During the Q&A session at the special Apple press conference that was held to talk about the iPhone 4 antenna issue, Steve Jobs let slip something very interesting. When someone from the said that he cannot replicate the death grip at the conference hall, Steve replied that they had very strong signal there. He then added that they had both AT&T and Verizon cells on the campus. More on the other side.

Now that might or might not have been a deliberate slip but it does confirm that they have been using Verizon. But why are they using Verizon if their only phone works only on one network. Are they really testing out a CDMA iPhone that will run on the Verizon network? Looks like the rumors that started some time last year are about to get resurrected.

Given the network problem that AT&T customers face, especially the iPhone customers who are deemed data-hogs by the carrier, a Verizon iPhone has been an exciting idea for many. But so far this is the first direct sign that Apple has anything to do with Verizon at all.

But this slip could not have come at a better time. Verizon’s 4G LTE is fresh on the rumor mill with new documents emerging left right and center to support the rumors of a imminent roll out. With rivals moving on to faster networks, Apple’s iPhone will soon be compared to the 4G speeds and demands to release a 4G iPhone will increase. And since Verizon has the only real 4G network, Apple going to Verizon makes a lot of sense right now.

Also, technically CDMA is better equipped to handle large coverage areas as a CDMA transceiver covers more area than a GSM transceiver. This is what actually gives Verizon the edge over AT&T. And it is the network standard that is developing the fastest mobile data speeds. Hence, with Apple’s fixation to be on the cutting edge, everything does seem to fit right in. Seem to.

[via]

Other than the 4G LTE SIM card that I just posed about a while ago, there are other things that are showing signs of the next-generation 4G LTE network being rolled out sometime soon. Multiple news sources have been reporting of Verizon’s computers showing signs of 4G LTE connections. There are also some internal documents that talk about 4G up for viewing. More on the other side.

So it seems like Verizon is finally getting ready to roll out their much await 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) service. Once this happens, the mobile landscape in the US will take a decisive shift as speeds multiple times that of 3G hit the airwaves. With the HTC EVO 4G already part of rival Sprint’s WiMax-enabled arsenal, Verizon is definitely eager to step up the mobile game.

Android Central has received internal screenshots [seen above] of computers that show the presence of 4G LTE within the carriers internal networks. It clearly shows that the company is preparing for the release. In the meantime, Engadget in the meantime has received some internal documents [seen below] that outline 4G aspects and give an overview of the service. Possibly meant for internal circulation meant for employees at the Verizon Wireless outlets. There are also 4G fact sheets on display. Together, this can be treated as conclusive evidence that Verizon Wireless is girding its wireless loins for the LTE release.

If the enthusiasm that Verizon saw during the 4G test runs is anything to go by, the carrier is bound to have a good response to this service. That is if they aren’t overwhelmed by the demand. The pricing will surely be steep at the beginning but there are enough people who are willing to spend for the extra speed. And that is quite a bit of extra speed we are talking about here!

The folks over at BGR have posted a leaked document from Verizon — their upcoming summer catalogue of devices. And in it there are all the usual suspects, including the Droid X from Motorola. But there’s another phone playing second fiddle to the Droid X in the poster and that is another yet to be announced Droid phone — the Droid 2. So it seems like the rumors were true after all. There’s a Droid 2 in the making. Time to rejoice? Well, we’ll see. Motorola is not known for being consistently good at whatever phone they release.

The Droid 2 on the leaked Verizon Summer/Fall catalogue document also has some specs to back it up. The post reveals that the phone will have an 8GB memory card pre-installed, a 5 megapixel camera, 3G mobile hotspot capabilities and everything powered by a 1GHz processor. Probably the same OMAP4 from TI that we have seen on the Droid X.

Cosmetic changes seem to be a minimal and it fairly resembles the original Droid. From the specs, it is pretty clear that it is almost identical to the Droid X. But the catch here is probably a slide out landscape keyboard like the original Droid.

Over all, it seems like Motorola is trying to milk the whole Droid for as much as it is worth. I personally cannot see the use of releasing nearly identically specced phones, in the same line from the same company, on the same carrier. It will only confuse the customer. Give them one super phone that defines the line and then produce some affordable options if you really want those sales. Given that the Droid 2 also has a 1GHz CPU, it will not be on the affordable side of things. Sure, you are adding a whole keypad. But it has already been proven that you do not need a keypad to be an awesome smartphone in the present day and age.

You might not have noticed this yet but we have become extremely dependant on our mobile phones. This is especially true for those who use modern smartphones. Our always-connected lives would become highly disconnected if we were forced to live without these devices for a single day.

Our dependence comes through very clearly when we are trying to buy a new phone. Suddenly, all our daily needs and requirements come into play and we are left puzzled at the onslaught of features. This scenario is further complicated by the fact that most companies have product release cycles that are between 10 months to a year.

The companies cannot be stopped from bringing out the latest gear all throughout the year but we can help you catch up on the latest phone news. And so we do, every Thursday. Get over to the other side for this week’s digest.

Apple:

Apple Now Has 17% Global Smartphone Market Share

Apple has grown yet again in the global smartphone market. Now its total global smartphone market share stands at 17%. That’s not bad for a 2-year old line of smarpthones. [read]

Apple Makes More Money Selling Handsets Than Nokia

The stats are in and Apple won. Nokia made about 1 billion this last quarter (Q3) and Apple made 1.5 billion during the same time, selling smartphones. To put things into perspective, Nokia is the largest mobile handset maker in the world. [read]

Malware Finally Hits (Jailbroken) iPhones

After the recent rickrolling worm, we now have something much more serious. There’s a truly malicious program for the iPhone and it won’t even change your wallpaper to let you know that you have been hacked. It scans the network for open SSH sessions and then tries to log in with the default root password (which all users should change). Once it logs in, it will silently siphon off any data that it can access and that includes every last bit of personal and financial information stored on your iPhone and apps. Thankfully, this only affects jailbroken iPhones that have the default password. [read]

O2 Unlocks iPhones

O2 now unlocks the iPhones of the their customers against a £15 fee. They will only do this after the contract has expired. [read]

Orange Sells 30,000 iPhones On day 1

On their very first day of selling the iPhone in the UK, Orange has reported that they have sold over 30,000 iPhones. To remind you – the iPhone is nothing new in the UK and it is available from two other carriers. [read]

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Verizon:

Verizon Mocks AT&T And The iPhone [Again]

Verizon has launched a triage of new ads that mock AT&T’s (3G) coverage and also mock the iPhone in one ad where it is shown as fitting-in in the Island of Misfit Toys. [read]

Droid Can Be Tethered At An Extra Monthly Premium

If you want to tether your new Droid smartphone from Verizon, you will have to do two things: -

a)     Pay an extra $30 per month on top of everything else and

b)    Wait till next year

[read]

100,000 Droids Sold During Weekend, According To Analysts

According to analysts, the Droid has sold over 100,000 units over the first weekend after it was released. While that is not exactly record breaking, it is at least good to know that the phone is doing well after early reports of lukewarm interest. [read]

Droid Gets New Macho Ad

There is a new ad that shows the Droid as a stone-crushing robot. We refuse to believe it for one nanosecond. [read]

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Nokia:

Nokia Recalls 14 Million Chargers

After finding a fault with new batches of its travel handset chargers, Nokia has issued a call back of some 14 million chargers through a free exchange program. The fault lies with the casing, which can become undone and shock users. Kudos to Nokia for its fast response. [read]

Nokia’s X6 To Ship Soon

Looks like the much awaited Nokia X6 is going to ship sometime soon. Some people put it as the coming Monday or earlier. [read]

Nokia N900 Gets New Fr33ky Ad

So apparently, what we have told you so far about the N900 is completely wrong. It is actually a tranforming beast that has a lot of existential angst captured within it.

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Fujitsu’s Modular, Pico Projector Phone

If you want to see a phone that splits up into modular parts, has a 12.2 megapixel camera, 1-seg digital TV and a pico projector – you have to see Fujitsu’s F-04B. [read]

Samsung Unveils New Mobile Platform: Bada

Samsung has recently unveiled a new mobile platform called Bada. It is an open platform and Samsung hopes that developers will be excited about it because it will have great user experience, will be easy to integrate into networks and will also be easy to develop for. Apparently, Samsung has no clue that the mobile platform segment is over-crowded already with big-shot players battling it out for supremacy. This is almost like a cola start-up hoping to grab a sizeable marketshare whilst being ignorant of Pepsi and Coke. [Read]

Viewsonic Presents A Windows XP Phone

Viewsonic has brought a new smartphone that will be running the Windows XP OS. It is called the VPC08. It is not the first XP phone but we do hope that it is the last and that companies stop wasting their resources like this. They should all give in and make great Android phones. [read]

Vodafone Has Free HD2 For You

If you are in the UK and you want the HTC HD2, you can get one for free from Vodafone in exchange of a long-term contract with them. Or you can wait till the 23rd of this month when O2 will apparently start selling it too. [read]

Vimeo Is Now More Mobile Friendly

If you like Vimeo videos and own either an iPhone or an Android phone, you are in luck. Vimeo has just has just made their site more mobile friendly for these platforms. [read]

Windows Mobile Marketplace Gets Upgraded

The Windows Mobile Marketplace has just received some tweaking. The in-phone app still sucks but you can have a better experience on your computer, through any browser. Plus there have been some added security upgrades to stop piracy and address developer-end issues. [read]

Willcom Hybrid W-Zero Is The World’s First Handset With PHS And W-CDMA

I haven’t heard of them either but this company has made the world’s first mobile handset that has PHS and W-CDMA (3.5G) that can give you HSUPA 7.2 Mbps performance. I want to ask them about the number of networks that will support this phone to its full extent. Bad part? It is coming in January 2010, may be only in Asia. Worse part? It is running Windows Mobile 6.5!!! [read]

Droid has made the news for a lot of reasons before and after it was launched. People were pretty excited during the rumormongering period and everyone wanted a piece of the action. But the day the Droid finally became publicly available, there was nothing much to write about the crowd that was’nt there (but was expected to be there). So everyone thought that the Droid had not been received too well by consumers. Seems like we spoke to early and that Droid has made a dent after all.

Analysts estimate that the Droid has achieved sales of approximately 100,000 units in the week following its launch. That means it has received the same response that the Palm Pre got. But over all, those are not record-breaking numbers by any stretch, not even close. So the Droid still has a long way to go if it really wants to catch up with the iPhone in terms of sheer volume of sales. [read]

In other news, the Droid has just gotten itself some marketing love in the form of a new ad. The ad is yet again a take on the Droid’s ‘super powerful machine’ campaign-image and it yet again fails to tell us why we should use the Droid. We know it has a giant screen and that it runs Android apps but it would’ve been nice to see those features in action instead of that testosterone fuelled destruction sequence.

Verizon does not let go of this opportunity to try and ridicule the iPhone either. So while the Droid is going all stone crushing, wall bashing super-droid like in the add, a line of iPhones is briefly shown clad in pink embellished jackets. A hydraulic press promptly crushes what Verizon calls vanity.

WHY SO SERIOUS?!

Okay Verizon, you are telling us that the Droid subtracts (iPhone’s) vanity and adds steel-punching power. But since the Droid doesn’t really do that, it would’ve been nice if you had shown off its gorgeous screen and some great Android apps. That is what we like about the Droid you know. It’s a great phone, don’t ruin it by going all out on the iPhone. This whole macho thing suits an MMA contest or a beer ad, not an sophisticated phone like the Droid. [read]

Here we are folks, it is Monday once again and that means going getting out of weekend mode, getting back to work and catching up with the world that has been busy as usual« over the weekend. That is why we bring you this round up every Monday to help you catch up with the most relevant news in consumer technology that has broken over the past few days, with some fun bits thrown in for added taste.

This week we have speculations about HTC making a unique netbook, Vaios coming out in more style than usual, some great iPhone apps and still more. Get over to the other side to get started.

Apple:

WorldMode iPhone Nano [?]

This is one persistent rumor and it seem like it will only go away when Apple finally makes it official. Rumor goes that this phone will not only come to Verizon but it will be a smaller, 2.3” screened device that will support all UMTS 3G and CDMA networks worldwide. One phone to run on all (networks). [read]

Core i5 iMacs Ready For Being Shipped

Looks like the Core i5 iMacs are getting ready to be shipped as of today. Those of you who have been starving for the Quad Core iMacs, time to hit the buy button. [read]

Mac OS X 10.6.2 Update Released, Atom Be Gone

The second update to the Snow Leopard has been pushed out to the public today and as anticipated, there is no Atom support on this version. There’s also a security update for Leopard users.  [read]

First Ever iPhone Worm Hits, More Anticipated

Do not hit the panic button yet. This worm is first of all a playful worm that changes the wallpaper and rickrolls users. And it only affects jailbroken iPhones. So those of you who are playing it legit have nothing to worry about. But this might as well be the start of a new line of worms and other malware. [read]

O2 Will Unlock iPhones For Customers

Not out of the goodness of their hearts but at the end of the legitimate contract in exchange of a small fee. Available only to the customers in the UK as of now. [read]

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Nokia:

Nokia X6 Starts Shipping Next Week

The Nokia X6 isn’t something new. It was launched quite some time back and it is only just beginning to move toward a shipping date. It is slated to launch in about a week’s time in different parts of the world in tandem with a Rihanna release party. According to Expansys, the X6 will ship in the UK on November 12^th. [read]

Nokia Recalls 14 Million Chargers

Not taking a chance with a widespread customer outcry, Nokia has recalled 14 million chargers. These chargers have been deemed faulty and they may shock users. Nokia has started a replacement program through which customers can replace their chargers for free. Kudos to Nokia for being so very prompt and open about it. [read]

Unlocked Nokia Booklet 3G At Best Buy From November 15^th

For those who have already pre-ordered the Booklet 3G from Best Buy and for those who want to – we finally have a date. The Nokia netbook is landing on November 15^th, after what seems like ages since it was first announced some months back. [read]

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HTC Working On ‘Unique’ Netbook

The rumors are abound again, apparently HTC is making a netbook instead of just “carefully looking” at the segment. The CEO sort of let slip that the Android based device that we have been hearing about is still very much on and in the making. But they do not want to make anything official because the company wants to bring out something that is unique and adds some value to the segment. Not a boring old yet-another-netbook. YAN – I think I will make that a tag. [read]

Toshiba 3G Netbook Now On AT&T & Verizon

The Toshiba NB205 becomes the latest 3G-enabled netbook to be available through carriers. This time on Verizon and AT&T. [read]

More Anti-iPhone Ads from Verizon

This was intentionally left out of the Apple section. Verizon has started airing three new ads that focus on the bad 3G network coverage that AT&T is (in)famous and hated for. All three ads more or less bash the iPhone along with AT&T with the 3^rd ad directly showing the iPhone in the land of Misfit Toys (because it has spotty 3G coverage). [read]

Sony Unveils New Fall Winter Collection Vaios

Sony has released a new fall winter collection of Vaios. These are normal Vaios with great new styling that will really make you want to own one. Perfect for a high-end Christmas gift eh? [read]

ThinkPad X110e Netbook Rumored For January ‘10 Launch

The latest rumored netbook is one with a ThinkPad branding that goes by the name X100e. The latest news from rumorsville in this regard is that it is slated for an early January release next year. [read]

Intel Intends to Blitz Into Pine Trail

According to new rumors based on certain leaks, Intel will be announcing details about their new pine-trail generation Atom chips as early as December 21^st this year and we are likely to see these chips in new netbooks as early as January next year. Looks like Intel is simply waiting for everyone to finish selling through the holiday shopping rush before they announce this. [read]

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iPhone Apps:

Balloons! iPhone App Emulates Message In A Bottle

This is a brand new app with a brand new concept. It is called Balloon! and what it does is quite simple yet brilliant. It brings the concept of a message in a bottle to the iPhone and ties it to a kind of social networking with a twist. The idea is that you take a balloon, snap a picture to show what’s going on with you, put in a little text and let it float off into virtual space.

The fun part begins when it drifts all over the world and people catch it, add some more text and let it go again. Slowly, each balloon builds up a story and some can be pretty interesting. You have a free app where you cannot track your balloons and a paid-for app where you can track your balloons. As you will quickly realize – the main fun is in the tracking. Going for $2.99. [read]

Use Knocking To Share Up To100 Images Instantly

You can now show a big finger to the carrier that is not letting you use the MMS feature on your iPhone, thanks to a new app called Knocking. Knocking lets you share up to 100 images with other Knocking users in no time at all. It works over 3G and WiFi and also allows you to take control of what the other person is seeing. This one is going for free for the first 50,000 downloads, which should take long on the App Store if people like it. [read]

Shazam Has A New Paid-for App Called Shazam Encore

Shazam has upgraded their music identification app to a paid version that is called Shazam Encore. This new app has music recommendation features based on the songs tagged for identification, the ability to find out what is popular and also a car mode that apparently makes it easy to use even when driving car. Although I would say that the only thing that you really should be using while driving is a GPS app/device, with your music player on auto. The new app is also very speedy compared to the original one.

The free app is now crippled and lacks features of the premium with limited song identifications per month. Those who have already downloaded the original app get to keep on using it as it is. Going for $4.99 [read]

No matter how much companies try to play them down, netbooks are still going pretty strong. They may no generate much profit for the companies but they sure are hits with the users. That is why Otaku Gadgets updates you on the very latest on netbook every Wednesday – cutting through all the noise and delivering you the stuff that matters.

This week, we have Litl finally releasing their Webbook (Easel) netbook, multiple new Asus models start showing up across the world and Lenovo seems to have ThinkPad series netbooks up their sleeves. Get to the other side for brand new netbooks and more netbook news.

Litl Easel Released: Named Webbook And Too Expensive

The Litl Webbook is a well-named, interesting litl concept. It gives you a netbook that has the usual specs ­– Atom 1.6Ghz, 1GB RAM – but a tiny litl 2GB flash storage. Is that the company taking their name too far? It is because it has a completely custom OS that relies entirely on the cloud i.e. – things running and stored on the Internet. So, to use the Webbook you are to remain connected at all times. But then again, this is meant to be a nice little family computer that is meant to be usable by every member of your family.

The form factor is pretty interesting. It has nice litl touches here and there. You have the baby blue parts and the overall cutesy appeal. You can turn the screen far beyond the usual angle to achieve an easel like effect (hence that code-name). That way you achieve a nice view while watching movies or pictures. Plus, it comes in handy during something called the Channel view.

Channel view is when the online content is displayed full-screen. You have those widgets cycling around in the easel mode, displaying information in full screen. So overall, it is a nice litl concept that sound like fun.

What isn’t fun is the price, which is not so litl at $700. With that kind of money, no one would be interested in buying something that does not even have enough space to store movies, music and pictures on. They need to curtail their expectations a (large) bit and then may be they will see some response. But it does look nice and family friendly, I will give it that.

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Asus

1021N Spotted In Italy

The 12.1” ION powered Eee PC 1201N had already been announced by Asus post the Windows 7 launch as part of their new line up. But it had yet to show up on stores, until now. Netbook Italia has spotted the 1201N at an online store in Italy. It is going for €510 (including VAT, $754 approx at the current rate). It will be running Windows 7 and will have more RAM and better graphics (courtesy ION). [read]

1001HA On Pre-Order in The UK

The budget Eee PC 1001HA is a low configuration model that is more like the last generation of the netbooks that is now selling at a discount price. With its 1.6GHz Atom Processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD and 3-cell battery, it will just get you through all your basic surfing needs. But it won’t cost you anything more than £199.99 if you are in the UK. It is currently on pre-order. It will run Windows XP and Windows 7. It think that is as much about cost-cutting as about performance limits. [read]

T91MT On Pre-order In The US

The T91MT is the updated version of the touchscreen-convertible Eee PC T91. The new model has a multi-touch enabled touchscreen, which is signified by the ‘MT’ in the model name. It is now up for pre-order on Amazon for $549 with the full huge model name.

Asus will not include its own custom touch UI now that Windows 7 is here, which might finally start selling the device. It will be running Windows 7 Home Premium – the lowest edition of Windows 7 to have multi-touch. [read]

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Lenovo

ThinkPad Netbooks Spied On

After a hazy and suspicious live shot of the alleged ThinkPad netbook, we now have clear shots of what indeed looks like a netbook with the ThinkPad branding and signature features. It is apparently called the ThinkPad x200e or the x100e. No one is all that sure yet. The pictures look real enough, so we will have to say that this thing looks like it will hit the shelves soon. [read]

New Lenovo Netbook On FCC

Before those above pictures surfaced, a new Lenovo notebook model was spotted on the FCC by Wireless Goodness. And the images look very much like a netbook. The images are part of an application made by Wistron, Lenovo’s hardware assembler. This might be the new ThinkPad netbook and hence it might be pretty close to launching. I would say next week. [read]

Hates Linux But Likes Chrome OS

Lenovo has been saying that Linux simply does not cut it in the market and that Windows 7 now makes it look even worse by comparison. And then they go on to talk about their Interest in the Chrome OS being developed by Google. For those of you who don’t get the joke here – Chrome OS is a full on Linux-based OS that is being developed by Google. May be they are overlooking that ‘minor’ problem in an otherwise promising OS. [read]

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Via Releases Nano 3000

Intel has been having a nice and big Atom party ever since the netbook craze hit the market. But others have wanted a piece of that pie for quite some time now. So AMD released the Neo, NVIDIA the Tegra and VIA the Nano. Now that the next-generation Atom is approaching, the others have to step up their game. And it looks like VIA has already done it.

Enter the new Nano 3000 – 64-bit support and picture perfect 1080p HD playback. Plus there’s also support for better security features built into the chip. This will be the chip that tales on the Atom N470 that is headed our way. [read]

Verizon To Start Offering $300 Vaio P

Looks like Verizon is going to get a Vaio P on their roster and they will apparently be selling it for $299 (minus may be a $100 rebate). You of course have to sign a long-term data contract with them but sicne this is not AT&T, you might actually want to. [read]

Hackintosh: Snow Leopard 10.6.2 Update Will Break  Atom Support

This is just a heads up to those running hackintosh Atom netbooks. Do not upgrade to 10.6.2 till the hackers figure something out. The latest build kernels of this update lack support for Atom, which will completely break your hackintosh once the update goes live and gets installed into your system. Panic not though, the hackers will likely figure this out pretty easily. That is unless Apple is devious enough to actively make it harder for them. For all legit Apple computer users, take that smirk with you to the next post.

Eee Control For Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

For those of you who have been running Karmic Koala (Ubuntu 9.10) on a Eee PC or similar netbook, this should be important. Eee Control, the little piece of Linux software that allows you to tweak the clock speed of Atom, is now out for Karmic Koala. It helps you tweak the chip in order to achieve a balance between speed and battery life and you can choose either one when you need to.[read]

Mobile phones are sleek, they are in and they are coming at you in huge numbers every other day. To cut through all the confusion, I take you on this journey through the latest phones every Thursday.

This week, we have the big Droid being launched, previewed and generally liked and talked about. Plus, Google has this killer navigation app that completely owns every other such app and device.

Get to the other side to know more.

Big This Week: The Droid Is Out Baby (On Pre-Order Now), Android 2.0/Éclair FTW!

We have been talking about and posting Droid leaks for quite some time now and finally Motorola and Verizon decide that it is about time they go to making the thing official.

So Droid is now official. Yay! What are the first impressions like? Well, everyone is pretty impressed with the phone. The touchscreen response it great, the keypad is great to type on and the build quality I reported to be quite good. [read]

Another good thing about the Droid is the pristine Android 2.0 OS that is being loved by everyone. The Droid comes with an unadulterated, stock build of the 2.0 OS and hence there is nothing to spoil the Android experience. Verizon apps will be available through a special channel on the Marketplace but that will come later. [read]

The Android is on preorder now at Best-Buy and the current lot will arrive on the Nov 6. [read]

HTC: No Android HD2, Touch Diamond2 Gets WinMo 6.5, Droid Eris Coming

HTC is a company who phones are becoming really likeable with every new launch. They are the ones who really put Windows Mobile on the touchscreen map. Their phones have been getting better and better lately, which is more than what can be said for certain other companies.

But their CEO has just saddened our Android-loving hearts. He said that while technically they could make an Android version of the HD2, they are going to continue with Windows Mobile for now.

Well, he never says HTC will not make a Snapdragon powered Android phone. So basically, it won’t be called HD2. I will be called HTC Dragon [read]

In other news, HTC’s rumored cheap Android Phone – Droid Eris AKA HTC Desire is said to be coming on Verizon. The carrier plans to have a lot of Android phones and this would be joining up right next to the newly unveiled Motorola Droid. [read]

If you own a Touch Diamond2, we have good news for you. The originally Windows Mobile 6.1 device has now been promoted to Windows Mobile 6.5. Whether that makes it part of the Windows Mobile device ranks, we are not too sure about.

The ROM upgrade is now live on HTC’s website and is said to take about 30 minutes to happen. [read]

Google: Killer Navigation App Kills PND’s (Eventually), gPhone Rumored Again And More

Watch out TomTom and Garmin, here comes Google. The Google juggernaut has done it again. They have released an app that completely renders obsolete all other navigation apps and devices.

Combining multiple Google services with real-time crowd-sourced data, this is one navigation app that will completely rule on Android phones. And it will kill Personal Navigation Devices (PND’s) because of several reasons.

The Google Navigation app has something behind it that no one else can offer – Google’s search engine. When you combine those data mining capabilities with route planning, you get possibilities that are quite limitless. Plus, the comprehensive nature of Google Maps and the powerful database behind that is unmatched by anything else on the planet.

But the ultimate thing that ensures the death of all stand-alone devices is something even better. While standalone devices and even iPhone Apps cost a pretty penny, Google offers this feature for free. Beat that! [read]

And after so many Android phones, we come to Google’s own little gPhone project. More speculation ensues as a Northeast Securities Analyst leaks word about Google working with a smartphone manufacturer to make a Google branded phone. This phone will be sold directly to customers and not through carriers. [read]

In its response to FCC’s enquiry, Google has stated that it only blocks certain high-cost numbers. They have also mentioned that the Google Voice service only blocks about 100 numbers now. [read]

LG GW620 Eve Android Phone Get Its Own Mini-Site, Full Of Information, Videos

LG’s GW620, the company’s first ever Android phone, has its own minisite now where you can find full specs and manuals for the device. You can also watch videos and generally ogle. [visit]

MID Phone Coming (Needs A New Device Category Name)

In Technology Groups is bringing out an MID with phone capabilities, further blurring the already hard-to-see line between phones and MIDs. This MID-phone will have a swappable wireless communications module that can be upgraded individually as newer technology comes in. A demo of the new Windows XP based xPhone UI is now available on the group’s website. There’s no date on this project, so don’t get too excited. [read]

iPhone Chomping Down To Overtake Blackberry’s Market Share

According to market data posted by analysts, iPhone is closing in on Blackberry’s market share after leaving Palm far behind. The Pre wasn’t that big a hit after all. And Blackberry has been hemorrhaging users to the iPhone for a long time now. Their latest phones (Storm, Storm2, etc.) have completely failed to make an impression and the market is currently divided between Android phones and the iPhone.

Blackberry Storm 2 Arrives, Underwhelming, Expected

Just so that you know, the Blackbery Storm 2 is here and few are silly enough to buy it. It’s UI and features are not nearly attractive enough to justify choosing it over Android phones or the iPhone. Although, if you really feel like causing yourself or someone else some amount of pain – go for it by all means. You have been warned.

Analysts predict the iPhone will come to Verizon in 2010

Verizon’s CEO almost openly decalred that they are getting the iPhone. And now we have the iPhone hating Droid ads and a slew of Androids heading for Verizon. What gives? Has Verizon fallen out that badly with Apple? Whatever the case may be, some analysts are still putting their neck out to declare that VZW will get the iPhone in 2010. And may be they will because all this may be an elaborate façade to get us to look the other way. [read]

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That’s it for this week. If you want to add to this list or have a new phone you simply can’t get enough of, do drop us a comment below.

We all are quite acquainted with the quality service that Verizon has been providing its customers, over the years. The service provider has since been introducing various cutting-edge and stunning devices one after another. The recent introduction of HTC Imagio thus adds another feather to its cap.

Verizon Wireless unveiled the HTC Imagio, which is the carrier’s one and only Windows Mobile 6.5 device and probably the first smart-phone which supports its V Cast Mobile TV Service. The launch took place today. According to the tech-supporters, the digital TV service comes through to Imagio via its prolific antenna. The newly launched device which at one point of time codenamed as the HTC Whitestone has aptly been labeled as a multimedia smart-phone. The seemingly lavish device can also operate with V Cast Video on Demand and V Cast Music, thereby providing an all-round-facility-service to its users. Surprisingly we haven’t seen any of these features being included in other smart-phones that had been launched by Verizon. For concentrating on business benefits could be one of the primary reasons for the service provider not including these services in its earlier smart-phones. Hence the newly launched HTC Imagio does provide a breathe of fresh air for the Verizon aficionados.

Imagio’s 3.6 inch touchscreen display accompanied with 800 x 480 pixel resolution is certainly a treat to the eye and is surely going to enthrall its users with its crystal clear display. Moreover there are programs and channels which can be chosen from as many as 19 networks. Adding icing on the cake, the device also comprises of a 5.0 megapixel auto-focus camera. As said and mentioned earlier, the V Cast Mobile TV provides plentiful of network and cable channels which include CBS, Bravo, Comedy Central, ESPN, MTV, NBC and Nickelodeon. But one thing should be noted that the service is not free as the Mobile TV costs $15 per month and the aforementioned service is only available in certain selected areas.

Some of you might think that it is useless to flaunt this device unless you live in a supported area. Worry not. According to the company, the smart-phone reportedly supports both the domestic and international 3G bands, thereby solving your angst. The availability of Wi-Fi just makes your life better. The presence of 15000 mAh battery provides plenty of power to the newly launched device, i.e. HTC Imagio. The elegantly poised smart-phone is also outfitted with Bluetooth and GPS/A-GPS. The exquisitely stunning features accompanied with user friendly applications would surely make your life smooth and comfortable. Imagio supports V Cast Music with Rhapsody as well and also provides a 3.5 mm headphone jack. No adapter is required.

According to the company’s officials, HTC Imagio will be hitting the net on October 6 and will be available at the market from October 20. The device is priced at $199.99 with a two-year agreement, after a $100 mail-in rebate. Thus, the interested as well as curious customers will have to wait for a few more days or weeks to catch up with the latest smart-phone offered by Verizon, i.e. HTC Imagio.

Verizon Wireless has again come up with a revelation with the announcement of the launch of Verizon Wireless Razzle, a lavishly carved phone which enables its users to switch between an alphanumeric keypad and a full Qwerty key board. The phone is marked with an unique “swivel design” so that the customers can fit in both their messaging and multi-playing needs.

The newly introduced phone from Verizon Wireless is embellished with some exquisite features which will surely excite the users. The phone comprises of a 2.2 inch color display, a 1.3 mega-pixel camera and a Blutetooth support. The smart-phone also provides its customers with voice commands, speakerphone, a micro SD card slot. Although the aforementioned features are just enough to make the users literally crave for the phone, still there is one stunning feature which is considered as the best of the lot. The phone provides its users, access to the Verizon Wireless V Cast Music with Rhapsody, thereby regaining its value as a unique feature phone.

The device also enables the customers to access Verizon’s Web Service. The users of the newly launched device can also store their favorite songs in the external micro-SD cards. The phone also includes a 1 GB card that comes along with the package. The simple yet subtle and useful device provides a handful of packages to the users who are eventually waiting for the official launch of Verizon Wireless Razzle.

According to a statement released by the company officials, Razzle will be available over the net from October 6 and will be priced at $69.99 after a two-year customer agreement. The phone will hit the stores sometime later this month.