Sony Ericsson finally jumps on the Android bandwagon with yesterday’s announcement of the upcoming XPERIA X10 handset – their first phone to deliver Sony Ericsson’s new user experience (UX) platform built on top of the Android OS. Sigh.. another Android phone I just might be lusting after.

The introduction of the X10 also brings with it two new “signature” applications – Mediascape and Timescape. Timescape manages all of your communications within a single application – whether its emails, text messages, status updates with Twitter, Facebook etc. Mediascape is a centralized application for music, photos, and videos with access to content on the phone and on the Internet.

Other features and specs of the XPERIA X10 include:

• Supports GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS HSPA 900/1700/2100 and UMTS HSPA 800/850/1900/2100
• 4.0 inch 480 x 854 resolution scratch-resistant display with support for 262K colors
• Android Market support
• ActiveSync for access to Microsoft Exchange
• Built-in aGPS
• HSPA connectivity
• 8.1 megapixel camera with up to 16x digital zoom
• Intelligent face recognition technology; geotagging; image and video stabilizer; photo and video light; smile detection; touch focus; and video recording
• Music features include Album Art, Bluetooth stereo profile support, built-in media player, music tones, PlayNow support, and TrackID
• Built-in web browser
• Alarm clock, calculator, calendar, flight mode, Infinite button, office suite, phone book with dialer, and world clock
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity
• 8GB microSD card
• Measures 4.7 x 2.5 x 0.5 inches and weighs 4.8oz

The XPERIA X10 will be available in Sensuous Black and Luster White and should be available in “selected markets” in Q1 of 2010.

[Check it out]

[Check out the press release]

Technorati Tags: Sony Ericsson, Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10, Android Smartphone

The Motorola CLIQ, the first Android-powered handset to come from Motorola, is now available nationwide from T-Mobile for a price of $199.99 after an instant discount of $200 dollars and a new two year agreement. To celebrate the launch of the new handset, T-Mobile also launched a new T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ Challenge today to build the largest college fan club on Facebook.

For those of you not familiar with the CLIQ, here are the main features and specs:

• MOTOBLUR – Stream your social networking feeds to your handset in real time, providing instant access to the latest happenings and messages from your friends.
• 3.1 inch HVGA full touch-screen display
• Support for Android Market
• 5 megapixel camera
• 3G network and Wi-Fi connectivity
• Visual Voicemail
• Bluetooth support
• Full slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• Built-in GPS
• microSD memory slot
• Built-in music player
• Built-in video capture and playback support
• 3.5 mm headset jack
• 6 hour talk time and 13.5 day standby time
• Measures 4.5 x 2.3 x 0.61 inches
• Available in two colors – Titanium and Winter White

The CLIQ is also available with T-Mobile’s new Even More Plus plans (which are contract-less plans) for a price of $399.99.

To help promote the launch of the new CLIQ, T-Mobile launches the T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ Challenge. The goal? For T-Mobile fans to help create the largest Facebook fan club out there. Fans can simply visit www.facebook.com/tmobile to rally together and vote for the four-year college or university of their choice to win the ultimate grand prize.

The school with the highest # of votes in its clique by Nov. 30th will be awarded with an exclusive free concert by Weezer. In addition, T-Mobile will also award the winning school $1 dollar for every vote up to $25,000 for college enrichment.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Motorola CLIQ, T-Mobile

Those of you that absolutely must have the new Motorola DROID next Friday will want to head over to Best Buy now to pre-order the handset. Best Buy will be selling the DROID for $199.99 along with a new two year agreement from Verizon Wireless.

Why buy from Best Buy you ask?

If you purchase from Verizon Wireless directly, you’ll have to mail in a rebate form for the $100 dollar credit which means the checkout cost will initially be $299.99. Buy the phone from Best Buy and Best Buy will instantly credit you the $100 dollars at the point of sale. No forms or checks to deal with. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Technorati Tags: Best Buy, Motorola DROID, Verizon Wireless

After a week or so of teaser announcements, Verizon Wireless officially unveiled the new DROID smartphone by Motorola – the first smartphone powered by the new Android 2.0 OS (which Google just recently released the SDK for). So let’s get down to the features shall we? According to VW, here’s what you’ll be able to do with the DROID:

• Multi-window browser
• Large touch-screen display  (3.7 inches) with an incredible resolution of 854 x 480
• Access thousands of apps over at the Android Market
• Voice-activated search delivered via Google
• The first device to feature Google Maps Navigation (Beta) which provides turn-by-turn voice guidance as a free feature of Google Maps. Use voice shortcuts and simply say “Navigate to [destination]” and you’ll be on your way. You can see live traffic, street view, or satellite imagery to view your route
• Built-in apps include Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk, Android Market, Calendar, Amazon MP3 store, and Verizon Wireless Visual Voice Mail.

The specs to the DROID are as follows (and according to BGR, this is absolutely the fastest Droid-powered handset yet!):

• Arm Cortex A8 processor 550 mHz
• 3.7″; WVGA (480 x 854 pixels); 16:9 widescreen
• 5 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, dual LED flash and auto focus
• Built-in music player with support for AAC, H.263, H.264, MP3, MPEG-4, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, OGG, AMR WB, AMR NB, AAC+, MIDI file formats
• Audio/video streaming support
• Video capture at DVD quality (720×480 resolution) up to 24 fps capture; up to 30 fps playback
• 1400 mAh Li-Ion battery with 385 minute usage time  and up to 270 hour standby time
• Email support – Corporate (Exchange 2003 and 2007), Gmail, IMAP, POP3, Attachment and browser document viewer (Microsoft Office and pdf)
• MMSG, SMS, IM, voicemail
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR support with HFP, HSP, A2DP, AVRCP, PBAP, and OPP profile support)
• Synchronization support for Corporate calendar, email and contacts (Exchange 2003 and 2007), Google contacts, calendar and Gmail, Facebook contacts
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi
• microUSB connector
• aGPS along with Google Maps, Google Maps Navigation Beta, Google Latitude, Google Maps Street View, eCompass
• Built-in web browser
• 3.5 mm headset jack
• Speakerphone
• Advanced speech recognition, Automatic redial, conference calling, emergency dial, noise reduction, speed dial, vibracall, voice dialing, phone book
• Haptic feedback
• Light-responsive display
• QWERTY keyboard
• Measures 2.4 x 4.6 x .5 inches
• Weighs 6 oz
• Built-in accelerometer
• Network support includes: CDMA 1X 800/1900, EVDO rev A
• 16 GB microSD pre-installed; supports up to 32 GB microSD expandable
• Sensors include Proximity, ambient light and eCompass

OK.. enough about features and specs – what about pricing and availability?

The DROID will be available starting next Friday November 6th in the U.S. exclusively at Verizon Wireless Stores and online for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card which they can use as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

Customers will need to subscribe to a Nationwide voice plan and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan. Nationwide voice plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access for 450 minutes and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan is $29.99 for monthly access.

Finally, if you want to see a preview of the DROID handset, makes sure to head over to the Boy Genius Report where they’ve got an excellent preview of the handset. Those of you waiting for a solid iPhone competitor to arrive for Verizon Wireless might finally have their handset.

Here’s a video of the DROID handset courtesy of Verizon Wireless:

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Verizon Wireless, Motorola DROID,

Photos and limited details of a second Dell-branded Android device called the “Dell Streak” have managed to leak out onto the Internet via sites Tinhte and SlashGear. Here’s what we know thus far:

• 5 inch WVGA (800 x 480) resolution display
• Android 2.0 Donut MID
• Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 3G wireless
• 5 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash
• microSD slot
• 1300 mAh battery

No word on when it might become available.. but it’s certainly an interesting device – especially if it comes with built-in 3G connectivity.

[Check it out via SlashGear]

Technorati Tags: Dell Streak, Android MID

Doesn’t it seem like all of a sudden e-book readers are all the craze these days? With the relative success of the Amazon Kindle, the continued push by Sony with the Sony eBook store and Reader devices, and the upcoming Barnes & Noble e-reader announcement, e-books have clearly garnered a great deal of press recently. Now on the heels of the impending B&N announcement comes the “Alex” – a new e-book reader device by a company called Spring Design and based on the Google Android OS.

Similar to what is expected out of the Barnes & Noble e-book reader, the Alex features a dual-screen display design with the upper section being a monochrome electronic paper display (EPD) and the lower section being a color LCD display. Users can read their books, documents, subject matters at hand on the top display and then bring up images, video clips, notes etc related to the subject matter on the lower display.

Other features of Alex include:

• Full Internet browsing with wireless connectivity support over Wi-Fi and 3G networks (EVDO/CDMA and GSM)
• SD card support for data storage
• Provides the web as a “handy reference library” – allowing users to capture and cache web content from their online experience on their LCD display and then also view it on the EPD display
• Insert images, videos, and notes as “web grabs”
• 6 inch E-Ink EPD display and 3.5 inch color display
• Comes with earphones and speakers

Spring Design is currently in conversations with major content partners and plans to release the device to selected strategic partners by the end of the year.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Spring Design, Alex e-book reader, Android e-book reader

If you were watching the baseball playoff games this past weekend you probably noticed an interesting new commercial clearly poking fun at the Apple iPhone. The commercial starts with a series of statements emblazoned across a white screen (playing prodding at the stereotypical iPhone commercial) complete with cutesy music in the background.

“iDon’t have a real keyboard

iDon’t run simultaneous apps

iDon’t take night shots

iDon’t allow open development

iDon’t customize

iDon’t run widgets

iDon’t interchangeable batteries”

Everything iDon’t”

There’s a quick fade fade to black (along with some funky transition effects that look like they came out of a Transformers movie) and then you see:

I have to admit.. I was salivating to a certain extent at this point. I mean.. holy cow.. this is the first time I actually was excited about an Android-based smartphone – and guess what? It’s coming to Verizon Wireless.

Yes my hatred for AT&T is so vast that I’m quite willing to ditch my iPhone for something that is somewhat comparable.

If you head on over to DroidDoes.com (which redirects you to http://phones.verizonwireless.com/motorola/droid/?cmp=OTC-Droid-redirect1), you’ll see a web version of the commercial along with a list of features for the handset which include:

• Directions
• Videos
• Tunes
• 10K+ apps
• Multitasking
• High-speed
• Hi-res
• 5 megapixels
• Android 2.0
• Speech recognition
• Notification panel

Sweet huh? Want some more sweet stuff?

Head on over to the Boy Genius Report then. The awesome folks at BGR have published a hands-on with the new Droid phone (it’s from Motorola BTW) along with plenty of pictures.. and man.. I’ve got full-on drool going on here now.

Here are some comments in the hands-on:

• “It’s thin. Just slightly thicker than an iPhone 3GS and the thinnest QWERTY-slider we’ve ever seen.”
• “It is the fastest Android device we’ve ever used.”
• “Have we mentioned this phone flies? It’s the Android device to beat, and easily the most impressive.”

Yeah I’m excited.. (the lil kid inside of me is jumping for joy right now at the sheer thought of moving back to VW)…

Ok.. enough.. go check out the Boy Genius Report and know that VW will be giving more info about the phone at the end of the month. Below are some pictures from BGR.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Motorola Droid, Verizon Wireless, Android Smartphone

The number of Android-based handset announcements just keep on coming. This time, it’s Sprint and Samsung’s turn as the two companies announced the upcoming availability of the new Samsung Moment – Samsung’s first U.S. handset integrating Android with Sprint’s EV-DO 3G network.

Here’s what you need to know about the Moment:

• As with other Android handsets, the Moment integrates several Google mobile services including Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, and YouTube
• Supports Android Market where you can download/purchase from thousands of apps
• 3.2 inch AMOLED touch-screen display
• 800MHz processor
• Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• Customizable home screen with apps, shortcuts, and widgets
• 3.2 megapixel camera with flash and camcorder with auto-focus
• Stereo Bluetooth 2.0 wireless connectivity
• Expandable memory up to 32GB
• Sprint TV with live and on-demand programming
• NFL Mobile Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile
• Easy access to social networking sites including Facebook, Flickr, and Twitter
• Built-in media player with 3.5 mm headphone jack
• Visual voice mail
• Access to personal and corporate email through ActiveSync
• Wi-Fi
• Integrated GPS navigation and accelerometer

The Samsung Moment will be available starting on November 1st for a price of $179.99 after a $50 dollar instant savings, a $100 mail-in rebate, and a new two year agreement. Pre-registration for the Samsung Moment begins today at www.sprint.com/moment

Technorati Tags: Sprint, Samsung, Samsung Moment,

The Motorola CLIQ, the first Android-powered smartphone from Motorola, will be available for pre-sale to existing T-Mobile customers starting on October 19th. Eligible T-Mobile customers will be able to pick up the CLIQ for $199.99 (along with a new two year agreement).

Not familiar with the CLIQ? Here’s a summary of features and specs:

• Comes with MOTOBLUR which manages and integrates communications from work email to social messaging activity – all to your home screen. Updates to contacts, posts, messages, photos, etc are streamed together and synced from sources including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, etc, and then delivered to the home screen in easy to view streams
• Full slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• 3.1 inch HVGA full touch-screen display
• 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity
• 5 megapixel auto-focus camera with video capture
• 3.5mm headset jack
• Built-in music player with pre-loaded Amazon MP3 store
• Other apps include Shazam, iMeem Mobile, AccuWeather, MySpace Mobile, Quickoffice
• preinstalled 2GB microSD memory card
• TeleNav GPS Navigator pre-loaded with free two week trial
• One-touch access to the Google mobile services
• Email support includes Exchange Server, Gmail, Yahoo!, Windows Live Hotmail, POP3 etc
• Available in Titanium and Winter White

The Motorola CLIQ will be available for pre-sale from October 19th till November 1st and will be available in stores nationwide and online beginning November 2nd.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Motorola CLIQ, T-Mobile, Android Handset

After months of speculation, Dell’s first Android-based smartphone, the Dell Mini 3i, finally made an appearance at China Mobile’s new Application Platform and yes.. it’s a boring phone to say the least.

OK.. the good stuff first. It appears to be a rather thin handset featuring a 3.2 megapixel camera, LED flash, a microSD slot, Bluetooth connectivity, a 3.5 inch 360 x 640 resolution capacitive touch-screen display, and a 950mAh battery. Oh yes, it’s also running Android so that’s always good right?

Now the bad. It’s a 2G only phone and it lacks Wi-Fi – WTH. Got some catching up to do there Dell.

[Check it out via GearLog, Engadget]

Technorati Tags: Dell Mini 3i, Android Smartphone