Images of an unannounced Android smartphone from HTC have been published online ahead of a possible announcement at the Mobile World Congress trade show later this month. The nameless device features a design similar to Verizon Wireless’s DROID Incredible line of phones, leading phoneArena.com to speculate that it could hit the market as the DROID Incredible 3. The smartphone is running Android 4.0.1 Ice Cream Sandwich along with Sense 4.0 — just like the HTC Ville — and other notable specs include a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera and 4G LTE connectivity. Given the timing of the leak, we may see HTC introduce the phone alongside the ultra-thin HTC Ville and the flagship quad-core HTC Edge at MWC in late February. A few more images of the phone follow below.

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More details surrounding the design of Apple’s upcoming iPad 3 have been revealed as images of a variety of internal components have been published online along with new images of the tablet’s rear shell and possibly Apple’s new Retina Display as well. Following reports on Wednesday that emerged surrounding a purported image of the iPad 3′s rear case, Cult of Mac has published higher-quality images of the same component along with a number of additional internal parts. While the various components pictured in the new leak show significant differences in many instances compared to their counterparts in the iPad 2, the external design of the upcoming iPad 3 looks like it will only offer a few minor differences compared to the current model, in line with earlier reports. Read on for more.

Separately, Japanese blog Macotakara has published an image of a 9.7-inch display panel with 2,048 x 1,536-pixel resolution. The panel is not confirmed to be destined for the iPad, the size, timing and alignment with earlier rumors certainly suggest this is the case. Apple’s next-generation iPad 3 is expected to launch early next month. Rumors suggest the new tablet will be an incremental upgrade that features a quad-core A6 processor, a new high-definition Retina Display and an upgraded camera. Additional images follow below.

Read [Cult Of Mac] Read [Macotakara]

Information has been appearing in dribs and drabs about Nokia’s last Symbian smartphone, the Nokia 803, but a trusted source of ours has come through with some details that vary a bit from earlier reports. For starters, the Nokia 803 will run Symbian Belle and serve it up on a 4-inch AMOLED display instead of the smaller 3.5-inch screen that had been reported. An HDMI-out port, microSIM support and NFC are all a go as well. We have also been told that the Nokia 803 will feature one of the largest camera sensors — if not the largest camera sensor — ever seen on a mobile phone. The Nokia 803 is currently expected to be released in the May timeframe.

Verizon Wireless on Tuesday finally confirmed launch details for the latest addition to its popular DROID family of Android smartphones, the Motorola DROID 4. The sleek QWERTY slider will become available later this week on February 10th for $199.99 on contract, as BGR reported earlier on Tuesday. The DROID 4 features a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and is being billed as the “thinnest and most powerful 4G QWERTY smartphone.” Other highlights include Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, an 8-megapixel camera, a 4-inch qHD display and the promise of an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The DROID 4 is essentially an updated version of the DROID RAZR, with its QWERTY keyboard seen as only notable difference between the two devices. This makes the DROID 4 the third iteration of the device in as many months, following the recent release of the DROID RAZR Maxx. Verizon Wireless’s press release follows below.

DROID 4 BY MOTOROLA READY TO WORK AND PLAY ON THE VERIZON WIRELESS 4G LTE NETWORK

Power, Speed and Reliability Get the Job Done

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – The award winning DROID 4 by Motorola will be available to handle even the most demanding lifestyles starting Feb. 10 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com.  Introduced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the DROID 4 is the thinnest and most powerful 4G QWERTY smartphone measuring at less than half an inch thin.   DROID 4 not only features a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, but also a five-row QWERTY keyboard with a PC-like layout and edge-lit keys for fast, precise typing, even in the dark.  Powered by America’s fastest, most reliable 4G network, DROID 4 customers will have access to 4G LTE coverage in 195 markets covering more than 200 million people.

Additional features

• Verizon Wireless 4G LTE – Customers can expect fast download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G LTE Mobile Broadband coverage areas
• Android^™ 2.3.5 Gingerbread, to be upgraded to Android^™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• 4.0-inch qHD display with scratch and scrape resistant glass
• Government-grade encryption (FIPS 140-2) for email, calendar and contacts; preloaded with Citrix^® Receiver^™ for Android (available in webtop) for desktop virtualization and access
• 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture
• Front-facing camera for video chat
• 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot supporting up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices

Business Ready

DROID 4 is designed to help customers get more done.  Business professionals can impress their audience by presenting to a conference room full of potential customers in a snap by plugging the DROID 4 into an HDTV and presenting directly from the phone.  Professionals can also combine the DROID 4 with the Lapdock 500 and its 14-inch display to create a full-featured mobile office.  They can download documents, make edits using Lapdock’s full keyboard and email the updated documents to colleagues or customers.  The Lapdock even features a built-in webcam so customers can attend virtual meetings and manage their business face-to-face.

The Smart Actions app on the DROID 4 helps automate everyday tasks and optimizes battery efficiency by letting customers create rules, such as automatically setting the phone to vibrate during work hours or dimming the display at a specific battery level.

Business professionals can leave their laptops behind and use the MotoCast^™ app to remotely stream documents, videos, music and pictures from their work or home computers to their handset.  The remote access of MotoCast eliminates the need to store documents on the handset as everything is stored on their office laptop.

Pricing and availability

·         DROID 4 by Motorola will be available on Feb. 10 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

·         The Lapdock 500 is available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online for $299.97.

·         Customers that purchase a DROID 4 will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

For more 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. Follow @VZWnews on Twitter for the latest news on Verizon Wireless.

Best Buy has reportedly been testing the waters for a possible “iTV” offering from Apple. According to The Verge, the retail giant has been circulating a customer survey that provides some very specific details about an Apple HDTV to gauge consumer interest. Here are the details:

• 42-inch 1080 LED display
• Runs iOS
• App Store functionality
• iCloud for access to all your music, TV shows, movies, photos, and videos
• iPhone and iPad as a remote control with AirPlay to push content from your devices to the TV
• Built-in FaceTime camera and microphone (we’d imagine Siri, as well)
• Netflix, YouTube, Flickr support
• $1,499 price

This list, while detailed, could be easily have been put together by anyone familiar with Apple’s current Apple TV product, though the 42-inch display size and price of $1,499 could be solid indications of what we can expect from Apple. The Cupertino-based company is rumored to be preparing to launch its first HDTV featuring iOS and Siri later this year.

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Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy S III will reportedly be one of the thinnest smartphones in the world when it is unveiled in the coming months. South Korea’s Electronic Times News on Monday cited unnamed sources in claiming Samsung’s upcoming flagship superphone will pack impressive specs into a case that is just 7 millimeters thick; the thinnest version of Samsung’s current flagship, the Galaxy S II, features a case that is 8.49 millimeters thick. The site also states that the Galaxy S III will feature an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front camera, a Super AMOLED Plus display and the Android 4.0 operating system. An earlier report claimed the Galaxy S III could launch as soon as April, but Electronic Times News claims the handset will hit store shelves in May. Recent rumors suggest Samsung’s Galaxy S III will feature a quad-core processor, a Super AMOLED Plus HD display, 4G LTE connectivity, 2GB of RAM and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

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Sony came to this year’s Consumer Electronics Show with a pair of new Xperia smartphones and while they definitely look and feel like older devices in the company’s Xperia lineup in terms of design identity, they were much smoother than older Xperia models. The dual-core 1.5GHz processor in the Xperia S clearly plays a big role in speeding up Sony’s UI, and the 4.3-inch 720p Reality Display produces deep blacks and vivid colors. The UI itself is still one of our least favorite Android interfaces though, and the handset itself feels a bit light. The Xperia S also packs dual HD video cameras — a 12-megapixel camera on the back records 1080p HD video and the front facing camera supports 720p video chats — and the handset is PlayStation certified, giving it solid gaming capabilities without the added bulk of a dedicated controller as was the case with the Xperia Play. Pricing could make or break the Xperia S, but Sony hasn’t yet announced availability details. Check out our hands-on images of the Xperia S in the gallery below.

Leading up to the Consumer Electronics Show this year, Nokia’s first Windows Phone for AT&T was definitely one of the smartphone announcements we were anticipating most anxiously. We were fans of the Lumia 800 when we reviewed it, but when our sources let us know that a bigger handset that maintained the Lumia 800′s design aesthetic would launch soon after CES, the 800 lost its luster. In line with our exclusive report, Nokia’s brand new Lumia 900 features the same unique design and build as the Lumia 800 Nokia launched last year, but there are two key differences that make this smartphone our clear favorite. It includes compatibility with AT&T’s new 4G LTE network, and it packs a larger 4.3-inch ClearBlack AMOLED display. The larger form factor was designed with the U.S. market in mind according to Nokia, and the size of the device is ideal. The Lumia 900′s build is outstanding as well, and Windows Phone 7.5 is beyond smooth thanks to the phone’s 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor. Nokia and AT&T haven’t yet revealed pricing or a launch date, but Nokia did say it will become available in the coming months. We can’t wait to review this gorgeous smartphone but in the mean time, check out our hands-on Lumia 900 photo gallery below.

HTC and AT&T took the wraps off of their latest device during an AT&T press conference on Monday, the HTC Titan II. The device is the first 4G LTE-enabled Windows Phone to be announced at the show but it won’t be the last — Nokia CEO Stephen Elop confirmed earlier on Monday that the Finnish vendor will unveil an LTE Windows Phone as well during its press conference. The Titan II is a fantastic first LTE device for Windows Phone fans, as long as the monstrous size isn’t a turn off. The phone sports the same 4.7-inch Super LCD display as its predecessor, but the build is much different. The unibody aluminum case from the Titan has been replaced by a soft-touch plastic — we liked the aluminum case a lot more so we’re definitely sorry to see it go — and the dark black color has been replaced by a light gray. The user experience is still among the best available; like the Titan, the Titan II is unbelievably responsive and smooth. Differences of note beyond the case are the embedded LTE radio, of course, and the 16-megapixel camera. Images taken with the camera were definitely impressive on the Titan’s display and on our MacBook Air, but we didn’t have an original Titan handy to compare photo quality. Where data speed is concerned, however, there was obviously no comparison. We’ll have more for you in our full review but in the meantime, be sure to check out our hands-on gallery below.

Thanks to one of our sources, we have information on what will be one of AT&T’s many announcements ahead of CES this year — a year that’s sure to be packed with 4G LTE devices. The Pantech Element is currently slated to hit AT&T on January 8th for $299.99 with a two-year agreement, or $449.99 off contract. It features an 8-inch display, a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, Android 3.2 Honeycomb, 16GB of internal storage, advanced “Piezo Motor” haptic feedback, a 5-megapixel rear camera with 1080p HD video capture support and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for 720p video calling, and the entire package is “waterproof for real life” according to AT&T’s documentation. The actual waterproof rating is IP57, which basically means the tablet is splash resistant as long as all ports are closed. AT&T is being particularly clear during internal training in conveying that the tablet is not actually waterproof and it cannot be submerged. Let’s recap: Pantech, Android 3.2 Honeycomb, waterproof but not waterproof, 4G LTE, 8-inch display… $299.99. Any takers?

Apple will launch a new high-end iPad model in early 2012 featuring a battery that includes more than twice the capacity of the current iPad 2 battery. Citing anonymous sources from within Apple’s supply chain, DigiTimes recently reported that Apple’s upcoming next-generation flagship iPad will feature a new 14,000 mAh battery, as will a new mid-range iPad model. The new power pack will feature more than twice the capacity of the 6,500 mAh battery currently used in Apple’s iPad 2. DigiTimes also reported late Wednesday that Apple’s 2012 iPad lineup will include three models: a low-end iPad 2, likely available at a discount compared to current pricing, a mid-range next-generation iPad and a high-end model. The new mid-range and high-end models will also reportedly feature an upgraded 2,048 x 1,536-pixel displays with dual-LED backlighting.

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Apple reportedly has plans to launch two new iPad models next year according to a recent report. Set to be unveiled at a press conference in January, the two new iPads will join Apple’s iPad 2 to create an iPhone like tablet lineup. The iPad 2 will remain available at an entry-level price point, DigiTimes claimed citing unnamed industry sources, while new mid-range and high-end iPad models will launch early in 2012. Both new iPads will feature dual-LED backlit 9.7-inch displays with a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels. It is unclear what features might distinguish the new mid-range iPad from the high-end model. The report also claims that Apple’s rumored 7.85-inch iPad will not be among the models to launch early next year. Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair recently said in a note to investors that Apple would continue to sell the iPad 2 at a lower price point following the launch of its next-generation tablet model.

UPDATE: Loop Insight’s Jim Dalrymple noted that according to his sources, Apple has no plans to unveil an iPad 3 at the iWorld expo in January as noted in DigiTimes’s report.

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Verizon Wireless on Wednesday finally announced the upcoming launch of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The world’s first Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone with 4G LTE support will become available beginning tomorrow for $299.99 with a new two-year service agreement. BGR reviewed the international version of the Galaxy Nexus last month and called it the best Android device in the world, offering a more cohesive user experience than previous Android builds as well as solid hardware and an amazing screen. The smartphone features a 4.65-inch 720p HD Super AMOLED display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 32GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, a 5-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video recording support and an 1,850 mAh battery. Verizon’s version of the handset ads CDMA and 4G LTE connectivity along with a slightly thicker case, though subscribers will certainly be happy to handle a thicker version of the phone in exchange for blazing fast 4G LTE data speeds. Verizon’s full press release follows below, and check out all of the official photos in the gallery.

GALAXY^™ NEXUS^™ BY SAMSUNG NOW AVAILABLE ON THE VERIZON WIRELESS 4G LTE NETWORK

First Smartphone to Combine Android^™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and the Power of America’s Fastest, Most Reliable 4G Network

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless, Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) and Google^™ announced Galaxy^™ Nexus^™ is available starting today in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

Customers can browse the Web, stream music and more at blazing speeds using the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. Galaxy Nexus customers can enjoy access to the 4G LTE network in 190 markets covering over 200 million people across the United States, and fly through the Web with fast download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps within the 4G LTE Mobile Broadband coverage area.

Galaxy Nexus runs Android^™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, which brings an entirely new look and feel to Android. Galaxy Nexus offers customers a redesigned user experience with improved multi-tasking, notifications, Near Field Communications (NFC) sharing with Android Beam^™ and a full Web-browsing experience. The lock screen, home screen, phone app and everything in between have been rethought and redesigned to make Android simple, beautiful and useful. Galaxy Nexus also features an ultra-thin 9.47mm design with a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED^™ Contour Display to watch movies, view pictures and play games that come to life in 720p (1280×720) resolution.

Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) features:

• Redesigned user interface – software navigation buttons, a first for Android smartphones, and a dedicated recent apps button to make multi-tasking easy
• Face Unlock – use state-of-the-art facial recognition to unlock Galaxy Nexus
• Android Beam^™ – quickly share Web pages, apps, contacts and YouTube^™ videos with friends by simply tapping two compatible phones together
• Redesigned Camera – introduces panorama mode, 1080p video capture, zero-shutter lag for instant photo capturing, and effects such as silly faces and background replacement
• People Application – browse friends, family and coworkers, see their photos in high-resolution and check their latest status updates from Google+ and other social networks
• Cloud Services – keep email, contacts, photos, music, browser bookmarks and other data synced to the cloud, available across multiple devices so customers never lose important data
• Google Music – upload up to 20,000 songs to the cloud, discover and buy new music from Android Market^™, and stream it instantly on Galaxy Nexus and from the Web for free
• Google+ – Create a Google+ account right from the phone and check status updates, manage circles, quickly share updates and photos, video chat with up to ten friends with Mobile Hangouts, and chat with groups of friends with Google+ Messenger
• Support for Google Mobile^™ Services – Gmail^™, Google Maps^™ with 3D maps and free turn-by-turn navigation, Google Earth^™, Movie Studio, YouTube, syncing with Google Calendar^™, a redesigned Google+ app and access to more than 300,000 apps, millions of eBooks, thousands of movies to rent, and millions of songs available to download from Android Market

Additional features:

• Dual-core 1.2 GHz application processor and HTML5 Web browser – optimized dual-core processing with Android 4.0 combined with lightning fast 4G LTE connectivity for fast downloading of graphics, applications processing and Web browsing
• Mobile Hotspot capability – share 4G LTE or 3G connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices
• 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with zero-shutter lag for instant photo capturing, autofocus and LED flash with full 1080p recording
• Front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video chat
• Textured soft-touch back cover – enhances the ergonomic feel and makes the phone slip-resistant
• Bluetooth^® 3.0 technology – support for headset, hands-free, stereo, phonebook access, human interface device (HID) and object push for vCard and vCalendar
• 1 GB RAM and 32 GB on-board memory (actual formatted capacity will be less)
• Pricing and data packages:
• Galaxy Nexus is available now in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
• Customers that purchase a Galaxy Nexus by Samsung will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

Customers can visit www.verizonwireless.com/galaxynexus for more information on the Galaxy Nexus. 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.

 

LG’s first Prada phone set a precedent. It won design awards even before it was officially revealed to the public and it was among the first cell phones to feature an elegant full touchscreen form factor. Its launch was eclipsed by the announcement of another full touch phone, however — the Apple iPhone — though it did go on to be a popular option in some markets. According to images and specs published Wednesday by mobile blog BestBoyz, the LG Prada and QWERTY-packing Prada 2 are about to be joined by a third addition to the sleek cell phone line: the LG Prada 3.0. Read on for more.The Prada 3.0, or “PRADA Phone 3.0 by LG,” will be the first smartphone to bear the Prada brand according to the report. It will feature the Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread operating system with a heavily customized Prada UI. Other specs reportedly include a 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP4430 processor, a 4.3-inch NOVA Plus display with WVGA resolution, 8GB of internal storage plus microSDHC support, an 8-megapixel camera with auto-focus, support for 1080p HD video recording and a 1,540 mAh battery.

The report claims LG’s Prada 3.0 will launch in January though pricing is currently unknown. LG is also reportedly working on an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade for the phone as well.

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An image of an unannounced Android smartphone from Sony Ericsson code-named “Nozomi” has been published on a Chinese forum along with limited preliminary details. The smartphone reportedly features a 720p HD display and a dual-core processor, but additional specs remain a mystery. From the image, it looks like the phone features a display sized above 4 inches, and we can also see a unique lighting feature near the bottom of the device. The Nozomi is currently being tested by a carrier in Hong Kong according the forum user who posted the image, though a release could still be several months away. Earlier reports suggested that the Nozomi features a 4.3-inch 720p HD display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread.

[Via Engadget]

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