tocco Lite 2 feature phone for the British market. The Tocco Lite 2 is basically a rebranded Samsung Star 3, featuring an identical 3" QVGA LCD, a 3.2 megapixel fixed focus camera and fitting in a compact 102 x 58 x 11.5 mm body. There's also Wi-Fi b/g/n support, a 3.5 mm audio jack, Bluetooth 3.0 and an FM radio on board the TouchWiz-powered handset. The Samsung Tocco Lite 2 offers just 20MB of internal storage, but the microSD card slot lets you expand that by up to 16GB, so there will be plenty of space for your tracks and photos. The Tocco Lite 2 will be available across a range of the UK’s major networks and retailers from early March 2012. There's information about its pricing, but we bet it won't cost too dearly and if contracts are your thing you'll certainly be able to get it for free. Source

Nokia Belle update rolling out for Symbian^3 devices

The long-awaited Belle update for older Nokias that launched with Symbian^3 has started rolling out. We received tons of tips (thanks everyone!) and when we plugged in our Nokia N8, Ovi Suite immediately found an update. The update is version 111.030.0609, the latest available version of Nokia Belle, even for the Nokia 701. That means that owners of an N8, E7, X7, C7, E6, C6-01 and Oro will be on par software-wise with phones that launched with Belle. The update for the Nokia 500 will be delayed a few weeks. Anyway, the update came a day earlier than expected. It's available in the following countries: India, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Poland, UK, Germany, Italy, Vietnam and Indonesia. There are others too, you can check the availability here. Here's a promo video that shows you how to update and what you'll be getting: We're currently updating our N8 and will be doing a hands-on video with it and maybe a quick new review. The older Nokias come with a slower processor and half the amount of RAM that the new models have, so we're curious to see how the latest Nokia OS update handles on the old hardware. Check if it's available for your phone and don't forget to drop us a line in the comments with your model and region. Source