LG's Miracle was given its first fully outlined look Friday after it was spotted in live photos. Briefly popping up on a Romanian auction site, the Windows Phone seen by GSMArena lined up with descriptions of a device with a four-inch screen. The device, clearly an escaped prototype, also verified the five-megapixel rear camera and what looked to be a front camera.
A telling scoop Friday has shown that Verizon plans at least one more HTC Droid Incredible phone. The hardware seen by Phone Arena, known at least temporarily as the Droid Incredible 3, would be a major leap in speed over the Droid Incredible 2 with both LTE-based 4G and a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon. The hardware is conspicuously using the same Android 4.0 plus Sense 4.0 interface as the Ville and could be the first US phone to get the updated layer.
LG is teasing a new handset on the web, the Optimus Vu, which could make a debut at Mobile World Congress. The handset would be rather unique, and is LG's first to get a 4:3 aspect ratio for its large five-inch, 1024x768 IPS touchscreen. Otherwise, it shoud sport a 1.5GHz, dual-core Snapdragon chip and 1GB of RAM.
LG's plans to relaunch into Windows Phones became more definitive Tuesday after a sighting caught more definitive plans. The Miracle, seen by PocketNow in a press render, was previously known as the Fantasy and shows LG hoping to catch the relative low end. Its highlight should be a four-inch, extra-bright Nova LCD, although it's rumored to come with NFC that could demand the Tango update coming to the OS later this year.
Huawei will bring out its seven-inch MediaPad tablet on AT&T's network tomorrow, February 3. Unfortunately, it will only be offered to enterprise users, so a business account is required. Pricing is not being revealed either, with the carrier stating only that prices will vary depending on the business account.
Last month's leak of the ZTE Optik 3G tablet coming to Sprint this month proved true. The seven-inch, Android 3.2 tablet has a 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and will cost just under $100 on a two-year data plan from the carrier. The screen has a resolution of 1280x800, which is high for its size.
Mobile device chipmaker Qualcomm and network and communications gear Ericsson on Thursday announced they've reached a significant milestone by handing over a call from an LTE network to a WCDMA network using a single radio. They used the Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) 3GPP specified feature to hand off the Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) call when a user left the coverage area to the more widespread 3G network. The hand-off was made on December 23, 2011 on the Ericsson network on a handset using Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 processor at the heart of new phones and tablets.
HTC Netherlands has made the unusual decision to finish the Sensation's life with a special version with an early upgrade. The new version will come in Ice White like the Sensation XL but is also HTC's first phone to ship with Android 4.0. The software will give it Face Unlock, the bottom favorites tray, and faster browsing, among other upgrades.
Qualcomm posted record results for the fall that could be credited to the rapid rise not just of mobile devices as a whole but specific partners. Its revenue was up 40 percent to nearly $4.7 billion, while its profit also climbed to 20 percent, or $1.4 billion.
RIM's BlackBerry London has been refined in looks ahead of what could be an attempt to return to the US in force. New leaks to CrackBerry have the render of the first BlackBerry 10 phone's expected finished look making it considerably more refined than the very angular, Porsche Design-like look of a dummy unit. A presumably mock screenshot also points to a more refined media player than either on BlackBerry 7 or on the PlayBook.
KDDI and Okinawa Cellular have announced a new series of designer phones for the Japanese market. The Infobar C02, manufactured by Sharp, comes in three distinct color schemes and incorporates a numeric pad with over-sized keys. The display is an unusually tall, 3.2-inch, 480x854 LCD.
HTC's repeatedly rumored Ville has been caught live in a hands-on video (below) and leak. An unnamed source for HTC Hub in the Montenegro city of Podgorica has shown the slim, tapered phone and confirmed that it's running Android 4.0. HTC's custom Sense 4.0 interface is on top and appears to be closely related to Sense 3.5 and 3.6, although it has new visual transitions for jumping into menus.
Benchmark NenaMark 2 test results of the upcoming 28nm Snapdragon S4 processors reveal fairly strong performance. The device the chip was on isn't identified, however, but it is likely a seven-inch tablet as the resolution is typical of such devices, at 1024x600. It ran on the 1.5GHz MSM8960 processor with Adreno 225 graphics and scored 54.90 on the test.
Sony’s forthcoming Xperia S and Xperia Ion phones will support both GLONASS and GPS, the result of using the latest generation Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. According to Sony’s Magnus Persson, existing Xperia phones that use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S2 or S3 chipsets also offer support for the Russian equivalent to GPS. By using both systems in tandem, Sony’s Xperia smartphones can get a position lock in half the time it would normally take using GPS only.
LG took its second shot at tablets in an unusual post-CES launch with the Optimus Pad LTE. A direct sequel to the original we reviewed, it keeps the 8.9-inch, 1280x768 IPS screen and jumps to its namesake 4G for Internet access. Added speed comes through a platform switch, with LG moving from the dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 to a similarly dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon.
We've had the chance to try the Nokia Lumia 900 at CES. The smartphone is in some ways what it looks to be on the surface: an upsized, upgraded version of the Lumia 800. A side-by-side comparison of the Windows Phones shows that they're about as thin, but that the 900 is very clearly wider and taller. If you're not a fan of large phones, you won't be a fan.
Qualcomm at its CES keynote unveiled several new advances it plans for the new year. Device builders can now use its first Wi-Fi Display-capable chips. The component, which is using Wi-Fi Direct, lets users quickly share visual content on the local network without having to have an Internet connection. Qualcomm envisions it being used to share a web page or a photo from a phone to a TV or tablet.
Nokia at its CES press event unveiled its expected first Windows Phone for the US, the Lumia 900. The hardware is just the second phone on the OS with LTE-based 4G and upgrades beyond the Lumia 800 in other ways. A larger 4.3-inch ClearBlack AMOLED gives it a visibly larger view, and a front f2.4 camera joins the eight-megapixel f2.2 camera carrying over to the new model.
Chipmaker Qualcomm has unveiled a new eBook reader together with China's Shanda, a multimemedia content and social network provider. Dubbed Bambook Sunflower, the device uses a 5.7-inch Mirasol touchscreen and runs on a very customized Android 2.3 OS. The major specs include and are shared with the Kyobo Mirasol eReader and include a 1GHz Snapdragon processor.
Lenovo had a surprise in store after it confirmed the IdeaTab S2 by giving a preview of its K2 cousin: the second model will run on a quad-core Tegra 3 processor and carry the same 1080p screen concept as the Iconia Tab A700. Both, however, are part of a Lenovo strategy to make up for the rough start from the K1. We tried both ahead of CES and got to see if it will be much of a threat to the iPad.
Lenovo as part of its wide-scale introductions brought out its first TV with an unusual approach to Android that we saw for ourselves. The K91 Smart TV is based on Android 4.0, not Google TV, and uses a completely new Sandwich UI that focuses on traditional TV, VOD with a viewing history, and Internet-aware apps.
Lenovo has led off CES Unveiled by revealing the IdeaTab S2, the sequel to its very first Android tablet. The new 10-inch tablet is one of the first mainstream slates to ship with Android 4.0 and is also a major leap in performance. It ships with a new, 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon MSM8960 that takes advantage of both a higher clock speed and a new cooler, more efficient chip design.
Toshiba may bring a seven-inch budget tablet to CES, if a leak from Notebook Italia proves right. The device doesn't yet have a name, and specs are thin. It will reportedly get a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a touchscreen resolution of 1024x600.
Sony Ericsson Germany is teasing an upcoming Xperia smartphone it will bring to CES through its Facebook page in Germany. Unlike the already expected Nozomi, this phone has an off-center rear camera, so there could be two new Xperias getting official reveals in Las Vegas next week. The new handset could be the LT28at leaked earlier through a Bluetooth SIG listing.
The Sony Ericsson Nozomi smartphone that's expected to be made official at CES has been benchmarked and the results shared by ITProPortal. The test confirmed some specs of the device, including its 720x1280 touchscreen and dual-core, 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. A 12-megapixel camera is also confirmed, as is 1GB of RAM and 8GB of integrated storage space.
AT&T should play host to at least one new tablet next week, based on a leak Wednesday. The Pantech Element seen by BGR would make water resistance and built-in LTE its selling points. With closeable ports, the eight-inch slate would be splash-proof and survive casual spills, though not a complete immersion in water.
ASUS may have a sequel to the Eee Pad Memo ready if a leaked shot and details prove true. The seven-inch slate, possibly the Memo Pad appears a straightforward tablet in Notebook Italia's details, but it would be relatively high-grade relative to competitors. In tandem with a 1280x800 display, it would pick up a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor, carry between 16GB to 64GB of storage, and even have optional 3G wireless and 3D display versions.
The LG Fantasy has been seen live for the first time in a leak from an XDA forum member who bought a prototype in Romania. The Windows Phone 7.5 device is now known to have a four-inch, IPS-based display and what looks to be an eight-megapixel camera. The design is a significant break from the Optimus 7 and looks more like the G-Slate.
Sony Ericsson's codenamed LT28at phone, possibly a cousin of the Nozomi, has had some of its details escape through a Bluetooth SIG listing and photos. The phone will center on a 4.55-inch, 720p screen but also carry one of the first 13-megapixel cameras on a phone in the US. It should run on both HSPA and LTE, a strong sign that it's likely destined for AT&T or at the least a carrier like Rogers in Canada.
Best known for its computers and monitors, Dell has just announced it will soon offer its Streak Pro smartphone in China, a key market for the company. Already promised for the Japanese market, the device is the first with the Baidu Yi mobile platform from China's Internet search giant Baidu. It integrates the popular Ting music service and other cloud services also offered by the search engine.
Intel in a rare step gave a hands-on test of its Medfield-based Atom phone and tablet reference designs to MIT. The institute's Technology Review in testing the Android 2.3-based phone called it "powerful and pleasing," noting that it could play "Blu-ray-quality" video with wireless TV streaming and could shoot burst photos at up to 15FPS for 10 shots. It was "on a par" with newer Android and iPhone hardware, according to the close look.
RIM has usually tried to chase the high end of the smartphone market when it adds a touchscreen: the Storm, the Torch, and the newest Bold phones are all aimed at the same crowd as the iPhone and top Android hardware. With only a limited amount of success, then, it's taken a fresh strategy of bringing a touchscreen to the Curve line for the first time. We'll see in our review of the BlackBerry Curve 9380 if shrinking down and aiming for cost has given RIM a chance at carving out a lead in a young category.
Qualcomm has planned to boost location detection of its mid-tier Snapdragon S2 and S3 mobile processors. Currently, the chips use the 24 satellite GPS network to get a fix on a device's location. It will soon be adding support for the 27-satellite GLONASS network Russia uses.
A new smartphone from China's Pantech has just shown up at the FCC, and is significant as Pantech's second US phone with a 4G LTE radio. It has support for AT&T's 700, 850, and 1700MHz LTE bands. The handset is thus far known only as the P9070, but that's likely to change when and if it does show up at AT&T.
Imagination Technologies has confirmed that it is licensing its display solutions to Qualcomm. The deal will give Qualcomm, best known for its Snapdragon processors used in smartphones, access to Imagination's PowerVR technology used for frame rate conversion and image boosts on display screens. The relationship currently does not extend to Imagination's graphics cores, which are used in iPads, iPhones, and Android or PlayBook devices using TI chips.
The LG Optimus LTE will become available on NTT DoCoMo's Xi 4G LTE network in Japan on December 15, the South Korean manufacturer announced. The phone will be offered in black, white and red, the last of which is unique to the carrier. The phone is already available in Korea, Canada, and the US.
Owners of the HTC Amaze 4G can now perform a manual software update that most significantly brings with it a Wi-Fi calling feature. There are still no reports of whether the update is actually allowing calling over Wi-Fi, however. Whether the nearly-identical Galaxy S II will soon get the same functionality remains to be seen.
Qualcomm chose the Uplink expo to unveil a pair of Snapdragon S4 processors built expressly for boosting smartphones. Both the MSM8225 and MSM8625 are dual-core, 1GHz chips and use relatively modest Adreno 203 graphics, but are intended more for retrofitting. The two slot into the previous-generation MSM72x5A and MSM72x7A designs, letting a phone builder take an existing design and give it a big speed boost without having to engineer a completely new platform inside.
T-Mobile has quickly confirmed a date for its Galaxy S II in white. Its upsized Android hardware should be available on December 14. The device won't carry a premium over the black version, which costs $230 after both a contract and a $50 rebate.
An LTE version of LG's Optimus Pad tablet has shown up in South Korea. It runs on the country's U+ 4G network and gets a faster, 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor rather than the 1GHz Tegra 2 of the original. Its dual five-megapixel cameras for 3D also look to have been replaced with eight-megapixel units.
ZTE is promising to raise the bar somewhat for the most entry level in smartphones through the V881 Blade+. The design recently passed certification and will cost just 1,000 yuan ($158) despite having features from a more advanced phone from a year ago. A 3.8-inch, 480x800 touchscreen will come along with a second-generation 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, and a five-megapixel camera.
The ASUS PadFone will be officially unveiled at the Mobile World Congress show in February, a source told Engadget. At the same time, NetbookNews's Nicole Scott believes the device will be powered by a quad-core Tegra 3 CPU like the Transformer Prime tablet, and not the Snapdragon S4, as previously believed. As its name suggests, the PadFone will be a hybrid device which docks a smartphone into a tablet element.
Samsung in a rare move for itself has brought out a unique, China-first Android phone. The W999 looks like a basic Japanese keitai clamshell but has Android 2.3 inside and a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon MSM8660 chip to give it full speed. Both the inside and outside have 3.5-inch, 480x800 Super AMOLED displays and full Android controls, letting the owner fully control Android whether it's open or closed.
A shortfall in NVIDIA's chip sales could be a sign of problems for both the Tegra 3 and for Android as a whole. Purported insiders claimed to Digitimes that the chip designer wouldn't make a target of 25 million Tegra 2 processors shipped. Difficulty getting more wins away in smartphones from Qualcomm's Snapdragon were a problem, but the inability of Android tablets to compete with the iPad was also supposedly impacting numbers.
HTC has submitted the Raider 4G once more in an FCC filing for approval. The unusual submission comes for a phone that's already on sale in the US, the Vivid, that AT&T began selling in the US in early November. The reappearance may have been a response to HTC being targeted by a cease and desist notice from adult filmmaker Vivid Entertainment, which claimed potential phone buyers could mistakenly associate the phone with its videos.
Acer started off the week by launching a new budget Android phone. The Liquid Express revives the 3.5-inch formula seen in the Liquid Metal and even shares its 800MHz Snapdragon and five-megapixel camera, but adds NFC for short-range payments and tag sharing. The company has teamed up with Cityzi to take advantage of tags both for virtual cash as well as for travel info and reviews.
HTC's Ville was given a more definitive look in a press shot uncovered Friday. The design spotted by PocketNow lines up with earlier talk of an extra-thin 0.31-inch body. To get there, HTC now appears to be using an aluminum design not unlike the one for the Sensation or other high-end models. No physical navigation buttons are on show, supporting talk that it's designed for Android 4.0's all-touchscreen controls from the start.
The Samsung Galaxy S II will soon be arriving at T-Mobile in white, the carrier revealed in an update to its Facebook page. While not many details were revealed, T-Mobile did offer that it will be out in time for the holidays and promised more information in the next few weeks. When it does come, tech specs will be identical to the black Galaxy S II, save maybe for the version of Android preloaded and other included software.
A rumor emerging from HP's prospective sale of its webOS group has identified a new buyer as well as the possible reasons for HP's indecision on the subject. The VentureBeat tip claimed that Intel has just started discussing the prospect of a deal. Qualcomm, best known for its Snapdragon chips, was allegedly still in discussions in spite of public denials.
The leaked Sony Ericsson Xperia HD, sometimes known as the Nozomi, may be officially unveiled at the CES expo on January 10, a source told PhoneArena. The unnamed informant also said the purportedly leaked image of the handset was actually that of a different, lower-spec model, though didn't provide any more details. Nozomi is known to be just a codename.
