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Once the proud Windows Mobile licensee who created the Axim line of PDAs, Dell has its sights set on Android with the Dell Mini 3ix. The device's information is spotted going through the FCC for US regulatory approval, complete with WiFi and US 3G bands that are compatible with AT&T's wireless network. Also included are a 3.5-inch 360 X 640 display, 3-megapixel camera, GPS, and Exchange support.

(via: UnwiredView)

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 was just announced in London. With the open handset running Android OS, a zippy Snapdragon processor, 4-inch capacitive touchscreen, and a stunning User eXperience user interface called UX, the X10 has a lot going for it. Sony Ericsson is saying that the UX will be part of its Symbian and Android lineup going forward, and that if there is a demand for Windows Mobile then we may see a port, much like how HTC is playing with its Sense UI. Perhaps, this is indicative that we may actually see a successor to the XPERA X2 after all.

It seems that Sony Ericsson is still working to finalize its build of Android with the UX UI. Early impressions from Engadget seem positive, with the blog noting good build quality, a stunning UI, and a high quality feel.

Find the second video after the jump.



The handset is expected to arrive in early 2010 with an 8-megapixel camera, LED flash, and a multimedia-centric approach to Android smartphone computing.

(via: Engadget)

We're continuing our Android coverage with the Acer Liquid, a device that will come in white and red flavors, to France in December. The Liquid will be the first Android phone to sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor--the same chipset that's found in the Windows Mobile HTC HD2--clocking in at 1 GHz of mobile brain power.

The Liquid will launch with Android 1.6 with minimal Acer customizations. Unlike HTC with the HTC Hero and its Sense UI, Acer won't be adding much to Android to color it up or slow it down, depending on who you ask.

The Liquid will reportedly get its upgrade to Google Android 2.0 at a later date to match the operating system found on the Motorola Droid.

(via: MobileTechWorld)

It looks like the Samsung Omnia II, which we had previously reviewed running Windows Mobile 6.1, is back with vengeance sporting Windows Mobile 6.5 and TouchWiz. It looks like Samsung's done a terrific job of hiding Windows Mobile for those that want a completely skinned device, down to some minute settings menus and applications. ai.rs has posted a ton of screenshots depicting the TouchWiz Windows Mobile makeover.

(via: ai.rs via Engadget Mobile)

If you take the Acer neoTouch S200--which we previously reviewed--stripped the device of its Windows Mobile brains and added Android as the mobile OS, you'll get the Acer Liquid. We had previously reported on the Android Acer Liquid, but there weren't any definitive shots of the device. Now, Mobile Tech World just posted a video--reposted below--that shows the Acer Liquid in action. The device is as speculated before--a neoTouch S200 F1 that's been ported to Android with a WVGA screen and Snapdragon processor--the same variant that's used in the highly anticipated HTC HD2.

Read on for more.

There has been a lot of development for Android in the US lately, with the T-Mobile G1, the myTouch 3G, Motorola CLIQ, Samsung Moment, Sprint HTC Hero, Samsung Behold II on T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless Motorola Droid. The Droid is said to be the Android handset with the fastest processor when it will be unveiled along with Android OS 2.0, but the Acer Liquid's Qualcomm-made Snapdragon processor should smoke the Droid's 500+ MHz processor; the Droid, however, has a dedicated GPU for performance.

(via: Mobile Tech World)

Surprisingly, although the Storm2 is more responsive and can open applications quicker than its predecessor, the Storm, the original Storm actually renders web pages a little quicker than the newer successor. When opening the pocketnow.com web page on Verizon Wireless' 3G EVDO network, the Storm beat out the Storm2 by a tiny bit in our non-scientific browser rendering test with Javascript enabled. See the video above for more details.

Read on to learn more.

Also, we did receive confirmation from our Verizon Wireless representative that the Storm2 will launch on October 28--it seems to be a firm date. Other Internet blogs and sites have that date as rumored, but if our official media release is true, then that's the day. Other blogs have it rumored that the Storm2 will retail for $180 after contract; we haven't received pricing information in our media release yet.

The SurePress screen technology is much improved, though the UI and the overall user experience from the Storm to the Storm2 should be fairly similar. It is an incremental upgrade. Is the Storm2 worth upgrading to? That's a tough question. New additions include WiFi and a better design that feels more solid and refined. However, a software/firmware upgrade should provide the original Storm with new features like kinetic scrolling (better flick scrolling support).

Please also see our unboxing and hardware tour video.

The BlackBerry Storm2 with its piezo electric touchscreen technology will be launching for public consumption on October 28, but we have a review unit. Check out the video below.

The Storm2 is the second generation touchscreen BlackBerry, which replaces the flagship original Storm--a device that was met with mixed press reactions. It seems that the second-year model fixes many of the quirks presented in the original model, allowing users to change screen rotation quicker, open applications faster, and run the device without lag. The Storm2 is a refined version of the Storm and is the device that Research in Motion should had released originally. With improved hardware and software that is able to take advantage of the hardware, the Storm2 may be the perfect device for those who have longed for a great touchscreen BlackBerry.

Additionally, the Storm2 also has WiFi, a feature missing on the original Storm. For additional Storm2 details, please visit BlackBerry.

What is interesting is that while the Storm was Verizon Wireless' flagship device, the Storm2 may be relegated to second place. The device's launch date of October 28 will coincide with Verizon Wireless' and Motorola's press event for the upcoming Android-based Droid series of devices.



Be sure to stay tuned to pocketnow.com for the software tour and additional coverage of the Storm2.

It looks like MetroPCS has launched its own Windows phone, but this time the device comes with what looks to be Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard, the non-touchscreen variant of Windows Mobile. The Samsung Code, a device that comes in a candybar QWERTY form factor, actually is a closer competitor to the Samsung Jack on AT&T and the Samsung Ace on Sprint rather than the newly launched and unveiled touchscreen Sprint Samsung Intrepid, a device that runs Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional.

It is curious that Metro PCS is launching a Windows Mobile 6.1 device rather than a Windows Mobile 6.5 device, especially since the Code came out after the October 6 launch date of Windows Mobile 6.5. However, 6.1 may not be a bad choice at all for the Windows Mobile Standard platform as the non-touchscreen edition of Windows Mobile didn't experience as many noticeable or cosmetic change as its touchscreen counterpart did from 6.1 to 6.5.

The Samsung Code will be the US regional carrier's first Windows Mobile device. MetroPCS operates on CDMA/EVDO network and offers competitive rates compared to larger national rivals such as Sprint and Verizon Wireless.

(via: IntoMobile)

If you're envious of Brandon with his AT&T Tilt2, you don't have to be. AT&T has begun offering the device on sale and it's listed on their website for $300 after rebates and on a two-year contract; you can also get the device for $500 without signing your life away to AT&T for the next two years.

The Tilt2 is an AT&T-branded version of the HTC Touch Pro2.

The HTC Dragon is seemingly the Android variant of the highly popular Windows Mobile HTC HD2 running a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor--also found on the HD2 and the Acer neoTouch S200.

The Dragon seems to sport a capacitive touch display with a row of touch-sensitive hardware buttons and a trackball at the bottom. Although SlashGear is postulating that the device may be a GSM device sporting GSM/EDGE/HSPA radios, that may not be the actual case upon release; recent HTC devices made for Verizon Wireless also state "3G" when on the carrier's high-speed EVDO network. Those devices include the Verizon Wireless Touch Pro2 and the HTC Imagio.

The Dragon shares another similar trait with the Windows Mobile HTC HD2 including a large 4.3-inch touchscreen display, which we're guessing is capacitive in nature as Android does support capacitive touchscreens. Additionally, it looks like the camera may also support an LED flash. Is this actually a chin-less HTC Hero with a larger screen?

(via: SlashGear)

At CTIA, we sat down with Nokia, who gave us a demo of their N900 tablet, a device that fits somewhere between small tablet and smartphone, much like the HTC Athena. Unlike traditional Nokia phones that are powered by Symbian, this device runs the Nokia's version of the Maemo OS, which is built on top of Linux, has a sliding QWERTY keyboard, resistive touchscreen, and is highly customizable.

The N900 made a big splash early on as the device was said to support the full version of Adobe Flash 9. However, since then, Nokia's lead has diminished as Adobe has announced that the full version of Flash 10 will be coming to most major smartphone platforms, including Windows Mobile--that means desktop-class browsing on your Windows phone.

The funny thing is that I ran into some Nokia reps at an event later that evening and Nokia was boasting about the device having USB hosting capabilities and can serve as a miniaturized personal computer. Sorry, Nokia, but hasn't that idea been done before--years ago even? Even the "PDA-era" Toshia e740 performed the task of USB host to connect HID devices (keyboards, mouse) and hard drives to the little Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 device. Today, the Toshiba TG01 is supposed to continue the USB hosting tradition with Windows Mobile 6.5. While I admit the design and software of the Nokia N900 really stood out, they're boasting the wrong feature set to someone who has been following the PDA/smartphone industry for well over a decade.

What stood out about the N900: visual bookmarks, cool widgets, large display, attractive industrial design, visual task manager.

If you're considering the CDMA-bound Samsung Intrepid, a touchscreen QWERTY device that is headed to Sprint, you may also consider a competitor that rival LG is coming out with called the LG GM550--I am not sure why the device was called the GW500 and now called GM550, perhaps it has to do with regional differences.

Unlike the Samsung Intrepid, the LG-made device will not feature a touchscreen, but is gorgeous to hold. Check the shot at the Windows phone booth on the show floor of CTIA below.

The Windows Mobile 6.5 Touch2 got unboxed ahead of schedule at ElectricPig. The Touch2 was rumored as the HTC Mega and is supposed to be more of a budget handset. Looks like TouchFLO 3D from HTC is still front and center on Windows Mobile 6.5.

(via: ElectricPig)

Inventec, a manufacturer of phones for Windows Mobile brands like i-mate and Pharos, may be spreading its wings and coming to Europe with its own brand, much like how HTC has grown up. Inventec branded phones are expected to land in the fourth quarter in Europe.

The picture below shows an Inventec phone with a a secondary display.

(via: WMPowerUser)

The Samsung Omnia Pro B7610 video made its way onto YouTube in a promotional piece. The device is said to be feature a 5-megapixel camera with Flash and Windows Mobile 6.1, but may launch with 6.5 out of the box. This seems to be different than the Omnia Lite, which is supposed to be a lower end model of the Omnia II. The Omnia Lite is called the B7300 while the Omnia II is known as the i8000. It looks like Samsung's still got some Windows Mobile love left in them.

The B7610 will also feature an AMOLED WVGA screen like the Omnia II. The device will actually have a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, which puts it in direct competition with the Touch Pro2. In this sense, the Omnia II will be a Diamond2 competitor.

The front of the device has changed somewhat since the Omnia Pro B7610 with slideout QWERTY was announced.

(via: WMPowerUser)