Kindle Fire software Version 6.2 now available; update manually or over Wifi

Don't blink. If you do, you might miss your Amazon Kindle Fire updating to software Version 6.2. Amazon's not really saying what's new in the update other than "provides improvements to the operation of your Kindle Fire." But know that it does break root, so you'll have to jump through that hoop again (which you should be more than willing to do if you did it once already.)
The update's available over Wifi, or you can download it directly from Amazon, move it to your Kindle Fire yourself (just plug it in and drag the file onto it in your favorite file explorer), and go into the device settings and hit "Update your Kinde." It'll reboot a couple times, then all is well.

                Download: Software Version 6.2; More: Amazon

LG confirms Optimus 2X, Optimus Black, Optimus 3D and Optimus LTE to get Ice Cream Sandwich

LG this morning on its Facebook page announced four of its smartphones -- its top four, in case you're wondering -- will receive updates to Ice Cream Sandwich. The lucky quorum are the Optimus 2X, Optimus Black, Optimus 3D and Optimus LTE. Timing for the upgrade schedule is yet to be determined. Here's the skinny:

LG confirms today that the Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) OS will be initially available for the following high-end LG smartphones which were introduced this year: the Optimus 2X, the Optimus Black, the Optimus 3D and the Optimus LTE. We are also continuing to evaluate the ICS OS to determine whether it is compatible with the functionality, features and performance of other LG smartphones to make the ICS OS available on as many LG smartphones as possible.
In December this year, the forthcoming upgrade schedule and additional specific models for the ICS OS upgrade will be posted on our LG Mobile Global Facebook page (www.facebook.com/LGMobile) and on our local LG websites. Please stay tuned for more updates from LG.

No idea just yet what that means for the likes of the T-Mobile G2X, the Thrill 4G on AT&T or any other U.S. derivative. Stay tuned.

Source: LG Mobile Facebook

Official Motorola Droid 4 specs surface, Droid Razr adds a QWERTY keyboard

Motorola Droid 4, again, already? Yikes to all who recently purchased a Motorola Droid 3, but official specs on the Motorola Droid 4 have come to light.Droid-Life received a tip containing all the information about the device, and it seems like quite a spec machine.
This 4G LTE device will feature a 4-inch display, powered by a 1.2GHz processor, the style of the Droid RAZR and a slide out 5 row QWERTY keyboard with LED edge lighting for the keys. The device features an 8MP camera on the back an HD camera on the front, and requires a special tool to remove the battery door? Just like we are unsure of how we feel abou the need for a special tool to pop the battery door off, we are also unsure of pricing and release time frame, but we can sure hope for soon! Hit the break for the specs breakdown.

Source: Droid-Life

How to unlock the Galaxy Nexus bootloader

The first step you need to take if you're going to use a custom ROM on a Nexus device is to unlock the bootloader. All bootloaders -- even on a Nexus phone -- come locked. The big difference is that a Nexus phone's bootloader can be easily unlocked with just a few commands.
Here's how to unlock the Galaxy Nexus bootloader. Note: This will erase everything on your Galaxy Nexus, so if you think it's something you'll ever want to do, we suggest doing it when you first get the phone.

1. You'll need to download and install the Android SDK.
2. If you're using Windows or Mac, you'll need the Fastboot tool. (Download for Windows, download for Mac.) If you're using Linux, you can make your own Fastboot tool. (And if you're using Linux, chances are you already know how to do all this anyway.) Stick it in your sdk tools or platform-tools folder.
3. Reboot the Galaxy Nexus into the bootloader/fastboot mode. The easiest way to do that is to turn the phone off. Now hold the volume-up and volume-down buttons, and then press the power button.
4. You'll now see a cool looking Android roboto with his front panel open. Check to see that the text below it starts with "FASTBOOT MODE" in red. Now plug the Galaxy Nexus into your computer with the micro USB cable. Let any drivers install.
5. Now open a command line. type fastboot oem unlock. This will start the process and give you the screen you see above. Choose yes using the volume button and then press the power button. Your bootloader is now unlocked.

So now what? Now you can install rooted system images. Or entire custom ROMs. And a custom recovery. All sorts of stuff. Welcome to the real world.

ASUS Transformer Prime available for pre-order at Best Buy

As certain as we are that a lot of folks are out there taking advantage of all the sales happening right now on tablets for holidays -- we're also certain some will be keeping their money in their pockets just a little bit longer to hold out for the ASUS Transformer Prime.
The Tegra 3 powered tablet we recently saw running Ice Cream Sandwich has been hanging out on Amazon for pre-order already but Best Buy has joined the party as well. You can pre-order the upcoming tablet on the Best Buy website for $500 coming in either gray or champagne color. No date is listed for shipment but December isn't a stretch by any means plus, there has been plenty of rumors already calling for December 9th as a specific date for release.

Fresh "HTC Ville" render sighted, now sporting capacitive buttons

We saw the first image purporting to show the "HTC Ville" earlier this month, although there wasn't much to see, just another rounded black slab containing a screen of some description. Now a brand new render of the rumored device has appeared over at Pocketnow, showing what's apparently a 4.3-inch display on a phone with a thickness of just 8.49mm. That's thinner than the Galaxy S II and the Xperia Arc, and just about everything else on the market. Looking at the renders, you can now make out four capacitive buttons down at the bottom (behind the watermark), along with what appears to be HTC's trademark aluminum unibody construction.
The rumored specs don't appear to have changed over the past couple of weeks -- you're still looking at a dual-core Snapdragon S4 clocked at 1.5 GHz, along with an 8MP BSI camera, HSPA+ support and a 1650 mAh battery. In terms of software, the rumor mill says the Ville will run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and a brand new version of Sense, presumably version 4.0.
The usual caveats relating to unannounced devices apply here -- all of this stuff is unconfirmed and subject to change. If there's any truth to it, though, then we'll look forward to getting our hands on the Ville (or whatever it's eventually called) next year, most likely at Mobile World Congress.

                                                                                               Source: Pocketnow

Negri Electronics now shipping GSM Galaxy Nexus in the U.S.

While we continue to wait on Verizon to opens sales of its Samsung Galaxy Nexus here in the United States, another online retailer has begun shipping the GSM version. Negri Electronics has got it for $769.50, and it's shipping now. And, yes, that's a lot of scratch for a smartphone, but you're also paying the full, unsubsidized cost. It's also the price you pay if you've just got to have the GSM version, or if you just can't wait another couple weeks (maybe) for Verizon to get the LTE version out the door. And speaking of the Verizon version, Negri's got it listed at $678.50, with an expected shipping date of Dec. 9, for what that's worth.
Remember the good old days when the Nexus One went for $529? Us, too.

                                                                                            More: Negri Electronics

T-Mobile Vivacity launches in the UK

T-Mobile UK today announced the launch of the launch of a mid-end Android smartphone, the Vivacity. It's got a 3.5-inch display at WVGA resolution, a 5-megapixel camera, Wifi, GPS and all that jazz. It's going for just £10 per month on a 24-month plan, or for £99 on Pay As You Go.
We've got the full presser after the break.

More: T-Mobile UK

Introducing the T-Mobile Vivacity
T-Mobile launches exclusive new great value, feature-packed Android smartphone
London, 25 October, 2011 – T-Mobile today announces the launch of the T-Mobile Vivacity – a great value, stylish Android smartphone ideal for enjoying multimedia on the move. The T-Mobile Vivacity will be available exclusively in T-Mobile stores, on the online shop and via telesales from today.
Running Android’s Gingerbread 2.3 OS, the T-Mobile Vivacity offers a winning combination of eye-catching design, essential multimedia features, as well as offering great value. A vivid, high resolution 3.5” WVGA TFT capacitive screen is perfect for web-browsing, viewing pictures or watching movies. The latest 3G+ and Wi-Fi support lets you access the web whenever you want – ideal for on-demand browsing, or downloading apps, and uploading social networks on the move.
A 5.0 Megapixel camera allows you to capture life as you go, and, with support for up to 32GB Micro SD cards, you can enjoy favourite photos, movies and music, wherever you are. Built-in GPS functionality also allows you can keep track of your location, and offers the ability to add your location to Twitter and Facebook updates.
Available in sleek black or white variations, the T-Mobile Vivacity fuses advanced multimedia features with a truly premium look and feel – providing leading style that more than matches its impressive performance – all at a great value for money price point.
Paul Jevons, Director of Products and Devices, Everything Everywhere said: "The T-Mobile Vivacity gives you everything you want from a smartphone. It offers the latest Android software, a large, high resolution touchscreen display and a stunning design - perfect for anyone looking for premium performance and great value for money.”The T-Mobile Vivacity is available free on a £10 per month, 24 month plan or for £99 on Pay As You Go.

Motorola Droid RAZR source code released

If you like poking around in some source code files to see what you can see, then Motorola has now given something to do. The Droid RAZR source code has been released on sourceforge and while it's not much use to anyone aside from developers that's not really the point. Point is, it's there -- it's available for all whom wish to view it.
                                                                                                    Source: Sourceforge

Expansys USA offering unlocked Galaxy Nexus, taking orders now

We'll keep this short and sweet, because we're pretty sure a few of you will be interested in this. The Galaxy Nexus is available to order in the USA. 

Expansys USA have the unlocked, 16GB GSM version in stock now and are shipping within days. (Ours will be here Friday!) As the image here shows though, there's not many and as this is written the initial batch have been allocated. At present they're showing as shipping within 4 days.

If you haven't done already, check out our review of the GSM version of the Galaxy Nexus. Then if you're on AT&T or T-Mobile, hit the source link for the product page.

                                                                                                Source: Expansys

Cellcom introducing three new devices into its holiday lineup

Cellcom, the Wisconsin-based regional carrier, is introducing three new Android smartphones into its smartphone lineup, just in time for the holiday season. The Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY and the LG Ignite (a.k.a. the Marquee) will both be available beginning on Black Friday, while the Motorola Milestone 2  is simply listed as "coming soon." All three devices will set you back $49.99 on a new two year contract. Not a bad deal for all you Cheeseheads out there if you ask us. You can visit Cellcom at the source link below.

                                                                                                    Source: Cellcom

Ice Cream Sandwich source builds surface for Nexus S, ready for flashing

Here's why we love open-source software folks.  With the release of the Ice Cream Sandwich trunk of the Android Open Source Project code came the ability to build it yourself instead of waiting for it to come from your phone's manufacturer or Google.  We've seen several good beginnings, on phones as varied as the LG Optimus 3D or the Samsung Fascinate, but now we've got one that's good enough to use every day for the Nexus S (both GSM and Sprint flavors).
It's a neat mix and match of new source code, binary files from Gingerbread, bits from the Galaxy Nexus, and custom code from other developers.  Android dev kwiboo has done an excellent job getting things going, and even facial unlock is working -- as long as you don't have a big bushy beard, that is.  As someone who has also been fooling around with the code and flashing my own Nexus S at least a jillion times, my hat's off to him -- I'll say it again, he's done an excellent job.

Source: XDA-Developers.

Nook Tablet torn down, found to have Nook Tablet parts inside

The folks at iFixit have done their thing to the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet. Not a whole lot to learn here -- it's got electronics and stuff inside. You're not likely to be doing any sort of repairs on this thing yourself because of the way it's put together, but then again you weren't likely to be doing any sort of repairs on this thing yourself, because you have better things to do -- like use the Nook Tablet.

                                                                                                       Source: iFixit

Original Galaxy S 2.3.5 update reportedly pushing in the UK

Still using the original Samsung Galaxy S? We bet that there's quite a few of you out there still carrying around this venerable device, and in the UK at least Samsung have reportedly started pushing out an Android 2.3.5 update.

The changelog promises a whole batch of bug fixes, along with the usual performance improvements you might expect from an OS update, better battery life, and enhancements to the messaging app and to the camera. 

GSMarena is reporting though that this update could wipe your apps and your data, which sounds pretty messed up for a minor OS update. But take heed and make sure everything is backed up just in case

                                                                                               Source: GSMarena

Motorola Droid XYBOARD 8.2 picture surfaces, Verizon LTE on board

And the winner for the worst device name goes to (drum roll please) the Motorola Droid XYBOARD.  Previous winner Sprint Samsung Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch will present the trophy.
All kidding aside, the 8.2-inch version of the Droid XYBOARD has been pictured at PocketNow, and as expected, there's a big old LTE logo on the back.  Also known as the Motorola Xoom 8.2 Media Edition, the Droid XYBOARD should launch with Android 3.2, a 1.2 GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage.  It should prove to be a capable device, eventually get upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich, and the 8.2-inch size is sure to appeal to more than a few.  Rumors say to expect an official announcement soonish.

                                             Source: Pocketnow

Updated Android Market with Google Music now rolling out in earnest

Google said it could be days, but it looks like a good many of you -- and a number of our own devices -- are starting to see the Android Market update with Google Music. Odd that the version number of the Market app didn't change, but we're not going to worry about that.
Note that you'll also have a "My music" button available from the menu in the music section that will take you to the Music App -- and the Music App now features a handy button to take you back to the Market. Nicely done, Google.
If you're still not seeing Google Music in your Android Market, try clearing the app's cache and data (go to settings>applications and tap on the Android Market app), reboot and see if that doesn't fix things.

Express from Sprint brings Android 2.3 and QWERTY keyboard for just $19.99

Sprint's taken the wraps off the awkwardly named Express from Sprint. And just as we first showed you a few weeks ago, you're looking at a physical QWERTY keyiboard with center jog wheel, a 2.6-inch touchscreen, and Android 2.3. It's got a 3.2MP camera 'round the back, a 1500 mAh battery and can serve as a 3G Wifi hotspot for up to five devices. And, yes, it looks like a BlackBerry.
This guy's only available online, and it's going to cost you just a mere $19.99 on contract. We've got full specs after the break.
PRODUCTIVITY
• Android 2.3, Gingerbread featuring Sprint ID customizable user interface
• Full QWERTY keyboard
• 2.6-inch capacitive touchscreen
• 3G hotspot capability for up to five devices simultaneously
• Wi-Fi b/g/n capable
• Large battery for maximizing phone’s potential (1500mAh Li-Ion)
• Telenav GPS navigation enabled with turn-by-turn directions and point-of-interest searches
• Full suite of Google applications and services: Google Maps™, Google Talk™, Google Mail™, YouTube™
• Bluetooth® 2.1 enabled
• Touchscreen and integrated, backlit QWERTY keyboard makes sending email and editing documents fast and familiar
• Corporate email (Exchange Active Sync) and personal email (POP & IMAP)
ENTERTAINMENT
• 3.2MP camera and camcorder to capture the moments instantly
• Android Market providing access to more than 200,000 apps
• Sprint Zone – a one-stop source to access your wireless account, phone tips, news, a list of top apps and more.
• Sprint Football Live – Get the live game center play-by-play action, keep up with real-time stats, scores and customizable alerts.
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile – Listen to live radio broadcasts of the race, get real-time stats, leader boards and telemetry data
• Sprint TV & Movies® – Watch live broadcasts, special mobile programming and exclusive full-length, on-demand episodes.
• 3.5mm headset jack
SPECIFICATIONS
• Dimensions: 4.47 x 2.47 x 0.46 inches
• Weight: 4.76 ounces
• Display: 2.6-inch QVGA touch display with 320x240 TFT
• Battery: Standard removable 1500mAh Li-Ion battery, providing up to six hours continuous talk time.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus Goes On Sale in the U.K.

Android fans have been waiting for quite a while for this day; the Samsung-made Galaxy Nexus, the current flagship pure-Google-phone went on sale today on the British market.
In addition to that awesome bit of news, the first 100 purchasers will get a £250 voucher for media content for the Nexus.


The first Galaxy Nexus phone turned out to be a developer phone. The owner had some problems syncing his mail because the setup options were missing but there were developer tools and bits included, even a "Report a WTF condition" option. He has exchanged his device and got another one which is working as it should. Happy ending! Did you get your own Galaxy Nexus today

                                                                                                                                                                                                   Source: Twitter, YouTube

Verizon's Galaxy Nexus revealed to be unsurprisingly thicker than its GSM counterpart

Google this morning has outed the tech specs on the LTE (aka Verizon's) version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Surprise, surprise, it's a tad thicker, as LTE devices are prone to be. How much thicker? According to the new specs, Verizon's LTE version (that's the one you see at right above) is a portly 9.47 mm, while the GSM version (seen here at left) is 8.94 mm thick. By our math, that's .53 mm thicker if you opt for the Verizon version here in the states (and it's still looking like that'll be the only domestic version for a little while).
By comparison, the new HTC Rezound is about 13.7 mm thick, the Droid Bionic is about 10.16 mm, and the Droid RAZR is 7.1 mm at its thinnest point.
The other spec of note, of course, is that Verizon's version will carry an 1850 mAh battery. That's a little larger than what you probably have in your current phone. And while we welcome any additional juice, an extra 100 mAh or so really isn't going to boost your usage by all that much, when you remember just how thirsty LTE radios are. But we're not looking that gift horse in the mouth.

                                                                                Source: Google

HTC Rezound available today on Verizon

The second of Verizon's year-end smarpthone troika -- the HTC Rezound -- is officially available today. It'll run you $299 with a two-year contract. And for all that scratch, you get a 4.3-inch phone with a new 720p display -- as in 720 pixels packed into the short axis -- along with Android 2.3 and Sense 3.5. It's sporting a 1.5GHz processor to push those pixels, and an 8MP camera full of HTC's newfound photographic goodness. It's also got Beats Audio (and comes with a snazzy pair of earbuds), if you're into that sort of thing.

                                                                            Online: HTC Rezound at Verizon

HTC Connected Media for Windows Phone Updated

HTC Watch, the company's movie rental and purchasing store has been recently updated, making it finally useful on phones like the HTC Radar 4G. Together with the software bit, HTC Connected Media has been updated too.

HTC's take on DLNA functionality, HTC Connected Media, has been also updated in the Windows Phone Marketplace. The new version number is now 1.2 and, if you were previously having issues using the software, the refresh should fix all those. According to reports, it is now working on the HTC Titan, Radar, HD7, Mozart, and Arrive.

Source: WMPowerUser

Samsung Galaxy Note making its way onto O2 in the UK

Samsung has been rolling out the Galaxy Note to quite a few places since its announcement but news now comes from the UK that O2 will be making it available soon. No pricing details can be taken from the information as of yet but Samsung has already gone on record to say it will be November 17th so that date appears to be sticking. We've gone over the device in our review, so make sure you check that out and as always -- when we know more, you'll know more.

Source: O2; 

via Engadget

BlackBerry Music Updated to Version 1.0.0.134

RIM announced BBM Music at the end of August as the company's take on a cloud-based service that allows for music discovery by creating a huge community-based music library. On November 2, the service officially launched as BBM Music left the beta stage.

Now, ten days later, the BBM Music application is getting a version 1.0.0.134 update which should be popping up on your updates' list.

                                                             Source: BlackBerry App World
                                                                  Via: CrackBerry

Motorola Droid RAZR now available from Verizon Wireless

It's time. You no doubt already know Motorola has brought back the RAZR brand, this time as the Motorola Droid RAZR and chances are you read our complete review if you were in any way interested in this device and if not -- you really should.
Now though, is the time to get your own. The Motorola Droid RAZR is now available on the Verizon Wireless website and ready to be shipped to you. You can pick up a Droid RAZR for $300 on a new 2-year contract or $650 with no contract at all. If you're not really feeling that price, Amazon Wireless will gladly help you out with the costs assiciated by offering it for $111.11 to new Verizon Wireless customers.

                                                                              Source: Verizon; Amazon

HTC Ville gets detailed, another device coming next year with next year's specs

On Monday we met the HTC Edge, the first quadcore device that is destined for the states, and today we meet the HTC Ville, an Ice Cream Sandwich device packing all the standard specs we can expect to see next year. The HTC Ville (which is the codename) is said to be packing a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon Series 4 processor, which will power ICS on the 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED screen. The device will have a 1650mAh battery with it, and is said to run on HSPA+, and will measure less than 8mm thick. Yet another device for us to drool about for the coming months until it is announced!

                                                                Source: BGR

How to manually update your Sprint Epic 4G to Gingerbread

Looks like we've now got the manual update location for the Sprint Epic 4G's Gingerbread update, which means no waiting for it to actually push out to you. And because you're going to ask, yes, this is safe. It's exactly the same update you'd get if you wait, only you're not going to wait, are you. Here's how to do it:

1. Download the update from Google.
2. Rename the file to update.zip. (Make sure you don't do update.zip.zip if you're on Windows.)
3. Move the update.zip file to your SD card (instructions).
4. Turn off your phone.
5. Hold the Volume Down and Camera buttons, then press the power button.
6. The update should automatically launch itself. Sit back and relax.
7. Reboot the phone.

It's that easy. Enjoy!

                                                                                                 Source: XDA

Gingerbread for the Sprint Epic 4G begins rolling out tomorrow (Nov. 9)

We just heard from a Sprint ninja that Gingerbread for the Samsung Epic 4G should begin a slow rollout tomorrow (Nov 9).  The initial plan is to get it out to three percent of the users the first day, which should avoid any huge fiasco like we saw with the Froyo update.  The update will continue to slowly roll out over the following eight days, until it gets to 100 percent of the users.
As we already saw the EI22 kernel source released, it makes sense that its the version we'll be seeing.  Besides all the perks that come with Android 2.3, the change log includes:

• Airrave notification fixes
• SMS area code fix
• PRL and Profile update fix
• EAS HTML Tagging fix
• Bluetooth headset quality fix
• Lock screen date fix

Rogers wants you to have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 for the holidays

 Rogers has just put the official stamp on one of their Holiday promotions and I have to say, it's a pretty sweet deal if you're looking to be picking up a new device in the near future. Starting today, with qualifying purchases Rogers will be giving you a free or discounted Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. So what is a qualifying purchase? Glad you asked:

• Get a Tablet when you activate 2 new lines on a voice and data Family Plan on a 3 year term.
• Get a Tablet for $149.99 when you add 1 new line on a voice and data Family Plan on a 3 year term.
• Get a Tablet when you subscribe to TV + Internet on a 2 year term (minimum Digital Basic TV + Lite Internet).

                                                                                     Source: Rogers Redboard

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for T-Mobile available Nov.16

While Samsung went ahead and announced it previously, T-Mobile has now comfirmed the release date and pricing for their 4G enabled 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. Running on Android 3.2 Honeycomb, it's got a 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos processor, 1GB of RAM, a 3MP rear camera and 2MP front camera and Samsung's TouchWiz UI on the 1024x600 display.
Beginning Nov. 16, T-Mobile will be offering the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for a $249.99 down payment at T-Mobile retail stores with a new two-year contract and a $50 MIR but that's only a down payment as you'll need a T-Mobile Value Mobile Broadband plan as well pay 20 interest free monthly payments of $10 on approved credit. That takes the grand total of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to $449.

                                                                                                       Source: T-Mobile

Motorola RAZR available today at Rogers locations

If you managed to make your way through out Motorola Droid RAZR review, you would have noticed that device was Verizon branded and as such -- not available in Canada. But that doesn't mean you can't get a variation of it. In fact, Canadians looking to get their hands on a Motorola RAZR can pick one up at Rogers locations starting today. If you go that route expect to pay $150 on a 3-year contract or $650 with no term. Right now, the device is only in-store and not yet available online so be sure to call ahead to make sure they have stock.

                                                   Source: Rogers

With its sculpted glass face, diamond-cut aluminum accents, Kevlar fiber and hyper-saturated 4.3” Super AMOLED Advanced display, Motorola RAZR stands out in a crowd. The device comes preloaded with the Motorola MotoCast app for secure access to PC-stored media in an instant. Cloud services not needed.

With MotoCast, you can rock out to your playlist and flip through picture albums anytime, anywhere. The days of syncing are over - if it’s on your PC, you can see it on your phone. Stop wasting time deciding what media you need to sync, forget about how much memory you have left and leave the cords in the box. With MotoCast securely accessing the content on your computer, the only thing you need to worry about is what to stream first.

The Android 2.3.5 device is also equipped with the following features and accessories to make life that much more exciting:

• Museum worthy industrial design with Corning Gorilla Glass screen with splash-guard coating
• A cool 1 GB of RAM and a super-fast dual-core processor
• Cinematic-quality front-facing 720p video camera and 8MP rear-facing camera with even sharper 1080p HD video capture.
• Government-grade encryption protects your email, contacts and calendar
• Smart Actions – a preloaded app on Motorola RAZR – lets you automate everyday tasks and enable better battery life
• Lapdock 500 Pro and Lapdock 100 let loose Motorola’s revolutionary webtop application, giving you the power to edit documents and browse the web with a full Firefox browser
• HD Dock and HD Station let you connect RAZR to your HDTV, speakers and other peripherals for large screen entertainment
• Connect RAZR to a Vehicle Navigation Dock for GPS and directions, battery pack for extra life and a keyboard with Bluetooth technology for efficient typing
• Control your content and your calls, play basic games and browse the web from the comfort of your couch with Smart Controller

Motorola RAZR is available exclusively to Rogers Communications customers for $149.99 with a three-year activation. For more information, visit motorola.ca.

AT&T's first LTE Android smartphones available today

AT&T's first pair of LTE-capable smartphones -- the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket and HTC Vivid -- are available for purchase today for $249 and $199 $149 and $99 (AT&T apparently lowered the price since the announcement) respectively. While both phones will function fine on AT&T's existing HSPA+ network, the cities where you can actually get LTE data are still pretty limited. As of today, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Boston, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Athens, Ga.
The Skyrocket pairs alongside the Galaxy S II already in AT&T's stable, but it ups the Super AMOLED Plus display (at 480x800) to 4.5 inches. It's also got a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, an 8MP rear-facing camer with LED flash, 2MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording, 16GB of on-board stoarge, and a microSD card slot.
The HTC Vivid has a 4.5-inch qHD display at 540x960 resolution. It's got a 1.2 GHz processor, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, 16GB of on-board storage and a microSD card slot.

                                        More at AT&T: Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket; HTC Vivid

The Galaxy Nexus vs the Droid RAZR vs the HTC Rezound -- Verizon's three amigos

It looks to be a very nice Q4 if you're a Verizon customer and an Android fan.  Three hot new phones are coming out, and if you're due for an upgrade (or finagle things around so you can get a new phone -- I've been there!) you'll have a choice to make.  Do you choose the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and its Nexusy goodness, the Motorola Droid RAZR and its industrial design, or the HTC Rezound with Sense and Beats by Dre?

	Galaxy Nexus	Droid RAZR	HTC Rezound
Operating System	Android 4.x Ice Cream Sandwich	Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread w/ Blur	Android 2.3.x Gingerbread w/ HTC Sense
Screen	4.65-inch 1280x720 HD Super AMOLED	4.3-inch 540x960 Super AMOLED Advanced	4.3-inch 1280x720 HD IPS LCD
Chipset	OMAP 4460 1.2GHz dual-core	OMAP 4430 1.2GHz dual-core	Qualcomm S3 1.5GHz dual-core
Dimensions	135.5 x 67.94 x 8.94 mm (GSM version)*	130.70 x 68.90 x 7.1 mm	129.54 x 66.04 x 13.72 mm
RAM	1GB	1GB	1GB
Internal Storage	16/32GB	16GB	16GB
SD card slot	no	yes (16GB included)	yes (16GB included)
Front Facing Camera	1.3MP	1.3MP	2MP
Rear Camera	5MP AF with LED Flash with zero shutter lag and fast shot2shot	8MP	8.0 megapixel camera with auto focus, /2.2, 28mm wide angle lens, 2 x LED flash
Video Recording	yes 1080p with stop motion	yes 1080p	yes 1080p with slow motion
Bluetooth	3.0 with A2DP	Stereo Bluetooth Class 2, Version 4.0 LE+EDR	3.0+
Connectivity	GSM/HSPA+ or CDMA/LTE	GSM/HSPA+ or CDMA/LTE	CDMA/LTE**
Battery	1750mAh (GSM Version)	1780mAh Non-removable	1620mAh
Wifi	802.11 b/g/n	802.11 b/g/n	802.11 b/g/n
Price	$299.99 (Verizon)	$299.99 (Verizon)	$299.99 (Verizon)
Availability	soon	Nov 11	Nov 14
Special Features	It's a Nexus, on Verizon	Kevlar back	Beats audio and earbuds

Swiftkey confirmed to come preloaded on the Xoom 2

When it comes to third-party keyboards on Android devices, there are two roads developers take. You have the likes of Swype, which makes its money getting preloaded onto devices (but also has a "beta" line for anyone else to download). And then there's most every other keyboard developer, which uses the Android Market (among others) for distribution. Such has always been the case with Swiftkey. Until now.
Pocket-Lint first reported -- and we have independently confirmed -- that Swiftkey indeed will come preloaded on the Motorola Xoom 2 (and Media Edition) Android tablets. That's less of a big deal for us, the users, but it's a pretty big deal for Swiftkey.

                                                                                                      More: Pocket-Lint

Boost Mobile drops the ZTE Warp down to $199

Boost Mobile this morning dropped word that it's dropped the price of the ZTE Warp to $199. It's a solid little phone, with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 5MP camera and 1GHz processor. Also, if you buy and activate a Warp on the Android  Montly Unlimited or Daily Unlimited plan by midnight Nov. 8, you'll get a one-time $55 credit to you account. Noyce!

                                                                               

                                                                                 More: ZTE Warp on Boost Mobile

Google+ updated to v2.1.1 - Home screen widget returns, bugs fixed

The last version of Google+ to roll out, while having some nice additioons with it -- also brought along some bugs as well. Google saw fit to go ahead and correct those for everyone and now v2.1.1 is available in the Android Market. You'll get the homescreen posting widget back, installation issues should be fixed along with some various other unmentioned bug fixes.

Android Market web link

Samsung Galaxy Nexus gets rooted

Got your shiny new Samsung Galaxy Nexus yet? Nope, didn't think so. But when you do, you'll be pleased to hear that MoDaCo's Paul O'Brien has already got a root solution ready and waiting for you. Paul's "Superboot" program installs a specialized boot image to the Galaxy Nexus, which automatically roots it at startup, meaning you don't have to worry about mucking around with your paritions to gain full control over your phone.
So if you're a Google engineer, a carrier tester or a visitor from around fourteen days in the future, then be sure to hit up the source link for further instructions.

                                                                                                        Source: MoDaCo

Motorola Atrix 2 rooted with manual, one click methods

If you got your hands on a shiny new Atrix 2 last week and you're feeling a bit adventureous, XDA forum member Jimmy273 has compiled a pretty straightforward manual root method to achieve coveted superuser access.Jimmy273 makes it very clear that he cannot take full credit, as he simply translated the root method for the Bionic originally created by p3droid over at the MyDroidWorld forums. Full instructions and all the necessary files are available at the source link, as is the file for the one-click method, which is said to work just fine.

Source: XDA Forums

New Android Market pushing out with a few new settings

Here's the latest version of the Android Market. Looks mostly like the Android Market you have now, but it's not. It's better. It's newer. And therefore better. And a fun fact about the Android Market: Once one person gets it, it can be pulled from the phone and shared. And that's what we've got here.
So what's better and newer in Build 3.3.11, you ask? So far as we can tell, it's mainly in the settings. You now have the option to tell all of your apps to automatically update, instead of checking a box on each on individually. (Bugdroid be praised for that one.) You can also tell the Market app to only update applications when you're connected to Wifi. Again, a good one.
And you can have it automatically add shortcuts to your homescreen, if you're into that. There are a few UI tweaks, too. Nothing major.
There's also some legalese regarding open-source licenses, which makes Jerry happy.
You can download it now, or just hang out and it'll push to you (assuming this isn't just a test build) when the time is right. Do note that apparently it's not playing nicely with Honeycomb tablets, and we're not exactly seeing our inbox clogged with people saying they've gotten this build (which is what usually happens).

                                                 Source: Android Police

Cellcom of Wisconsin updates its Samsung Galaxy S Showcase to Gingerbread

Rocking a Samsung Galaxy S Showcase on Cellcom of Wisconsin? (We know you're out there.) You've got a Gingerbread update waiting for you. The Android 2.3.5 changelog reads as follows:

• Improved Battery Life: This update more efficiently manages the way your device uses resources while you enjoy your favorite apps, increasing battery life.
• Downloads Management: A new downloads application provides easy access to view, re-open, delete, and manage files downloaded in browser, Gmail, or email.
• Google eBooks: Read and enjoy books through the Google eBooks website. There's over 3 million books to choose from.
• Improvements in Performance for: missed calls, screen freezing and black screen.

And Cellcom's doing something we've not seen before (though it's not terribly surprising given it's a smaller regional) -- phone support should you have issues updating. Very cool.
                                                                                      Source: Cellcom of Wisconsin

Bell to carry the Optimus Eye, aka Optimus LTE

A few weeks ago LG announced the Optimus LTE for its home market of Korea. It didn't take too long for a video to surface from a Canadian retailer called The Source (which happens to be owned by Bell) showcasing the phone (it appears that the video has been pulled while this post was being written).  We already know about the killer display that it sports, and it also has a dual-core 1.5ghz processor, LTE bands, and a generous 1830mAh battery.

What we don't know is when it's going to be released, or if any U.S. carriers are planning on carrying it. (Though it wouldn't surprise us at all.) It looks like a great device, and goes to show that when it comes to hardware LG knows how to make a great looking phone.
                                                                                                    Source: Mobile Syrup

HTC Sensation XL now available in the UK

HTC's monstrous 4.7 inch, Beats filled Sensation XL has made it's debut today in the UK, in both subsidised and sim free fashion.
Available on contract from Three, the phone will be available for free with a new two-year, £40 per month contract which includes all you can eat data. For those of you who fancy some Beats action but not the contract, Clove are also offering the device from today sim free and unlocked for £486.
The XL comes out of the box running Android 2.3.5, Sense 3.5 and packs a 1.5Ghz CPU. But don't forget about the Beats though, and those Beats headphones. Check out our hands on with the device at its launch in London at the link below.

                                                                                          Source: Three UK, Clove