Sprint Nexus S 4G Receives Ice Cream Sandwich

If you’re the owner of Sprint’s Nexus S 4G and you’ve been sick of Gingerbread while waiting for Ice Cream Sandwich, you’ll want to drop everything you’re doing an poll Sprint’s servers for an update in the settings menu. They’ve finally released Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. While they’re employing the usual staggered process for rollouts, those who don’t wait can pull it down by checking for an update. The rest of you should be seeing a notification for it sometime between now and a few weeks from now. Head here for instructions by Sprint. [via Sprint, thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

LG Admits Lying For a Year about Optimus 2X

Since the LG Optimus 2X was launched about a year back right up until yesterday, LG has been lying about one specification on the device. The purported lie took place in LG's homeland, South Korea where the official specifications were jotted down and printed for all prospective buys to read and enjoy along with their spanking new devices fitted with a camera that came with a Xenon flash. Well apparently it wasn't a Xenon flash, just a normal LED flash that comes with smartphones all the time nowadays. Xenon flash units are typically found in standalone digital cameras and are much better to take pictures with but the reason why smartphone manufacturers don't use the flash (bar the Nokia N8 and a few others) as part of their device is because they need more power, occupy more space, they're more expensive and they can't be used as lighting for video since it can only function for short periods of time before recharging. LG has apologized for its 'mistake' and vowed that something like this will not happen again. Many users who have found out about this discrepancy have taken it upon themselves and requested refunds from LG claiming that they bought the product based on what had clearly been false advertising. Thus far, more than 400,000 units of the device have been sold in South Korea so far.

Plume for Android Update Adds ICS Elements

Plume (formerly Touiteur) for Android has received an update that should please owners of Ice Cream Sandwich devices. It brings the “swipe” philosophy Google introduced with this version of Android as well as the in-line context menu button that replaces the menu button. It pretty much looks like it was designed with Ice Cream Sandwich in mind as you can see in the screenshots above. The tablet version of this app has always been available and designed for Honeycomb, but they've made a couple of minor changes to make it more like a native Ice Cream Sandwich app. Other changes include TMI.me support for extending long tweets, MyPict.me support for photo uploads, the ability to resize pictures depending on network speed and some bug fixes. Find the client in the Google Play Store here.

Samsung Galaxy S Aviator with LTE released by US Cellular

US Cellular has just released its first smartphone to feature LTE connectivity: the Samsung Galaxy S Aviator. This comes only weeks after US Cellular introduced its first LTE tablet, namely the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. The Galaxy S Aviator isn't really a new handset. It's just a rebranded Samsung Droid Charge (which has been available at Verizon since the second quarter of 2011). It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and features a 4.3 inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display, 1GHz single-core processor, 1.3MP front-facing camera, an 8MP rear camera, and 1.4GB of internal memory.

Warning: Galaxy Nexus (GSM Version) Suffering From Signal Loss Issues After Android 4.0.4 Update

Should have seen this coming. Bugs after an Android update are often a common occurrence ’round these parts, and now it’s Galaxy Nexus user’s turn to share in the sorrow after updating their devices to Android 4.0.4. Apparently, this bug is a pretty nasty one. Users have taken to Google’s Android issue tracker and are reporting that after updating to Android 4.0.4., their device has been experiencing connectivity issues whenever entering sleep/screen off mode. Once asleep, the Galaxy Nexus will completely lose signal, causing missed calls, texts, push notifications and anything else that requires signal. Yeah, not good. Google has acknowledged the issue and is asking for users to submit bug reports to help with developing a solution. In the meantime, rooted users can either clock their CPU’s minimum clock speed to 700MHz to help alleviate the issue or simply revert back to Android 4.0.2 where I currently am sitting pretty. Oh, and if you’re on Verizon Wireless with a CDMA version of the Galaxy Nexus, don’t worry. The issue seems to only be with GSM versions of the device. Any GSM Galaxy Nexus users who have updated to 4.0.4 affected by the bug?

Best Buy Says HTC Rezound On Schedule To Receive Android 4.0 Tomorrow – RAZRs Not So Fortunate

Best Buy sent out an internal memo to their employees yesterday, notifying them that scheduled Android 4.0 update for the Motorola DROID RAZR and Droid Razr Maxx had been indefinitely “delayed.” We suspect they may have gotten ahead of themselves, expecting ICS instead of another bug fixing update, the same one we told you about yesterday. Don’t worry too much, I’d be willing to bet the next update will finally be the fabled upgrade to Android 4.0 and Motorola is simply tidying up things before rolling it out. But we do have some good news for HTC Rezound users. Best Buy also mention in their email that the Beats rockin,’ HD totin’ device was on schedule to receive its portion of Ice Cream Sandwich tomorrow, April 6th. Given Best Buy’s track record, we’re hesitant to take that with anything more than a grain of salt. It’s only the fact that we’re talking about an HTC device here that we’re more inclined to believe this date. Guess we’ll find out soon enough!

EVO 3D 4G LTE Prototype Makes Cameo Appearance In Latest HTC Video

Oh, will you look at that. Seems a certain dual-camera’d device made a cameo appearance in HTC’s latest behind the scenes video for the HTC EVO 4G LTE. Let’s just call it the “EVO 3D 4G LTE” for kicks (even if the original dropped the “4G” moniker). A prototype shell of that device was briefly shown and although the device was never announced or “leaked” in any way, shape or form, we can only wonder if HTC is planning for a sequel to the controversial EVO 3D. With a Qualcomm S4 processor, 3D HD display, dual 8MP cameras on back — would you guys consider going 3D with a spec sheet like that? Or is 3D for the birds?

Sprint Nexus S 4G receives Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update

Just as expected, the Nexus S 4G from Sprint has started to receive the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update from today, making it the first Android-powered smartphone from Sprint's stable to receive this particular operating system update. The update will come in the form of over-the-air, and if you have not yet received it, fret not. Since it would presumably appear in stages depending on where you live, all users of the Sprint Nexus S 4G ought to receive the update by next month at the latest. Anytime your Nexus S 4G is deemed eligible for the update, an automatic download will happen, and once the download is completed, you will be asked permission as to whether to proceed with the installation, where agreeing to that will take a few minutes. Just make sure that you perform a backup of your data whenever you are about to proceed with a system update of any kind, as you can never tell just when Murphy might strike. After all, official updates do not translate to not having any bugs associated with it at all, but I guess since there has been no furore about it, it has all been plain sailing thus far.

HTC One V Flexes Its Muscles – Benchmarks and Gaming Performance Put To The Test

When it comes to the HTC One X, there’s no surprise that the entire tech world is going ape-nuts over it. Arguably the best Android device to date, there’s no question HTC has struck gold on that one. And it’s not just the One X — the One S has been receiving its fair share of praise despite its slightly lesser specs (but saved thanks to a beefy Qualcomm S4 processor). But there is another phone in HTC’s One line of devices that hasn’t gotten too much coverage, the HTC One V. I get it, the One V is HTC’s entry level device for 2012 and spec-wise, there just isn’t too much here we haven’t seen before. But even as an Android enthusiasts who prefer to stay on the bleeding edge of tech, I think it would be safe to assume not all of our friends or family members feel the same passion we do, and often come to us when it comes to picking out a solid, affordable Android device. Thankfully, I came across this video today from NetbookNews showing off some benchmarks from the One V, even throwing a few of the more demanding games at it like Temple Run and Shadowgun. How did the device perform? Well, check out their video walkthrough and see for yourself. the HTC One V has proven itself as one hot, little firecracker. Shadowgun ran pretty smooth with only a reasonable amount of framerate drops during heated of battles. It feels a little weird to type it out but, I’d even go as far as saying the One V is one of Android’s first premium entry-level devices for the masses? What did you guys think? Impressed?

UC Browser 8.2 for Android takes a crack at the US market

We know that Facebook is still trying to get into China's pants, and that is a story for a different day, but here we have China's most popular mobile browser, UC Browser 8.2 for Android, and it will finally make an attempt to break into the US market. Already boasting 200 million users in China and another 300 million users around the globe, it would be interesting to see whether UC Browser is able to make an impact Stateside, considering folks at this moment rely heavily on Opera Mobile and the stock Android Web browser. We will look at some of the features that intend to help UC Browser stand out from the rest of the competition in the extended post. First of all, UC Browser 8.2 for Android will come with multi-touch and voice control function, where the former allows you to open, close, switch pages, return to the previous page, and move to the next page, using gestures only without having to access any pesky menu options or buttons. With the inclusion of voice control, you can now surf the Internet on your Android-powered device without the use of your fingers, how neat is that? The entire UC Browser 8.2 for Android weighs in at 5.2MB if you are interested.

Pantech Vega Racer 2 has ceramic body, does LTE

The Samsung Galaxy S3 certainly lit up newswires and websites today, with many rumors surrounding it being sparked to greater life than ever before. Well, one of the unique selling points of the Galaxy S3 was touted to be a ceramic body, but it seems that Pantech might have beaten Samsung to the punch with the Pantech Vega Racer 2 which will come with a ceramic body. Naturally, Pantech is quick to capitalize on this by claiming that this is the first of its kind in the smartphone world, and as for the other specifications, they are available right after the jump. Expect the Vega Racer 2 to come with a 4.8″ 720p HD touchscreen display, a dual-core Qualcomm MSM8960 processor that will most probably run at 1.5GHz, LTE connectivity, as well as the glass ceramic coating that ought to make it more durable than a standard piece of plastic. Does this mean there is no more need for a smartphone case? I doubt that, but at least it will add a touch of class. No idea on whether this will arrive anywhere outside of South Korea or not, but one can always remain hopeful, right?

Pantech Vega Racer 2 Smartphone

The Pantech Vega Racer 2 is claimed as the world's first smartphone that features a ceramic body. The ceramic body should be a lot more durable than plastic body. The smartphone comes jam packed with a 4.8-inch 720p HD touchscreen, a dual-core Qualcomm MSM8960 processor and LTE support. No word on pricing or availability so far. [Unwiredview]

Safely Phone Controls on Android announced

Safely has just announced their latest app, the Safely Phone Controls that will target the Android platform. This is a digital parenting service that is being distributed in partnership with Sprint, where you can get it from the Google Play store after looking for "Sprint Mobile Controls." Safely user data showed that 63% of teens text in class, while 65% send texts late into the night. With Safely Phone Controls, parents are able to get a better handle on their teens' texting activities, not to mention playing the role of a responsible parent by regulating their use. For instance, school time is meant for studying, so parents can block the ability to text or play games during school, and can also receive alerts whenever an unknown person contacts their child. According to Tasso Roumeliotis, CEO of Location Labs, "Three out of four teenagers have a cell phone, and with over 20 free smartphones now offered by US carriers, more teens are using these powerful devices. Parents give kids phones to keep them safe and connected, but worry that constant access will interfere with school or sleep. Safely Phone Controls gives parents an easy way to manage these concerns." Do you think that such regulation from parents are justified?

Samsung Conquer 4G FC17 OTA Update Released; Removed Carrier IQ and Several Live Wallpapers

The Samsung Conquer 4G may not be the most popular kid around the Now Network’s block but that doesn’t mean Sprint hasn’t forgotten about it. It’s finally received the security update that will remove the controversial Carrier IQ software that created a big stir last year. Beyond that, Sprint’s ix-naying a good deal of allpaper-ways. Those include Magic, Smoke, Many, Maps, Nexus, Spectrum, Water, and Waveform. The update will head out in a staggered process over the next 10 day so be patient if you’re not seeing it right away. [via Sprint]

HTC EVO 4G LTE goes official for Sprint Wireless

Sprint Wireless's CEO Dan Hesse and the HTC president Jason Mackenzie officially took the wraps off the carrier's Android flagship - the HTC EVO 4G LTE. The smartphone is the successor of the HTC EVO 4G, which saw the light back in 2010, and has the kickstand to prove it. In terms of the specs, the newcomer is closely related to the upcoming HTC One X for AT&T. It sports the same Snapdragon S4 chipset with two CPU cores, clocked at 1.5GHz. There is a gig of RAM on board and 16GB of built-in memory, which can be further expanded via a microSD card slot. The screen is the already familiar, gorgeous 4.7" super LCD2 unit with HD resolution. An 8MP camera is located on the back, while a 1.3MP sits at the front of the device. Both can record HD videos in 1080p and 720p respectively. A 2000mAh battery powers the handset. On the software side of things, the HTC EVO 4G LTE packs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, dressed in HTC's latest Sense 4.0 UI. Beats Audio is on board as well. The smartphone is also the first to feature HD voice capability on Sprint Wireless's network. Like most things HTC, the EVO 4G LTE is superbly put together. Most of the device's body is made from a single piece of aluminum. The dedicated camera button of the device is also made from the lightweight metal. We were present at the HTC EVO 4G LTE's unveiling in New York City. Naturally, we had our camera handy, so here go a couple of live shots of the device. The top shelf smartphone will be available for pre-order on May 7 for $199.99 with a two-year commitment. Expect to see it on the shelves at some point during Q2.

Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE announced

Just in case you were wondering why the HTC EVO 4G LTE from Sprint looks so familiar, that is because this is nothing but a version of the HTC One X that was specially meant for the mobile carrier. The release of the HTC EVO 4G LTE from Sprint makes it the first HD voice-capable smartphone in the US, where it will arrive sometime in the second quarter of the year for $199.99 a pop on a new 2-year contract, of course. As for the exact release date, that will be announced at a later period, but you are already able to sign up for updates here (www.sprint.com/evo4glte), with pre-orders starting from Monday, May 7th. As expected, the HTC EVO 4G LTE will run on the Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, where it will also be integrated with HTC Sense 4, accompanied by a vibrant 4.7″ HD display, HD voice capabilities, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a large 2,000mAh embedded battery as well as two cameras – an 8-megapixel shooter at the back, and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera that is capable of capturing stills even when you are recording video. [Press Release]

Ice Cream Sandwich leaks for Samsung Galaxy Note

For its part, Samsung has been none too coy about the upcoming Android 4.0 release for the Galaxy Note. So far, we know that it's set for a Q2 debut and will pack a new set of S Pen apps, but if you've longed to jump into the frozen goodness a bit early, today you can rejoice — a leaked build of Ice Cream Sandwich for Samsung's fabulous phablet has reared its head in the forums of RootzWiki. Curiously, the file is available only as an EXE, so you'll want to exercise a bit of due diligence with this one. That having been said, comments in the forums are quite enthusiastic. Now that Ice Cream Sandwich is out in the wild, the community is already circling back to provide a rundown of what more tepid users may expect. Most notably, Samsung's Premium Suite for the Galaxy Note isn't included in this build, and while TouchWiz is said to crash upon first boot and with the addition of a Google Play account, reports suggest that these are one-time glitches. Otherwise, much of the system is said to be in excellent shape. As for the EXE that we'd mentioned, it's an Odin one-click file that's designed to make the installation rather painless.

Samsung rolls out Ultra High Speed microSD cards destined for LTE phones and tablets

While so far the Ultra High Speed Class 1 memory card designation has been reserved for SDXC and SDHC cards, Samsung just announced new microSD cards that support the faster interface as well. Currently being produced in 16GB sizes, they have maximum sequential read speeds of up to 80 MB/s, four times that of the high speed cards it introduced last year. There's no word on the write speeds but Samsung is already busy calling its next shot, planning to offer cards with even more storage in the future. Of course, you'll need compatible devices to make these new cards worth it, we wonder what kind of Advanced LTE smartphones with 3D gaming and HD video capabilities might be in store from Samsung soon...

New Galaxy S III render leaks in a purported press invite

Another day, another Galaxy S III leaked image. This one appears on a press release (whose authenticity is yet to be confirmed) and we must say, of all the ones we have seen till now this one looks the most realistic to us. The press image just shows a part of the phone, where we can see a sleek metal casing that tapers and bends backwards towards the bottom, with the display infusing seamlessly on the front. Strangely, there is no micro USB port at the bottom, as is usually the case with recent Samsung devices. The sides have been scooped out but there are no visible keys in the picture. The press release announces May 22 as the launch date for the handset, with London being chosen as the venue for the launch. We'll just have to wait and see how much of this comes true. Source

Samsung I9300 to have a 4-inch 720p AMOLED display

PocketDroid has uncovered some more dirt on this I9300 that we keep seeing every other day, and the one we're pretty sure by now is not the Galaxy S III. The latest bit of information talks about some of the specs of the device. For starters, the phone is said to have a 4-inch, 1280 x 720 resolution, AMOLED display. No mention of the sub-pixel arrangement has been made but we are willing to bet it's PenTile RGBG. Not that it would matter, because with a pixel density of a mind-boggling 367 PPI, you're not going to notice any difference at all. The processor is said to be one of Samsung's Exynos SoC, with a dual-core 1.4GHz CPU and Mali-400 MP GPU. There will be 1GB of RAM and the phone will be running on Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich. That's all there is to know right now. We're sure more info will surface soon as we near the expected launch in May. Source • Image Source

Sony CEO Kaz Hirai to reveal new strategy on April 12th

If you want to pick up some tips before appearing on The Apprentice, or perhaps you're just want to know how Sony plans to wriggle back from a predicted $2.7 billion loss this fiscal year (its fourth concurrent in the red) then cancel all your plans for April 12th. Sony Corp will be holding a briefing on that date to share its strategy plan with the shareholders, and the world. In attendance, of course, will be the newly minted CEO Kazuo Hirai, who'll no doubt be taking the opportunity to assert his position for the first time. Details of the call are in the source, just resist the temptation to scream "You're Fired."

Android 4.0 update for Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX is a no-show

Just last week we reported that according to a leaked screenshot, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was headed for the Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX come 4th April as a highly-anticipated update. Given that it's already the 5th of April and still no update, safe to say that those rumors did not pan out. Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX users have since taken to Twitter to prod Motorola for the details of the update. Unfortunately all the company had to offer was that the while both devices were scheduled to receive the Android 4.0 update, a release date has yet to be confirmed and that details would be shared "soon". The good news is that while no ICS will be rolling out for RAZR and RAZR MAXX owners today, your devices will still be receiving an update that will address some bugs and provide enhancements. The changelog for the Version 6.12.181 can be found here.

Nokia's Windows Phone 8 marketing rumored to be in the works

The Nokia Lumia 900 has barely been launched, and it seems that thanks to a leaked poster sent in by a tipster to the good folks at PhoneArena it would appear as though Nokia could be working on their marketing strategy for the upcoming Windows Phone 8 platform. According to the tipster, the poster is apparently not in its final stages of design so there could be some changes should it ever materialize, and it is unclear if the images of the phones in the poster are actual products or mere placeholders. In any case, assuming Microsoft keeps to schedule, there is a good chance that we could be seeing Windows Phone 8 "Apollo" by the end of the year. Given Microsoft's close relationship with Nokia, we wouldn't be surprised if the Finnish company had been given information ahead of their rivals. Until more concrete proof has been made available, we hardly think that an alleged leaked poster with the words "Windows Phone 8" and a Nokia logo slapped onto it should be worth getting too excited over.

HTC One X and One S now on sale in the UK

Continuing its worldwide rollout, the HTC One series is now available from a selection of carriers in the UK. As of today, he HTC One X and HTC One S are on sale through O2, Vodafone, Orange, T-Moble, and Three. The Sense 4.0 handsets are available for free on contract from several of the carriers, depending on the monthly tariff. For those looking to purchase the handset outright, a SIM-free and carrier-unlocked version of the phones can be found through Amazon. The One X is retailing for  £489.99 and the One S is available for  £414.99. The HTC One V should follow its brethren to carriers by the end of the month.

AT&T 4G LTE Coming to Bloomington, IN and Bryan-College Station, Texas April 8th

HTC has followed up on their promises of bringing 4G LTE to Bloomington, IN and Bryan-College Station in Texas and have set a launch date of April 8th. AT&T's been at work building a nice library of LTE devices and more will continue to soar in at alarming rates. If you live in these areas and are waiting on upgrading or have already upgraded to an LTE phone circle the date on your calendar – it'll be like waking up on Christmas morning. [AT&T 1, 2]

UK: HTC One X and One S arrive at Orange and T-Mobile on April 5

If you're in the UK and would like to get either the HTC One X or the HTC One S with a contract from your operator of choice, listen up. After O2 has confirmed that it will release the One X on April 5 (that's this Thursday, by the way), Orange and T-Mobile have joined it. The two operators making up the Everything Everywhere venture will have both the HTC One X (pictured below) as well as the HTC One S available online, in stores, and via phone orders on Thursday. That's one day earlier than when well known on-contract third party retailer Phones 4U is due to start sales. You'll be able to pick up the HTC One X from Orange or T-Mobile for free with a £41 per month contract. The HTC One S will be free with contracts starting at £36 per month. As is the norm in the UK, expect the two superphones to be offered at a myriad of price points, one of which will surely fit your needs quite well.

LG LS831 is a Windows Phone headed to Sprint

LG clearly seems intent on launching some Windows Phones this year, after it stayed pretty much out of the game in 2011. Earlier today, we showed you the LG E740H, codenamed Miracle, which is on its way to Telus in Canada. But what about the US? Well, luckily, LG has you covered. Especially if your carrier of choice is Sprint. An LG LS831 just passed through the rigorous testing over at the FCC, and it's headed to the Now Network. That's because the LS831 supports 800 MHz CDMA, which only Sprint uses in the US, according to Phone Scoop. There's also a document that was sent to the FCC called ‘Sprint Nextel Waiver', further sealing the deal. From what we were able to gather by looking at the above images (and through the docs that made it to the FCC), the LG LS831 will run Windows Phone (obviously), and it will have a 5 MP rear camera, a secondary front-facing camera for video calls, a 3.5 mm headset jack, a microUSB port, and Bluetooth support.

HTC EVO One for Sprint gets pictured?

A while back we reported that a HTC One device could be headed Sprint's way in the form of the HTC EVO One (codenamed Jewel). Not much is known about the device save for its rumored specs, but thanks to the good folks at Pocket Now, an alleged press shot of the device has surfaced. The rumored HTC EVO One for Sprint is pictured right smack in the middle between AT&T's HTC One X and T-Mobile's HTC One S. Now if you've been following the HTC One news, you'll realize that the rumored HTC EVO One looks nothing like the One X, One S or One V that the company revealed at MWC earlier this year. For those who might have forgotten or who might have missed the news, according to the rumors, the specs of the EVO One includes a 4.7x720p HD display, a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor on board, 16GB of internal storage, an 8MP rear-facing camera, a 2MP front-facing camera, 4G LTE connectivity and will come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich preinstalled out of the box. So, what do you guys think?

Google acquires TxVia in an effort to expand Google Wallet

It looks like Google is seriously attempting to expand the capabilities of its Google Wallet mobile payment service as the company has recently announced that they have bought payments company, TxVia. While the financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, according to Osama Bedier, vice president of Wallet and Payments and Google believes that TxVia complements Google Wallet's payment capabilities and will help the company achieve their "full Google Wallet Vision". We know that Google is looking to expand the reach of Google Wallet as there have been talks in the past that Google might be looking at partnering up with other carriers. The service originally launched with Sprint as its sole partner and with the Nexus S being the only device that came with support for Google's mobile payment services. While the exact details of the deal were not revealed, given TxVia's management of more than 100 million accounts, it is likely that this deal will give Google access to its customers and major payment networks.

LG LS831 goes back to FCC, reveals 5MP camera, Sprint intentions

Sprint's been kept pretty quiet on the Windows Phone front, but it looks like the Now Network is getting back into the game. Well, at least soon. The LG LS831 has made a return visit to the FCC, this time showing some visible hardware. That includes a Sprint-only 800MHz CDMA radio (with support for 1900 MHz), a front-facing camera and a 5-megapixel primary shooter on the back. Now that the FCC's given its nod of approval, we can start the guessing game for what Sprint will eventually christen the device.

LG Viper 4G will be Sprint's first LTE device, pre-orders begin April 12

Sprint is ready to get things rolling on their 4G LTE network with the announcement of pricing and pre-order details for the LG Viper. The handset, which we first got our hands on at CES in January, is an Android 2.3 device with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 4-inch WVGA display. It also carries a 5MP camera, 4GB of internal storage, and 1GB of RAM. With NFC support, the Viper will ship with Google Wallet support. The Viper 4G is being touted for its eco-friendly features, but it also takes it easy on the wallet. Priced at a mere $99.99 on a two-year contract, Sprint looks to keep the cost down for users transitioning to LTE. Pre-orders begin on April 12th. Check out the press release below for more info. LG Viper 4G LTE with Eco-Friendly Features from Sprint Launches for Less than $100 Pairing innovative technology with the Sprint 4G LTE network and unlimited data plans, LG Viper 4G LTE helps manage work and personal time for people on the go, like today’s "Power Parents"; Pre-order begins Thursday, April 12, at sprint.com/viper NEW YORK - April 3, 2012 - In an exclusive media event to tip off NBA Green Week presented by Sprint, Sprint’s CEO Dan Hesse (NYSE: S) today announced pricing and pre-order availability date for the highly anticipated LG Viper™ 4G LTE, the first 4G LTE device with eco-friendly features to be offered by Sprint. LG Viper will be available later this month in all Sprint sales channels, including www.sprint.com,1-800-SPRINT1, Best Buy and RadioShack for $99.99 with a new two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1 (excludes taxes and surcharges). New and existing customers can pre-order LG Viper beginning Thursday, April 12 at www.sprint.com/viper. LG Viper takes advantage of Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform, a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, mobile hotspot capabilities and a 4GB card microSD™ slot that supports up to 32GB. It also features a 5MP rear-facing camera with flash and VGA front-facing camera allowing for a fun and easy face-to-face video chat experience. Enabled with Near Field Communication (NFC), LG Viper allows users to access true value features such as Google Wallet, an app that allows payment using a mobile device at participating retailers, including Bloomingdales, Toys "R" Us, CVS, Gap and Macy’s. The sleek, ultra-thin smartphone also boasts a 4-inch touchscreen that is remarkably bright and clear, even in direct sunlight. It also has a Corning® Gorilla® Glass screen protector for extra display resistance while on the go. "LG Viper pairs perfectly with our unlimited data plans to bring customers the benefit of new technology, including our upcoming 4G LTE capabilities at a great price," said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. "This smartphone is packed with the tools our customers need to stay connected. Best of all, customers can feel good about owning LG Viper because of its robust list of eco-friendly features." As a Sprint ID smartphone, LG Viper will give owners the ability to cut through the clutter of more than 450,000 additional apps in Google Play by selecting from a variety of mobile ID packs. Sprint ID packs include ringers, wallpapers and widgets. Also, consumers can download Box on the LG Viper and receive 50GB of free cloud storage and sharing directly from LG, an estimated value of $240 per year, so users don’t have to stress about storing all of their favorite music, files, photos and other memories. The 50GB of free storage is exclusive to LG devices until July 22. "Today’s world is moving extremely fast and the lines between personal time and work continue to blur," said Tim O’Brien, vice president of marketing for LG Mobile. "LG understands consumers’ need for better tools that allow them to multitask without sacrificing what’s most important to them, especially when it comes to their families. LG Viper gives parents the tools they need to manage their everyday lives while breaking down the barriers that technology can often create between them and their children - all at a great value." LG Viper customers can enjoy an unlimited data experience with Sprint Everything plans with data. Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $79.99 per month for smartphones2 - a savings of $40 per month vs. Verizon’s comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB Web, or $10 per month savings vs. Verizon’s 450-minute plan with unlimited text and 2GB Web. Leading Wireless in Green In addition to its technological prowess, LG Viper has many eco-friendly features, including: The device is ULE Platinum Certified, the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment and Sprint It is protected by a casing made of 50 percent recycled plastics. It is RoHS compliant, meaning it is free from many potentially hazardous materials such as PVC, phthalates, halogens and mercury. The packaging contains up to 87 percent of post-consumer paper, uses soy ink, made with a glueless construction and is 100 percent recyclable. The phone also includes a charger that exceeds the EC Code of Conduct on energy efficiency when it comes to no-load consumption. Unlike other chargers, LG Viper 4G LTE’s charger only consumes 0.03 watts of power when plugged into a wall socket without being connected to the phone. Ranked No. 3 in Newsweek’s 2011 Green Rankings, Sprint is committed to being a corporate leader in sustainability. LG Viper marks the third device with eco-friendly features launched by Sprint and LG. Sprint and LG launched their first eco-friendly device in 2010 with LG Remarq™ and continued the legacy earlier this year with LG Rumor Reflex™. Sprint recently announced Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio are expected to have 4G LTE and enhanced 3G service in mid-year 2012. Sprint 4G LTE should enable faster speeds for data applications, and the enhanced 3G service could offer better signal strength, faster data speeds, expanded coverage and better in-building performance. The launch of these large metropolitan areas demonstrates the continued commitment by Sprint to invest in its network through Network Vision. Whether a Sprint customer is using a smartphone to share a video, check the Web via a mobile hotspot, Sprint 4G LTE will make it easier. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE rollout, please visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE. Bridging Technology and Fairy Tales To complement the launch of LG Viper 4G LTE, LG is introducing the "Life’s Good Fairytales" app, a customizable storyboard that allows parents and children to bond over the creation and sharing of unique fairytales through their device. Families can become part of the fairytale by allowing them to take, upload and manipulate photos, names and sounds directly into the story, transforming the fairytales into the child’s own personal adventure. Thanks to the fast speeds of the LG Viper 4G LTE technology and Sprint 4G LTE network, stories can be read instantly and content can be shared with friends and family via Facebook®. The "Life’s Good Fairytales" app will be available Friday, April 27, in Google Play. It will be free for LG Viper owners and available for $0.99 for other Android phone users.

HTC One X now available for pre-order through Rogers, $169.99 on 3-year contract

Just yesterday Rogers let us know that the HTC One X would be available on their network sometime this month. Now the phone is available for pre-order via the carrier on a three-year contract price of $169.99. There is no word on when the phone will ship, but the pre-order page states that the “offer expires April 30th, 2012,” for whatever that's worth. Those taking advantage of the pre-order will be eligible to win an HTC prize pack and a trip to the 2012 Much Music Video Awards. Interested parties can head over to the Rogers site to see about putting down some money on the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich handset.

Instagram for Android Now Available!

The wait is over – Instagram, the popular photo sharing application which gained prominence on iOS – is now available for Android. Complete with a beautiful user interface and a full feature-set, it seems to have been worth the nail biting. Features : ☆ 100% free custom designed filters and borders ☆ Lux works its magic by making your photos more vibrant and brings out details in your photos you couldn’t see before ☆ Instant sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Foursquare (Flickr coming very soon) ☆ Interact with friends through giving & receiving likes and comments ☆ Works with Android versions 2.2 and above that support OpenGL ES 2 ☆ Full front & back camera support ☆ And much much more… Some people are scratching their heads wondering “what’s the point of this app?” But I think it’s best to just download it and see for yourself. It made a lot of sense on iOS considering the OS’s sharing system is gimped compared to Android’s, but Instagram’s collection of filters and their beautiful photo stream, not to mention automatic uploading to tons of social networks, should be worth the download. Get the free app, which has sustained a full five star rating in the market after 175 reviews, in the Google Play Store.

LG Viper 4G LTE: price and pre-order details announced by Sprint

Initially unveiled back in January alongside the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Sprint's LG Viper 4G LTE will be on pre-order starting April 12, and should become available "later this month" (we've heard it's going to happen on April 15, but we can't confirm this for now). The Viper will cost $99.99 on contract, after a $50 mail-in rebate, and customers should be able to find it not only at Sprint, but also at Best Buy and RadioShack. Sprint says the LG Viper is its "first 4G LTE device with eco-friendly features". The handset's case is "constructed from 50 percent recycled plastics", and its packaging is fully recyclable. Other features include Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 4 inch WVGA display, NFC, Google Wallet, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with Mobile Hotspot, 5MP rear camera, VGA front-facing camera, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of ROM, a 4GB MicroSD card pre-installed, and 50GB of free cloud storage (from Box). It remains to be seen if the LG Viper will be released by Sprint before the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. If yes, it will become the carrier's very first LTE-capable smartphone.

Rogers starts pre-orders for the HTC One X, $169.99 with a 3-year contract

Seems like it was only yesterday that we brought you news that Rogers was getting ready to carry the HTC One X for Canadians. Wait, it actually was yesterday. Well, back then we didn't get any information on the pricing of the superphone, but today's obviously a new day. And Rogers decided to start taking pre-orders for the One X. It will set you back $169.99 with a new three-year contract. It's slated to be released sometime during this month, we're guessing that it will be closer to its end. Still, that means you don't have that much more to wait if you crave this device.

Sprint announces LG Viper 4G LTE pricing and availability

This is hardly a surprise, given the fact that the first time we heard about this particular device was its actual unveiling during CES three months ago. Finally, Sprint Wireless announced the pricing and availability of the carrier's first LTE smartphone - the LG Viper 4G LTE. The mid-range Android smartphone will be available for pre-order on April 12 for $99.99 with a two-year commitment, after a $50 mail-in rebate. The above mentioned amount will get you a dual-core CPU, clocked at 1.2GHz, 4" WVGA screen, a gig of RAM, 5MP, and some eco-friendly cachet. The OS on tap will be Android 2.3 Gingerbread. NFC will also be on board alongside the LTE network connectivity. All in all, the LG Viper 4G LTE can hardly qualify as the most memorable way to kick off the start of an LTE network. Hopefully, the smartphone's eco-friendly features will help it find its followers. Source | Via

Is Samsung's white Galaxy Note set arrive in Canada on Telus tomorrow, Bell on April 10?

It's been nearly two months since Samsung's LTE Galaxy Note made its debut in the land of maple syrup Canada, and now Telus and Bell might finally begin stocking the white variant of the Gingerbread-loaded phablet. According to (supposed) internal memos leaked from both companies to Mobile Syrup, it appears as though Bell's planning to release the 5.3-inch device on April 10th, while Telus may let it loose as soon as tomorrow. Notably, the site also mentions that you'll be looking at an unchanged entry-fee of $200 with a three-year contract or $730 if you'd prefer the phone sans strings. It likely won't be long until this unicorn's Northerly arrival gets confirmed for sure, but for now, drag your cursor over to the source links below for a shot of the Bell document and further insight.

Sprint begins employee training for Galaxy Nexus, launch looks imminent

First it appeared in a slipped ad, and then on The Engadget Show during CES. More recently, Sprint's variant of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus was spotted coasting through the FCC, and now it's practically a lock to launch between three and six weeks from now. We've received word that Sprint has initiated employee training specifically for the Galaxy Nexus and Android 4.0, which will enlighten staff on the benefits of the handset, ICS and Google Wallet. Those involved with the training have to wrap things up within the next fortnight, leading us to believe that it'll make its way into retail outlets in late April or early May. In related news, the coursework also makes mention of enabling LTE on a heretofore unannounced "LG Fury" - presumably not to be confused with the similarly titled handset from ZTE. Unfortunately, details beyond the name on that guy are nowhere to be found, but we'll be digging for more in the days ahead. Update: We've since stumbled upon a full slide deck of the training guide, and while there's nothing too surprising here, we are seeing that early units will ship with LTE turned off by default, though the company will change that at an undetermined time in the future. Call us crazy, but it sounds like Sprint may start hawking these prior to its LTE network being fully active.

Galaxy Nexus employee training begins at Sprint

With Sprint set to launch its first LTE handset in the coming weeks, it stands to reason that the Galaxy Nexus, which was announced alongside the LG Viper at CES, will follow shortly after. New training documents obtained by Engadget show that employees are already getting learned on the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich handset. The training covers all the basics from Android 4.0 to Google Wallet and is expected to be completed within the next couple of weeks. The timing suggests a late April launch. This lines up with previous leaks showing an April 22nd release date for Sprint’s version of the Galaxy Nexus. Of note is mention of another LTE handset by the name of LG Fury within the training materials. It’s very possible that the name could be referring to the Viper while being confused with the recently released ZTE Fury. It seems likely that Sprint would release two handsets under the same name.

HTC One X Available For Pre-Order At Rogers Canada

Rogers Canada has begun taking pre-orders for the upcoming HTC One X. The handset can be yours for $169.99 with a new three-year contract agreement. Just to remind you, the HTC One X packs a 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 Super IPS LCD2 capacitive touchscreen display, a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, a 1GB RAM, a 32GB of storage, a 1.3MP front-facing camera, an 8MP rear-facing camera with 1080p Full HD video capture, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, a 1800mAh battery and runs on Android 4.0 OS. [Product Page]

Ice Cream Sandwich leaks for Samsung Galaxy Note (update)

For its part, Samsung has been none too coy about the upcoming Android 4.0 release for the Galaxy Note. So far, we know that it's set for a Q2 debut and will pack a new set of S Pen apps, but if you've longed to jump into the frozen goodness a bit early, today you can rejoice - a leaked build of Ice Cream Sandwich for Samsung's fabulous phablet has reared its head in the forums of RootzWiki. Curiously, the file is available only as an EXE, so you'll want to exercise a bit of due diligence with this one. That having been said, comments in the forums are quite enthusiastic.Update: Now that Ice Cream Sandwich is out in the wild, the community is already circling back to provide a rundown of what more tepid users may expect. Most notably, Samsung's Premium Suite for the Galaxy Note isn't included in this build, and while TouchWiz is said to crash upon first boot and with the addition of a Google Play account, reports suggest that these are one-time glitches. Otherwise, much of the system is said to be in excellent shape. As for the EXE that we'd mentioned, it's an Odin one-click file that's designed to make the installation rather painless. [Thanks, Tyler]