Google Goggles updated for Android phones

Google Goggles (say or type that 10 times fast) has been updated to version 1.4 for Android phones. The update includes an improved business card scanner that reads the information on a card as a contact instead of just text, making it easier to add new people to your contacts list. The update also allows you to go through your Goggles results, make notes pertaining to those results, and share it all with your pals.

The new 1.4 build of Google Goggles lets you add personal notes to your search history. And when Goggles cannot match an image or comes up with a poor result, the new update lets you suggest a better answer. Tap on "Can you suggest a better result?" on the result and submit a tag.

Google Goggles is available for free from the Android Market for handsets running Android 1.6 or higher.

source: Google

Google Goggles version 1.4 now offers some new features for Android users

WSJ: Microsoft on the verge of paying $7 billion for Skype

Steve Ballmer's appearance at BlackBerry World in Orlando had people thinking about a Microsoft-RIM hookup as we reported. But Tuesday's WSJ is reporting that Microsoft has its sights set on another business-internet phone services company Skype. The paper says that a deal could be announced as soon as today and would cost the Redmond based firm $8.5 billion to become the largest acquisition in company history. So far, neither firm will comment on the story.

Skype connects millions of users on the internet through phone calls and through video chat. The company was founded in 2003 by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, the two men who created Kazaa, a file sharing service that allowed users to swap music back and forth for free. Skype was purchased in 2005 by eBay for $2.5 billion in cash and stock as the online auction company hoped that both parties to a transaction would use the free or low priced calls available on Skype to talk about transactions on eBay. When that failed, eBay sold the service in 2009. 70% of Skype went to tech investors Silver Lake Partners, venture capital firms Index Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, all of whom will score a huge profit if Microsoft indeed makes this purchase.

source: WSJ

Apple rumored to be hooking up with Nuance for iOS 5

According to a new report by Tech Crunch, Apple has deepened its partnership with voice recognition firm Nuance to bring such functionality to iOS 5. As a result, Apple will not be using competing software from Microsoft in its bid to catch up to the voice recognition functions available on Android handsets.

Last year, Apple purchased Siri, a company that offers a personal assistant application for smartphones which uses Nuance's system to understand what the user is saying. The report from Tech Crunch says that Apple and Nuance have engaged in months of negotiations, described as "tense". The iPhone manufacturer is trying to get Nuance to allow it to use its patented technology away from Siri's software and on Apple's own hardware. The tech giant aims to "build on top of the technology." Most of the available talent in the field work for Nuance or Google which makes it prohibitive for the gang at Cupertino to build its own in-house system.

So why doesn't Apple buy Nuance and scoop up the patents and the talent? Nuance stock has just made a new 52 week high and currently has a $6 billion market cap. Throw in the premium required to guarantee a hassle-free buyout and you are talking about Steve Jobs spending $10 billion which might seem a waste of money considering how well the two companies are currently sharing the sandbox. Down the road, if Apple's stock starts moving higher and Nuance shares slump, it would probably be a good idea for Apple to make the purchase. After all, being the defendant in a number of patent infringement suits, Apple should know the value of a good patent portfolio.

According to the report, an anonymous tipster claims that Apple was pushed hard by Microsoft as the latter firm tried to get its voice recognition software used in iOS 5. The Redmond based firm was shot down as Apple and Nuance started working together. The voice recognition features on iOS 5 are expected to be introduced the first week of June at Apple's World Wide Developer's Conference in San Francisco.

Apple is said to be already using Nuance software at its new North Carolina data center where iTunes and MobileMe features are supported. This allows faster voice recognition for iOS users and prevents third party servers from accessing the data. As far as Siri goes, there is speculation that Apple might rebrand the service sometime in the future.

source: TechCrunch

Motorola DROID Pro is now selling for $99.99 through Verizon's web site

With so many respectable Android smartphones packed to the teeth on Verizon’s lineup, it’s very hard for devices released more than 3 months ago to get any visibility, though, pricing can quickly turn things around for most devices.

And rightfully so, that’s the spot where we find the Motorola DROID Pro now that Big Red has reduced its priced to $99.99 with a 2-year contract online. It’s not clearly known if the price drop is permanent or simply a weekly sale, but it’s still a decent price for a top shelf Android smartphone sporting the rare portrait style QWERTY form factor.  Originally, the handset was launched with a $179.99 on-contract price, but now that it’s set below $100, it might gain some attraction amongst customers.

Therefore, if you feel like taking sides with the Motorola DROID Pro, despite making the rounds for some time now, you’ll find it new pricing more than appreciable.

source: Verizon via Motorola (Twitter)

Nokia is holding an event on May 17th in Athens - maybe in regards to WP7?

May is surely turning out to be one busy month for the mobile industry, especially when many are hosting their own events, but now you can add Nokia into the mix as well.

It has been quite some time since we’ve really heard anything in regards to Nokia’s future direction with Windows Phone 7, but they now have an event penned for next week on May 17th in Athens, Greece. Granted that details surrounding the event are slim and non-existent at this point, one can’t help but think about the possibly of hearing something related to hardware announcements.  On the flip side, it could be something totally different and far away from Windows Phone 7.

In any event, we’ll surely know soon enough since it’ll be happening in just over a week from now. Any other mobile companies want to come out and announce an event in May as well? Now is probably the best time!

via IntoMobile

WatchESPN app now streaming ESPN to Android devices

Dah dah dah, dah dah dah...the ESPN theme song can now be heard on Android devices throughout the land as the WatchESPN app becomes available for Android after already making its appearance on the Apple iPhone. One important caveat-you must be a subscriber to an ESPNNetworks enabled provider which means if you are a subscriber to Time Warner Cable, Bright House or Verizon FiOS TV, you can receive ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPNU streamed to your Android handset. When the appropriate season starts, ESPN's Buzzer Beater and Goal Line will also be included. If you subscribe to FIOS Internet only, you can watch just ESPN3. All others are locked out-on the bench-unable to play.

The app is available for free in the Android Market for phones loaded with Android 2.2 or higher.

source: ESPN via Engadget

WatchESPN now brings live streaming SportsCenter direct to your Android phone

Microsoft is holding an event in NYC on May 24th to unveil the next major release of WP7

Earlier today, we explained in an article all of the exciting set of new features that are expected to come out of the Mango update for Windows Phone 7, like turn-by-turn navigation, but now it seems that Microsoft will be hosting an event to showcase it.

Scheduled to “lift the curtain on the next major release of Windows Phone,” Microsoft is holding a preview event in New York City on May 24th – the same day that Samsung will be hosting their very own event as well. Heading into the scorching summer season, this unveiling can seemingly give the new mobile platform some visibility amongst the competition right now. Naturally, major updates like Mango will undoubtedly rejuvenate the platform so that it’ll be able to compete on the same level as its peers.

As much as we’re looking forward to hearing and seeing all the new exciting features coming out of the next major release of Windows Phone 7, it’ll be interesting to find out when exactly existing handsets will see it.

via BGR

New customers can pick up the HTC Droid Incredible 2 for $79.99 through Amazon

Are you shopping around for a new smartphone and looking to start new service with a carrier? Well, you might be interested in the fantastic deal that Amazon is offering for the still fresh HTC Droid Incredible 2.

Even though there are higher caliber handsets like the HTC ThunderBolt and Samsung Droid Charge on Verizon’s lineup right now, the $79.99 on-contract pricing that Amazon is asking for the Droid Incredible 2 is pretty hard not to look at. However, the deal is only available to new customers signing a 2-year contract with the carrier, while existing customers with qualified upgrades will need to pay $149.99 for it. Nevertheless, it’s still a better deal than the $200 price tag that Big Red is currently asking for the handset.

At that price point, you just might be able to overlook the fact that it’s lacking next-gen features like 4G LTE support.

source: Amazon via AndroidGuys

Sprint shaves off another $50 off the Samsung Epic 4G - now priced at $150

Sure it has been available for quite some time now, and for a period of time there, the Samsung Epic 4G has stood at the top of Sprint’s lineup as being its best Android powered smartphone. Of course, price drops are always around the corner, especially when newer handsets come into play, but for the Samsung Epic 4G, we’re seeing yet another drop in price to make it extremely hard to not take notice.

Previously, we saw the handset get a $50 price drop to $200 on-contract back in January, and now that the Google Nexus S 4G is now available with Sprint, it’s only natural to see it get chopped yet again. Now priced at $149.99, it makes it seem more valuable than the equally priced HTC EVO 4G Shift – especially when you have that gorgeous Super AMOLED display and video chat support with its front-facing camera.

As we get closer to its one-year birthday, there’s no arguing that we’ll be seeing yet more price drops in the near future. Still, the $149.99 pricing it’s flaunting right now it more than acceptable considering the high caliber status it’s embodying.

source: Sprint

New Android products being outsold by Apple iPhone 3GS and the original iPad

A report from tech analyst Michael Walkley from Canaccord Genuity claims that at AT&T and Verizon, older versions of Apple's mobile devices are outselling some current Android models. In a note to clients this morning, the analyst wrote, "Interestingly, our April checks indicated continued strong demand for the iPhone 3GS at AT&T and iPad 1 at Verizon, as these older generation products with reduced prices often outsold new Android products. We believe this highlights Apple's significant competitive advantage, and these older products help Apple offer a tiered pricing strategy at key channels."

Walkley discovered that at AT&T stores, the $49 Apple iPhone 3GS was outselling Android powered devices like the HTC Inspire 4G and the Motorola ATRIX 4G. At Verizon, the 16GB and 32GB versions of the original Apple iPad sold out two weeks after the sequel model was launched. The analyst also discovered that Android is taking market share away from Windows Phone 7 handsets, but is not yet invading the iPhone space. He also notes that while Android as a whole has outsold the iPhone because of the large amount of different phones using Google's open source OS, there has been no other single smartphone that has outsold Apple's device.

Despite reports that the HTC ThunderBolt is outselling the Apple iPhone 4 at Verizon, Walkley says that it is the latter that is the top seller for Big Red. He expects that to continue throughout the year as customer's existing 2 year contracts expire, allowing them to purchase Apple's phone with a subsidy.

The analyst also wrote that the Apple iPad is the best selling tablet while competing devices like the Motorola XOOM and the BlackBerry PlayBook have had "modest sales".

source: AppleInsider

Google Nexus S 4G maintenance release packs "enhancements to improve performance"

Not only is the newly available Samsung Replenish getting an unexpected software update already, but it appears that the Google Nexus S 4G is also getting its own dose right at the start.

Although it’s not anything major, the latest maintenance release for the pure Google device for Sprint carries along only some “enhancements to improve performance.” However, it’s not explicitly stated as to what those enhancements exactly are – but either way, it’s probably an ideal decision to install it. From the sound of it all, the whole download and installation process should take roughly 5 minutes to fully complete, but it’s still a good idea to back things up prior to installation.

Again, if you haven’t you received the notification, you can manually initiate the over-the-air process by simply going into the Android settings menu. Some might question why we’re seeing an update so soon for the device, but it seems that it’s better to release it after launch as opposed to delaying the handset’s release altogether.

source: Sprint

Software update for the Samsung Replenish carries some enhancements & fixes

For those of you out there who managed to pick up the eco-friendly Samsung Replenish, you’ll probably be surprised to already see a notification pop up on the handset indicating that a software update is available for download.

Fortunately, the minor maintenance release for the handset carries along some enhancements and bug fixes that should stabilize the handset slightly. Specifically, it fixes the LED notification light for missed alerts, resolves the issue with Bluetooth email sync functionality, and improves performance in roaming coverage. The download itself isn’t a large at all and takes approximately 5 minutes to fully install, but it’s mentioned that it should be pushed out to all devices within the next 4 days.

If you’d rather get it now than later, you can always initiate the process yourself by going into the settings menu and manually checking for the update yourself.

source: Sprint

Beta SMS 2.0 for WP7 allows you to send international messages for cheap or free

Nearly most carriers have plans that provide you an all-you-can-eat amount of sending text messages to people, but it’s so very hard to find something that caters to sending messages internationally. Of course, your best options are email and instant messaging clients, especially when they’re free, but sometimes you just need that instant transmission directly to their handsets.

Well, if you happen to sport a Windows Phone 7 smartphone, you might want to inquire more about the Beta SMS 2.0 application for the platform that allows you to send short text messages internationally. Obviously, the great thing about it is the fact that you can send messages abroad for really cheap – and in some instances, they’re even free! Essentially, it works by using some of your favorite web SMS or VoIP providers, which is better than relying on using a web browser to log into your specific provider’s web site.

Naturally, there are some of the new features included with the latest version of the app, but you’ll need to shell out a measly $1.29 to download it from the Windows Marketplace.

source: Zune via WMPoweruser

Samsung Replenish Review

Introduction:

When it comes to technology, there’s no arguing that cell phone manufacturers are at the cutting edge, but there are still very few that are mindful about being eco-friendly in terms of production and distribution. So far, Sprint seems to be one of the more prevalent carriers offering green-friendly devices on its lineup – but up until now, we’ve been presented with nothing more than simple QWERTY based messaging phones. Happily, the affordable Samsung Replenish SPH-M580 is finally here not only carrying along some environmentally friendly initiatives with its production, but it also brings Android goodness in the form of a portrait style QWERTY device. Affordably priced at $50 on-contract, let’s hope that the experience is acceptable for this eco-conscious entry-level smartphone.

Stylus for the HTC Flyer will set you back $79.99

When you hear about a stylus being mentioned alongside a device, one of the first things to pop up for most people are those fond memories from yesterday when resistive screens ruled the landscape. Generally, some would assume that the cost in producing a stylus isn’t going to be that bad, especially if it’s nothing more than a plastic one, but in the case of the HTC Flyer, its stylus goes far beyond that small stick of plastic we’re accustomed to using.

If you plan on snatching the HTC Flyer once it’s made available, and you really want to use that optional Stylus for its fancy Scribe technology, you’re going to shell out more than you think for it. In fact, you can pick one up through Best Buy for Business for a whopping $79.99 – with shipping on top of that. Again, it’s no ordinary stylus, but rather, it’s based off of N-Trig’s DuoSense capacitive touch technology, which almost offers the same experience used by standalone graphics tablets or interactive displays – but priced much more affordably.

Regardless of whether or not some might view it as an expensive additional cost, it will prove its worth since it’ll provide you that solid and fine control that’s arguably better than relying on your finger alone.

source: Best Buy for Business via GSMArena

Leaked press shots of Verizon's HTC Trophy indicates an inevitable release

So far, it seems that Verizon’s HTC Trophy is still speculated to launch on May 12th, and even though things have been relatively quiet in Verizon’s camp regarding the handset, there is a good indication that it’s on track for release.

Aiding the efforts in possibly seeing or hearing about its launch, official press photos of the Verizon bound Windows Phone 7 smartphone have been leaked giving us a full view of what to expect with the device. Seeing the Verizon branding etched prominently on there for everyone to take notice, it signals that Microsoft’s platform is finally being circulated amongst the four major domestic wireless carriers – and the timing couldn’t have been any better! Surely it’s taking Verizon quite some time to finally open its doors to Microsoft’s new mobile platform, but we’re still waiting for that official confirmation to land.

Nonetheless, if the rumors of it launching on May 12th are true, then we should hear about it over the course of the next few days. In the meantime, you can simply drool over the leaked press shots to check out every nook and cranny of the smartphone.

source: PocketNow via IntoMobile

HTC Holiday and HTC Puccini destined for AT&T, pics available

We have two pictures of two AT&T-bound devices - the HTC Holiday and the HTC Puccini.

There isn't much that's known about these gadgets, except that the HTC Holiday is a handset that seems to have a front-facing camera, while the HTC Puccini is said to be the rumored 10-inch tablet by the Taiwanese manufacturer. The latter is likely to pack the tablet-optimized Honeycomb and the unique HTC Scribe technology.

These are, of course, the internal names of the gadgets, but what's really interesting is the claim that we may be looking at two of the first LTE-supporting devices for AT&T - as you probably know, the carrier is set to roll out its LTE network at some point in 2011.

source: pocketnow (HTC Holiday, HTC Puccini)

Samsung Droid Charge vs HTC ThunderBolt

Introduction:

Two titans enter the ring: the Samsung Droid Charge in one corner and the HTC ThunderBolt in the other. Both can use Verizon’s new 4G LTE network, and come with a host of features, such as a large display, 1GHz processor, 8MP camera, and 32GB of storage space. But there are some key differences between these two smartphones, which we will go into detail here.

Scientists harvest sound to create electricity, cell phone blabbers vindicated

The institute of nanotechnology at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea seems ot be working on an intriguing technology for energy harvesting that uses the power of sound waves.

Now we know that Nokia used to work in its UK lab facilities on capturing ambient wireless energy that is all around us in the cities, the so-called RF harvesting, and trying to convert it into electricity to supplement a cell phone's battery, but sound is a whole different ballgame. Seriously, just imagine the amount of juice you'd get at the Yankee Stadium during playoffs.

"A number of approaches for scavenging energy from environments have been intensively explored. The sound that always exists in our everyday life and environments has been overlooked as a source. This motivated us to realise power generation by turning sound energy from speech, music or noise into electrical power.

Sound power can be used for various novel applications including cellular phones that can be charged during conversations and sound-insulating walls near highways that generate electricity from the sound of passing vehicles. The latter development would have the additional benefit of reducing noise levels near highways by absorbing the sound energy of vehicles.", says the project's lead Dr Sang-Woo Kim.

The idea is actually pretty simple, at least on paper. When the sound waves hit an absorbing pad, they make the pad vibrate, and this is translated to tiny zinc oxide wires that are placed between two electrodes. The back and forth movement creates electricity, which in turn can be used for charging. For now the only current a prototype was able to generate is 50 millivolts of electricity from sound with 100 decibels strength, or about the noise from heavy street traffic.

While this is not nearly enough for independent cell phone charging, the team working on the project thinks they can tweak the material of the zinc oxide wires even further, to allow for producing more energy from lower ambient noise. Just imagine what an argument could the phrase "Keep it quiet, honey, your battery will explode..." make.

We certainly cross finger for them - who knows, when you combine RF harvesting with transparent solar cell films in our touchscreens and on our phones' backs, then add the sound harvesting pad, we might just be able to get more than a day of intense usage out of our big screen smartphones in the bright future.

source: TheTelegraph

HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa available for pre-order in the UK, to launch on June 26

MWC 2011 was the place where the long rumored Facebook optimized HTC phones - the HTC ChaCha and the HTC Salsa - were made official.

A few months have passed since then, but the good news is that we have the release details of these handsets courtesy of Amazon UK - they will be launched on June 26 in Britain and are already available for pre-order.

HTC ChaCha, which offers (among other things) a 2.6-inch screen, 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor, Android 2.3 plus HTC Sense and a portrait QWERTY is available for $409 (£249.99), while the HTC Salsa, which packs pretty much the same goodies - except for the screen, which is larger at 3.4-inch and sans the keyboard - is available for $524 (or £319.99).

As can be expected, these are off-contract prices. If you are eager to learn more about these cute handsets, go this way for our HTC ChaCha Hands-on and HTC Salsa Hands-on.

source: Amazon UK (HTC ChaCha, HTC Salsa) via Engadget

Samsung Infuse 4G Review

Introduction:

 Seemingly coming out of nowhere, especially considering that it’s not tied to the Samsung Galaxy S family, the Samsung Infuse 4G is gunning for the top dog position on AT&T’s Android lineup that’s currently occupied by the Motorola ATRIX 4G. Although it shares some of elements that embody the Samsung Galaxy S II, like its super razor thin profile and gorgeous Super AMOLED Plus display, there are other things that make it unique in its own way. Specifically, it’s going to be AT&T’s first device to feature HSPA+ Category 14, which should bring along theoretical speeds of up to 21Mbps. Additionally, it’s mentioned to support HSUPA at launch, which is set for May 15th, as opposed to seeing it enabled down the road – much like what has happened to the HTC Inspire 4G and Motorola ATRIX 4G. Priced fittingly at $199.99 on-contract, there surely is a lot to like with this one, but knowing that the Samsung Galaxy S II is beginning to permeate into markets around the world, will this one still be a contender in the high-end Android category?

Apple University teaching employees based on Steve Jobs' decisions and methods

We knew there is a thing called Apple University, but, honestly speaking, we didn't have the slightest idea what it is all about or what is its goal.

Now, thanks to a Fortune article, the veil was lifted. It turns out that the internal university, which was created back in 2008, teaches Apple employees, which, presumably, are touted to be future senior execs at the company, to learn making the "right things", i.e. the decisions that Steve Jobs would make in a particular situation.

This may sound pretty hilarious to some people, but it's a fact that many big corporations have similar programs. Just one example is McDonald's one, which is called Hamburger University, though we are not sure that the guys enlisted there are learning the McDonald brothers way of thinking.

All these things aside, Apple seems to be pretty serious about its university - it's managed by Joel Podolny, formerly a Yale professor, while other notable minds - like Andy Grove (of the Stanford Business School) and Richard Tedlow (of Harvard Business School) - are writing thesis on "significant decisions in Apple’s recent history". It's said that the pupils at this university are learning directly from senior Apple executives like Tim Cook, COO and, at the moment, acting CEO of Apple, and Ron Johnson, Senior Vice President of Retail Operations at the company.

However, it seems everything in this particular university is based around the decisions and thoughts of Steve Jobs:

"Jobs is ensuring that his teachings are being collected, curated, and preserved so that future generations of Apple’s leaders can consult and interpret them."

We don't know about you, but in our minds this sounds a bit like Chairman Mao's (so-called) Little Red Book - the teachings of one man expressed with the single goal to guide the future leaders of the revolution (in Apple's case - the mobile one).

Whether you think so or otherwise, it's a fact that Steve Jobs' return to Apple has been the second coming of the company. Moreover, his achievements have been widely recognized, including by the current US President Barack Obama, who said the Apple CEO is "a symbol of the American Dream" and Market Watch, which proclaimed him "CEO of the decade".

source: Electricpig UK

Microsoft to buy RIM?

An analyst claims that due to RIM's not so good showing in the past months (or a year), Microsoft may look into the possibility of acquiring the Canadian company to boost its own presence in the smartphone market.

It's hard to argue that RIM is losing its smartphone momentum - not only this notion is now treated as a common sense thing, but also there is some very persuasive evidence pointing in that direction - its profits and revenue are plunging, people in the mobile industry seem to agree that Windows Phone is sure to overcome BlackBerry OS in the coming years, not to mention that Mike Lazaridis, RIM's co-CEO, doesn't act like a man who is able to turn around the Canadian company's failing fortunes.

Its BlackBerry World announcements - the new BlackBerry OS 7.0 (previously known as BB OS 6.1) and its two new handsets - did little to dispel the fears that RIM is lagging behind the smartphone curve. That's only iterated by the fact that Steve Ballmer's appearance during BB World fueled previous speculations that the Redmond-based company may purchase RIM at some point in the future.

Here's what Harry Wang, director of mobile research at Parks Associates, says on the subject:

"Will Microsoft buy RIM? That is a possibility and a fast track for Microsoft to gain a foothold in the mobile hardware business."

He goes on:

"RIM's market capitalization is only $25 billion and Microsoft has $48 billion in cash. If RIM's value drops to $15 billion, it will become an attractive target for Microsoft. Maybe Steve Ballmer was planting that seed during his keynote appearance at Blackberry World."

The analyst says we shouldn't expect such a deal to be announced in the next year or so. Of course, it goes without saying that this move may never materialize - especially if RIM's transition period goes well. However, if things don't work out for the Canadian manufacturer, there is some chance that Microsoft may buy it for its enterprise appeal:

"There's a 50 percent probability that, in about two years, Microsoft will make a big and bold more to acquire large hardware vendors. RIM will be the best target because it has a user base that Microsoft is looking for: enterprise customers. And they are in the key, fast-growing area that Microsoft isn't very successful at yet, the mobile world. The need for Microsoft is so urgent in mobile, yet RIM is a perfect entry."

As you can see, there is nothing certain in this analysis - there are plenty of "ifs" and "buts" in it. What's your opinion on it, though - would you be happy if Microsoft purchases RIM or you feel it would be a shame if the Canadian company is no longer in the mobile game?

source: PC Mag

HTC Sensation 4G really clears the FCC, no doubt about it anymore

It was only days ago when we were pretty sure that the HTC Sensation 4G had successfully passed the FCC's rigorous testing procedures. However, the latest piece in the puzzle solves the mystery, but creates another.

You see, the HTC Sensation 4G has indeed been given the thumbs up by the FCC meaning that its launch for T-Mobile is pretty close to becoming a reality. We know because while browsing through the commission’s web page, we stumbled upon a smartphone bearing the PG58130 model number, which was clearly labeled as the HTC Sensation 4G. If that is not enough of a clue, the device boasted a 1700 MHz radio making it a perfect fit for T-Mobile’s 4G wireless network. What sparked our curiosity is that the smartphone, which we were trying to identify 3 days ago, had a different model number – PG58100. This may eventually turn out to be anything from a slightly different Sensation 4G modification to a whole new device.

Now, some of you may ask where the T-Mobile myTouch 4G (a.k.a. HTC Doubleshot) is in this equation. After all, it was believed that exactly that device was hiding behind the PG58100 model number. Well, sorry to disappoint you, but it is not the Doubleshot that we are dealing with here. The Doubleshot's ROM just leaked on the web revealing that its model number is going to be PG59100.

If everything unfolds as planned, we should see the HTC Sensation 4G launching this summer, supposedly as early as next month.

source: FCC

Mock Symbian homescreens tease what could be the PR 3.0 updated interface

Nokia Germany has a few mock Symbian homescreens floating around on its website, slapped on rotating Nokia N8, Nokia E7 and Nokia C7.

Now, resizable widgets are something that is supposedly coming after the Symbian PR 2.0, or Anna update, which should arrive pretty soon for all Symbian^3 phones, but the ones here look different than what we've seen so far.

The free form widgets UI could either be a botched Photoshop attempt, or a harbinger of what's to come in the next big Symbian update that aims to deal with the unwieldy interface once and for all.

For now only the clock's ticking on the simulation screens, and the widgets themselves are just links, but if this is a precursor to fall-bound Symbian PR 3.0, or Belle, do you like what you are seeing so far?

Thanks, Philip!

source: NokiaGermany via MyNokiaBlog