HTC to release Merge in the US this spring

HTC has just announced that their latest HTC Merge smartphone will arrive across various North American carriers from the beginning of spring onwards. Just what does the Merge bring to the table? For starters, it will deliver a full QWERTY slide-out keyboard that is powered by the Google Android 2.2 Froyo operating system, coupled with the highly vaunted HTC Sense experience.

Apart from that, it brings along with it a large 3.8-inch touchscreen display and a 5-megapixel camera that will result in a complete mobile experience for those who want a complete smartphone experience. Apart from that, the HTC Merge will also be the first CDMA world phone from HTC that is powered by Android. 

HTC has taken great pains to create unique solutions which will meet the needs of different customers, and the Merge does just that with features such as a full keyboard and global 3G roaming. HTC hopes that the HTC Merge will be able to deliver a reliable mobile experience with the features and functionality of a smartphone, regardless of whether you’re one who stays here or do plenty of traveling around the world.

Those who have emails on Microsoft Exchange will definitely appreciate the seamless integration with Exchange ActiveSync, not to mention enjoying quick and easy access to Flickr if you happen to share and view pictures, while finding new methods of customizing your experience with the Android Market. After all, with more than a 100,000 apps to choose from, you’re spoilt for choice – although we do admit that plenty of those are shovelware.

The HTC FriendStream service will also let you be up to speed with Facebook and Twitter updates on the go. In terms of hardware, we did talk about its 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash that captures outstanding images even in low light conditions. Want to remain connected on the go? 3G support makes it a snap, while integrated GPS and Wi-Fi connectivity also help you out in a tight spot.

Fancy a spot of video? The camera is also capable of shooting high-definition 720p video for posterity. No idea on which operator will offer the HTC Merge this spring, but you know that there is at least a month more or so to save up for this puppy if you want one.

Samsung Galaxy Indulge joins the 4G LTE family

Samsung intends to expand their Galaxy (range of phones, that is) with the latest addition, the Samsung Galaxy Indulge. It is rather interesting to note that this latest release will not arrive on any of the big four carriers, but rather, will be made available to MetroPCS, one of the smaller players over in the US. Still, that doesn’t detract from the fact that the Galaxy Indulge is one of the world’s first commercially available 4G LTE enabled Android smartphone.

MetroPCS’ main selling point that will accompany the Galaxy Indulge is this – it costs around half that of other 4G smartphone where service plans are concerned, as consumers are able to “have it all”, so to speak, with MetroPCS’ $50 and $60 4G LTE smartphone service plans, where it will comprise of all applicable taxes and regulatory fees.

If you happen to talk a whole lot, text as well as browse the Internet on your smartphone, enjoy streaming audio, video and gaming content, downloads and Android applications, then this does sound like the perfect plan for you – although we’re not too sure whether the coverage of MetroPCS is going to jive with you or not.

Running on the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system, the Galaxy Indulge is touted to be the perfect smartphone for folks who want to manage every aspect of their lives from a mobile device. MetroPCS’ 4G LTE service is more than capable of delivering the latest exclusive entertainment and multimedia content from their favorite shows through the MetroSTUDIO application.

With more than 100,000 apps to choose from from the Android Market, you’re spoilt for choice. Of course, it goes without saying that Samsung has skinned the Galaxy Indulge with their very own TouchWiz enhancements to make navigation around the device’s home screens a whole lot easier compared to the vanilla Android user interface. In addition, the combination of touch screen/QWERTY keyboard lets you choose which mode you’re more comfortable with – I personally prefer the latter, of course. 

Other hardware specifications include a 1GHz processor, access to Google Mobile services, a 3 megapixel camera and camcorder with auto-focus, music player, Stereo Bluetooth connectivity and a microSD memory card slot. Expect it to hit MetroPCS stores later this week for $499.

Motorola ATRIX 4G announced

Motorola’s upcoming Android 2.2 Froyo-powered handset, the ATRIX 4G, is set to light up the smartphone world – that’s a given, and we are pleased to bring you news of its availability while it is hot off the press. Available for pre-sales a day before Valentine’s (that is February 13 just in case you do not own a calendar), it will cost you as much as other high-end Android-powered smartphones, that is, $299.99 with a two-year service agreement. Expect the Motorola ATRIX 4G to soften the blow of losing the iPhone exclusivity deal with Apple for AT&T, as it will hit the market on March 6th this year, and hopefully good sales will follow and boost up their earnings in that particular quarter sometime down the road. Of course, you can also expect AT&T to bundle pricing for the Motorola ATRIX 4G and the Motorola Laptop Dock.

LG Vortex ready for action from Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is one of the major carriers in the US, and one of their latest handsets would be the LG Vortex, where it will be made available to the masses in both online as well as brick-and-mortar stores from November 18th onwards. Since different phones cater to different people, the LG Vortex will specifically target first time smartphone users who want to kick off with the Android operating system. This makes me wonder, for those who want to make the plunge to the world of smartphones, why not go straight for the best instead of dipping your toes per se, where clearly a mid-range smartphone will surely be outperformed by a mile compared to a high-end model. In this sense, the iPhone is the best model to follow since the only difference between Apple’s offerings would be storage space. But I digress – more on the LG Vortex in the extended post.

Hands on with the AirCurve Play from Griffin Technology

It has been a while since we covered the AirCurve iPhone dock from Griffin Technologies, and I just had a chance to try out the company’s update for the iPhone 4, the AirCurve Play.

The AirCurve Play works like the Horn Stand. It is a device designed to increase the volume of the iPhone 4, but without any electronics that are found within most iPod/iPhone speaker docks.

The AirCurve Play states that it can increase the external volume by about 10 decibels. At first I wondered if that was going to make a difference, because the Horn Stand says it increases sound by 13 db. I barely heard the difference in that device.

T-Mobile announces new myTouch smartphone

T-Mobile has a spanking new myTouch smartphone for the masses, where it will play nice with T-Mobile’s equally new and super-fast HSPA+ mobile broadband network. It was constructed to cater for families, where one is able to hold spontaneous face-to-face conversations thanks to the wonders of Video Chat and the ability to reach 4G speeds on T-Mobile’s new network. It is also interesting to note that T-Mobile’s 4G network is available in more cities across the country than any other network. Video Chat on the new myTouch will work not only on a Wi-Fi connection unlike the iPhone 4, and the myTouch’s front-facing camera can work via Yahoo! Messenger or QIK. Heck, you can even leave Video Mail using QIK whenever someone is not around to pick up your call.

Nokia X3 Touch and Type ready to rock the phone scene

Nokia, the Finnish cellphone manufacturer, is back with a new cellphone which will cater to the entry-level range. We’re talking about the super slim Nokia X3 Touch and Type, where it will come with a touchscreen display as well as a traditional 12 button phone keypad. While touchscreen displays tend to make an appearance in the higher end range of handsets, this one is an entry-level model. Touted to be Nokia’s first ‘Touch and Type’ phone, the Nokia X3 enables users to tap quickly on the bright color touchscreen display without losing out on the familiarity of the full keypad for quick fire text messages and phone calls. Expect the Nokia X3 to hit the market sometime in the third quarter of the year, where it will retail for around 125 Euros sans taxes and subsidies.

Sprint announces pricing and availability of Epic 4G smartphone

The latest and greatest Android smartphone to date has just been priced, alongside its availability date announced. We’re talking about the Sprint Epic 4G from Samsung, where it holds the distinction of being America’s first 4G-capable phone that will come complete with a full QWERTY keyboard as well as a brilliant Super AMOLED touchscreen display. This could very well be the perfect all-in-one device that you’ve been looking for to stay connected, get work done while enjoying entertainment even when you’re on-the-go. Apart from that, the Samsung Epic 4G is the only 4G handset from the Galaxy S smartphone family, where it will also be distinctly different thanks to the presence of a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Sony Ericsson Zylo with Walkman cellphone

Sony Ericsson is back with a bang, this time round they have expanded their Walkman line of cellphones (guess the Cybershot fans will have to take a back seat for this time), where the Zylo is the latest model to be introduced. This next generation Walkman phone will not break the bank if you are interested in picking one up, where it not only offers the best musical experience from a Walkman handset, but will also merge both music with social networking in a single device. That’s right, you will be able to catch up with family and friends over Twitter and Facebook among others using but a few button presses, while enjoying your favorite tunes in the background. Apart from that, the Zylo will also sport the TrackID feature which lets you access the name and artist of a track which you currently hear.

Samsung Wave announced

Samsung has announced the first cellphone in the world to be DivX certified where HD video playback at 720p resolution is concerned. Another first which will forever be associated with the Samsung Wave would be it being a cellphone which will run on Samsung’s new smartphone platform otherwise known as bada. Both DivX and Samsung will work together on HD Certification as well for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S, which will be yet another new new Android powered device with best-in-class 4″ Super AMOLED display and speedy performance thanks to its 1GHz processor. If you happen to be in Las Vegas at the moment, why not drop by the CTIA Wireless Show and check out Samsung and DivX demonstrating DivX HD playback on the Wave and Galaxy S?

LG Cosmos ready to rock and roll from Verizon Wireless

CTIA Wireless 2010 is the platform where many companies will roll out new smartphones and various other handsets to the masses, assuming they missed the Mobile World Congress boat which happened recently. LG has taken advantage of the situation with their brand new LG Cosmos that will be available via Verizon Wireless stores as well as online this coming March 25th, where it will boast a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for easy text messaging as well as built-in social networking tools to keep up with the times, letting you stay in touch with family and friends no matter where you are. Just make sure you keep a keen eye out on your data charges though if you aren’t running on an unlimited data plan.

Disney DM005SH diamond cellphone

Himfr.com might not ring a bell with some of you, but for those who are familiar with the workings of those who live in China would definitely have heard of them since they are one of China’s leading B2B search platforms with over 30 B2B industry websites to its name. Himfr.com has already evaluated Disney’s diamond cellphone known as the DM005SH, where it comes with an 8-megapixel camera and a CCD sensor while bringing home a whole lot of bling in the process. The cellphone’s body itself comes with 22 pieces of diamonds of varying sizes, where among them have been arranged to make up the Disney logo. Good thing it comes in three different colors – red, dark blue and white for those who subscribe to the mantra that variety is the spice of life.

Stuart Hughes rolls out Diamond Edition of the iPhone 4

Ah, the iPhone 4. A source of inspiration when you think about the design, but it is rather unfortunate that its strength is also a curse due to the reception issues which the phone is currently going through with no official fix just yet. Despite its highly desirable form factor, Stuart Hughes decided to up the ante by making the iPhone 4 all the more delicious using his usual modus operandi – decorating it with a slew of diamonds. Yup, you read that right, the surrounding frame is encrusted with circa 6.5cts of top quality VVS , color ‘F’ diamonds, where they have been individually set to sparkle and dazzle away each time you pull out the iPhone 4 from your pocket. Its rear section will house beautiful solid platinum as well as a diamond-enhanced Apple logo, bringing the total weight of diamonds to 6.5 carats just in case you’re one who loves to brag. It goes without saying that this model comes with 32GB of internal memory, solving the antenna issue at the same time simply because of all the diamonds all over. The handset is already factory unlocked for it to be ready for use across the globe, where you can complement it further with a luxurious hand finished wallet made from a real ostrich foot. This limited edition currently stands at 50 units worldwide, retailing for a cool $10,000 each.

iPhone 4 costs $188 to build

The whole world seems to be obsessed with how much things cost, and the same applies to the iPhone 4. For other countries where the smartphone is not available officially yet, folks who want first mover advantage to pick up an unlocked handset will have to fork out up to $1,000 for it, which is plain insanity if you ask us. It gets worse after you realize that the iPhone 4 costs all of just $188 to build, sans marketing and promotion dollars of course. A breakdown of the components point towards the Retina Display being the most expensive component within, as it is estimated to retail for $28.50. Bear in mind that this figure is based on the $199 16GB model with a two-year service contract in the US. As for the custom-built A4 processor, this Samsung-assembled piece of silicon is estimated to go for $10.75, while its gyroscope costs less than a burger at $2.60. What do you think of forking out much more money over a 2-year contract for something which is intrinsically worth less than a couple of Benjamins?

LG and Versace team up, union results in Versace Unique luxury phone

Now most folks would not have thought that LG and Versace would ever team up, but the day has arrived. What do you expect from this union – a branded LED HDTV, an expensive washing machine or a luxurious cellphone? If you picked the handset as the answer, then you’re right on the money with both companies working in tandem with ModeLabs Group to roll out the Versace Unique, the first luxury touchscreen and full-featured multimedia smartphone which can be purchased via the most important and exclusive watch and fine jewellery networks and Versace flagship boutiques throughout the world from early next month onwards.

RichardSolo 1800 iPhone Back Up Battery

Whether you own an iPhone or not, most people have heard iPhone owners complain about the battery life. It’s an extremely common complaint. Thankfully you can purchase a very small RichardSolo back up battery charger for your iPhone 3G. It’ll make sure that you’re never stuck with a dead battery, plus it has a couple of small gadgets built into it.
It has a built-in flashlight as well as a laser pointer. Sure, you can get a flashlight app for your iPhone, but your iPhone doesn’t have a laser pointer. On it is a retractable USB charger, a dual-port USB charger and even the usual AC wall charger. It’s capable of reaching a full charger after 5 hours of being plugged in. There are 3 LED lights that will help you keep track of the charge status of the battery. If you do plug in the battery, you can also plug your iPhone into the battery and charge them both at the same time. You can purchase one of these for $59.95.

Metro Pink Cosmopolitan phone

If you’re the type who love standing out from the crowd and yet don’t want to jump aboard the branded items bandwagon, the Metro Pink Cosmopolitan phone might be just the handset for you – assuming you’re in the market for one, of course. This unique dual SIM swivel screen QWERTY handset is relatively affordable at $75 a pop, where it will come unlocked, while boasting a design that looks totally different from what you’ve seen on the market. It is impossible to classify this as a candybar or a slider, but more of a square-slider. Each handset works across all four bands, where each purchase will come with a free 2GB microSD memory card. Something tells me that the user interface isn’t going to be as sweet as the design though. so caveat emptor applies here.