HTC’s flagship One X smartphone is now available for pre-order from AT&T for $199.99 on contract. The handset finds itself at the top of HTC’s new lineup of One-series smartphones, which the Taiwan-based vendor hopes will help it turn its sliding smartphone business around. The flagship smartphone features a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 4.6-inch 720p HD display, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 16GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM and Sense 4 on top of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The HTC One X is available from AT&T in either gray or white, and it will launch on May 6th, three days after Samsung unveils its next-generation Galaxy S III smartphone.

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When ASUS announced the PadFone at this year’s Mobile World Congress, the company promised the hybrid device would begin shipping in April. Staying true to its world, ASUS on Thursday revealed that pre-orders will begin on Friday and the device will launch on April 20th in Taiwan, Engadget reported. The 4.3-inch Android-powered smartphone will be priced at NT$17,990 ($610) on its own and the dockable tablet and keyboard will cost roughly $240 and $130, respectively, bringing the PadFone’s total cost with accessories to $980 in Taiwan. ASUS will also be offering an extra battery as a bonus to those who pre-order the device. The handset features a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, an Adreno 225 graphics processor and an 8-megapixel rear camera. The device also has the unique ability to dock inside a tablet shell that will deliver a 10.1-inch display, a tablet UI and a new range of functionality. The company has not announced further details regarding the PadFone’s global availability.

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Sprint on Tuesday announced the company’s first 4G LTE smartphone, the LG Viper, will be available for pre-order on April 12th for $99.99. The handset features a 4-inch WVGA display with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and a 5-megapixel rear camera. “LG Viper pairs perfectly with our unlimited data plans to bring customers the benefit of new technology, including our upcoming 4G LTE capabilities at a great price,” said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “This smartphone is packed with the tools our customers need to stay connected. Best of all, customers can feel good about owning LG Viper because of its robust list of eco-friendly features.” The company did not announce a release date, however previous rumors have the device slated to launch on April 15th. Read for Sprint’s press release.

LG Viper 4G LTE with Eco-Friendly Features from Sprint Launches for Less than $100

Pairing innovative technology with the Sprint 4G LTE network and unlimited data plans, LG Viper 4G LTE helps manage work and personal time for people on the go, like today’s “Power Parents”; Pre-order begins Thursday, April 12, at sprint.com/viper

NEW YORK – April 3, 2012 – In an exclusive media event to tip off NBA Green Week presented by Sprint, Sprint’s CEO Dan Hesse (NYSE: S) today announced pricing and pre-order availability date for the highly anticipated LG Viper™ 4G LTE, the first 4G LTE device with eco-friendly features to be offered by Sprint.

LG Viper will be available later this month in all Sprint sales channels, including www.sprint.com,1-800-SPRINT1, Best Buy and RadioShack for $99.99 with a new two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1 (excludes taxes and surcharges). New and existing customers can pre-order LG Viper beginning Thursday, April 12 at www.sprint.com/viper.

LG Viper takes advantage of Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform, a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, mobile hotspot capabilities and a 4GB card microSD™ slot that supports up to 32GB. It also features a 5MP rear-facing camera with flash and VGA front-facing camera allowing for a fun and easy face-to-face video chat experience.

Enabled with Near Field Communication (NFC), LG Viper allows users to access true value features such as Google Wallet, an app that allows payment using a mobile device at participating retailers, including Bloomingdales, Toys “R” Us, CVS, Gap and Macy’s. The sleek, ultra-thin smartphone also boasts a 4-inch touchscreen that is remarkably bright and clear, even in direct sunlight. It also has a Corning® Gorilla® Glass screen protector for extra display resistance while on the go.

“LG Viper pairs perfectly with our unlimited data plans to bring customers the benefit of new technology, including our upcoming 4G LTE capabilities at a great price,” said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “This smartphone is packed with the tools our customers need to stay connected. Best of all, customers can feel good about owning LG Viper because of its robust list of eco-friendly features.”

As a Sprint ID smartphone, LG Viper will give owners the ability to cut through the clutter of more than 450,000 additional apps in Google Play by selecting from a variety of mobile ID packs. Sprint ID packs include ringers, wallpapers and widgets. Also, consumers can download Box on the LG Viper and receive 50GB of free cloud storage and sharing directly from LG, an estimated value of $240 per year, so users don’t have to stress about storing all of their favorite music, files, photos and other memories. The 50GB of free storage is exclusive to LG devices until July 22.

“Today’s world is moving extremely fast and the lines between personal time and work continue to blur,” said Tim O’Brien, vice president of marketing for LG Mobile. “LG understands consumers’ need for better tools that allow them to multitask without sacrificing what’s most important to them, especially when it comes to their families. LG Viper gives parents the tools they need to manage their everyday lives while breaking down the barriers that technology can often create between them and their children – all at a great value.”

LG Viper customers can enjoy an unlimited data experience with Sprint Everything plans with data. Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $79.99 per month for smartphones2 – a savings of $40 per month vs. Verizon’s comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB Web, or $10 per month savings vs. Verizon’s 450-minute plan with unlimited text and 2GB Web.

Leading Wireless in Green
In addition to its technological prowess, LG Viper has many eco-friendly features, including:
• The device is ULE Platinum Certified, the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment and Sprint
• It is protected by a casing made of 50 percent recycled plastics.
• It is RoHS compliant, meaning it is free from many potentially hazardous materials such as PVC, phthalates, halogens and mercury.
• The packaging contains up to 87 percent of post-consumer paper, uses soy ink, made with a glueless construction and is 100 percent recyclable.
• The phone also includes a charger that exceeds the EC Code of Conduct on energy efficiency when it comes to no-load consumption. Unlike other chargers, LG Viper 4G LTE’s charger only consumes 0.03 watts of power when plugged into a wall socket without being connected to the phone.

Ranked No. 3 in Newsweek’s 2011 Green Rankings, Sprint is committed to being a corporate leader in sustainability. LG Viper marks the third device with eco-friendly features launched by Sprint and LG. Sprint and LG launched their first eco-friendly device in 2010 with LG Remarq™ and continued the legacy earlier this year with LG Rumor Reflex™.

Sprint recently announced Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio are expected to have 4G LTE and enhanced 3G service in mid-year 2012. Sprint 4G LTE should enable faster speeds for data applications, and the enhanced 3G service could offer better signal strength, faster data speeds, expanded coverage and better in-building performance. The launch of these large metropolitan areas demonstrates the continued commitment by Sprint to invest in its network through Network Vision. Whether a Sprint customer is using a smartphone to share a video, check the Web via a mobile hotspot, Sprint 4G LTE will make it easier. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE rollout, please visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE.

Bridging Technology and Fairy Tales
To complement the launch of LG Viper 4G LTE, LG is introducing the “Life’s Good Fairytales” app, a customizable storyboard that allows parents and children to bond over the creation and sharing of unique fairytales through their device. Families can become part of the fairytale by allowing them to take, upload and manipulate photos, names and sounds directly into the story, transforming the fairytales into the child’s own personal adventure.

Thanks to the fast speeds of the LG Viper 4G LTE technology and Sprint 4G LTE network, stories can be read instantly and content can be shared with friends and family via Facebook®. The “Life’s Good Fairytales” app will be available Friday, April 27, in Google Play. It will be free for LG Viper owners and available for $0.99 for other Android phone users.

As promised, the $35 Raspberry Pi Linux computer was made available for pre-order on Wednesday. The single-board computer is equipped with a 700MHz processor, 256MB of RAM, SD card support, two USB ports, an Ethernet hookup and both HDMI and RCA outputs. Despite the low cost and small size — which is roughly equal to a credit card — the Raspberry Pi computer is powerful enough to run games such as Quake III Arena and power 1080p video. Additionally, the cheaper Model A unit, which removes the Ethernet hookup and a USB port, received an increase from 128MB to 256MB of RAM and will be on sale later this year. “Raspberry Pi provides a revolutionary low cost platform, which opens up programming to a whole new audience,” the company said in a press release. “We are very honoured to have been chosen to work with the Foundation as a distribution partner at the launch of this exciting new tool.” Users interested in the device will have to be patient, however. The Raspberry Pi Twitter account confirmed that Farnell’s stock was depleted after less than a day of pre-order availability, and further inventory is expected in about a month. Read on for the company’s press release.

RS Components Announces Launch of Raspberry Pi $35 Computer

New low cost credit card sized computer now available to pre-order from RS websites

OXFORD, England–(BUSINESS WIRE)–RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the world’s leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products, today announced that the revolutionary credit card sized single-board computer from the Raspberry Pi Foundation is now available to pre-order from RS websites around the world. Created for educators, programmers, developers and IT enthusiasts, the kits can be pre-ordered at rswww.com.

“Raspberry Pi provides a revolutionary low cost platform, which opens up programming to a whole new audience. We are very honoured to have been chosen to work with the Foundation as a distribution partner at the launch of this exciting new tool.”

The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a charity established to promote the development of computer development skills in education across the globe. Its vision is for Raspberry Pi to provide budding IT developers and programmers with a base platform to exploit the full power and potential of computing within the Linux environment, at a remarkably low cost. As such, Raspberry Pi computers act as an enabler for the next generation of programmers to enter the IT industry.

RS was selected as a distribution partner for Raspberry Pi because, in the eyes of the Foundation, it connects with engineers across the globe throughout their careers. As such, the company is well positioned to provide Raspberry Pi adopters with support, advice and access to additional resources as they embark on new development activities. It was particularly impressed with the DesignSpark community and resources provided for new developers working on Open Source designs.

“RS has always been a trusted and reliable partner for engineers across the globe. The RS DesignSpark community and their free PCB design software connects with engineers throughout their career, and is being adopted by many universities around the world,” said Eben Upton, founder and trustee of Raspberry Pi. “This ethos of providing resources for engineers, along with the company’s support for open source design, makes RS the ideal distribution partner for Raspberry Pi.”

Glenn Jarrett, Head of Marketing, Electronics, at RS Components, added, “Raspberry Pi provides a revolutionary low cost platform, which opens up programming to a whole new audience. We are very honoured to have been chosen to work with the Foundation as a distribution partner at the launch of this exciting new tool.”

The Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone is now available for pre-order from AT&T. Subscribers who place early orders for Samsung’s new supersized smartphone will take delivery by February 17th, and the device is set to become available in stores on February 19th for $299.99 with a new two-year agreement. The Galaxy Note will be available in two color options, carbon blue or ceramic white, and the handset features a massive 5.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display with a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, Samsung’s S Pen stylus and 4G LTE connectivity. The Note will be released running Android 2.3 and is expected to receive an update to Ice Cream Sandwich within the next few months.

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Verizon may allow its customers to pre-order its highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the world’s first Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich-powered smartphone, on Tuesday, November 29th. Computerworld has reportedly confirmed with a seemingly reliable unnamed source that customers will be able to order the device on Tuesday, and that it will land on store shelves and in customer hands on December 8th — a date that corroborates with earlier rumors. The phone is expected to cost $199.99 with a new two-year contract, though it is unclear whether or not that price is part of a limited-time promotion. Verizon Wireless declined to comment when contacted by BGR.

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The highly anticipated sequel to ASUS’ convertible Android tablet, the Eee Pad Transformer, is now available for pre-order in North America. Set for release some time next month, the Transformer Prime features a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, Android 3.2 Honeycomb, a 10.1-inch display, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera, a microHDMI-out port and SD card support. ASUS has also promised that an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t far off. The tablet will cost $499.99 for the 32GB model and $599.99 for the 64GB model, and it is available in gray or champagne. ASUS had trouble keeping the original Transformer on store shelves for quite some time after it was released, so pre-orders are definitely recommended for those who hope to snag a tablet out of the first batch to ship.

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Verizon Wireless on Wednesday reaffirmed that the Motorola DROID RAZR smartphone will be available for pre-order starting tomorrow, October 27th. The hotly anticipated smartphone revives the famed RAZR line from Motorola, and we can’t think of a more appropriate device to fill those shoes. The DROID RAZR features a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor by Texas Instruments, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera and a 7.1-millimeter thin Kevlar case. The handset will cost $299.99 with a two-year contract and pre-orders will ship no later than November 10th. Verizon Wireless’ press release follows below.

DROID RAZR^™ BY MOTOROLA AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER BEGINNING TOMORROW 

Customers can pre-order the DROID RAZR^™ starting tomorrow at 8 a.m. EST for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement and data plan at www.droiddoes.com/DroidRazr.

The DROID RAZR not only shreds through the Web at blazing 4G LTE speeds, it does it in style with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED^™ Advanced display and measuring 7.1 mm thin. DROID RAZR is also packed with brains and security giving customers apps like MotoCast^™ and features like remote wipe, pin lock and government-grade encryption for email, calendar and contacts.

DROID RAZR customers can take advantage of the Super AMOLED Advanced display and 4G LTE speeds to stream videos with NFL Mobile, only from Verizon. Fans can stay up to date on news, schedules and scores from their favorite teams. NFL Mobile is included at no additional charge for 4G LTE customers for the remainder of the 2011 season. DROID RAZR customers will have access to Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network that now covers more than 186 million Americans coast to coast with additional markets planned before year end.

Customers may also pre-order in stores or by calling 1 800 2 JOIN IN.  Pre-orders of the DROID RAZR will ship no later than Nov. 10.

Set to launch later this month, Sprint’s version of the Samsung GALAXY S II smartphone is now available for pre-order from popular cell phone retailer Wirefly. While the highly anticipated Samsung Epic 4G Touch is set to launch at $199.99 from Sprint, Wirefly is offering early adopters an unusual discount — a pre-payment of $149.99 will secure anxious GALAXY fans an Epic 4G Touch as soon as they become available in mid-September. Announced late last month at a Samsung press event, Sprint’s Epic 4G Touch features a 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 16GB of storage, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and compatibility with Sprint’s 4G WiMAX network. The sleek smartphone will launch nationwide on September 16th, though the Wirefly site does not specify when pre-orders will ship.

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The HP TouchPad 4G with HSPA+ support is now available for pre-order from Amazon. The online retailer doesn’t give a specific launch date and instead says “this item has not yet been released,” and that customers “may pre-order it now and [Amazon] will deliver it to you when it arrives.” The TouchPad made its debut on July 1st as a Wi-Fi only device with a 1.2GHz processor. In our review we said the device was “just good” and that its software needed a “shot of adrenaline.” However, AT&T’s upcoming version will sport a faster 1.5GHz processor, the aforementioned HSPA+ support and HP’s latest webOS 3.0.2 software. Amazon is currently listing the TouchPad 4G for $699.99, which means you’ll be paying a big premium for 4G, but that’s also probably before any AT&T’s subsidies.

[Via Netbooknews]

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Right on schedule, Hewlett-Packard’s first webOS-powered tablet is now available for pre-order. The HP TouchPad becomes available on July 1st but those who want to ensure they get their supersized webOS fix as soon as possible can pre-order the device through a number of different retailers. Best Buy and Amazon, among others, have the TouchPad available for pre-order at $499 for the 16GB model and $599 for the 32GB model, as expected. BGR took a hands-on look at the TouchPad when it was first unveiled back in February, and we were impressed. WebOS translates very well to a large form device, and the interoperability with HP’s upcoming Pre 3 smartphone is fantastic, though we still have no word on when HP might launch the Pre 3.

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Sony just took the wraps off of its new S Series VAIO laptop, a notebook with a 13.3-inch 1600 x 900 display that measures just 0.95-inches thick and weighs 3.8 pounds. Under its hood, the new VAIO is powered by Intel’s second-generation Core i7 processor, has AMD Radeon HD 6630 graphics with 1GB of VRAM, a Blu-ray drive, an LED backlit keyboard, and Intel Wireless Display 2.0 support, which allows you to share your laptop screen with your HDTV. Sony says its new S Series should offer 8 hours of battery life, and an optional $150 “sheet battery” can double that to 16 hours. The VAIO S Series starts at $1,350 and customers can pre-order the laptop now. Hit the jump for the full release.

Sony Brings More Power to Go With New S Series Laptop

Optional Sheet Battery Doubles Battery Life Up to 16 Hours

SAN DIEGO, May 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — 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 16 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.

Sony Ericsson’s first PlayStation certified phone, the Xperia PLAY, can now be pre-ordered from Verizon Wireless for $199.99. The Xperia PLAY runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon II processor. It also has a 4-inch display, a 5-megapixel rear camera, and a VGA forward facing camera for video chats. When you’re ready for action, just slide-out out the full PSP-style gamer pad and load up one of 7 pre-installed titles. We gave the phone, and Star Battalion, a test run during CTIA and were left impressed with the quality of the controls. The pre-loaded games include Madden NFL 11, Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, The Sims 3 , Star Battalion, Crash Bandicoot, and Tetris. If you pre-order the device, it should be in your hands by May 26th.

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RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook will make its U.K debut on June 16th. The 7-inch QNX-powered tablet will be available from a number of retailers, including Phones 4u and The Carphone Warehouse, and the 16GB model will start at £399.95 ($648). iPhone 4u will also sell a 64GB version online for £559.95 ($907), while The Carphone Warehouse will also carry a third 32GB model for £479 ($777). U.K. customers can pre-order the PlayBook from either retailer beginning today. [Via Engadget]

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We just got off the phone with a number of RadioShack locations, and each one has confirmed that the retailer is now quietly taking pre-orders for Sprint’s HTC EVO 3D. We were told that, interested users should rush to the store as pre-order quantities are very limited. Employees did not confirm when the EVO 3D would be available for pickup, although we suspect it won’t be a very long wait. Best Buy also began taking pre-orders earlier this month, but it too neglected to reveal when the phone would become available. We went hands-on with the EVO 3D during CTIA and were impressed by its glasses-free 3D display. We also loved the solid, albeit beefy, industrial design.

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