iPhone front panel leaks, is it from a 4S or 5?

Welcome to the latest next-gen iPhone rumor roundup. This time we get a glimpse of a front plate (and other stuff too) that looks almost identical to the one used in the current iPhone 4. The plate belongs to the N94 prototype, which reportedly looks just like the current iPhone 4 but has a dual-core A5 chip inside - hence the 4S moniker.

The front plate has EVT1 posted on it, which translates as Engineering Verification Testing 1 and has a March 03rd, 2011 date stamped on as well.

According to DigiTimes.com sources the next generation iPhone will have a sub-4"display and it will drop the glass back panel design and go with metal (probably aluminum to save on weight). The same sources claim that the 4.0-4.2" rumor is more of a market-assumption than real fact. The display of the iPhone 5 (or 4S) will probably offer a slightly edged-out bezel but still be no more than 3.5-3.7 inches.

Back to the front panel that leaked - it looks so similar to the one on the iPhone 4 that it could end up being the new lower-cost iPhone 4 8GB that should emerge as soon as the next iPhone hits the shelves.

Also some rumors point out that the 4S will come out alongside the 5, sporting a dual-core chip and nothing more. The iPhone 5 on the other hand will offer a faster processor, an 8MP snapper, larger display and maybe a redesigned body. We won't be betting on two iPhone announcement this September (or October).

UBREAKIFIX.com has leaked a couple of images of components, they claim to belong to the iPhone 5 - including a larger-looking camera sensor, slightly larger-capacity battery and different-looking earpiece speaker than the iPhone 4's.

It's all a big mess of a rumor and it's already hard to keep up and choose who to trust. But the truth is probably hiding somewhere in there and they are almost impossible to be all wrong. With a little bit of luck, we'll learn the whole truth in a week or so (September 6th is the rumored announcement date).

Verizon picking the DROID Prime instead of the Galaxy S II

Verizon Wireless has backed off the deal on the Samsung Galaxy S II and is not going to offer it. The good news is this has happened for a reason - Verizon will jump on the next best thing - Samsung DROID Prime.

The next Google phone is believed to be made by Samsung and should be announced soon as Nexus Prime. The Nexus Prime is supposed to pack similar or even better specs as the Galaxy S II and run on Android Ice Cream Sandwich, so the Verizon's users won’t be disappointed.

The rumored model name is SCH-i515 DROID Prime and the targeted launch is somewhere in October.

According to BGR the info comes from a trusted to Verizon Wireless source, but there is no harm to take all this with a pinch of salt. It's also interesting this spicy piece of intel leaks just before the Galaxy S II launch in the USA, but we guess everything will start making sense soon.

Razer announces Blade, their first ever gaming laptop

A few days back Razer had launched a website, pcgamingisnotdead.com, where they talked about how, well, PC gaming is not really dead and that it is superior to console gaming. They lso put up a counter on their site that hinted at an upcoming product but it wasn’t clear what it would be. But we know now.

Yesterday, Razer announced their first ever gaming laptop, the Razer Blade, which they claim to be the world’s first true gaming laptop. The focus in this product has been on achieving the highest possible performance in the thinnest possible form factor.

The Razer Blade (I’m sure the pun is very well intended) is the thinnest notebook in its class, measuring just 0.88-inch in thickness, thinner than even the MacBook Pro which is 0.95-inch thick. It has a 17-inch, 1920 x 1080 resolution, LED backlit display. To power this beast the Blade will be running on an 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 2640M processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M GPU with 2GB of dedicated memory and NVIDIA’s Optimus Technology.

The entire machine is made from aluminum with a classy black finish. On the left side you will find all the ports, including one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports. The large keyboard is backlit and has a chicklet design.

But perhaps the biggest feature of the Razer Blade is the touchscreen display on the side of the keyboard that uses Razer’s Switchblade UI. The display shows you game information when you use a separate mouse and acts as a regular trackpad otherwise. Above this are ten user configurable keys with an LCD inside each that changes according to their function. You can assign an infinite number commands and macros to these keys for use in-game or otherwise.

Of course all this comes at a price and the Razer Blade will cost you $2,800. Also, at nearly seven pounds, it’s also a bit heavy. The positioning of the trackpad also means it’s only meant for right handed users and from what I can make out from the images, there is no optical drive either, so you are limited to downloading your games and movies online. Also, the fact that there are no claims made about the battery life makes me think it’s not going to be very impressive. But if you are still excited about the Razer Blade, you can look forward to seeing it in the fourth quarter this year when it ships.

Meet the trio of U.S. bound Samsung Galaxy SII droids

The unveiling of the U.S. version of the Samsung Galaxy SII is just around the corner yet, somehow, an official press shot of the devices in question managed to make its way onto the world wide web. Today, we can show you with the utmost certainty the Samsung Galaxy SII U.S. trio of droids, which is poised to make a splash across the Atlantic.

As you can see from the picture, the power droid will be launched on Sprint Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile networks respectively. The largest networks in the U.S. - Verizon Wireless is missing from the picture.

The U.S. Galaxy SII differs from its rest of the world sibling by its lack of home button at the front. Instead, you get four touch sensitive buttons, a la Samsung Infuse 4G. The edges of the T-Mobile and Sprint versions are also rounder than the ones of the Galaxy S II which we know so well.

We will know more about the droids when we attend the launch event in New York City (by the way, it has been postponed by a day due to increment weather), so expect to get the full scoop on the three devices this coming Tuesday. In the meantime, tell us which one you like the most in the comments section below.

Thank you, Samsung, for confirming Nexus Prime

Samsung legal department has sent a Cease and Desist letter to a person claiming it is in possession of leaked Nexus Prime firmware. The Korean manufacturer wants it back, because it's obviously an exclusive Samsung property and not to be released to the public.

Yes, that's the confirmation you've been looking for - the third Google phone - Nexus Prime - will be once again made by Samsung.

According to the rumors, it will sport 4.5" new generation Super AMOLED screen and might be based on Samsung's Exynos SoC with a powerful 1.5GHz dual-core processor.

Google Nexus Prime is supposedly the first droid running on Ice Cream Sandwich and as the rumor has it, it might get an October release. We expect even more leaks as we get closer to the official announcement.

Check out the source link to see the letter itself. Warning, legalese ahead!

Sony Ericsson announces the Xperia neo V and Android updates

Sony Ericsson has just announced the Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread update for the 2011 Xperia lineup and the first phone that will run on 2.3.4 out of the box - the Xperia neo V.

• The Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread update will hit the whole Xperia lineup from this year - PLAY, Arc, neo, pro, mini, mini pro, active and ray. It will bring along a few nice features:

• Sony 3D sweep panorama functionality - you can take panorama shots and watch them (in 2D) on your phone, (in 2D) on your HTDV or (in 3D) on your 3D HDTV

• Screen capture - grab a screenshot anywhere from your Xperia

• Enhanced Facebook integration
  Google Talk with Video Chat (for Xperia phones with front-facing camera)

• Swipe text input - works just like Swype, but it's called T9 trace
  USB on-the-go functionality - it works only when you've connected your Xperia phone to the Sony Ericsson LiveDock. It supports wired and wireless USB accessories such as keyboard, mouse and gamepads. There is no word on USB drives support yet. 

Sony Ericsson has also announced the Xperia neo V (it’s the Roman numeral five, not the letter v). The neo V has the same specifications as the previous Xperia neo, save for the camera. It's now a 5 megapixel one instead of 8 megapixels. Sony Ericsson has some difficulties manufacturing the 8 megapixel camera sensors since the tragic earthquakes in Japan and that's most probably why the neo V is supposed to replace the previous neo.

In case you haven’t met with the neo yet and you are unfamiliar with its specs, here is what you will get with Xperia neo V - a 3.7-inch FWVGA Reality display with scratch-resistant surface; a Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon chipset with a 1GHz Scorpion processor, Adreno 205 graphics and 512MB RAM; 5 megapixel camera with HD video recording and 3D sweep panorama functionality; lots of connectivity options incl. HDMI port and will run on Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread out of the box.

Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V will be released in Q4 this year, but the pricing is yet to be revealed. 

Samsung leaks its upcoming devices in its own Android App

We have been speculating about what will Samsung reveal next week in Berlin for quite some time now. Thanks to the Korean company's own Unpacked Android app, we can now tell you which devices will be announced at IFA, exactly a week from today.

As you can see from the picture above, the trio of gadgets includes Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, Galaxy Note, and the Bada OS running Wave 3.

The Galaxy Tab 7.7 will most likely be running Android's latest Honeycomb 3.2, which was updated to support smaller screens as well. The Wave 3 on the other hand, will be packing the latest Bada OS. The Galaxy Note is definitely the big question mark here, since we don't know anything about it for the moment.

All 3 devices will be officially revealed next week in Berlin. In the meantime, feel free to tell us what do you expect from them in the comments section below.

Official picture WP7 Mango running HTC Omega leaks

As we reported three days ago, HTC is hosting an event on September 1st (a day before the IFA kicks off in Berlin). HTC is supposed to announce the WP7 Mango-based Eternity and Omega on this event.

Today we have an official picture of HTC Omega. The smartphone looks like most other HTC handsets and has a white/silver paintjob.

HTC Omega is rumored to feature a 3.8-inch SLCD WVGA display, an 8 megapixel snapper with LED flash plus a 720p camcorder and should be based on Qualcomm's MSM8255 Snapdragon core with a 1.5GHz processor and 512MB RAM. As the rumors has it, the Omega might be just a codename and it's retail name may be HTC Radar.

September 1st is just around the corner when all the details about Omega and its high-end sibling Eternity will be cleared.

Nokia unveils Symbian Belle, looks Android-ish

Nokia pulled the cover off Symbian Belle, which will debut with the three new models (600, 700 and 701). It succeeds Anna and brings more improvements to the Symbian OS - to quote the press release, "All in all, Symbian Belle provides Nokia's most competitive, seamless and intuitive Symbian experience so far."

By the sound of it, this new version brings more improvements to the homescreen than Anna did. The homescreen now consists of up to six rather than three panes and the widgets that live on those panes will be available in five different sizes (they're pretty much all the same size on Anna and Symbian^3). The widgets can be resized too, which gives you even more flexibility.

The main menu is now flat - it's vertically scrollable and all the shortcuts are placed on the same screen, no more folders.

The way multitasking works has changed too - instead of the old task switcher, you can now flick between live images of your open apps. Unfortunately, we didn’t see a screenshot of that, it sounds pretty cool.

Another big change is a pull down menu for notifications from any homescreen - we're guessing Nokia has decided to copy Android's notification area much like Apple and Samsung. This menu will also offer toggles to control mobile data, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Silent mode (it can't be more obvious).

Belle continues Nokia's push towards an NFC-enabled world. Pairing is now enviously simple - you tap two NFC-enabled gadgets together (two phones, a phone and a handset) and that's it. To unpair them, just tap them again. We've seen this functionality with the N9 and the cool NFC wireless speaker. Today, Nokia also announced a similarly working NFC-enabled stereo headset - the Nokia Essence.

The Belle lockscreen has been updated too - the new version lets you add color wallpaper and missed event notifications.

Belle also includes new apps from Microsoft - Lync (IM for businesses, like Microsoft Communicator), Sharepoint, OneNote, Exchange ActiveSync and PowerPoint Broadcaster.

Check out Symbian Belle running on the new Nokia 701 to see the cool new features in action.

The new models - Nokia 600, 700 and 701 - will launch with Symbian Belle, while the older models that just got Anna will be getting it later on, but Nokia didn’t disclose any target dates.

Symbian Belle brings many exciting new features and seems to make the platform much more usable. But as it does, it also pushes Symbian closer to Android (resizable widgets, flat menu, pull-down notification area) - who was it that was quoted saying using Android was like peeing in your pants for warmth? Oh, right, Nokia's own Anssi Vanjoki, chief of smartphones at the time. Well, what he meant was there's little long-term profit in Google's OS and using it is only a temporary relief. We wonder how he'd feel now that Nokia is peeing in its pants with Symbian hoping the warmth will last them enough for Windows Phone 7 to take off.

Nokia N8 gets a camera update with better UI and video recording

It must feel quite good to be a Nokia N8 owner these days. First, there was the Symbian Anna update, which deals with quite a few of its usability issues and now Nokia brought the news that there's a camera update in the works for their former flagship.

The Nokia N8 camera update beta has already been released so if you don't mind a few bugs you don't need to wait anymore to get it. Just head to the Nokia Beta Labs website and take it for a spin. A registration is required though and you will need to have an N8 that's already running the Anna update.

The camera update itself is pretty major bringing a new UI that, according to Nokia, gives you faster access to essential camera controls. The UI was certainly one of the worst parts of the N8 camera and we appreciate Nokia's efforts to finally do something about it.

The other thing that got boosted by the update is video recording. The N8 finally got its video framerate cranked up to 30 fps and the continuous auto-focus features. So far, those were only available through an unofficial mod.

LG Optimus Sol gets officially announced

The LG Optimus Sol that we saw yesterday has been promoted to 'official' status. The Optimus Sol (Sol means the Sun) comes with LG’s new 3.8-inch, 800 x 480 resolution, 'Ultra AMOLED' display, which according to LG has a two-fold advanced reflection rate compared to standard AMOLED displays, which gives it better clarity outdoors and lower image quality degradation.

The Optimus Sol also has a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8225 Snapdragon processor, 512MB RAM, 2GB of ROM (150MB available to the user), expandable memory with 2GB microSD card included, 5 megapixel auto-focus camera on the back and VGA camera on the front, quad-band GSM and dual band 3G network support, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, A-GPS, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct and a 1,500mAh battery with a new power management system which according to LG gives the Optimus Sol 20-30 percent boost in battery life. All this in a 9.8mm thick body.

The Optimus Sol will be sold in Europe starting mid-September, followed by Central and South America. The phone will be available in black, titan and white.

Sony Ericsson introduces Live with Walkman droid smartphone

It seems that Sony Ericsson is getting back to the Walkman brand (at one point they said they'll leave it behind). The latest model to sport the prestigious logo is the Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman. It is quite similar to the new Xperia mini, but with a slightly bigger screen and a strong focus on music.

The Live with Walkman is a Gingerbread droid (customized with Sony Ericsson's four-corner UI), powered by a 1GHz processor. The screen is 3.2" TFT with HVGA resolution and scratch-resistant coating. The phone measures 56.5 x 106 x 14.2 mm and weighs 115g, making it slightly taller and heavier than the Xperia mini.

Anyway, the new music-loving Sony Ericsson has stereo speakers with xLOUD technology (which improves speaker performance) and the trademark Walkman music player. The 1200mAh battery is good for up to 17 hours and a half of music playback.

Other than that, the specs of the Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman are pretty much like those of the Xperia mini - quad-band 2G, tri-band 3G (with HSPA), A-GPS, Wi-Fi with DLNA and hotspot, Bluetooth with A2DP, 5MP main camera with LED flash, 720p video recording and VGA secondary camera.

The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman will be out some time in the final quarter but there's no exact date or pricing info. All we know is that it will come with a 2GB microSD card and a stereo headset (though Sony Ericsson didn’t say anything more about it).

Retina display Apple iPad 3 to come in early 2012, WSJ confirms

It always seemed rather improbable that Apple would release two generation of its tablet in a single year, but a part of us really wanted to believe it will happen. Yet, the Wall Street Journal just took stage and killed whatever hopes we had left for seeing a Retina display-packing iPad 3 this year.

According to the publication, the Cupertino-based company is aiming at starting trial-production of the iPad 3 in October, so the official launch cannot realistically come sooner than the start of next year.

So we should be getting the iPad 3 and its sweetly sounding 2048 by 1536 pixels display no earlier than 2012. And if you think about it, the difficulties manufacturing the high-res screen might not be only thing that’s holding it back.

With the resolution quadrupled, the next iPad will probably need at least twice the processing power of the current edition to deliver the same performance. And, except for the Nvidia Tegra 3, there probably won’t be any other mobile chipsets with quad-core CPUs available until the start of 2012. Unless Apple has a new chip up its sleeves.

Yahoo launching an Android phone in Japan

Yahoo is launching an Android based smartphone in Japan on the country’s third biggest mobile operator, SoftBank.

Yes, as strange as it sounds, Yahoo is launching a phone running Android, an OS made by Yahoo’s biggest competitor in the search engine space. Having said that, Yahoo is a lot more popular in Japan and in fact it is the biggest site in the country.

As for the phone, it will be manufactured by Sharp and will have a 4-inch LCD with qHD resolution, Android 2.3, 8 megapixel camera with a CMOS sensor, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, microSDHC card slot, a built-in digital TV tuner, an e-wallet function and infrared communications.

The phone will come with some of Yahoo’s apps pre-installed, such as Yahoo Japan Home, Yahoo Japan Auctions, Yahoo Luco, etc. The Yahoo phone will start selling late next month in Japan.

Is a Samsung-made Nexus Prime coming in October?

The rumors that Samsung will be producing the next generation Google phone are heating up. Today's edition suggests that the next Google phone, the Nexus Prime, will launch in October and will be the first device to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Reportedly, it will pack a 4.5" screen with 720p resolution - probably the new generation SuperAMOLEDs we heard of yesterday. If that's true, it will mean going back to PenTile matrixes.

Rumors go on to say that the Nexus Prime will be powered by a chipset that will make even the Galaxy S II look slow - a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU running at a higher clock speed than we've ever seen so far.

Samsung is already teasing their Berlin Unpacked event, which will precede IFA. It's expected that they'll show the I9250 - supposedly a Android Ice Cream Sandwich phone with a 4.65" screen with 720p resolution.

This sounds very much in line with the Nexus Prime - and if it's not Prime itself, it might be Samsung's own version of the phone (like how Nexus S/Galaxy S were). Also, a September announcement and an October launch seem good.

The acquisition of Motorola by Google hasn’t gone through yet, so it's not strange that another company is making the next Nexus. Things might look differently when the time comes to make a successor to the Nexus Prime.

We can't wait for the Berlin Unpacked and IFA, when we should get a clearer picture.

Symbian Anna update rolls out for the whole Symbian^3 gang

Yesterday Nokia began uploading the Symbian Anna firmware for the N8 and E7 on its servers. Luckily, it didn’t stop with those two and the Anna updates for C7 and C6-01 also hit the servers later.

Symbian Anna is available now for download via the official channels - either as an OTA update or through the Ovi Suite. All Nokia N8, E7, C7 and C6-01 qualify for the update no matter the region, carrier or color.

Currently, the Anna updates are rolling out in most of Europe and Asia but it’s a matter of days before they go worldwide.

In case you've missed all the important stuff about Symbian Anna, it brings along a completely new web browser, a split-screen text input view, a new homescreen, menu icons and visuals plus improved overall performance and a few updates for Maps, Mail, Photos and Calendar. Nokia N8 gets continuous auto-focus in video recording plus a higher video framerate (30fps), while the C7's NFC capabilities are also finally enabled.

Let's hope the Symbian Belle update won't take Nokia as long as the Anna one.

Microsoft to buy Nokia in a few weeks for $27 billion, says analyst

Microsoft will buy Nokia in a matter of weeks, according to the influential mobile analyst who first broke the news that Nokia would be producing Windows Phone powered handsets.

According to an unsubstantiated tweet from the seemingly extraordinarily well connected Eldar Murtazin of Mobile Review, the companies have agreed what a price of around $27 billion, despite some hard negotiating from the Big M.

Murtazin stated: “Finally. Nokia could be sold in a few weeks. Price 27billions [sic] for the whole company. Microsoft in a hurry but want to pay much less.”

The editor of the Russian site, who it is alleged works as an analyst for some of Nokia’s major rivals, has been forecasting a Nokia sell-off for months now – much to the chagrin of some of Nok Nok’s movers and shakers and the derision of some tech watchers who regard much of his forthright commentary as pure conjecture.

However, there are some very real advantages for Microsoft that add a veneer of credibility to his statements. Not least among them being that acquiring a mobile manufacturer would enable the Redmond-based company to exert more control over its Windows platform.

What’s more, we’ve learned that dismissing Murtazin isn’t something you do lightly – especially where Nokia is concerned.

Not only was he proved correct when he forecast that Nokia Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo was not long for his position at the top of the tree, Murtazin was also bang on in forecasting that Nokia would retire its Ovi brand for app stores and services.

Nokia N9 has FM radio and FM Transmitter on board

The Nokia N9 is the first MeeGo handset to launch out of the Finish giant and the world seems to just can't get enough of it. And today we have some great news for you - despite Nokia's claims the N9 has FM radio receiver and an FM Transmitter in its premium-quality plastic body.

So while the Nokia N9 specs sheet claims that the smartphone has no FM radio, let alone FM transmitter the hardware is actually there. That was confirmed by no other than Nokia itself on one of its developer websites.

However, there's no software support for either of those and the Finns chose not to include it in the N9 specs sheet so no one got confused. Plus the FM transmitter might turn out to be totally unusable.

Yet, we are confident that the software issues will be dealt with eventually and the N9 will be getting FM radio functionality. The developer website says that it's not possible to control the receiver using Qt Mobility API (you know, the framework Nokia uses to let devs create apps compatible with several different platforms) so we'd need a native app, but that shouldn't be that much of a problem, really.

Now the discouraging part of is a line on the same website saying that "there isn't a way for the phone to access the transmitter as the device hasn't got a transmission antenna". Now we are not 100% sure, but we but we suspect that the transmitter only has a controlling chip and no antenna, which might make enabling it impossible.

On the other hand adding a piece of hardware to a smartphone's chipset that it completely useless is just a waste of money and Nokia isn't exactly in a position where it can throw money down the drain.

Whatever happens we'll at least get the FM radio, right?

Samsung to revise their device naming system for 2011

With the Nokia 500 being the first of Nokia's devices to follow their newest form of naming classification, now it appears that Samsung have seen fit to devise a new naming format of their own.

The fundamental name changes are as follows based on variations amongst the 'Wave', 'Omnia' and 'Galaxy' category devices. Each set of devices will be subject to grading, with the letters,'S', 'R', 'W', 'M' and 'Y'. The 'S' class being Samsung's crème de la crème, pretty much in line with how we see it now, any 'S' phone will effectively qualify as a flagship or the top device available within that category of device

It's important to add at this stage that each class of devices is also intended for a different price bracket and as a means of remembering the classes you can see which ones are likely to fetch more by words relating to the letter.

What that breaks down as is that after the 'S' class, comes the 'R' class, expected to be associated with words like 'Royal' or 'Refined', prices for devices in the range would be between €300 and €400. 'W' ties to the word 'Wonder' and fits the more middle of the road devices with prices between €200 and €300. Then we hit 'M', which stands for 'Magical', these mid-tier devices will retail between €130 and €200, and the final category is of course 'Y', which you should think of as 'young-minded'. These will be the entry level smartphones coming in at the €130 mark, tops.

The system also has one more set of variables to add to the mix, but stick with us. These new letters will sometimes be followed by the words 'Plus', 'Pro' or 'LTE'. 'Plus', as seen on the Galaxy S Plus, would promise enhanced attributes compared to it predecessor, or similar devices in it's class, but not enough to qualify for a device all their own.

The 'pro' devices, much like Sony Ericsson handsets, will guarantee the presence of a hardware keyboard, and the final extension is 'LTE', fairly self-explanatory with any devices following this convention, able to work on the 4G network.

It seems a simple and logical rethink and one that we can work with, what do you think, post your thoughts in the comments below.

Dell kills the Streak 5, delivers a brief eulogy

The device that was too big for a phone and too small to be a tablet has finally been put to rest. Dell’s website informs anyone still interested in the now deceased Streak 5 about its departure.

Unfortunately, I can’t find myself to agree with the “It’s been a great ride” part about the message on the website and Dell has itself to blame. Right from the confused form-factor to the outdated software and the high price, the Streak 5 was a recipe for disaster and Dell could have surely done better. If only they knew what they wanted it to be, a smartphone or a tablet.

Anyway, it’s not right to speak ill of the dead. You can visit the website in the link below to pay your last respects. Or, you know, buy something else.

Samsung Mobile announcing new product on August 29

Samsung Mobile is holding an event in New York on Monday, August 29 for a product announcement, for which they have sent out invites for the media.

Although the invite does not specify which product will be launched all clues point to the fact that it will be the Galaxy S II. First is the fact that the invite image has Galaxy S II in the name and then there is the large “II” in the image as can be seen above. It’s possible that the phone will be launched on multiple carriers simultaneously. Whatever it is, we will keep you informed about it.

Samsung to release 7 new droids, 2 tablets and 2 new Bada phones

As far as leaks go, they don't get much bigger than this. We just found specs sheets of no less than 9 upcoming Samsung smartphones and two tablets. The scoop includes the 7 new Android devices, two 7" Honeycomb tablets and finally two new Bada smartphones, one of which will be packing a 4" SuperAMOLED.

We start with the numerous droids:

The Samsung I9250 is the most interesting of the bunch. Sitting on the fence between smartphones and tablets, it features a 4.65" SuperAMOLED of HD resolution 1280x720, a 5 MP camera and runs on Android Ice Cream.

This will probably be Samsung's first droid featuring the yet unreleased version of the Google OS.

Samsung I9220 will make do with Gingerbread 2.3.3 and a 4.3" SuperAMOLED with the rumored 1280x720 (that's HD again) resolution, a 1.4 Ghz dual-core processor and an 8 MP camera. It's certainly another one worth keeping an eye on.

Samsung I9210 comes next with its Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread OS, a 4.5" WVGA SuperAMOLED and 4G support. This is probably the Celox that leaked a couple of days ago.

The I9210 has 16 GB of internal storage, 8 MP snapper with a LED flash on the back and a 2 MP front-facing camera on the front. GPS and Wi-Fi are covered as well as Bluetooth 3.0 and finally a 1750 mAh battery.

After this trio the Samsung I8150 is looking quite uninspiring with its 3.7" WVGA (480x800) TFT display, HSDPA support, 4 gigs worth of internal storage and a 1.4 Ghz single-core processor (much like the Galaxy S Plus).

However, with its Android 2.3.3. Gingerbread OS, microSD card slot and a 5 MP snapper with 720p video recording it makes up for one decently looking mid-range device.

Then we move into low-end territory with the Samsung B5510. The smartphone will reportedly come with a 2.8" display, and will run Android 2.2.2 Froyo.

Its CPU will be clocked to 800 Mhz processor and heavy texters will appreciate it for its physical QWERTY keyboard. The rest of the Samsung B5510 specs that have been unveiled include a 3 MP snapper, FM-radio, Wi-Fi and GPS.

We are back on the Gingerbread train with the Samsung S5360 and Samsung S5610. The decidedly entry-level duo comes with QVGA (240x320 pixels) displays - the unit on the S5360 measures 3" in diagonal, while the S5610 only has a 2.4" screen.

However the S5610 leads in the camera department, where it offers 5 megapixel stills to the S5360's 2 megapixel shots. Connectivity-wise, though, both should be doing well with GPS, Wi-Fi and HSDPA on board.

The story of the leaked tablets is much shorter. First, we've got the Samsung P6200 7-incher with Android Honeycomb, a SuperAMOLED 1024x600 display, 3 MP and 2 MP cameras (back and front) and HSDPA support.

The other tablet is the Samsung P6210, which is basically the same kind of deal, but with Wi-Fi support only.

Finally we have a couple of Bada devices to tell you about.

The Bada 2.0-running Samsung S5380 has a 3.2" display, Bluetooth 3.0, a 2 MP snapper, while the Samsung S8600 Wave III will come with a 4" SuperAMOLED display, a 5 MP camera, Bluetooth 3.0 and 3 GB of internal storage.

Well this is it folks. It appears that Samsung will have quite a lot of new devices to throw our way over the next few months and looking at the specs of some of them we cannot wait for their announcements to come.

Facebook Messenger now available for iPhone and Android – gives iMessage and Skype a run for their money

Facebook released today a brand new (separate) app, called Facebook Messenger for the iPhone and Android devices. It combines all of your messages into a single app and can be used to text your Facebook buddies via your profile or text message, via your carrier.

Also 9to5Mac have uncovered that the app (both for the iPhone and Android) has a top-secret video component to it, which would mean that the Palo Alto-based company is on route to rub shoulders with Skype (among others) by bringing cross-platform video calls.

Facebook Messenger aims to give you a better way of reaching your friends and contacts by unifying your entire correspondence with everyone (social network friends, email and phone contacts) into one single app. The Facebook Messenger is an extension of the Facebook messages service and you can send messages to your online friends, but you can also send texts to your acquaintances the regular SMS way.

Starting up the app brings you to a list, consisting of all your Facebook messages. To write a message to someone you just tap the compose icon in the top right corner and start typing the person’s name. If a person has more than one number to his/hers contact details the app prompts you to select which number to use. You can, naturally, just select Facebook messages and send an online message.

There’s added support for group conversations and a geo-tag option so you could let people know where you are.

This all looks swell and okay, but I just have to ask – iMessage anyone? It does look similar to the Facebook Messenger and add all the other details to the lot and it could easily step on Viber, WhatsApp, Tango and other services’ shoes. It seems a little underhandedly done by the big blue social network leader. But I guess in today’s technologically social times competition is tough, ruthless and has no regard for integrity.

Have any thoughts on the matter? Share them in the comments – we’d love to get your inputs.

Here are some direct download links to the apps – iTunes and Android. So far only the iPhone is listed as an iOS-supported device so iPad and iPod Touch users will have to wait a while longer. Facebook has put up an official page for the new service – check it out here.

Leaked promo video supposedly shows new Nokia WP7 phones

The Nokia Sea Ray may be expecting company - a leaked promo video shows off what is supposedly a Nokia phone powered by Windows Phone 7 and it looks different than the Sea Ray. Of course, it could be fake (though pretty well-made) or it could be some internal promo video.

Remember the first images of Nokia WP7 phone that turned out to be nothing but mockups? The video shows two models, one of which looks almost exactly like the mockups that leaked originally. The other model however is different from those and from the Sea Ray.

Here's the video in question:

We can't be sure that the origin of this video is Nokia (the tipster who sent it to MyNokiaBlog claimed to be from Microsoft, but sent the tip from an Ovi Mail account).

And even if it is from Nokia, we can't be sure if it's an actual device rather than a generic mockup for a promo video. The ending of the clip, which shows a futuristic device that is obviously intended for promo purposes only gives some weight to the second option.

Especially, if you compare this frame from the video with this Nokia-made mockup.

Samsung Galaxy Xcover is one sweet-looking rugged droid

Samsung has just unveiled the latest addition to their Xcover lineup of rugged phones and it is by far the most exciting to date. The Samsung Galaxy Xcover is an Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone with IP67 standard certification, meaning it's fully dust and water resistant, and it's also shock resistant so you won't need to worry about dropping it.

The Xcover series by Samsung have so far been only dumb phones with next to no functionality outside calling and texting, but this latest unit runs Android and aims to challenge the Motorola Defy and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Active.

We don't have the full specs sheet yet, but we can confirm that the Samsung Galaxy Xcover has a 3.2 MP camera with LED flash that doubles as a flashlight, Wi-Fi, GPS, HSDPA up to 7.2Mbps and, finally, a 3.65" scratch-resistant display of tempered glass. Oh, and the phone can stay as deep as 1 meter under water for 30 minutes.

So far we know the phone will hit Germany in October, but unfortunately, nothing on its pricing. Man we can't wait to take this one for a ride.

4.5-inch Samsung Galaxy S2 variant spotted

Samsung looks set to unleash yet another iteration of its hot-selling Galaxy S2 smartphone with a larger screen on board, leaked snaps suggest.

Codenamed ‘Hercules’, the handset, heading to Canada’s Telus network, is reportedly home to a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display – 0.2 inches bigger than the version released in the UK and Europe.

More expansive display aside, the handset also appears to rock a smoother, curvier back this time around. This is evident in a separate T-Mobile (USA) branded unit spotted on TMONews, with a battery cover that looks to be fashioned from brushed aluminium rather than the original S2's plastic.

The rest of the device is believed to be unchanged. This would mean it still sports a 1.2GHz dual core SoC processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and an eight-megapixel snapper with HD 1080p recording capabilities.

Alas, we’re possibly looking at a variant meant only for our North American friends, who’ve had to wait a bit longer to get on board with Sammy’s best. On the bright side, Samsung is launching a new a white Galaxy S2 model in our shores next month, so at least there’s that to look forward

Apple iPhone topples Nokia in Q2 smartphone sales

Apple has dethroned Nokia at the smartphone summit with more units of its handsets sold in the second quarter than any other manufacturer, research firm IDC has revealed.

Cupertino cruised to pole position in IDC’s mobile phone tracker with Q2 sales of 20.3 million iPhones worldwide, relegating Nokia, which managed 16.7 million, to third place.

Samsung, which came second, was still the biggest winner with 17.3 million handsets shifted, representing a staggering 380.6 per cent increase from the same period last year. This was chiefly fuelled by the Android powered Galaxy S, which sold in excess of ten million units to date.

Commenting on Samsung’s phenomenal rise to fame, IDC said: "What originally began as a series of high-end smartphones has proliferated well into the mass-market, but has not strayed too far from its high-end roots.

"Moreover, its steady cadence of device releases and updates has kept Samsung's smartphones well out in front of the competition."

While Samsung reinvented itself as a genuine player in the market, Nokia saw its quarterly figures dip below 20 million units for the first time since 2009.

"Even as the company released new smartphones running on Symbian^3, demand for its products running on the aged Symbian platform has shifted to other devices," said IDC.

With Apple gearing up for the launch of its fifth-generation iPhone, Espoo’s only hope of regaining its place at the top now lies largely with the performance of its first handsets running Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system, scheduled to drop later this year.

Samsung Galaxy S2 price cut on O2

O2 has cut the cost of the five million-selling Samsung Galaxy S2, in the latest of its blink-and-you’ll-miss-‘em weekend offers.

Under the terms of the promotion, O2 has cut £5 from its £32, £37, £42 and £63 per month deals for customers who sign up for a two-year contract before Monday August 8th

All contracts entitle you to a free phone, as well as unlimited texts and 500Mb of data per month.

Opt for a £32 per month contract and you’ll get 600 monthly call minutes, while £37 per month offers 900 minutes.

If you’re a heavier user, there’s the £42 deal with 1,200 minutes. And if you really, really like to chat,you can go for the no-nonsense £63 per month tariff which includes unlimited talk time.

In case you’re not familiar with the S2, it’s Samsung’s fastest-selling smartphone ever. And with good reason. With Android 2.3 (aka Gingerbread) out of the box, an eight megapixel snapper and a powerful 1.2GHz dual core processor, it’s many people’s choice for the best Android handset so far.

Huawei Vision: Premium Android goodness from Huawei

In Beijing earlier this week, Huawei unveiled its latest Android device and it promises to be one of their 'sexiest' smartphones yet. The Vision is a stylish droid that fits in at the upper end of the Huawei's smartphone portfolio and has a promising spec sheet that matches its sophisticated image.

The Vision will come running Gingerbread 2.3 and totes a 3D carousel UI, which is in fact a modified version of SPB's Shell 3D launcher. The device's construction consists of an aluminum alloy uni-body which measures just 9.9mm thick at its thinnest point and weighs in at a reasonable 121g. It uses a 3.7" capacitive display on the front and a 5MP camera with a single LED flash on the back, capable of 720p HD video recording.

Hardware is certainly capable with a single-core 1GHz MSM 8255-1 Snapdragon chipset, 512MB of RAM, 2GB of ROM, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP support, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, a microSD slot that can take cards up to 32GB, a microUSB 2.0 port, a 1400mAh battery, A-GPS, an FM radio, a proximity and brightness sensor and customisable back covers available in charcoal, silver or rose gold.

So there are a few omissions that need to be cleared up like 3G connectivity and screen resolution, but all in all it's a device not to be sniffed at with looks akin to an HTC Legend crossed with a Nexus S and hardware similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy S, a competent device that aims higher than some of it's brand siblings for sure. If you're interested by the Huawei Vision it's coming to 'selected markets' in September of this year.

Samsung Galaxy S II Hercules spotted in Canada

Another one of the Samsung Galaxy S II variants has been discovered and it is making its way to the TELUS network in Canada. The picture below was snapped by MobileSyrup.com who attended a VIP event in Canada, where this phone was spotted.

Known as the “Hercules”, the phone looks similar to the standard Galaxy S II, Nexus S and the Infuse 4G. It was said to have a display bigger than the Galaxy S II and more in line with the 4.5-inch display on the Infuse 4G. The device will be running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 1.2GHz dual-core processor and could be the first dual carrier 42Mbps smartphone in Canada. It is also said to have an 8 megapixel camera on the back capable of recording 1080p videos and 2 megapixel front facing camera.

Since there has been no official announcement there is no price and launch date to report but we shall keep an eye out for them.

Orange Switzerland to unleash the Nokia N9 on September 15th

As you may be aware, the N9 is the swan-song device that represents the end of the Nokia/MeeGo marriage. A fitting end but still a sad one to be sure.

The N9 has received plenty of praise during its pre-release life from reviewers and industry types to boot. Even we have had the pleasure of being charmed by its unique user experience and its wonderful design.

But of course despite all the buzz surrounding its existence and its lifespan, it still hasn't actually been unleashed on the general public. One of a small handful to put a time to the release of the N9 however has been Orange Switzerland. Their online store quotes the N9's expected arrival from September 15. Wonderful news, especially to those who are MeeGo fans.

In case you're not fully clued up, the Nokia N9 is the latest and last MeeGo device from Nokia as they plan to turn their efforts into pushing Windows Phone 7 in a big way. This device will be coming to a host of territories but missing out on some pretty big markets, including the US and the UK, this news correlating with likely launch locations of Nokia's first WP7 device, an effective doppelgänger of the N9, the Nokia W9 Sea Ray.

With only hints of pricing, there's nothing more we can confirm at this time, but if you want to know more about the device there are a host of articles (linked throughout this post) on the N9 along with our hands-on which you can read here, some camera samples you can admire here and the full spec list which you can read here.

So are you one of the lucky Swiss citizens who plans on picking up an N9 or are you in the unenviable position of being stuck in a part of the globe where the N9 won't be showing its face, let us know in the comments.

The Nokia 500 is Nokia's first 1GHz Symbian smartphone

The Nokia 500 has just been announced as Nokia latest Symbian Anna smartphone. The new phone is based on the Nokia C5-03 specs-wise but refreshes some of the key features, retaining the reportedly affordable price tag.

The Nokia 500 has a 3.2-inch capacitive screen with 640 x 360 pixel resolution and there's a 5 megapixel camera on the back. Connectivity is covered by 14.4Mbps HSDPA and 5.8Mbps HSUPA speeds, Wi-Fi (no N support here), GPS, a charging microUSB port and a 3.5mm standard audio jack. There's 2GB of internal memory and a microSD slot for adding more storage.

The Nokia 500 comes with exchangeable back covers in different colors (two extra supplied with the phone). Much like with the Nokia N79 back in the day, the Nokia 500 changes its wallpaper automatically to match the color of the back cover you put on it.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem the 1GHz CPU has improved the performance much. If you scrub to 1:31 m in the video, you will see the presenter scrolling the News Feed in the Facebook app. Well, we can clearly see some stuttering in the scrolling action.

The Nokia 500 will launch in black in Q3 with a white version coming in Q4 too. There will be six differently colored back panels at the launch in Q3. It's supposed to cost ˆ150 before taxes and subsidies. Sounds affordable for a smartphone alright.

LG promises OTA updates to smartphones, new customer care

The LG OTA updates app and remote assistance services got their debut in Korea and now LG is making it clear it will offer the same services widely to Europe, the Asia Pacific region and South and Central America throughout the second half of the year to its premium line of Optimus smartphones - the Black, 2X and 3D.

First off, customers will get the FOTA app - "firmware over-the-air" so they can get the most current updates for their phones wirelessly (as other makes offer them). This way LG Optimus owners will get software updates directly to their phones without the need to connect to a PC.

The remote call service will be region and operator-dependent and will connect users to a member of customer service through 3G or Wi-Fi, should a problem occur with their phones. Thus users won't have the need to necessarily visit an LG Customer Information Center or a service-station. This will be done through the pre-loaded "Remote Call" application.

Once the user is registered, LG's remote customer care assistants will get wireless access to the smartphone in order to quickly see what the problem is. Customer Information Center assistants won't get access to private information like emails, messages, pictures and calendars unless the customer has consented to it.

Both services will be made available in the second half of this year.