Our favorite maker of cheap, get-it-in-your-livingroom-now HDTVs has joined the smartphone AND tablet fray. While the devices they have on hand at CES are supposedly far from production, Vizio wants the world to know they have these devices in the pipeline. In spite of these being early, hand-built, models, Engadget, who were able to get their greasy little paws on a prototype phone and tablet, claim that from what there is so far, they really are “excited about the direction the company is taking.”

Here are specs on the Vizio phone:

• 4-inch LCD – 854 x 480
• 1 GHz “plus” CPU
• 4GB onboard storage
• microSD slot
• Micro USB port
• HDMI port
• Out of the box use as a universal remote
• VGA front-facing camera (for video chatting)
• 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, with flash
• Android 2.2/2.3

Vizio tablet specs:

• 8-inch LCD – 1024 x 768
• 1 GHz “plus” CPU
• 4 GB of storage (2 GB for the user, 2GB for the OS)
• microSD slot
• MicroUSB port
• HDMI port
• Can function as universal remote
• Android 2.2/2.3

Is this a iPad Competitor?

Apple watch-out!

Htc Just released its Imagio .

This phone is just what i was hoping for in HTC/ Verizon/ Win Mobile. minus the keyboard.

With the Windows Marketplace to make it easy to  get apps on the go. The fight is on to compare with Blackberry App World, Google Marketplace, and iPhone App Store.

Mobile TV and V CAST Video on Demand services allow this phone to stand out.  As One of Verizons first smartphones to allow mobile TV , HTC really out done it with the Kick Stand/ Antenna for the best windscreen viewing on its 3.6in screen.

You are able to watch shows from networks such as Bravo, CBS, CBS College Sports, CBS News, CNBC, Comedy Central, ESPN, ESPNEWS, ESPN Radio, FOX, FOX News, FOX Sports, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Tr3ìs, NBC, NBC Sports, NBC News, and Nickelodeon 24hrs A day.

FM radio is something new with Windows mobile phones, And comes built right in this this device.

You also get Microsoft BING application on the phone. You can do things such as  MAP, Traffic,Movies, Directions, Gas Prices, Weather,..etc.

While your out after you found the directions to your local restaurant take some pictures with your 5Mp Camera HTC through in

The Exterior of the phone is pretty slim, and perfect to slide in your pocket and GO!
Great phone overall!

Price and availability:

The HTC Imagio will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com beginning Oct. 6 and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores beginning Oct. 20 for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

Monthly access packages for V CAST Mobile TV range for $15 per month.

Here’s a pretty cool accessory for your Windows Mobile phone.

MobiShow is a tiny projector that connects via WIFI allowing you to either project your Windows Mobile screen up to 100 inches or remote control up to XGA PowerPoint slides, as seen in the video above.

Carrying your presentation in your pocket removes the time to set up the device and the variability one finds in a new venue.

Source: [wmpoweruser]

Not to be left out of the smartphone fleet week, T-Mobile releases the Dash 3G today. It’s a new version of their smartphone, the Dash. It’s similar to Sprint and Verizon’s HTC Snap and the first 3G phone to run the WinMo 6.1 platform. It has some marked design changes, mainly a trackball and more spaced out, round navigation keys instead of the cluster design. It still has the full QWERTY keyboard and it is has an overall sleeker shape.

No price point announced yet, but we do have some  deets: QVGA (320 by 240 pixel resolution) display, integrated GPS, Exchange server support, microSDHC card slot, Bluetooth 2.0, and a 2-megapixel camera. It’s aiight, not quite as hardcore as the front runners, but it seems like it is a solid phone for someone who wants a smartphone of average intelligence. Hopefully, the price point will be as reasonable. The handset wil hit sometime in July. If you are looking for an entry level or gateway smartphone, this would be a good start. Unless you get swayed by the launch of the second T-Mobile phone with Android. Which is slated to happen next week!

via-PC World

Press Release – LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in mobile communications, today announced the launch of the LG-GM730, its newest handset in LG’s smartphone line with advanced features that are also easy to use. This is the first smartphone to offer the new version of Windows Mobile 6.1, integrated with LG’s advanced 3D S-Class User Interface. The LG-GM730 will be on display at CommunicAsia 2009 in Singapore from June 16-19.

The LG-GM730 was designed for fast and easy operation so users can experience the latest smartphone features without spending too much time or effort with the user manual.

“Users, especially beginners, find smartphones to be too complicated for everyday tasks because of their unfamiliar and complex environments,” said Dr. Skott Ahn, CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The combination of Windows Mobile and our new S-Class UI will make the LG-GM730 the most functional and easiest to use smartphone ever created. Starting with LG-GM730, we are introducing a new direction for phones that are smart and advanced but at the same time, user-friendly.”

“It’s great to see the extended LG and Microsoft alliance come to fruition with the launch of the stylish LG GM730 smartphone,” said Andy Lees, Senior Vice President, Mobile Communication Business, Microsoft Corp. He also added, “Combining LG’s technology and design leadership with the Windows Mobile platform has resulted in a great phone that will enable consumers to stay connected with people, information and services they care about most.”

Enhanced User Friendly Operation

LG’s S-Class UI is designed to make smartphones easier to use while still delivering the advanced, familiar capabilities of Windows Mobile. Built-around a 3D cube layout, the S-Class UI eliminates nested menus wherever possible, providing more direct access to features and applications. A simple flick of a finger rotates the cube so that any one of its five faces can be accessed instantly.

LG-GM730’s multitasking environment allows users to run a number of applications simultaneously in separate windows without having to stop one task to start another. “Cut and paste” allows users to copy content from the internet and paste it into documents or send it via email.

What makes the S-Class UI and Windows Mobile combination so easy to use is that features and applications on the LG-GM730 are so well integrated. Email, for example, is easier to set up and use because the phone’s schedule and contact lists are connected. This means users can send and receive messages using less key presses than on regular smartphones. Writing and sending an e-mail to an address already in the contact list is just one tap away. Folders from Outlook on home or office computers sync perfectly with the LG-GM730 which means the information on any device is the most current one. Push email means instant notification of incoming messages, eliminating the need to log in manually and check for new mail.

Smartphone Features in Slim and Sleek Packaging

Smartphones are known primarily as tools for business but the LG-GM730 is capable of much more. Networking on the Map Service, a navigation-based social networking service, enables users to see where their friends are while communicating in real time. Advanced multimedia features such as a 5 megapixel camera, MP3 player and numerous action-packed games make this phone a full-featured entertainment device.

The LG-GM730 incorporates LG’s signature style with a slim, seamless profile and smooth, stylish rounded edges. At just 11.9mm and highlighted by an elegant chrome band, this slim handset is the perfect on-the-go device for new as well as experienced smartphone users. Despite its small size, the LG-GM730 still manages to pack in all the essential productivity software with room to spare. This advanced mobile device is available in three colors: Black, Lime and Pale Pink.

The LG-GM730 will be available globally, with its initial launch in Asia this July. The LG-GM730’s launch coincides with the opening of LG Application Store, which expand the capabilities of LG’s smartphone

Samsung has officially unveiled the next era in smartphones! The highly-anticipated, new Samsung Jet supports the latest smartphone features which include multi-task manager and Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, bringing user-friendly menu navigations in a sleek and compact design.

The Jet’s pioneering 16M WVGA AMOLED display (3.1”) offers vivid and colorful full touch mobile experience available; the WVGA AMOLED screen provides a resolution that is four times higher than a WQVGA screen. The 800MHz application processor delivers breathtaking speed and stunning performance, making Jet the fastest full touch handset on the market today.

Samsung’s latest TouchWiz 2.0 user interface new features such as intuitive 3D media gate UI and motion-response UI, smart unlock, customizable widget screen. The Dolfin Web browser lets users surf the net and access popular websites, especially social networking sites, with ease and speed. The 5 mega-pixel camera, built-in GPS, DNSe & SRS Sound Effect technology for superior sound quality, and DivX and XviD video support for hassel-free video downloading and viewing.

The Samsung Jet Cell Phone Specifications:

- 2.5G: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
- 3G: 900 / 2100 Mhz , HSDPA 3.6Mbps
- EDGE/GPRS Class 12
- Battery Li-ion, 1100mAh
- Dimension: 108.8*53.5*11.9mm / 110g

- 3.1-inch WVGA AMOLED touchscreen display, 16M colors
- 5 megapixel AF camera, Dual Power LED
- 800MHz Application Processor
- TouchWiz 2.0 user interface with new features such as intuitive 3D media gate UI and motion-response UI, smart unlock, customizable widget screen.
- Full HTML Dolfin Web browser
- GPS
- DNSe & SRS Sound Effect technology
- DivX and XviD video support
- Microsoft Exchange support

Press Release:

Kuala Lumpur – 10 June 2009 — HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile phone innovation and design, today debuted its newest QWERTY smartphone, the HTC Snap™. Designed with a set of features selected to deliver everything customers need without overwhelming them with things they don’t, the HTC Snap makes it easier than ever to stay in contact with life’s most important people.

Your Inner Circle, your most important people
HTC brings streamlined communication to greater heights with its innovative Inner Circle feature which allows HTC Snap users to press a dedicated Inner Circle key to bring emails from a preselected group of people to the top of their inbox, enabling important messages to be acted upon immediately.

“Recognizing that people are being overwhelmed by an avalanche of email, the HTC Snap introduces Inner Circle, an HTC innovation that makes it easy for people to prioritize messages from the most important people in their lives at the press of a button,” said John Wang, Chief Marketing Officer, HTC Corporation. “The HTC Snap represents the latest step in HTC’s mission to create a range of innovative smartphones, each with specific benefits designed to both surprise and delight our customers.”

A full QWERTY yet with a sleekness that fits in your hand
With a slim, sleek profile designed to fit perfectly in the hand, the HTC Snap measures less than half an inch (12 mm), yet it can deliver up to eight and a half hours of talk time with the standard 1500mAh battery. The full QWERTY keyboard is ergonomically designed with extra-large domed keys and responsive tactile feedback to make typing emails and text messages fast, accurate and comfortable. High-speed 3G HSPA connectivity makes it quick and easy to send pictures to friends, access favorite social networking sites, or download large files while on the go.

Synchronizing all your business or personal needs
The HTC Snap is powerful enough for experienced business users looking for an affordable, straightforward choice for remotely synchronizing email, calendar and contacts with their Microsoft Exchange server. However, the flexible Microsoft Windows Mobile® 6.1 Standard platform allows the HTC Snap to also be simple enough for first-time smartphone users wanting to keep their family life organized.

Pricing & Availability:
The new HTC Snap is now available at all authorized resellers at a suggested retail price of RM 1,599*.
*All prices are subject to pricing policies of individual operators.

Outside of the iPhone and the G1, very few phones fuel the forum flamewars like the BlackBerry Storm. As the first touchscreen BlackBerry, it was bound to have some haters. Whether you’ve been enamored since day one or a zealous skeptic since the beginning, the phone has one fault that is undeniably unfortunate: no WiFi.

There’s nothing that can be done on the WiFi front for the original Storm – but what about take two?

As with any phone that sells reasonably well, rumors of a follow-up are already abound; According to SlashGear, RIM is already busy crackin’ away at the BlackBerry Storm 2, complete with WiFi. That all sounds perfectly reasonable (hell, we could have assumed as much) – but the release window seems a bit crazy: according to their source, they’re aiming at September of this year.

The Storm was released in November 2008. If the Storm 2 were to hit the shelves this September, that’s roughly 10 months between the original product and the followup. Sure, it’s possible (phones generally take a year and a half to go from concept to consumer, but they could have been working on Storm 2 for months prior to the original Storm’s release) – but even Apple, king of planned obsolescence, puts a full year of padding between their handset releases. Does RIM really have the gall to outdate one of their biggest ventures before it even hits its first birthday?

from mobilecrunch

Dell has been busy trying to break into the smartphone sector, and submitted two prototypes to the carriers for review. The results? Denied. Apparently Dell’s smartphone offerings, one which would have run Android, and the other WinMo, were too “Dell-like” and did not stand out when compared to the major players like LG, Samsung, HTC, Nokia, etc.

The bar is high to make VIP Smartphone status these days. Palm reinvented themselves and made a big splash, HTC is pumping out at least 3 more Android handsets this year, and of course, no one has come close in popularity to the iPhone. According to Kaufman Bros. analyst, Shaw Wu, Dell will still be plugging away at their attempt and will go back to redesigning their smartphone.

And what we all knew is now official. “Dell-like” = boring and nondescript.

Rumors, leaks and fuzzy pictures have been floating around about the upcoming Samsung handset to be running Android. The handset might pop it’s head up in Q3 of this year. It’s being compared to the HTC Magic, which leads us to believe that it will have a virtual keyboard, and use the 3.5 Qualcomm chipset.
The HTC Magic is expected to drop into the European market in Q2, and HTC has also committed to two more Android based devices for 2009. Motorola is also said to be gearing up for an Android range of handsets too, and we may see these as early as Q2 of this year.
I want to see more Android action. I will be keeping a close eye on these rumors.

Samsung 3.5G Android phone in Q3 claim sources | Android Community