Latest phones and cell review

Feels like you’ve been waiting forever, doesn’t it? Ever since those first images leaked of the Verizon-bound handset, you’ve been wanting more. And then, sure enough, Verizon let slip that splash page, telling the world that April 29th was a day to look forward to. And let’s not forget that official specifications sheet, right? But all that waiting is finally paying off, because Verizon Wireless has come forward and made everything all comfortable for you. Meaning, it’s official, folks, and there’s even a release date and pricing!

Despite the fact you’ve already seen the specifications for the Droid Incredible a few times now, we’re going to run through them one more time. We have to make sure you know what you’re getting when you go stand in that line at the end of the month, after all. When you open up the box, you’ll be greeted with a 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display. As soon as you turn it on, you’ll be greeted with Android 2.1 running the latest version of HTC’s beautiful skin, Sense UI. As you play around, you’ll find that you’re able to move from screen to screen, pop in and out of application after application with speed and grace, as the 1GHz Snapdragon processor chugs along. And, if you were to find your way into the settings, you’d see that there’s 8GB of on board storage for your media consumption delights. Oh, and don’t forget to turn your new toy around, because there’s an 8MP camera there, which we’re sure you’ll want to take full advantage of.

Now, let’s get to the really important part, shall we? How much is it going to cost, and when are you going to be able to get your mitts on it. You’ll be able to preorder the Droid Incredible by HTC starting April 19th. It will cost you $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate. And, finally, you’ll be able to take it home on April 29th. Anyone out there planning on preordering? If you’re interested, the full press release is below.

IT’S A DROID, IT’S INCREDIBLE, IT’S ON THE NATION’S LARGEST AND MOST RELIABLE 3G NETWORK

DROID Incredible™ by HTC Combines Power of Android™, Usability of HTC Sense™, Exclusively from Verizon Wireless

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and NEW YORK – Verizon Wireless today announced DROID Incredible by HTC, the newest Android device on the nation’s most reliable wireless 3G network, will be available beginning April 29.
Featuring a “topographic” design that demonstrates the powerful engineering just beneath the surface, DROID Incredible by HTC is designed with craftsmanship and precision while making it easier than ever to stay connected.
DROID Incredible by HTC features the newest version of the HTC Sense experience, a seven-panel home screen with a wide selection of interactive widgets so the most important content is immediately available at a touch. Customers will enjoy seamless integration with Exchange ActiveSync®, quick and easy access to Flickr for sharing and viewing pictures, video, and Android Market™ with more than 30,000 Google applications. DROID Incredible by HTC is the first Verizon Wireless phone that takes advantage of Qualcomm’s 1GHz superfast Snapdragon processor, and it’s the first available phone from Verizon Wireless to include an 8 megapixel camera.
Shortly after the phone becomes available, customers will be able to enjoy two of the latest exclusive apps from Verizon Wireless – NFL Mobile and Skype mobile™.
Additional Key features:
Android 2.1 with HTC Sense experience
1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon™ processor for maximum responsiveness
Friend Stream for unified Flickr, Facebook and Twitter updates
“Leap” view for quick access to all seven home screen panels
8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash for crisp, detailed images
Razor-sharp 3.7 inch WVGA (480×800) AMOLED capacitive touch display
Optical joystick for smooth navigation
Dedicated, touch-sensitive Home, Menu, Back and Search keys
Proximity sensor, light sensor and digital compass
Integrated GPS
Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)
3.5 mm headset jack

Price and availability:
DROID Incredible will be available for pre-order online at www.verizonwireless.com beginning on April 19 and it will be in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on April 29. Pricing will be $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
DROID Incredible customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access. Email and Web for Smartphone plans start at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access.
For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

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(EDITOR’S NOTE: Media can access high-resolution images of DROID Incredible by HTC in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.)

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

We’ve got to admit, that this whole mobile TV thing is definitely beginning to pick up speed. You know it’s growing when a company like Samsung announces dedicated devices to do just that, and solely for one region. Welcome to the future, ladies and gentlemen, where the three screens are inexorably merging into one. (At least, that’s what looks like companies are trying to accomplish.) In any event, meet the Samsung Corby TV (here’s the original Corby) and Metro TV (and here’s the GSM variant of the Metro), which are headed over to India to sport their mobile TV ways, and hopefully spread the good word on watching your stories while on the move.

Both devices are variants to the already released CDMA versions, but only so much as to get the message of mobile TV evangelized. Both handsets now feature the customized application called MimobiTV Mobile TV, which was developed by Apalya, and allows users to watch live TV, or on-demand content. These handsets have access to over 40 channels, and they’re able to stream the service whether they’re on 1X CDMA or 3G networks.

Device wise, the Corby TV is still one of the cutest handsets out there. Packing a 2.8-inch QVGA touchscreen display, with Samsung’s TouchWiz User Interface, 2MP camera on the back, Bluetooth support and MicroSD card slot, you can pick it up for Rs. 9,699. And the Metro TV rocks a 2-inch display, 2Mp camera, Bluetooth support, and MicroSD card slot. It will cost you a cool Rs. 6,999. Awesome features for a relatively low price, but we’re wondering how many people out there will want to watch their favorite show on a 2-inch display. What do you think?

[via Samsung Hub]

We knew it had to happen eventually, and it looks like the time has finally come. LG, the company that’s been perfectly complacent to launch low-end Android devices, is taking the reigns and stepping up. They’re officially moving into the high-end range of devices, poised to say a great big “Hello!” to all the other Android device manufacturers out there who have, for all intents and purposes, crowded the market.

The LG Aloha, which for now seems to be the devices codename, is also known as the LG C710, if recent WiFi certificates are to be believed. It wasn’t until a User Agent Profile for the same device appeared that the talk about this device really existing heated up. And from what we are hearing, the device’s specifications are definitely good enough to raise the device into high-end dominion: 800×480 resolution touchscreen; 65,000 color display (we wish it was 16M, but beggar’s can’t be choosers); WiFi 802.11 b/g/n; GPRS, UMTS, HSDPA, and HSUPA.

The big question you will have to ask yourself is: are you a fan of full QWERTY keyboards? And, to be more precise, are you fans of slide-out, physical ones? We sure hope so, because that’s exactly what the LG Aloha is going to rock, if the device does see the light of day. We are never against keyboards, and even if the Motorola DROID’s gets flack for not being the best, we applaud Motorola for showing companies that making a slim device doesn’t mean it can’t have a slide-out keyboard. So, we will have to keep our fingers crossed that LG can keep the width down to a respectable number. As soon as we know more about the LG Aloha, we will bring it your way.

[via Boy Genius Report]

This isn’t the first time the Samsung Monte (S5620) has graced these pages, and we’ve got to admit: we’re glad to see it back. Perhaps not so much to announce that it’s heading all the way over to India, but if it’s going anywhere, that’s not a bad place at all. Especially not when you consider how cheap the device is going to be, compared with the nice set of features the handset offers. We’re sure that some folks in that neck of the woods may wish to see something a bit different, but we promise, this isn’t a bad phone at all.

But it’s more than obvious that Samsung’s not stopping their touchscreen phone onslaught any time soon. The Monte is just one amongst many, but at least it looks a bit different in the aesthetics department. Specifications wise, it’s packing a 3.0-inch WQVGA touchscreen, with TouchWiz 2.0 powering the User Interface, a 3.2MP camera on the back, and a 3.5mm headphone jack to boot. Other features include quad-band GSM, 3G, GPS, Bluetooth, and FM Radio with RDS technology. If you’re a fan of putting photos and music on your phone, then you’ll be glad to hear that the device also supports a MicroSD card.

The Samsung Monte should be available now in India, and will cost you a cool Rs. 8,850. As we mentioned above, the price tag definitely doesn’t reflect the features of this mid-range device, and if you’re in the market for something like this, we would definitely recommend a Samsung, with that beloved (or hated) TouchWiz User Interface. Though, we also recommend trying out any phone you’re about to buy, to make sure that you’re happy with it before you walk out of the shop.

[via Samsung Hub]

T-Mobile USA have announced the Nokia 5230 Nuron, the touchscreen smartphone we’ve previously seen as the Nokia 5230 XpressMusic.  Packing a 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen, full HTML browser and 3G connectivity, the Nuron also delivers Nokia’s Ovi Maps complete with free turn-by-turn navigation and access to Lonely Planet travel guides and other content.

It’ll also be the first device in the US to come preloaded with Nokia’s Ovi Store for mobile software downloads.  Carrier billing is also on the cards, if you don’t have – or would rather not use – a credit card.

While T-Mobile are yet to confirm pricing for the Nokia 5230 Nuron, according to a leak yesterday the handset will be priced at $69.99 with a new agreement or $179.99 if bought without.  It’s expected to go on sale within the next few weeks.

Press Release:

Nokia 5230 Nuron Delivers Apps, Maps and Free Navigation to T-Mobile USA Customers

Affordable 3G Touch-Screen Smartphone Offers Rich Mobile Experiences, Ovi Maps and Ovi Store

White Plains, NY and Bellevue, WA — March 3, 2010 – Nokia and T-Mobile USA today announced the upcoming availability of the Nokia 5230 Nuron, a smartphone solution for the masses packed with applications, maps with turn-by-turn directions, and more. Operating on T-Mobile’s blazing-fast 3G network, the Nokia Nuron offers dynamic Web browsing and rich experiences on a 3.2” touch screen. The device is also the first pre-loaded with Ovi Maps, a free turn-by-turn navigation solution from Nokia, and the first to have the Ovi Store pre-loaded, giving consumers access to thousands of compelling applications and games. The Nokia Nuron is expected to be available in the coming weeks exclusively from T-Mobile.

“The Nokia 5230 Nuron is a great product of our collaboration with T-Mobile USA and provides consumers with more compelling mobile experiences as they navigate, watch video, play games and social network,” said Mark Slater, Vice President, Sales, Nokia. “The Nokia Nuron offers U.S. consumers a unique and compelling mobile experience that caters to their everyday needs and enables them to connect to their passions with an affordable 3G touch smartphone.”

The Nokia Nuron is a mobile solution that allows consumers to easily make their way around town, download content and applications to keep them entertained, or help to manage their busy lives. Consumers can keep up with friends and family via IM, text, personal or work e-mail, and offers the ability to easily surf the Web with a full HTML browser.

“Many of our customers are looking for smartphones that deliver a great mobile Web experience with access to games and applications, all at an affordable price,” said Travis Warren, director, product marketing, T-Mobile USA. “We are excited to partner with Nokia to offer our customers the Nokia 5230 Nuron, a 3G smartphone for the masses that delivers features like a full touch screen, free turn-by-turn navigation and a premium storefront for applications.”

The Nokia Nuron is the first U.S. carrier -supported Nokia smartphone to pre-load Ovi Maps, a solution from Nokia that offers consumers free turn-by-turn directions and navigation. Additionally, Ovi Maps makes it easy to discover great places to eat, concerts, movies and more with Lonely Planet guides. Other features include the ability to check the weather forecast and even share one’s current location on Facebook. With pedestrian navigation, Ovi Maps delivers the best routes through pedestrian zones and shortcuts as well as pathways through parks and buildings. Exploring the world or rediscovering your own city has never been easier or more fun with Ovi Maps. Nokia Nuron also comes preloaded with maps for the USA, Canada and Mexico – with the ability to access to over 180 country maps at http://www.nokiausa.com/maps.

The Nokia Nuron will be the first device from a national U.S. carrier to come pre-loaded with Ovi Store by Nokia – giving consumers access to thousands of applications and other exciting content.
T-Mobile also plans to simplify the purchase experience for its customers and expects to enable them to pay for this great content by having it billed to their monthly bill or via a credit card.
To learn more about Ovi by Nokia, or for more information on how to develop for Ovi Store, please visit http://www.ovi.com and http://publish.ovi.com, respectively.

Availability
The Nokia 5230 Nuron is expected to be available on in the coming weeks in select T-Mobile retail stores and online at http://www.t-mobile.com. For more information, please visit http://www.nokiausa.com/NokiaNuron or http://www.t-mobile.com.

Use of some features or services may incur separate, additional charges and/or require a qualifying data plan. 3G coverage is available in locations nationwide, but may not be available everywhere. For more details on where T-Mobile network coverage is available, please visit www.t-mobile.com/coverage.