Samsung Galaxy Pro adds up to the Uncommon

Candybar phones with QWERTY keypads these days are getting less common due to the trend in selling Smartphones, where everything touched becomes full screen. The Samsung Galaxy Pro is a few of those existing fresh rarities in the genre, where it is boosted by an Android 2.2 OS and a 2.8 inch 320 x 240-pixel, touch screen for interaction and navigation with menus. One of the unique sights on this phone is the full range keypad that even has the navigational arrows found on the PC keyboards.

Running on an 800MHz processor with 512MB internal storage, and an expandable MicroSD of up to 32GB, the Samsung Galaxy Pro is a respectable addition to the collection. It has additional sensors that optimize most apps like an ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer, and a digital compass, which is also improved with connections via Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi, and GPS. Even though it has no 3G capability, the quadband connectivity for GSM or EDGE is sizeable.

Source: Engadget Mobile

 

Exciting Content Coming for this Summer’s Highly Anticipated Smartphone, HTC EVO 3D Exclusively from Sprint

Today, Sprint is offering a sneak peek into some of the exciting content, including movies and games, that will be available on HTC EVO 3D, when it launches this summer. Announced at International CTIA Wireless 2011 and recipient of the coveted ‘Best in Show’ honor from Laptop Magazine, HTC EVO 3D is America’s first 4G phone with a 4.3-inch qHD 3D display for a glasses-free 3D viewing experience.

Available this summer exclusively from Sprint, HTC EVO 3D is built on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), and powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual core processor. It also features dual, rear-facing 5-megapixel cameras, which can be used to capture both high-quality conventional and stunning 3D images and videos, opening up new frontiers for user-generated content, social networking and streaming video. The device also offers video chat capabilities through a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera.

 

“When HTC EVO 3D launches this summer, it will introduce our customers to exciting new capabilities that will appeal to consumers,” said Steve Elfman, president-Network Operations, Product and Wholesale, Sprint. “When combined with Wi-Fi and the Sprint 4G Network, HTC EVO 3D offers an innovative user experience that will give our customers the ability to play games, watch movies, take pictures and video chat in 3D right in the palm of their hand.”

 

3D Movies On Demand

 

For a limited time, Sprint will be offering customers who purchase the HTC EVO 3D the blockbuster movie “The Green Hornet 3D.” The movie will be pre-loaded on the device’s microSD card out of the box.

 

HTC EVO 3D will be pre-loaded with the HTC Watch movie application. With HTC Watch, consumers will have access to 2D and 3D movies and television programming on demand. Customers can buy or rent and download movies that will be optimized for viewing on HTC EVO 3D. Additionally, up to five movies can be stored in the HTC cloud, and programming purchased through the HTC Watch application can be viewed on other HTC devices. Rentals range in price from $2.99 to $3.99, and purchases start at $8.99.

 

HTC EVO 3D will be the first 3D handset pre-loaded with the Blockbuster On Demand mobile app offering access to one of the largest catalogs of movies, including 3D titles. This movie store in your pocket offers video optimized for viewing on HTC EVO 3D’s 4.3-inch screen and offers the hottest new releases on the same day they become available on Blu-ray and DVD. Customers can buy or rent titles digitally and download directly to their smartphone, including select 3D movies. Drive Angry, starring Nicolas Cage, will be one of the first action-packed 3D titles available to customers.

 

Rentals range from $2.99 to $3.99 each, and purchases are $4.99 and up. If a video isn’t available digitally, Blockbuster also gives customers access to more than 100,000 movies and TV shows, as well as games, through its by Blockbuster by Mail service and Blockbuster stores nationwide. With the HTC EVO 3D, customers can manage and update their mail queues from their phone, while on-the-go.

 

Gameloft Provides Hottest 3D Gaming

 

With 3D animation from HTC EVO 3D, gamers will feel like they are part of the action. A free Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem 3D demo version of the game will be pre-loaded on HTC EVO 3D. Gamers will enjoy the sleek graphic style with bold colors and impressive animations, including slow motion that brings the ultimate Spider-Man universe alive right in their hands.

 

The device will come pre-loaded with the Gameloft Storefront, giving customers access to a variety of 2D and 3D games. Exciting 3D games that will be available at launch include Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles and GT Racing Motor Academy. The 3D and 2D games are available for purchase in the Gameloft Storefront for $4.99.

 

Additional 3D Applications

 

With its 3D HD (720p) video capture, 4G speeds where available and the latest version of the acclaimed HTC Sense experience, HTC EVO 3D makes it possible to become part of the action and then easily and seamlessly post and view high-quality 3D video to YouTube or Facebook, or share moments in real time over the Internet live, via Qik. The 3D content will automatically convert to 2D if the viewer does not have a 3D capable device.

 

Its integrated DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) capability also makes it fast and easy to share stored music, pictures and user-generated HD video wirelessly with other DLNA-certified home electronics, including HDTVs, monitors, digital cameras and printers. Using an HDMI cable (sold separately) makes it possible to also share user-created 3D video content via a 3D TV.

 

The Super Phone in HTC Sensation

Just like Superman coming to save the day, the HTC Sensation rescues an individual that wants to have the best super phone experience. Bolstering over an alacritous 1.2 GHz dual core processor, an Android 2.3 with HTC Sense, and with internal storage of 1GB for storage and 768MB of RAM, the experience of speed is at the edge. The camera is vigorous for 8 megapixels at the back and VGA fixed at the front, which is also capable of 1080p HD video recording.

Connection via the internet is good for 3G, EDGE, GPRS, and even WiFi, with phone and device interactions associated with Bluetooth 3.0, which is sustained by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that stays for up to 400 minutes on talk time and 400 hours on standby.  The most anticipated super feature is the video quality being displayed on a 960 x 540 resolution qHD characteristic, which is amazing for movies and video.

Source: Engadget

 

Apple brings iWork to iPhone and iPod touch

It's been available on the iPad since that device launched, and now Apple has finally brought its iWork suite of productivity apps to the iPhone and iPod touch. That, of course, includes Keynote, Pages and Numbers, which are all now universal apps that run the same $9.99 apiece as their iPad-only predecessors -- current users can simply upgrade for free, thankfully. Head on past the break for the complete press release.

Show full PR text

Apple iWork Now Available For iPhone & iPod touch Users

CUPERTINO, California-May 31, 2011-Apple® today announced that its groundbreaking iWork® productivity apps, Keynote®, Pages® and Numbers®, are now available for iPhone® and iPod touch®, as well as iPad®. Created for the Mac® and then completely redesigned for iOS and Apple's revolutionary Multi-Touch™ interface, Keynote, Pages and Numbers allow you to create and share stunning presentations, beautifully formatted documents and powerful spreadsheets on the go. iWork apps are available on the App Store™ for $9.99 each to new users and as a free update for existing iWork for iPad customers.

"Now you can use Keynote, Pages and Numbers on iPhone and iPod touch to create amazing presentations, documents and spreadsheets right in the palm of your hand," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "The incredible Retina display, revolutionary Multi-Touch interface and our powerful software make it easy to create, edit, organize and share all of your documents from iPhone 4 or iPod touch."

Keynote, Pages and Numbers import and export documents from iWork for Mac and Microsoft Office; print wirelessly using AirPrint™; and include beautiful Apple-designed themes and templates. All iWork apps now include improved document management with thumbnail images that let you find your files quickly, organize them and group them into folders using intuitive gestures. From the Tools button in the toolbar, you can easily share any presentation, document or spreadsheet without leaving the app.

Keynote makes it easy to create impressive presentations, complete with animated charts and transitions. You can play your presentation in Full Screen view on the stunning, high-resolution Retina™ display or connect to a projector or HDTV for a large audience. Available separately, the Keynote Remote app allows your iPhone or iPod touch to control a Keynote presentation on any iOS device or Mac.

Pages is the most beautiful word processor ever designed for a mobile device and has everything you need to create amazing documents. Pages takes full advantage of the high-resolution Retina display on iPhone 4 and iPod touch so you can see all the detail and richness of your documents. To make working with text easy on iPhone and iPod touch, Smart Zoom automatically zooms in to follow the cursor while you're editing and zooms back out when you're done.

Numbers uses Multi-Touch gestures and an intelligent keyboard to help you create compelling, great-looking spreadsheets with over 250 easy-to-use functions, flexible tables and eye-catching charts. Just like Pages, Numbers takes advantage of the high-resolution Retina display and Smart Zoom to make working with text and cells on iPhone 4 or iPod touch easy.

Pricing & Availability
Keynote, Pages and Numbers are universal apps that run on iPad and iPad 2, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, and iPod touch (3rd & 4th generation). Keynote, Pages and Numbers are available from the App Store for $9.99 (US) each for new users, or as a free update for existing iWork for iPad customers. Keynote Remote is sold separately via the App Store for 99 cents (US).

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Nokia X7 and E6 Symbian Anna phones start shipping into obsolescence

While we eagerly await Nokia's first Mango device, millions of others (we're told) have been patiently anticipating shipments of the first Symbian Anna smartphones. Well, today's the day, good sir. Nokia just loosed its 4-inch X7 media slab and E6 portrait QWERTY with 326ppi display into the shipping lanes. Look for the E6 worldwide while the X7 will skip the US carriers (as expected) targeting the friendlier Symbian climates of Europe, Eurasia, China, India and other countries around AsiaPac. Huzzah?

Motorola Droid X2

The speed trend is being recognized in phones where the Motorola Droid X2 is being packed with dual 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 cores, a GeForce graphic processor which allows qHD image quality in a full 4.3 screen, and a chipset under Nvidia Tegra 2. Because of the hardware aspects, navigation, and even playing 3D games on the unit is just a piece of cake. It is capable of 3G, which may dissatisfy those who are expecting that this gadget type can assist 4G. It also has connection methods like WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

It has an 8 megapixel camera behind with no front end camera, while there are connections for a 3.5mm headphone, a micro USB hub, and even an HDMI port for people who like to enjoy the Motorola Droid X2 for various audio and video media. Its battery can stay for talk time of 8 hours and standby for 9 days, which packs over 1,540mAh of Lithium Ion power.

 

What Is This Mysterious HTC Windows Phone 7 Handset?

It sure looks a lot like the HTC Trophy (really — pretty much identical), but given the little mention of a 12 megapixel photo option (the Trophy tops out at 5) in the picture behind the jump, this is definitely looking like something new.

In most cases like this, we’d call “Photoshop!” — but this one comes from the notorious Eldar Murtazin, which is a name we’ve come to mostly trust for things like this.

TransPhone pairs tablet and handset, emerged before ASUS Padfone

While ASUS' Padfone was being launched with much sticker-clad-model fanfare at Computex today, CMIT's TransPhone was apparently enjoying its third day of life, having first appeared on the web as early as Saturday. Both tablets include built-in docks with smartphones to match, but are otherwise unique in appearance and features. The TransPhone includes a bluetooth headset and a slide-in smartphone dock, while the Padfone's handset is completely hidden by a flip-up rear door. The CMIT device reportedly packs a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor and SVGA display, along with USB and HDMI ports, though we're still unclear on which OS will be running on the tablet. There's also no word on pricing or availability, but the TransPhone is in good company there, so don't get ready to ditch those standalone gadgets just yet.

Toshiba Introduces Its New Gaming Flagship Laptops Qosmio X770 And Qosmio X770 3D

Today, Toshiba Computer Systems, a division of Toshiba Europe GmbH, unveiled a new range of gaming flagship devices. Targeted at advanced gamers, the Qosmio X770 models are packed with the latest technologies offering an outstanding gaming performance with extremely realistic rendering. On top of this, the Qosmio X770 3D supports 3D active shutter glasses technology and takes the mobile gaming experience to the next level. The Qosmio X770 3D and the non-3D version, the Qosmio X770, will be available during the second quarter of 2011 in Europe.

Qosmio X770: designed for a superior gaming experience

The Qosmio X770 meets the extraordinary demands of gaming enthusiasts and delivers the power to cope with even advanced gaming challenges. The machine comes with a powerful quad-core processor  and NVIDIA’s latest powerful graphics. This delivers high-quality 1080p visuals with a gaming performance that is superior to that of previous generation laptop graphics, which renders even the fastest action scenes. Plus, it features 4GB, 6GB or even 8GB RAM, and a brilliant 43.9cm (17.3”) HD+ display. A Solid State Hybrid 4G Drive with adaptive memory technology  supplements the premium processing power and allows for ultra-fast booting while the HDMI interface makes it easy to connect the laptop to an even larger external screen.

 

Qosmio X770 3D: gaming in the third dimension

 

On top of these specifications, the Qosmio X770 3D features a 43.9cm (17.3”) Full HD 3D display supporting NVIDIA 3D Vision technology that allows users to get a 3D image when they wear active shutter glasses. Thus, the Qosmio X770 3D is able to display three dimensional games** with amazing quality. Thanks to its fast 5ms response time, the display even reproduces fast action scenes without any blur. An integrated 3D Web Camera featuring two lenses allows for 3D video conferencing and shooting 3D photos.

 

Play it- hear it! The Qosmio X770 sound machine

 

Outstanding, vibrant sound is vital for high-end gaming machines. Therefore the two Qosmio X770 models feature premium-quality harman/kardon stereo speakers and an additional subwoofer for powerful bass. Together with the support of Dolby Advanced Audio, the laptops provide a sound more typically associated with higher-end audio systems.

 

The spirit of gaming: an attractive and sporty look

 

With their technical specs and looks, Toshiba’s new high-end gaming laptops stand out of the crowd. They have a fashionable, textured black casing with a metallic imprint and red accents combined with a red illuminated keyboard with a numeric keypad. Seven illuminated feather-touch Control Buttons provide direct access to often used applications and control features enhance the ease-of-use.

 

2D to 3D DVD conversion and streaming capabilities

 

The Qosmio X770 models’ huge calculation power makes the laptops eminently suitable for 2D to 3D conversion of movies stored on DVDs. The Qosmio X770 models support streaming of 3D movies to an external 3D enabled screen via HDMI to watch 3D movies together with friends and family members. The support of NVIDIA 3DTV Play on the Qosmio X770 3D uses the GPU’s calculation power to convert various PC games into 3D and play them on an connected 3D TV.

 

Engadget is live from Computex 2011!

Computex 2011 starts tomorrow, apparently. Not that you'd know it with the monsoon of news that ASUS poured upon Taipei today: the all-new capabilities of the Padfone, the extreme thinness of the UX21 Core i7 laptop, and the breakthrough $200 price tag on the Eee PC X101 MeeGo netbook. ViewSonic also pitched in a 7-inch Honeycomb tablet and a 10-inch Oak Trail slate that runs Windows 7 but can virtualize Android for the needy. But that's just two companies and the show floor hasn't even opened yet! Basically, this year's Computex promises to serve up a little something for gadget lovers of every persuasion. Keep up with all the madness in Taiwan this year by following the torrent of newsy news right over here.

NFC-enabled Angry Birds Magic gets demoed, dares you to find another C7 owner

Okay, so maybe it's not that hard to find another Earthling with a C7, but let's be honest -- finding someone with a Nexus S is entirely more likely. For now, however, it seems as if Angry Birds Magic will be reserved for the aforementioned Nokia handset, and while we already heard of its NFC-enabled tricks, seeing it in action is another thing entirely. Our pals over at Netbook News were able to snag a quick demonstration at the MeeGo Conference, and it seemed to work exactly as advertised: tap two phones together, and five new levels are gained. Do it with another C7, and you'll score another batch of never-before-seen trials and tribulations. Have a look for yourself above, won't you?

Video: Smartphone Simulates Sensation Of Buttons On A Touchscreen

Do you miss the feeling of pressing physical buttons when you touch icons or letters on a smartphone touchscreen? Japan’s second largest mobile carrier KDDI is working on a display that recreates exactly that “clicking sensation” by combining vibration with a pressure sensor.

The haptic display, which is manufactured by Kyocera, is still in prototype mode. Apparently, KDDI currently aims at developing a thinner multi-touch version before offering the screen to manufacturers of cell phones.

What’s interesting is that the company says there are three different sensations the display can recreate, two for clicking on numbers or letters and one for pushing icons (for example, the screen can recreate the sensation of pushing soft buttons if the user prefers it that way).

This video (in English, shot by Diginfonews in Tokyo) provides more insight:

BelCompany To Launch BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet on June 16

BelCompany today announced they will be carrying the highly anticipated BlackBerry PlayBook tablet from Research In Motion (RIM) in the Netherlands from June 16th. The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity will be available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models priced at €479, €579 and €679 respectively. 

BlackBerry PlayBook is the world’s first professional-grade tablet. It features an ultra-portable design and delivers industry leading performance, uncompromised web browsing with support for Adobe Flash Player, true multitasking, HD multimedia, advanced security features, out-of-the-box enterprise support and a robust development environment.

 

 

BlackBerry PlayBook specifications

• 7″ 1024×600 WSVGA capacitive LCD touch screen

• Ultra-portable at less than a pound and less than one-half inch thick: 0.9 lbs (425g) and 5.1” x 7.6” x 0.4” (130mm x 194mm x 10mm)

• 1 GHz dual-core processor

• BlackBerry Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing

• MP3, AAC and WMA audio playback

• Support for high resolution video playback (H.264, MPEG4, WMV)

• 1080p HDMI output

• Dual 1080p HD cameras for video conferencing and video capture (3MP front and 5MP rear)

• 1 GB RAM memory

• Up to 64 GB internal storage (16, 32 and 64 GB models)

• GPS, Orientation Sensor (Accelerometer), 6-Axis Motion Sensor (Gyroscope), Digital Compass (Magnetometer)

• Stereo speakers and stereo microphones

• Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n) connectivity

• Bluetooth 2.1+EDR support

 

U.S. Cellular Makes Social Networking Easy for Customers with Messaging Phones Samsung Messager Touch and LG Saber

For social networking junkies with messaging phones, updating the world on what they’re doing or how they’re feeling just got easier. The new Social Scene application, available now on many of U.S. Cellular’s most popular messaging phones, consolidates Facebook, Twitter and all of their other favorite social networks into one place. Customers also can quickly upload pictures from their phone, Tweet and reTweet in real time, and stream customized RSS feeds from more than 50 news, entertainment and sports sites. 

“Customers with messaging phones now have access to their social networking sites in just one click,” said David Kimbell, vice president of marketing for U.S. Cellular. “Social network lovers who switch to U.S. Cellular can choose from an array of feature-packed devices and join the happiest customers in wireless.”

 

Social Scene is free for postpaid customers with a data plan and available on U.S. Cellular’s most popular messaging phones like the Samsung Messager Touch and the LG Saber. Now through June 9, U.S. Cellular is offering great deals on its messaging phone lineup for customers who like to talk, text and surf the web. The LG Saber is free with instant rebate. Customers who like to stay connected can communicate throughout the day using the QWERTY keypad and straightforward features. For $39.99 after mail-in-rebate, the Samsung Messager Touch has a built-in camera, camcorder and music player, and its full touchscreen gives users quick access to their favorite widgets. It also has a sliding QWERTY keyboard that makes texting fast and simple.

 

U.S. Cellular’s messaging phones make it convenient to keep up with family and friends even when things get busy, and are backed by the unique benefits of being a U.S. Cellular customer like new phones faster without continuously signing contracts. The carrier also has several Android-powered phones perfect for customers ready to transition to the added convenience and functions that smartphones can provide. All of U.S. Cellular’s messaging phones are backed by its high-speed nationwide network, which has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier.

 

U.S. Cellular has value-packed Belief Plans that complement the way customers use their phone. A family of four who switches to U.S. Cellular can save more than $1,000 a year with the company’s Premium Plus Family plan that comes with unlimited minutes and text, picture and video messaging as well as 5GB of data per line. The plan also includes the industry-leading Phone Replacement Program, and customers get valuable rewards for doing simple things like paying monthly wireless bills on time, adding a line or referring new customers.

 

The LG Saber is free after instant rebate. The Samsung Messager Touch is $39.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate. A new two-year agreement and activation fee may apply.

 

New Entry Level Flip Phone Samsung Chrono Now Available on U.S. Cellular

Samsung and U.S. Cellular today announced a new entry-level flip phone Samsung Chrono. The Samsung Chrono may be simple to operate, but it is anything but plain. Form and function are the perfect pair in this affordable flip phone that is a great fit for everyone. Built for everyday use, the Chrono is as comfortable browsing the web and sending email as it is tailoring calendar appointments. Bluetooth capabilities even let you talk hands-free for when you need to roll up your sleeves. With the Chrono, you’ve got everything you need right in your pocket, and it does it all in classic, casual style. It is available from U.S. Cellular’s web site for a penny when purchased with an agreement or $19.99 for pre-paid. 

The Basics

Slim and Stylish Form

Easy-to-Use Interface

easyedge Capable

Bluetooth 2.1 Enabled

Integrated VGA Camera

Multiple Messaging Options w/Predictive Text

Speakerphone

Mobile Web capable

GPS

Technical Specifications

E911 Ready

EVDO 1x

Dimensions: 1.83″ x 3.7″ x 0.67″

Weight: 3.14oz.

Main Display: 2.0″ QVGA TFT 262K TFT

Sub Display: 1.7″ CSTN

Standard Battery: 3.7 Volt Lithium Ion, 800mAh

Talk Time: Up to 5 hours*

Standby Time: Up to 21 days, 22 hours*

Hearing Aid Compatibility – M3/T3 Rating

 

WillItRain iOS App Tells You… If It Will Rain

While doing a little browsing in the Apple App Store this morning, I came across a cute little application that I can totally see myself using just about every day: WillItRain. In most cases, I have no use for the direction of the wind or the level of humidity. I just want to know if it will rain.

WillItRain has a minimalist interface, simply saying YES or NO. Should the answer be YES, the app also offers a little extra detail like “before 9 pm” or “rain all day,” to give you a little context before getting dressed. You can also pull up from the bottom to get information like the current temperature, wind, precipitation, cloud cover, and pressure, if you’re looking for a more thorough report.

The WillItRain app is a free download in the Apple App Store.

PayPal Files Suit Against Google for Wallet Payment System

Not long after the announcement of Google’s Wallet initiative yesterday, PayPal retaliated with litigation against the search and advertising giant for developing the service with trade secrets based on the hiring of former PayPal employees who are also being sued in Osama Bedier and Stephanie Tilenius. Below, PayPal’s official statement on the matter and a link to the brief.

Spending time in courtrooms is generally not our thing. We prefer to compete and innovate, serving our customers by offering the best way to pay and be paid. That’s how you really win. But sometimes the behaviors of people and competitors make legal action the only meaningful way for a company to protect one of its most valuable assets – its trade secrets.

We spend a lot of time and energy creating the things that make PayPal unique and a preferred way to pay for almost 100 million people around the world. We treat PayPal’s “secrets” seriously, and take it personally when someone else doesn’t. So we made a decision today. We filed a lawsuit against Google and two former colleagues who now work there, Osama Bedier and Stephanie Tilenius.

The suit alleges that Bedier and Tilenius appropriated trade secrets from PayPal and used them in the development of Google Wallet shortly after their respective hiring as newly installed executives for the mobile commerce division. For its part Google has stated that it will fight the litigation.

ASUS to unveil a phone-docking tablet at Computex?

We love teasers, but the wait can be unbearable sometimes. Luckily, all it takes is a tweak in the URL to uncover ASUS' upcoming Computex teaser pics ahead of time, as discovered by our eagle-eyed reader Anas. As you might have already figured out, the image on the left -- which just went live -- seems to be just a reminder of the Eee Pad MeMO's June launch, though the words "A Tablet That Jumps Out at You" could also imply a device bearing 3D functionality of some sort. Maybe ASUS managed to upgrade said 7-inch Honeycomb tablet just in time? We shall see.

But the real meat here lies in the remaining image, which is scheduled to close the loop on the "Pad or Phone" teaser campaign this coming Sunday. What's new is merely the intriguing line "How about Both?" below the old text, accompanying the silhouette of what appear to be a large tablet and a smaller phone-like device. Could this mean ASUS is toying with the idea of an Atrix-like docking combo, except the lapdock is instead just a tablet? We could well be stretching here, but hey, ASUS does say it wants to "break the rules," right? Stay tuned as we'll find out more at Computex 2011 next week.

[Thanks, Anas A.]

Update: It should be noted that the phone-docking idea we're referring to is not related to the MeMO and MeMic duo -- look at the second pic closely and you'll see that the smaller device has four Android soft keys, whereas the MeMic has different buttons. Check out the close-up after the break.

A close-up of the devices in the second pic:

Today’s Mobile News in Brief (May 26, 2011)

As reported here on Cell Phones Etc. and across the Web, here’s your daily brief on what happened in the world of mobile phones this Thursday, May 26th, 2011.

BlackBerry Torch 2 live pictures surface
Originally expected to be announced earlier this month at the BlackBerry World conference in Florida, the BlackBerry Torch 2 was sadly M-I-A at the event. But that doesn’t mean it no longer exists. In fact, we now have pictures of it in the wild, strongly suggesting that it might actually just be right around the corner. Nothing surprisingly new as far as its looks go, but we’re definitely excited to see how this baby performs, especially with its reported souped up processor (1.2GHz, up from 600MHz) and RAM (768MB, up from 512MB), and new OS.
Unwiredview

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY and Arc update start rolling
Just as promised, the Android 2.3.3 update for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc and Xperia Play have begun to roll out. This minor upgrade improves battery performance, touch responsiveness, HD video recording on the Xperia Arc, WiFi, and general software stability. Plus, of course, we can’t forget Facebook inside Xperia. No word yet on when this will hit specific markets, but those using a non-customized carrier-free Arc/Play will be the first to get a taste of Android 2.3.3 on their Xperia handset.
GSMArena

Google Wallet mobile payment service, Google Offers announced
Ok, before you get all excited about this, take note that this is still in the trial phase in the US with Sprint the only carrier so far supporting this feature on the Nexus S 4G. Google has, however, partnered already with a number of retailers along with Citibank and MasterCard. That last bit is worth noting ‘coz this means Google Wallet will be fully compatible with MasterCard’s PayPass payment system. Full roll out of this service is planned for the summer with more supported devices to be added to the list soon, including those without NFC.
Engadget

Videotron releases the HTC Panache for $479.95
Already available on Mobilicity, Canadians can now likewise get the HTC Panache from Videotron. This 1GHz Gingerbread phone is retailing for $169.95 if you get it with a $40/month plan or higher. Outright purchase price, meanwhile, stands at $479.95, $20 cheaper than what Mobilicity has over on their side of the fence. They may not be the first to release the Panache in Canada, but they definitely have the better offer.
Mobilesyrup

Stephen Elop: software updates to Symbian devices are expected until at least 2016
Yes, Symbian is still alive, as confirmed by Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, and will still continue to receive updates up until 2016. This should be somewhat good news for Symbian loyalists and users since this is the first time Nokia has laid out specific plans for their ailing platform. On the downside, this also sort of confirms that Symbian’s EOL is nearing soon too. So just take this for what it is, and that’s we’ll be seeing Symbian for roughly 5 more years.
All About Symbian

Opera to showcase the future-proof browsers on phones, tablets and TVs at Computex 2011

Opera

The Opera’s browsers are now back from the future, appearing at Computex 2011! Opera Software, the leading cross-platform, cross-device browser developer, will showcase its future-proof browsers, supporting HTML5, geolocation API, CSS3 and more future web technologies on mobile phones, tablets, PCs, TVs and set-top boxes during Computex 2011, from May 31 to June 4. Lars Boilesen, Chief Executive Officer for Opera Software, will deliver the keynote speech, “Leveraging web innovation as a growth strategy” at Computex Taipei Executive Speech. 

Embrace the “mobile-only” Internet generation

 

The number of people who use mobile phones or other connected devices to access the Internet is increasing. According to On Device Research, at least 40% of mobile Internet users never or infrequently use a desktop computer to access the Internet in South Africa, India, and Indonesia. Also, tablets are accelerating the adoption of the mobile Internet. There are now 2 billion mobile Internet devices in use today. Morgan Stanley predicted that by the end of 2020, it will increase to 10 billion. Opera is ready to embrace the “mobile-only” Internet generation by offering state-of-the-art browsers for all kinds of mobile devices.

 

Based on Opera’s cross-platform, cross-device core technology, Opera browsers offer a unified user-interface solution that can be customized for devices, creating a new standard for mobile and connected-device browsing. At Computex in Taipei, all new Opera Mini 6 and Opera Mobile 11 for basic phones to high-end smartphones will be on on display. Opera for tablets enables a touch-friendly user interface with multiple feature innovations that improve the browsing experience on large-screen mobile devices, including iPad, Google gPad, MeeGo Tablet and Windows 7 Tablet.

 

Browsers of tomorrow are available today, for all devices—even TVs

 

Television is becoming a dynamic component of a multi-screen, digital, connected home. Display Search indicates in its report that the shipments will reach 123 million by 2014. Opera Software has worked with Broadcom, Humax, Loewe, Philips, MediaTek, Realtek, Sharp, Sony, and Toshiba, the leading TV/set-top-box OEMs, ODMs and chip-set manufacturers in the world, to deliver a superb Internet experience on TVs. At Computex 2011, Opera will demonstrate the power that the Opera Devices SDK 3.0 brings to connect TVs. Opera Devices SDK is a software development kit containing a browser, widget engine and application environment with which device manufacturers in the TV market can develop. It has the same core engine as Opera’s browsers for desktop and mobile and implements both the newest HTML5 standards and the TV-centric standards from OIPF, CEA and HbbTV.

 

“Today, millions of people access the Internet by using non-PC devices, including mobile phones, tablets, TVs and set-top boxes. They are accessing the Web, which had been previously designed for desktop computers or notebooks. The browser on these non-PC devices has to be powerful enough to handle the content on today’s Web,” said Boilesen. “Opera is striving to deliver the best Internet experience on any device, because we believe that access the Web is a universal right, no matter which device you are using. With the coming post-PC era, Opera is ready for get more people online with our future-proof browsers.”

 

Opera to showcase the future-proof browsers on phones, tablets and TVs at Computex 2011

Opera

The Opera’s browsers are now back from the future, appearing at Computex 2011! Opera Software, the leading cross-platform, cross-device browser developer, will showcase its future-proof browsers, supporting HTML5, geolocation API, CSS3 and more future web technologies on mobile phones, tablets, PCs, TVs and set-top boxes during Computex 2011, from May 31 to June 4. Lars Boilesen, Chief Executive Officer for Opera Software, will deliver the keynote speech, “Leveraging web innovation as a growth strategy” at Computex Taipei Executive Speech. 

Embrace the “mobile-only” Internet generation

 

The number of people who use mobile phones or other connected devices to access the Internet is increasing. According to On Device Research, at least 40% of mobile Internet users never or infrequently use a desktop computer to access the Internet in South Africa, India, and Indonesia. Also, tablets are accelerating the adoption of the mobile Internet. There are now 2 billion mobile Internet devices in use today. Morgan Stanley predicted that by the end of 2020, it will increase to 10 billion. Opera is ready to embrace the “mobile-only” Internet generation by offering state-of-the-art browsers for all kinds of mobile devices.

 

Based on Opera’s cross-platform, cross-device core technology, Opera browsers offer a unified user-interface solution that can be customized for devices, creating a new standard for mobile and connected-device browsing. At Computex in Taipei, all new Opera Mini 6 and Opera Mobile 11 for basic phones to high-end smartphones will be on on display. Opera for tablets enables a touch-friendly user interface with multiple feature innovations that improve the browsing experience on large-screen mobile devices, including iPad, Google gPad, MeeGo Tablet and Windows 7 Tablet.

 

Browsers of tomorrow are available today, for all devices—even TVs

 

Television is becoming a dynamic component of a multi-screen, digital, connected home. Display Search indicates in its report that the shipments will reach 123 million by 2014. Opera Software has worked with Broadcom, Humax, Loewe, Philips, MediaTek, Realtek, Sharp, Sony, and Toshiba, the leading TV/set-top-box OEMs, ODMs and chip-set manufacturers in the world, to deliver a superb Internet experience on TVs. At Computex 2011, Opera will demonstrate the power that the Opera Devices SDK 3.0 brings to connect TVs. Opera Devices SDK is a software development kit containing a browser, widget engine and application environment with which device manufacturers in the TV market can develop. It has the same core engine as Opera’s browsers for desktop and mobile and implements both the newest HTML5 standards and the TV-centric standards from OIPF, CEA and HbbTV.

 

“Today, millions of people access the Internet by using non-PC devices, including mobile phones, tablets, TVs and set-top boxes. They are accessing the Web, which had been previously designed for desktop computers or notebooks. The browser on these non-PC devices has to be powerful enough to handle the content on today’s Web,” said Boilesen. “Opera is striving to deliver the best Internet experience on any device, because we believe that access the Web is a universal right, no matter which device you are using. With the coming post-PC era, Opera is ready for get more people online with our future-proof browsers.”

 

Google Releases Update To Maps 5.5 For Android

Yesterday at TechCrunch Disrupt NYC, Marissa Mayer, Google’s location boss, projected that Google Maps would be accessed more by mobile than PC by 2012, so it’s no surprise that the search giant has enhanced its Maps app for Android, with an update to version 5.5.

There are three big changes coming along with this update: you can check in and out, as well as rate directly from Place pages, Home and Work locations for Latitude history have been made editable, and the transit pages have been revamped to show a list of train lines that pass through the station, upcoming scheduled departures and links to other stations located nearby.

As per usual, Google Maps 5.5 for Android is a free download from the Android Market, available now.

[via Google Blog]

Google Unveils Wallet And Offers: An Open Platform For Mobile Payments

We’re here at Google’s massive HQ in New York City (they own an entire block) for what Google was calling a “partner event” but everyone knew was really an “NFC event”. Sure enough, Stephanie Tilenius, Google’s VP of Commerce, has taken the stage to announce Google Wallet and Google Offers.

Read the rest of this entry »

Google Wallet mobile payment service, Google Offers announced

It may not be as big a surprise as Google hoped it would be at this point, but the company has now officially announced its NFC-based Google Wallet mobile payment service, complete with backing from a number of retail and financial partners including Subway, Macy's, Wallgreens, Toys 'R Us, First Data, Citibank and MasterCard -- plus Sprint on the carrier side. In the case of MasterCard, that partnership means Google Wallet will be fully compatible with the PayPass contactless payment system. Trials are beginning immediately, with a full release planned for this summer.

Also announced is Google Offers, which will deliver an "offer of the day" to your inbox, and let you seek out other offers from retailers.

Developing...

Google Wallet

Google Offers

Sony Brings More Power to Go With New S Series Laptop

Sony’s newest S Series VAIO laptop combines for the first time portability, performance and power in a thinner, lighter design perfect for everyone from students to business travelers.

The new S Series continues Sony’s efforts to offer users more personalized options and flexibility that fits their lifestyle.  Select S Series models sport elegant design in burnished brown, jet black or platinum silver with magnesium and aluminum materials, and incorporate a built-in lithium polymer battery that when coupled with the advanced large-capacity optional sheet battery, can stay mobile and unplugged for up to 15 hours with solid state drive configurations. Intelligent charging enables you to charge the optional sheet battery separately and attach it to the system without shutting down for maximum flexibility.

 

“Users these days want a laptop that will last for hours without charging, is small and light enough to carry around with you but doesn’t sacrifice any of the performance and power that you’d find in a full-sized PC,” said Mike Lucas, senior vice president of Networked Technology and Services Division at Sony Electronics. “You can fly nonstop from Los Angeles to Tokyo or attend a full day of classes on just one charge with this S Series laptop when combined with the optional sheet battery.”

 

This 13.3-inch S Series is packed with powerful performance—all in a thin 0.95-inch profile that only weighs 3.8-pounds with the standard battery. Incorporating all the mobility of VAIO laptops, this new model delivers impressive portability and performance with the available second generation Intel Core i7 processor.  Coupled with Hybrid Graphics as well as dual channel solid state drive options (select models), the S Series laptop is truly top of the line.

 

Ultra Mobility and Performance

 

Performance is top priority with the second generation Intel Core i7 processor that delivers even more performance automatically when you need it. With Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, the processors increase speed automatically delivering the performance needed for multitasking.

 

AMD Radeon HD 6630 1GB Hybrid Graphics card (select models) with 1GB VRAM gives a premium visual quality and intense HD performance without placing huge demands on the CPU. Plus, it offers a performance boost to your day-to-day processor functions for a faster, more optimized overall computing experience.

 

For maximum performance and ample storage, select models feature dual channel solid state drive with RAID 0 technology.

 

The S Series laptop comes with one-touch VAIO, ASSIST and WEB buttons, for launching Media Gallery software, VAIO Care software and access to the web without full boot-up into Windows, all with a touch of a button.

 

The new S Series models offer a built-in web camera powered by an Exmor sensor that allows for great low-light performance. With exceptional picture quality, the 13.3-inch (1600×900) widescreen display includes an LED backlit keyboard, illuminating the lettering for typing in low-light situations. And with the built-in microphone you can video message with family, friends and coworkers. Face tracking technology allows the camera to automatically adjust focus and follow you as you move around while video chatting.

 

Packed with Multimedia

 

Sony knows entertainment is always at the forefront and the VAIO S Series delivers. Whether you’re watching a stunning Blu-ray Disc movie (select models) or enjoying video captured from your compatible camcorder. The versatile Blu-ray Disc drive on the VAIO S Series laptop (select models) combines the power of HD video playback with the convenience and utility of DVD and CD read/write functionalities.  Providing the best picture and the best sound with stunning clarity, Blu-ray Disc technology is the ultimate way to enjoy your entertainment.

 

With Intel Wireless Display 2.0, you can sit back and experience your favorite videos, photos and music on your TV. Stop crowding around a laptop screen and view and share content from your hard drive, home network or the internet wirelessly on your HDTV utilizing the adapter (sold separately; restrictions apply).

 

Pricing and Availability

 

The VAIO S Series laptops are available for pre-sale today at www.sonystyle.com/sseries starting at about $1,350, and the optional sheet battery at about $150.

 

Additionally, Sony added two new colors to its existing S Series line. The new pink and blue S Series models will available at www.sonystyle.com/sseries starting in June

 

Verizon Announces LG Revolution

Verizon has officially announced in a press release that it will launch the LG Revolution 4G LTE enabled smartphone beginning tomorrow Thursday for $249.99 after new 2 year agreement and $50 mail-in rebate. The Revolution will launch with support for Netflix owing to its dual-core processor along with chipset level support for the DRM required to support Netflix streaming. The phone will also feature complimentary access to Mobile Hotspot service until June 15th.

Along with the above, the phone features a 4.3 inch 800×480 resolution display, 5.0 megapixel main camera with 720p video capture, autofocus and flash, as well as a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera for video calls, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS support. The LG Revolution is also notable for being the first phone to support Verizon’s planned VoLTE service at the hardware level, but that service will not launch until next year.

T-Mobile Launches Bobsled by T-Mobile

T-Mobile today recently Bobsled by T-Mobile, a new brand aimed at bridging traditional telecommunications and Internet-based voice and data services to enable people to stay connected in a simple and cost-effective way. The first product available under the new Bobsled by T-Mobile brand is a Bobsled application for Facebook, which provides Facebook's more than 500 million users worldwide with free, one-touch calling to their Facebook friends from a personal computer.

In addition to making live voice calls across the globe, users will also be able to send voice messages to their friends either privately or via their ‘walls.' The Bobsled application for Facebook is available as a free application install to all Facebook users and is not exclusive to T-Mobile customers. This captures a unique opportunity for the brand, as a recent survey found that 88% of Facebook users surveyed want voice chat capabilities within the site.**

New PSP Limited Edition Entertainment Pack for Dads & Grads

These days parents play games as much as their kids, so for Father’s Day we’re making what to get Dad a whole lot easier – introducing the newest Limited Edition PSP Entertainment Pack. This high value PSP bundle includes a “piano black” PSP-3000 system, 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo and two of our biggest portable titles — MLB 11 The Show and Gran Turismo. Available this June at retailers nationwide for $159.99 (MSRP), this Limited Edition PSP Entertainment Pack will allow you to play like you’re in the big leagues with MLB 11: The Show or feel the edge-of-your-seat racing excitement of Gran Turismo. With this kind of value, there’s no doubt this bundle is a great gift for dads or grads everywhere.

Sprint And Motorola Send Out Invites For A Mystery June 9th Event

Oh, Sprint. You know us too well. “Invitation-only event” and “hands-on demonstrations” are some of our favorite phrases, but you had us at “Luncheon”.

We’re not quite sure what Moto and Sprint are cookin’ up here in this “latest collaboration”, but we’ll be in New York City on June 9th to find out. Got any guesses and/or wishful thoughts? Drop’em in a comment below.

Revolution By LG Arrives For Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless and LG Mobile Phones today announced Revolution by LG will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com on May 26.

An entertainment powerhouse, Revolution by LG is the first Android smartphone preloaded with the Neflix application, allowing Netflix subscribers access to movies and television shows. Revolution customers can capture and share HD images or videos on a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen. Built-in HDMI output and SmartShare capability allow customers to share multimedia content with HDMI capable displays, creating an exceptional entertainment experience.

Key features:

4G LTE – customers can expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G Mobile Broadband coverage areas 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor

Android 2.2 platform

Access to more than 200,000 apps available to download from Android Market

Xperia Play first in line for mobile Minecraft port

If you want to be the first in your hood to take Minecraft with you wherever you go, you'll have to pick up an Xperia Play. The block-building game where cubed avatars hide from creepers and create virtual CPUs will land on the so-called PlayStation Phone before coming to other Android devices and iOS later this year. The Play version will have customized controls that take advantage of the gamepad and button layout found on the Sony Ericsson handheld, though when exactly it will launch or how much it will cost is still unknown. It's also unclear how long the title will be exclusive to the gamer-centric smartphone, but developer Mojang will be holding an event at E3 where, presumably, we'll be getting more details. Now is the time to wrap up any loose ends in your life before what little free time you have left gets buried beneath a pile of bricks and mobs -- even when your PC isn't handy.

Apple Getting Closer To Signing iTunes Cloud Deals With Record Labels

We heard last week that Apple had signed deals for its new iTunes Cloud music streaming service with EMI, Warner Music, and Sony Music and that it was close to signing a deal with Universal Music.
According to Cnet Apple are getting closer to signing their deal with Universal Music, which would give Apple four major labels to launch its new iTunes Cloud service with.

The report says that the deal is almost done, although Apple may not have all the licenses it needs to launch its service, as the labels own the recording rights to music but not the publishing rights, so Apple may have to also seek deals with the individual music publishers.

This could hold things up, and Apple are likely hoping to unveil their new iTunes Cloud service at this years WWDC which starts on the 6th of June, just a couple of weeks away which may not be long enough to get everything finalised.

Sony Ericsson's Canadian online store hacked, more than 2,000 customers' data taken

The hackers just won't give poor Sony a break, will they? Following the infamous PSN breach last month and an attack on the company's Greek online music service earlier this week, Sony Ericsson has now seen another intrusion that extracted personal data of more than 2,000 Canadian Eshop customers. Fortunately, the company claims that passwords taken were encrypted and no credit card details were lost, but this is still worrisome nevertheless. Right now, the Eshop service has been taken off line -- for the sake of Sir Howard and his Japanese chums, let's just hope that this will be the last Sony breach we hear about.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

New gaming mouse by NZXT Avatar S

NZXT has added another new gaming mouse to their range, with the launch of the NZXT Avatar S, which is the follow up to the original Avatar gaming mouse, and it is designed to offer precise control and comes with a range of features.
The Avatar S features an adjustable DPI which include setting for 400DPI, 800DPi and 1600DPI, and it features 5 different programmable media keys, which can be programmed with a range of macro’s.

“We designed Avatar S as an intuitive solution that gives gamers maximum personalization with minimum hassle” said Johnny Hou, Founder and Chief Designer at NZXT. “Your profile settings can be easily configured and then saved onto the onboard memory in case you game on multiple rigs.
The NZXT Avatar S gaming mouse is available in both black and white for $39.99 from NZXT.

Qualcomm confirms its Snapdragon processor will power 'new generation of Windows Phone' devices

We'd heard some rumblings ST-Ericsson might be moving in on its turf with Nokia's Windows Phone devices, but Qualcomm has now reasserted that it's still the main game in town. Following the big Mango announcement this morning, Qualcomm confirmed that Microsoft has chosen it to bring a "new generation of Windows Phone handsets exclusively featuring Qualcomm's second generation Snapdragon mobile processors to market." The company's executive vice president, Steve Mollenkopf, further went on to say that Qualcomm is "excited about this next Windows Phone Mango release," and that it will "leverage the synergy of our highly integrated second generation Snapdragon solution and Microsoft's Windows Phone software." Leveraging synergy, what more could you ask for?

Windows Phone Mango and Bing Vision hands-on

We're done listening, it's time to start doing. Microsoft had a number of Windows Phone Mango devices scattered about after this morning's intimate event concluded. So we grabbed one, went somewhere quiet, and got a little more intimate with the operating system itself, checking out the new hubs, groups, and Bing Vision search that should make cross-shopping a whole lot easier. Join us, won't you, to see what Mango is -- and what it isn't.

Windows Phone Mango hands-on!

First of all, Mango is not necessarily Windows Phone 7.1. Microsoft simply had to get the SDK ready to go and, well, they "had to call it something." So, 7.1 is that something, a number applied to the SDK that we have a feeling will stick to the OS as well, but Microsoft is still far from carving that version into stone.

We also got a little more information about the Dell situation, that simply the company wasn't quite ready to commit to being on the Mango bandwagon. So, don't try to read too much into the company's omission from the slide deck here: there's no reason to think the company won't be there with bells on once the leaves start turning, joining the confirmed partners: Samsung, LG, HTC, Acer, Fujitsu, ZTE, and of course Nokia. Oh, and if you're hoping for tethering in this release? No such luck -- it'll have to wait for a future release.

But, onto more important things. As you can see in the videos here the revisions and augmentations in Mango are tightly integrated into the OS, such that if you don't know where to look you'll probably miss them. The new Groups feature in the People Hub gives you a quick view into what's happening with your friends, pulling in photos and updates and really augmenting the social aspects of the device.

In fact, you could say that Kin lives on, its social DNA now imbibed by Windows Phone and, honestly, looking pretty great in its new digs.

We also tried out the new Bing Vision feature, which allows you to search for things using the camera. Unlike Google Googles or the like you can't take a picture of any old thing -- only visual codes (bar, QR, etc.) will be recognized along with book, movie, and album covers -- but things are much more responsive because of it. You don't need to take a pic and wait: the results just pop up. The OS can even identify and translate text in real-time, something you can see toward the end of the video above. Naturally, though, all of this relies on an active data connection.

Ultimately Mango is not a groundbreaking update, but it is definitely shaping up to be a great addition to the world of Windows Phone, adding the seamless integration other smartphone platforms lack, tying loose ends together to create a nicely woven final package. The only problem? It won't be ripe until fall, and while there will surely be a suite of new devices that ship with this software it remains to be seen just how long it'll take this juice of this fruit to trickle out to all the existing WP7 devices. It also remains to be seen just how much further we can take these mango references, but rest assured we aren't finished yet.