CrunchDeal: Fruit Ninja for Android free on the Amazon Appstore, today only

Amazon wants you to use their brand new Android Appstore. So much so, in fact, that they’re coughin’ up the cash to offer up one free app per day that would otherwise set you back a buck or two. While we’re not going to cover each and every daily deal (you can find’em right over here), today’s free app is one of our favorites: Fruit Ninja.

For those who haven’t discovered the art of unleashing your rage on an endless stream of flying fruit, Fruit Ninja is a game wherein you… unleash your rage on an endless steam of flying fruit. You “slash” at the fruit by dragging your finger across the screen, all while avoiding the instant-kill bombs and trying to keep any fruit from slipping by unslashed. It’s a pretty simple game — but the most addictive ones always are. Plus, it’s, you know. Free.

You can find out how to finagle the Amazon Appstore onto your Android phone right over here.

Microsoft Launching Similar NFC Tech into Windows Phone Software

Can Microsoft go up against the likes of Google and Apple when it comes to mobile-payment technology? This is a good question considering Microsoft Corp is working on a new version of its Windows Phone software to include similar NFC tech.

Microsoft is getting in on the act where you can simply buy products with a quick flick of the handset and a checkout counter.

This is great news if Microsoft adds the mobile-payment technology in its smartphones operating system, hopefully when this does happen it will nudge them forward a little step or two to narrow the gap between Google and its software.

The first handsets with this new technology could possibly be released this year if all goes according to plan, the new Microsoft software according to boston.com will be based on so-called Near Field Communication. Google have already introduced NFC capabilities into its devices in 2010 and Apple is working on it right now.

Do you think Microsoft with the new mobile payment technology can close the market gap against Google and Apple?

NoDo Windows Phone 7 update hits the Venue Pro, Dell update to follow

Well, it looks like Venue Pro owners will be getting not one but two software updates in the near future. Dell has just confirmed that the much-anticipated NoDo Windows Phone 7 update has begun rolling out to devices today, and also announced that a separate update of its own will be "coming later." NoDo, of course, adds copy and paste functionality among some other updates and tweaks, while the Dell update is only said to have "more fixes." Feel free to let us know how the update works out for you in comments.

Nokia N8 Accessories: Bugatti Comfort Leather Case

If you are an owner of the Nokia N8 and in the market for a new case for your Symbian^3 smartphone then you may like to consider the Bugatti Comfort Leather case, a Nokia N8 case that allows quick access to the handset without being too tight.

The Bugatti Comfort Leather case for the Nokia N8 is constructed in genuine calf leather for that luxury feel and features a top flap for securing the smartphone, closed via magnetic fastenings and has an eight position rotating belt clip.

The Bugatti Comfort Leather case has been specifically designed to house the Nokia N8 and has the marque’s name engraved on the front with a brushed metal logo sitting in the corner signifying the case is the genuine article.

So if you are on the lookout for a new case for your Nokia N8, you can purchase the Nokia N8 Bugatti Comfort Leather case from Mobile Fun as a price of just 19.95.

Motorola Xoom Tablet UK Release Date & Price

For those of you out there who like your tablet PCs, I bring some great news too you regarding the Android Honeycomb Motorola Xoom, which was unveiled at the CES 2011.

You may be interested to know that Motorola have announced that next week the Xoom tablet will be available in the UK for purchase. As indicated by the guys at Soft Sailor there is no definite date on when it will arrive, but it is believed that electronic retailer giants such as the Carphone Warehouse and Dixons will definitely stock the tablet.

Now there is speculation that the Motorola Xoom will retail for 600 for the 3G version of the tablet and possibly 500 for the WiFi-only version. However, at present, this is just rumours and the price is still yet unknown.

Well let us hope that there are no spanners in the works and that the Xoom does arrive in UK stores next week, without a hiccup.

For those of you interested in possibly purchasing the Motorola Xoom, you may want to check out our article regarding the Android 3.0 Honeycomb, which the tablet will be running or the comparison video between the Xoom and iPad 2.

Let us know your thoughts below.

Android Gingerbread Xperia Arc Video Review

For those who may be considering picking up the new Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, you may like to check out the video review of the Android 2.3 Gingerbread sporting device we have for your viewing consideration below.

The guys over at Engadget have got hold of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc and have given the device a lengthy review along with the video you can watch below, and they say the Xperia Arc is clearly targeted towards the fashion conscious smartphone user with its slim 8.7mm profile and concave back.

They also say that the 4.2-inch Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc design exhibits “an artistry and flamboyance we rarely get to see,” and that the Xperia Arc has a lot to offer the right kind of buyer.

Of course if you have the time, head on over to Engadget to check out the full written review of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, but if you are short on time you can view the nine and a half minute footage below.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc commands a price tag of 425, which is roughly $680 off contract, so isn’t too pricey, any of our readers hoping to snap up the Android packing Xperia Arc?

Android PlayStation emulator PSX4Droid pulled from Market, fingers pointing at Xperia Play (updated)

Uh oh, the day has finally come. We just gathered from Joystiq (and confirmed ourselves) that the renowned Android first-gen PlayStation emulator, PSX4Droid, has been pulled from the Market. The reason? Its author, ZodTTD, said Google informed him that it was a matter of "Content Policy violation," but as anyone would suspect, the fact that it's taken eight months for Google to take action suggests this is likely to do with the imminent launch of the Xperia Play, which will have its own mechanism to power the original PlayStation's games. Another mystery is that it looks like other emulators such as SNesoid (SNES), GameBoid (Game Boy) and, in particular, FPSe (PlayStation) appear to be safe for now, which might suggest that there are other reasons behind this removal; but still, the timing suggests otherwise. On the bright side, we can always rely on third-party app markets.

Update: Here's a super generic statement we just received from Google regarding this matter:

"We remove apps from Android Market that violate our policies."

Softbank to offer free phones to earthquake orphans, free replacement for lost iPhones

Following the catastrophic earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, surviving victims from the affected region are going to face a tough time over the coming months, if not years. Many of those who are more fortunate have been actively contributing in one way or another, regardless of distance, to help put Japan on its road to recovery. Back in the country, one such generous person is non other than Softbank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son, who's recently visited Tamura, one of the cities most affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster. During that trip, Son announced that Softbank will cover a year's worth of living costs (commute and food) and provide job positions for the 1,200 people to be relocated to Takeo, Saga.

Additionally, Son is using Softbank's "Let's Do It" campaign site -- a tracker for his "Let's Do It" tasks posted on Twitter, each accompanied by a completion status indicator -- to crowdsource requests for supporting earthquake victims. So far, these requests are mainly about ways to increase efficiency for donation efforts (like publishing a live list of item shortages for each shelter, and setting up new mobile networks at the shelters), but there were two that caught our attention. Last week, one of Son's followers suggested that Softbank should provide orphaned children free phone credit for a limited time, so that they could contact their friends and other family members. Son then retweeted this idea and announced that all earthquake orphans will receive free phones, along with call costs waived until they reach the age of 18. Another gadget-related initiative came in earlier today with Son promising free replacement for all lost or damaged iPhones due to the earthquake, with details to follow later.

Obviously, anyone providing aid to Japan in any way, shape, or form deserves just as much credit, but Softbank's extra mileage and cunning use of social networking is certainly praiseworthy in its own right. Here's hoping that Son's actions will inspire others for even greater causes.

[Thanks, Tres]

Update: It's worth pointing out that Son said he's also happy to help pay phone bills for earthquake orphans who are already on other networks, including DoCoMo. Good on ya, sir!

Best Buy Connect takes the 4G leap, now stocking over 20 WiMAX products

Took 'em long enough! Nearly a full year has elapsed between the time that Best Buy announced that its 'Connect' program would support 4G and the time that it actually started stocked 4G gear. In fact, the company actually took the time to sign up for LightSquared's wholesale LTE service a full week prior to making good on its commitment to Clearwire, which may or may not say anything about the future viability of WiMAX. At any rate, those who'd prefer to sift through mounds of peripherals (and be hounded at the exit by employees attempting to hawk product protection plans) in order to buy their 4G service can now do just that. BB Connect stores in the US will offer unlimited 4G service for $45 per month with a month-to-month or two-year contract, and if you choose the latter, the $35 activation fee will be waived and a hardware subsidy ("up to $150") will be yours. So, you digging in, or feeling the tug of Long-Term Evolution?

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Best Buy ConnectSM Launches 4G Mobile Broadband Service Via Clearwire

4G mobile broadband connectivity delivers high-speed internet on-the-go on more than 20 computing devices sold at Best Buy

MINNEAPOLIS - March 28, 2011 - Best Buy Connect, Best Buy's mobile broadband service for computing, today announced the arrival of 4G mobile broadband connectivity service on an expanded selection of computing devices sold at Best Buy stores nationally. The 4G service provides consumers with high-speed internet access on-the-go, with service activation, billing, hardware and connection support from Best Buy.

"We're finding that customers increasingly want choice in service providers for mobile broadband," said Jed Stillman, vice president of Best Buy Connect. "Best Buy Connect is an end-to-end option that gives them the freedom to connect virtually, whenever or wherever, and the convenience of one point of contact - Best Buy - for selection and service."

The 4G service offering is available through a strategic wholesale relationship with Clearwire, a leading provider of wireless broadband services and operator of the first 4G network in the country. Best Buy Connect 4G can be purchased as mobile broadband option on 23 computing models from Asus, Dell, HP, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba at most Best Buy stores across the U.S.

"Best Buy Connect, supported by Clearwire's 4G network, showcases Best Buy's leadership in today's truly connected world," said Teresa Elder, president of strategic partnerships and wholesale for Clearwire. "Best Buy is at the forefront of a growing number of businesses that recognize the value a true mobile broadband experience can deliver to their customers. Clearwire's 4G mobile broadband network is uniquely positioned to serve the diverse demands of multiple industries today with a spectrum position capable of scaling for the demands of tomorrow."

Initially, Best Buy Connect will offer unlimited 4G service for $45 per month with a month-to-month or two-year contract. With the purchase of a two-year contract, customers can waive the $35 activation fee and receive up to an additional $150 off select hardware devices.

Best Buy Connect launched in July 2010 to provide customers another option in mobile broadband services, with service activation, billing, hardware and connection support delivered by Best Buy. The Best Buy-owned and branded service differs from traditional mobile broadband offerings by addressing some of the irritations people face in mobile networking, giving consumers more flexibility, freedom, convenience and support with one-stop shopping and selection, a trusted human connection and customer rewards through the Best Buy Reward Zone loyalty program. For more information about Best Buy Connect, visit www.bestbuy.com/bestbuyconnect.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

With operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, China and Mexico, Best Buy is a multinational retailer of technology and entertainment products and services with a commitment to growth and innovation. The Best Buy family of brands and partnerships collectively generates more than $50 billion in annual revenue and includes brands such as Best Buy, Audiovisions, Best Buy Mobile, The Carphone Warehouse, Five Star, Future Shop, Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Napster, Pacific Sales, and The Phone House. Approximately 180,000 employees apply their talents to help bring the benefits of these brands to life for customers through retail locations, multiple call centers and Web sites, in-home solutions, product delivery and activities in our communities. Community partnership is central to the way Best Buy does business. In fiscal 2011, the company donated approximately $25 million to improve the vitality of the communities where its employees and customers live and work. For more information about Best Buy, visit www.bby.com.

T-Mobile HD7 and Dell Venue Pro Receive NoDo

After months of anticipation and repeated delays, T-Mobile has begun to roll out the first major update for its versions of the Dell Venue Pro and HTC HD7 in the NoDo update. As expected, the NoDo update brings a raft of improvements to Windows Phone 7 such as copy/paste support, improved reception thanks to updated radio firmware, fixes for application speed and device stability along with other fixes. Dell has also confirmed that it will push out another update for the Venue Pro aside from NoDo to fix device specific bugs. 

Cellular South to Introduce the HTC Merge

Cellular South, the largest privately owned wireless communications provider in the U.S., today announced plans to introduce the new HTC Merge, its first Android world phone and the first smart phone in the world to come pre-loaded with the new Amazon Appstore for Android.

The HTC Merge Android-powered touchscreen smart phone combines a full QWERTY slide-out keyboard with the Android 2.2 operating system, HTC Sense user interface, a large 3.8-inch touchscreen display and a 5 megapixel camera to create a complete mobile experience.

“We’re excited to add our first Android world phone to Cellular South’s growing suite of Android smart phones and tablets as we continue to build on our promise to deliver the wireless industry’s best Android experience,” said Kevin Hankins, chief operating officer for Cellular South. “Coupled with the new Amazon Appstore for Android, the HTC Merge is the perfect device for customers who are looking for a reliable mobile experience with the features and functionality of a smart phone, whether it’s at home or traveling around the world.”

Vimeo Video Upload App Finally Comes To iOS

For the iOS faithful out there that prefers Vimeo to YouTube for their video uploading you may like to know that Vimeo has now released their first iOS app for the iPhone, iPod Touch and the Apple iPad.

With the Vimeo app for iOS devices users can upload, manage, edit and watch Vimeo videos right on their iOS device and features an easy-to-use video editor, the ability to add titles, transitions and effects along with music and recordings.

The Vimeo app offers the ability to upload a user’s raw footage or edit creations in SD or HD, pause and resume uploads, share on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, email and SMS, save videos to the camera roll and upload directly to Vimeo.

The Vimeo app for the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch running iOS 4.0.1 or above is available to download to your iOS device as of right now as a free download from iTunes.

Gluten Free Diet Survival Guide App: Recipes & Symptoms

If you would like to learn more about gluten free diets then you may like the G-Free Diet: A Gluten Free Survival Guide by Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Peter Green, this is a stunning iOS app that will give you all the information you need.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck for a few years could not understand what was making her sick, she went to nutritionists and doctors but no answers to her sickness was revealed. When she went to Australia outback she lived off the land on the popular TV show Survivor and whilst doing her symptoms vanished.

Her sickness was down to her diet; this app will give you plenty of information on how to enjoy a completely normal, healthy life on a gluten-free diet.

This exclusive book app reveals all you need to know such as sharing recipes, start living a gluten-free life, how to read food labels, creating G-Free shopping lists and so much more.

Main App Features Include: Each title includes cover art, front matter, running heads and page numbers, Vertical and horizontal page orientation, Swipe to turn the page, Brightness adjustment with paper-like backgrounds, Adjust font size with a pinch, text re-flows automatically, Table of Contents incorporates one-click navigation, Natural book-like reading experience with full pagination, plus Create margin notes with user notation, Search the text within a book and Integrates with iTunes bookstore.

This app is 7.49 but it is worth it for the information it has within, please visit iTunes for more information and option to install.

America's 'panic button' to wipe phones of democracy activists, perturb repressive governments

So, here's the scene. You're out at [insert city center here], completely neglecting any and all work duties, throwing Molotov cocktails at the building of the State you've grown to hate. It's a protest in every sense of the word, and you're rallying the troops via Twitter and Facebook. It's actually not an uncommon painting these days, and while America's not into promoting violence, it is into keeping the personal information of democracy activists secure. According to a fresh Reuters report, the US State Department is currently developing a software-based "panic button" that would wipe a phone's address book and beam out emergency alerts to fellow protesters if they were apprehended. The goal here is to protect the privacy of those captured while promoting their best interests, and to let others know that trouble is brewing. There's no clear indication of the status here, but something tells us that it'd be useful yesterday for a certain region of the globe.

AT&T Welcomes Spring with New Smartphone Prices

AT&T Spring Offer, AT&T Samsung Captivate, AT&T BlackBerry Torch, AT&T Samsung Focus, AT&T LG Quantum, AT&T BlackBerry Curve 3G

AT&T is putting an extra spring into the steps of customers this season with limited time pricing on five premier smartphones from its industry-leading portfolio. AT&T customers can now get the Samsung Captivate for $99.99, BlackBerry Torch, Samsung Focus, LG Quantum for $49.99 and the BlackBerry Curve 3G for $29.99 after a two-year commitment (no rebate required.) These offers are available in AT&T company-owned retail stores nationwide and online.

Samsung Captivate – $99.99

The Android 2.2 powered Samsung Captivate with 4” Super AMOLED display brings users a fully integrated entertainment, messaging and social networking experience packaged in a sleek, streamlined design.

BlackBerry Torch 9800 smartphone – $49.99

This smartphone includes the BlackBerry 6 OS with fast, rich browsing, integrated social feeds, universal search and BlackBerry App World with carrier billing support. Its all-in-one design combines the benefits of a hi-resolution touch screen, slide out QWERTY keyboard and an optical trackpad.

Samsung Focus – $49.99

The Focus debuted as AT&T’s thinnest Windows Phone and offers a visually stunning experience with a Super AMOLED screen on a sleek 9.9 mm-thin touch screen phone. With the Focus’ amazingly crisp, brilliant display, photos, games and videos come alive.

LG Quantum – $49.99

A Windows Phone with a slide-out keyboard for quick use of Office Mobile, users can stay active and up to date with work. The LG Quantum also features DLNA technology through a preloaded application called Play To, which allows users to wirelessly stream videos, music, and pictures from the phone to a DLNA-enabled TV, stereo, Windows 7 PC and other consumer electronics devices.

BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone – $29.99

This classic BlackBerry smartphone features a full QWERTY keyboard, the signature BlackBerry messaging experience, powerful personal information management capabilities, BlackBerry App World with carrier billing support and much more. BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone is BlackBerry 6 OS ready.

New 2-year wireless service agreement with minimum $15/mo data plan required. Other charges, restrictions and conditions apply.

HTC HD7 On T-Mobile to Gain WP7 NoDo Update Today

For those that own the Windows Phone 7 HTC HD7 smartphone on T-Mobile and have been patiently awaiting the arrival of Microsoft’s NoDo update that includes the copy and paste feature you may like to know your device should gain the update as of today.

According to an article over on Tmonews, they have heard a whisper that the Microsoft NoDo update will be released to the T-Mobile HTC HD7 as of today the 29th of March.

Along with that copy and paste feature, the NoDo update also delivers quite a few changes to Windows Phone 7 including better marketplace searches and improvements, improvements to the camera, improved WiFi, faster games and apps, and numerous performance enhancements.

However just what time the Microsoft NoDo update will be pushed out to the HTC HD7 hasn’t been revealed of if the update can be manually pushed to the device, so keep your eyes open for that NoDo update to hit, and feel free to let us know how it goes once you gain it.

Tap Tap Revenge Now Available For Android

Whoa! It’s a huge day for the big-name mobile games. Just a little while ago, the universally known Doodle Jump got its long-awaited multiplayer update. Hours later, another massively popular title is gettin’ a big new feature: Tap Tap Revenge, a title so popular that it lead Disney to snatch up the company that built it, is now available on Android.

Like its iOS counterpart, Tap Tap Revenge for Android is a music game (think Dance Dance Revolution, or Guitar Hero) wherein you tap a quickly scrolling series of icons to the beat of any of the game’s bazillionty pop tracks. The better your timing, the better your score. Also like the original iOS build, Tap Tap Revenge for Android is a free download and comes with a handful of songs — but once you’re bored of what’s built in, you’ll have to shell out some dough for new tracks.

You can find Tap Tap Revenge on the Android Market right over here.

[Thanks Jerry!]

Perfecto Mobile Offers BlackBerry Developers Free Cloud-Based Testing and Collaboration Services

Perfecto Mobile, mobile testing, Perfecto Mobile MobileCloud, Perfecto MobileCloud

Perfecto Mobile, a provider of cloud-based mobile testing, today announced the free availability of its MobileCloud to members of the BlackBerry developer community.  Through this exclusive offer, BlackBerry developers will receive free hours each month to use Perfecto’s MobileCloud for remote testing and collaboration between group members, providing Web access to real BlackBerry smartphones operating live in mobile networks worldwide.

The MobileCloud offers BlackBerry developers access to testing on a variety of popular BlackBerry smartphones including the BlackBerry Bold 9700, BlackBerry Bold 9000, BlackBerry Curve 8900, and BlackBerry Torch 9800 smartphones , as well as older models available on demand. The service offers developers a variety of features and automated testing tools such as the ability to retrieve BlackBerry logs, direct installation of applications, power cycle, intelligent automation features such as smart navigation inside Web pages, the ability to smoothly collaborate through the use of session recordings or online sharing, videos and reports distributed in all popular formats, and much more.

“Two out of three of the most popular devices on our MobileCloud are BlackBerry smartphones,” said Eran Yaniv, CEO of Perfecto Mobile.  “In our experience, serious developers of business-critical applications give top priority to BlackBerry smartphone porting and compatibility, and we’re pleased to offer them the resources required to bring top-notch applications to market.”

“Perfecto Mobile’s MobileCloud helps developers test their applications and websites on a wide variety of BlackBerry smartphones from virtually any location around the world,” said Tyler Lessard, vice president of Global Alliances & Developer Relations, Research In Motion. “MobileCloud can help BlackBerry developers test that they are delivering reliable user experiences with apps that take advantage of unique capabilities and run consistently across different BlackBerry smartphones around the world.”

Perfecto Mobile is making this offer to introduce developers to the MobileCloud platform through which developers all over the world can easily install applications and test their functionality and compatibility without having to actually obtain the devices or rely solely on virtual simulators or emulators.   In addition, any official member of the BlackBerry developer community wishing to purchase more hours or subscribe to the more advanced test automation and monitoring services can do so at a 30 percent discount.

For more information, please visit the MobileCloud service from Perfecto Mobile.

New York Attorney General To Dig Into The AT&T/T-Mobile Deal

While AT&T continues to exude confidence that their planned acquisition of T-Mobile will get all the necessary approvals, it’s starting to look less and less likely. Many in the industry were already a bit dubious about the deal once we worked out that the top two carriers in the US (the AT&T/T-Mo mega carrier as #1, Verizon as #2) would account for nearly 80 percent of the market share. Just days after the announcement, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse announced his plans to battle the deal. Now, New York’s Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, is looking into the matter.

In a comment sent to Bloomberg:

“Affordable wireless service and technology, including smart phones and next generation handheld devices, are the bridge to the digital broadband future,” Schneiderman said today in an e- mailed statement. “We want to ensure all New Yorkers benefit from these important innovations that improve lives.”

Schneiderman’s main worries? The deal might have anti-competitive impacts, affecting those in such regions where there are already fewer wireless options to pick from.

Hey AT&T: those sharp, crackly things under your feet? Those are eggshells. You’re gonna be walkin’ on those for a long while.

Novatel's USB551L 4G LTE modem hits Verizon March 31st

Samsung's new LTE mobile hotspot may have managed to sneak out a bit early, but it looks like those opting for Novatel's USB551L LTE modem instead will still have to wait a few days. Verizon has just confirmed today that the modem will be available on March 31st for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate (on a two-year contract). As expected, the modem packs both Windows and Mac support out of the box, and promises download speeds up to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 5 Mbps. Still no word on Novatel's 4510L MiFi, though we presume it will be following shortly. Full press release is after the break.

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The Verizon USB551L 4G LTE Modem Lands on the Verizon Wireless Network March 31

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. and SAN DIEGO, March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless and Novatel Wireless (Nasdaq: NVTL) today announced that the Verizon USB551L made by Novatel Wireless will be available to order on March 31 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at http://www.verizonwireless.com. The USB551L gives businesses and consumers expected download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G LTE Mobile Broadband coverage areas in a portable device, small enough to fit in the palm of the hand.

The Verizon USB551L 4G LTE modem is a high-performing USB modem with a compact design and industry-leading flexibility, convenience and reliability. The USB551L modem is designed to provide connectivity to check email, download rich multimedia content and stay connected to family, friends and coworkers. Customers who travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, will stay connected on the Verizon Wireless 3G network.

Key features:

* Compact and lightweight USB modem with advanced proprietary antenna technologies to maximize data throughput and operating range
* Supports Windows® XP 32-bit, Vista® 32/64-bit (SP2) and Windows® 7 32/64-bit, MAC: 10.4 or higher

Pricing and data plans:

* The Verizon USB551L will be available for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a 4G Mobile Broadband plan.
* 4G LTE Mobile Broadband plans begin at $50 monthly access for 5GB. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. Data usage can be tracked by logging on to My Verizon online at www.verizonwireless.com/myverizon.

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network, launched in December 2010, is the fastest, most advanced 4G network in the United States, providing speeds up to 10 times faster than Verizon Wireless' 3G network. Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network currently reaches one-third of all Americans, with plans to expand the network to the company's entire 3G coverage area over the next three years.

For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest and most advanced 4G network and largest and most reliable 3G network, and serves more than 94 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 82,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, Nasdaq: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Novatel Wireless

Novatel Wireless, Inc. is a leader in the design and development of intelligent wireless solutions based on 2G, 3G and 4G technologies providing wireless connectivity. The Company delivers specialized wireless solutions to carriers, distributors, retailers, OEMs and vertical markets worldwide. Novatel Wireless' Intelligent Mobile Hotspot products, software, USB modems, embedded modules and smart M2M modules provide innovative anywhere, anytime communications solutions for consumers and enterprises. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Novatel Wireless is listed on NASDAQ: NVTL. For more information please visit www.novatelwireless.com. (NVTLG)

(C) 2010 Novatel Wireless, Inc. All rights reserved. The Novatel Wireless name and logo are trademarks of Novatel Wireless, Inc. Other Company, product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless

Evernote Revamps Its Web App

Following on from the update to its mobile applications Evernote has today unveiled their newly revamped web app which has been redesigned with a new three panel interface, and has been designed to function in browser on either your tablet, computer or mobile device if required.
Other tweaks within the new Evernote web app include performance improvements together with a share button for easily firing off notes to others via the major social networking sites or email.
An auto save feature has also been included in the new web app, which works in a similar way to Google Docs that automatically saves as you write.

Other useful features of the new revamp include the ability to stack your notebooks for easier organisation and reference. A snippet view which provides more detail about a note without the need to open it fully. Together with saved searches which allows you to perform any searches that you’ve saved using a desktop version of Evernote by clicking into the Search bar.

Nokia N8 Captain America The First Avenger Download: Images

Now we have some great news for those of you out there in possession of a Nokia N8, and who have a liking for Captain America (the Marvel comic book hero), you can now download the trailer for Captain America The First Avenger on to your device for free.

Captain America The First Avenger could be a big hit when the movie hits the big screen in summer and should pave the way for The Avengers Movie, which includes the characters: Iron Man, Hulk & Thor.

The Film is directed by Joe Johnston (who brought us the Wolfman last year) and has a quite impressive cast list, which includes Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones and Hugo Weaving.

As explained by Mikey Bee of Nok Nok the film takes us back to the humble beginnings of Captain America to his subsequent saviour of the world. Mikey also goes on to state “…from the trailer we’ve downloaded on our Nokia N8 it looks like it has all the elements to make a great story for Captain America fans and newbies alike”.

So why not download the film’s trailer to your Nokia N8 here, Size 3.65MB and let us know your views below on what you’ve seen. Will it be a big screen hit or a cinema flop?

You may also be interested in some of the apps that are available for the Nokia N8, such as ESPN Goals or Angry Birds, both of which we have previously reported on.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Unboxed on Video

Well folks for those who are of a mind to snap up the first PlayStation phone, namely the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, we have an unboxing video of the gaming centric smartphone for your viewing consideration below.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is dutifully unwrapped by the guys over at Phone Arena and just happens to be a white Xperia Play, which I believe is exclusive to O2 in the UK once it becomes available although currently the release has been postponed by O2.

The guys say that slide out game pad on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is smooth with a relatively quiet click, and they remove the back plate to check out the battery, which is1500mAh and of course go through all the usual associated with an unboxing.

Earlier we posted a review video of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, which doesn’t plaint that good a picture of the handset so you may wish to check that out as well by hitting up (here).

Other than that, if you enjoy the traditional unboxing of a new smartphone head on down, hit that play button and enjoy, and if you are thinking about picking up the Android 2.3 Gingerbread Xperia Play we’d love to know so drop us a comment as to why you want the gaming smartphone above any other.

The Word signs Welsh football deal

Welsh dealer’s logo will appear on Wales under 18 football teams shirt as part of agreement with WSFA

Welsh B2B dealer and Vodafone ‘Platinum’ partner The Word has signed a shirt sponsorship deal with the Welsh Schools Football Association (WSFA) under-18 international team on a rolling basis.

The WSFA, which is celebrating its centenary year, has arranged a number of international matches to enable young upcoming players to represent Wales against other national teams.

The Word, which will now feature its branding on every Wales under-18 shirt, said it has entered the sponsorship deal in order to become positively involved with the local community.

The WSFA organises competitions for pupils in primary and secondary schools at both inter-school and inter-county levels and administrates international football at under-15, under-16 and under-18 age groups.

It also works with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and Welsh Football Trust in the identification and development of players.

The Word managing director Huw Stiley (pictured) said: “As well as helping to identify and coach the next generation of professional players, this helps young people to develop their social skills, fitness and understand what it is to be committed to a team with an aligned purpose.”

AT&T, T-Mobile Merger, Sprint Opposes Acquisition

As you are no doubt aware, over in the good ole US of A, AT&T is trying to acquire T-Mobile USA for the substantial sum of $39 billion and if the merger of the two carriers goes ahead would give AT&T a subscriber base of some 125 million thus making AT&T larger than Verizon with their 93 million and Sprint’s 49 million.

However, all is not rosy in the US carrier garden when it comes to this proposed acquisition as according to an article over on Mashable, Sprint is opposed to the merger and is putting up quite a fight against it going ahead.

Before the merger can go ahead it has to be approved by the FCC, Department of Justice and apparently Congress, and apparently Sprint, opposed to the deal has said…

“If approved, the proposed acquisition would create a combined company that would be almost three times the size of Sprint in terms of wireless revenue and would entrench AT&T’s and Verizon’s duopoly control over the wireless market. The wireless industry moving forward would be dominated overwhelmingly by two vertically integrated companies with unprecedented control over the U.S. wireless post-paid market, as well as the availability and price of key inputs, such as backhaul and access needed by other wireless companies to compete. “

However, according to the Wall Street Journal, AT&T Senior VP Jim Cicconi hit back at Sprint’s statement with… “With regard to Sprint’s recent statements about our transaction, we have always found that the most constructive course is to focus on our own strategies for serving our customers and building our business, rather than becoming distracted by challenging the business strategies of others.”

Obviously there are big battles ahead over the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile USA, battles that will no doubt not only pull in Sprint but maybe Verizon as well at some point. But what we would like to know is the customer’s views on this merger.

So what do our reader’s think about it all, is the merger of AT&T and T-Mobile a good idea or bad idea from a customer’s point of view, are you for or against the merger? Feel free to share your opinions to our comments area below.

Droid X and Droid 2 get unofficial Android Gingerbread 2.3

Is your Motorola Droidphone hungry for some Gingerbread? Well, the lucky little guy can now get its taste with the recently released Android 2.3 builds for Droid X and Droid 2 from My Droid World. Droid Life's got all the details, including a hands-on video (provided after the break) and complete instructions for rooting your device and downloading the OS. Gingerbread brings you the new blue Blur, a customizable dock, an app management shortcut, an overhauled camera app, and super fast navigation speeds, among other things. So for you eager beavers who just can't wait for an official release, follow the source links below and feed your phone.

HTC EVO 3D coming to Europe, keeping the sexy name and specs

Earlier this year, HTC allowed its previously Verizon-exclusive brand name out to prowl the globe with the Incredible S, and now it's doing the same with the heretofore Sprint-only EVO moniker. The EVO 3D, says a tweet from HTC's French mouthpiece, is coming to the land of baguettes, stylish mustaches and stripy pullovers, though a little bit of mystery remains as to when exactly its arrival shall be. Whatever the schedule (the EVO 3D's set for a "summer" release in the US), the rest of Europe's unlikely to be left out, meaning a 4.3-inch superphone with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1080p video recording in 2D and 720p in 3D, HTC's newest Sense skin and Android's freshest Gingerbread build, is headed out to the Old Wold. And that, fellow pilgrims, is a mighty awesome thing indeed.

Tethered Jailbreak for iOS 4.3.1 Now Available (But Probably Not A Good Idea)

Just a few days ago, Apple released iOS 4.3.1 — and already, the endlessly ingenious jailbreaking crowd has found their way in. However, let it be known: these early hacks tend to have a caveat or two, and this one’s certainly not the exception.

First and foremost, the 4.3.1 jailbreak is currently “tethered” — which is a fancy way of saying that it’s temporary. Reset your iPhone (say, if the battery runs dry, or if some app is acting funny), and the jailbreak is gone. The process involved here is also a bit more strenuous than usual; thanks to a few bugs that snuck their way into the release (namely, the “RAMDisk Fixer” tool bundled with the jailbreak app is broken, and needs to be swapped out for a working build), there are a few extra points along the way where things can go wrong.

Ready to dive in, regardless of the risks and rocky route? Check out the tutorial over at Redmond Pie.

PwnageTool: Tethered iOS 4.3.1 Jailbreak, What You Need

Now there are a number of reasons why owners of iOS devices might consider getting the latest jailbreak for their device.

The new version of Cydia, which is an unsanctioned app store could be one of these reasons. If you have recently upgraded your device to iOS 4.3.1 and are interested in a large amount of free and paid apps that have been banned by Apple, for instance some skins and interface enhancements then this jailbreak could be for you.

As reported by the guys at 9to5mac, this jailbreak uses the new PwnageTool 2.0.1 that was released by the iPhone-Dev team. However, please note that this latest jailbreak is tethered at the moment, which means that each time your device is restarted it has to be tethered to a computer, whereby an untethered jailbreak does not require you to do this process.

In order for you get the jailbreak on to your device, you will need a Mac, the latest iOS 4.3.1 firmware, iTunes 10.2.1, PwnageTool 4.2, PwnageTool bundle for iOS 4.3.1, tetheredboot utility and Universal Ramdisk Fixer. If you have all these requirements, then why not visit Redmond Pie for the step by step instructions.

For more information on jailbreaks for iOS devices why not visit James’ previous posts on iTunes Jailbreakers and the Apple iPad 2 getting Jailbroken or Mark’s post on iOS 4.3 Gold Master getting Jailbroken.

Open MobileSummit in London Uk 2011 All About Monetization

Now in its third year The Open Mobile Summit, 8-9 June London, is widely recognized as the thought leading event for CEOs and senior strategists in the converging mobile, Internet and media space.

This year, monetization is the order of the day as the entire mobile industry races to create a viable alternative to Apple’s ecosystem – and app publishers and media giants look up get a better share of the revenue pie.

This is critical as the app store battle enters a new phase with Amazon launching an app store on Android, as device manufacturers gear up to battle Apple in the tablet wars, and as operators look to 'connect everything' from the smartphone to the connected TV.

HTC Flyer Headed To T-Mobile

Last week we saw a new version of the HTC Flyer for the US, the HTC EVO View, which is a WiMAX enabled version of the Flyer that will be available with mobile operator Sprint in the US.
Now it looks like the HTC Flyer will also be headed to another mobile network in the US, T-Mobile and it is expected to hit T-Mobile some time this summer.

The HTC Flyer features a 7 inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, there is also a1.5GHz Qualcomm processor and it will come with Android 2.4 Gingerbread when it goes on sale.
There are also two separate camera’s on the Flyer a five megapixel version on the back and a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front, plus a 4,000mAh battery, 3G and WiFi connectivity.

DOCOMO to Begin Selling Optimus Pad L-06C Tablet on March 31

DOCOMO Optimus Pad L-06C, DOCOMO Tablet, Android 3 Optimus Pad

NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced today that it will sell the Optimus Pad L-06C tablet through all DOCOMO sales channels nationwide in Japan beginning March 31. The Optimus Pad L-06C is powered by the Android 3.0 operating system optimized for tablets. The model, which only weighs 620 grams, features a high-resolution 8.9-inch display and dynamic stereo speakers for “mobile-theater” experiences. Due to the recent earthquake, sales through some channels may begin later than March 31.

HTC EVO 3D Unlocked Up For Pre-order Already

Well now, for those that are of a mind to snap up the new HTC EVO 3D smartphone once it comes out to play it would appear that if you wish to have the Android 2.3 Gingerbread handset as an unlocked version you can pre-order the device already.

According to an article over on Pocket Now, etailer MobileCity Online have placed the unlocked HTC EVO 3D up for pre-order carrying a price tag of some $699.99 without contract or activation.

The etailer lists the specs of the HTC EVO 3D as GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 900/1900/2100, 4.3-inch 3D S-LCD touch screen, 5 megapixel camera, 1.3 megapixel secondary camera, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, Android 2.3 OS, and microSD expansion up to 32GB.

Apparently when you pre-order the HTC EVO 3D from the etailer you’ll get free shipping when the device becomes available although the device will not carry any warranty in the US.

So are any of the Android faithful tempted to pre-order the HTC EVO 3D unlocked for 700 bucks, or would you rather wait for a carrier version to go up for pre-order?

Android Honeycomb Google Nexus Tablet On Cards Possibly from LG

As you are no doubt aware Google has their own smartphones with the Nexus One and Nexus S hansets, but what about a tablet? Well apparently the Google guys intend on pushing out a Google Nexus tablet at some point if the rumour is correct.

According to an article over on the Boy Genius Report, Russian tech site Mobile-review claims that Google has tasked LG to manufacture a Nexus tablet that will apparently run Android 3.0 Honeycomb.

Furthermore apparently the Google Nexus tablet should be ready by “mid-summer or early autumn” but other than that little piece of rumour nothing else is known at this point and that there is always a possibility Google has commissioned the device as an in-house prototype for development purposes.

Apparently according to the article HTC wasn’t interested because they use HTC Sense for their tablets. So if Google was to come up with a Nexus Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet would people be interested in it or more to the point would a Nexus tablet be able to stand up to other Honeycomb tablets and the Apple iPad 2.

Still as it is, it’s all just rumour at the moment, so we’ll keep out eyes and ears to the ground and if anything develops will pass it along.

So what do you reckon, after Google’s attempt with the Nexus One do you think they should try and enter the tablet space with a Nexus tablet?

iPhone UK Time Change Problems Reported

Well apparently the old, old tale of the iPhone experiencing problems handling time changes surfaced again as here in the UK on Saturday Night the old clocks jumped forward an hour for British Summer Time, but apparently some iPhone users handsets didn’t make the change.

According to an article over on 9to5 Mac, the BBC are reporting some iPhone users were late this morning as their iOS device seems to have experienced an issue related to that time change with apparently users receiving their wake up call an hour early, an hour late of no wake up call at all.

Similar issues affected the iPhone in the US of A when they had their time change, something that annoyed US iPhone users greatly and turned to Twitter and Facebook to vent their annoyance on the matter.

It’s unclear just how many UK iPhone users have experienced this fail of the iPhone alarm although apparently not every user was affected.

So we’d like to know if any of our iPhone toting UK readers received their iPhone alarm wake up call at the correct time today, or if your iPhone failed, so shout out whether yours worked fine or not to our comments area below.

Nokia continues reinvention, details new fonts and branding

Nokia's current typeface -- Nokia Sans -- feels like one of the great constants in the consumer electronics industry, a design that instantly screams "Nokia" the moment you see it (for better or worse). That kind of strong, tight brand recognition from something as basic and simple as a character on a screen really isn't something that you can buy -- it needs to be built and cultivated over many, many years -- so we're sure that Espoo's decision to chuck it and start fresh wasn't taken lightly. In fact, we're sure it wasn't taken lightly because the company has published an 800-plus word explanation and defense of its decision to kill off Nokia Sans and replace it with Nokia Pure, a font it describes as the embodiment of "beauty in supreme usability."

Of course, it's no coincidence that the font change comes just as Nokia's trying to go back to the drawing board, both with its hiring of outsider Stephen Elop and its decision to phase out Symbian and add Windows Phone into the mix; sure enough, the company says that it plans to use Pure on its devices and that "it has been designed specially for mobile and digital environments." What do you think?

[Thanks, Esko]

What do you think of Nokia's new font, Nokia Pure?

It's great!Terrible move -- long live Nokia Sans!Not sure, I'm conflicted; I need to sleep on itWho cares? It's not about the font, it's about the hardware

Tethered Jailbreak Now Available for iOS 4.3.1 via PwnageTool

Shortly after the release of iOS 4.3.1 yesterday, the first tethered jailbreak is now available for the iOS update, although current limitations limit the jailbreak to all devices save for the iPad 2. Other caveats of note include a new baseband on 4.3.1 with no unlock available. The jailbreak requires a combination of PwnageTool 4.2, Universal Ramdisk Fixer and the tetheredboot utility to function correctly.

AT&T's HTC Inspire 4G gets FCC permission to enable HSUPA

AT&T's teased that some of its existing models will eventually have HSUPA enabled, which should help mitigate the flack they've been taking over branding a network with glacial uplink speeds "4G." The recently-launched HTC Inspire 4G is among the models with disabled HSUPA out of the box, but the good news is that it shouldn't be disabled for much longer: an FCC Class II Permissive Change -- which gets generated when a device's RF characteristics are modified -- has just hit, clearly stating that "HTC Corporation will enable HSUPA function of this product." There's no time frame for the switch, but at least we know it's going to happen at some point; just try not to turn your Inspire into an FTP server in the meantime, alright?

Yosion's second-gen Apple Peel 520 arriving on March 28th, ready to cellularize your iPod touch

Remember the second-gen Apple Peel 520 we saw back in January? Yep, Yosion has now confirmed that this familiar-looking adapter will be available in China on March 28th, which happens to be this coming Monday. Like its predecessor, this new sleeve lets you send texts and make regular phone calls on a jailbroken iPod touch (including the latest FaceTime-loving model), but now Yosion's also thrown in GPRS data connectivity along with some extra battery juice, all for the price of just ¥520 ($79) for pre-orderers and possibly around ¥598 ($90) when it's out. Frankly, this isn't a bad value proposition for those already clinging onto an iPod touch -- just make sure El Jobs doesn't catch you holding this Peel.

RIM earnings show strong revenue and growth, but weak guidance for the months ahead

Research in Motion just kicked out its year-end and Q4 earnings for fiscal 2011, and while things look fairly rosy for now, shares of the company have sunk around ten percent in after-hours trading. Why? Because even the greatest performance in the world can't ward off skeptical investors who are keyed in on guidance. The outfit reported expected revenues of around $5.2 billion and $5.6 billion, with earnings ranging from $1.47 billion to $1.55 per share. Sounds lovely, but not when you consider that analysts had expected those figures to be closer to $1.65 per share. That said, RIM did manage to ship 52.3 million BlackBerry smartphones, representing a 43 percent uptick over fiscal 2010. Furthermore, fiscal 2011 revenue shot up 33 percent over fiscal 2010 (landing at $19.9 billion), and we were given a confirmed ship date of April 19th for PlayBook. If you're looking for a breakdown in revenue for the quarter, you'll be interested in knowing that 81 percent was attributed to devices, 16 percent to service and just three percent to "software and other revenue."

Based on what we've gathered from the earnings call, RIM understands that it'll be selling more lower-end devices going forward (during what it continually referred to as "a transitional period"), and it's expecting stronger revenue to come from software and services based around QNX. In fact, QNX (known as BlackBerry Table OS on the PlayBook) was pinpointed as being an OS for future "superphones," and while we heard a brief mention of the impending BlackBerry OS 6.1 release, it's fairly evident which platform the outfit is salivating over. If all goes well, we're told to expect some sort of RIM superphone in 2012, and while our instincts are telling us that just has to refer to a phone with a 4.3-inch display, no specifics whatsoever were given beyond the moniker.

When referring specifically to the PlayBook, it was confirmed that WiMAX, LTE and HSPA+ versions were en route, and when asked about incoming 4G products, we were told that while no specific products could be spoken to (and that "no promises" could be made), there's a "super intense 4G effort" ongoing within the company. We also heard that BlackBerry OS 6.1 would be a "major upgrade," and even though no deets flowed from this call, we were assured that this "substantial" overhaul -- which will launch at some point this spring -- would be teased at BlackBerry World.

Apple iPad 2 goes on sale in the UK

Second tablet device from manufacturer now on sale nationwide, with prices slightly lower than its predecessor

The Apple iPad 2 has gone on sale in the UK, with the first devices being sold at 5pm today.

The iPad 2 is available from all networks except O2. It’s also available to buy at the Apple Store, Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4U, PC World and John Lewis.

Apple announced the prices for the iPad 2 on Tuesday. All prices include VAT and are slightly lower than what the gadget’s predecessor the iPad was sold for when first launched last year.

The Wi-Fi only device will be available at a price of 399 for the 16GB model, 479 for the and 559 for the 64GB model.

The iPad 2 with Wi-Fi and 3G will be available for 499 for the 16GB version, 579 for the 32GB version and 659 for the 64GB version.

HTC Thunderbolt, iPhone 4 Battle Round 2: Video

So, earlier I posted a comparison fight video between the new Android 2.2 Froyo packing HTC Thunderbolt 4G enabled handset for Verizon against the might of the iconic iPhone 4, and now we have round 2 of that confrontation for your viewing pleasure below.

The first video compared such things as hardware, specs, design and price, and the second video which comes our way courtesy of Technobuffalo delivers thirteen minutes of face off action comparing web browsers and typing along with a speed test.

In the video fight Noah Kravitz also take a brief look at the HTC Thunderbolt Android OS and HTC Sense against the iPhone 4 iOS, but can the HTC Thunderbolt compete against the might of the king of smartphones?

Can the new kid on the block grab the smartphone crown from the long time holder, well to find out you’ll have to skip on down, and hit that play button to se if finally there’s a smartphone to challenge the iPhone…enjoy.

Femto Forum publishes API specification for femtocell apps, places focus on 'awareness information'

As if the world needed one more association to keep up with, CTIA Wireless 2011 is delivering just that. The Femto Forum, which has done an excellent job remaining undercover of late, has just published an "industry-wide agreed set of API specifications" that will enable "advanced mobile applications based on femtocell technology." Truth be told, the first apps based on the specifications have already been built, and their currently available to the femtocell community. The specifications are for network-based APIs, which will purportedly "allow operators to drive the development of femtocell-powered open access, enterprise and consumer applications," and it'll also provide awareness information in order to allow developers the opportunity to incorporate enhanced presence, context and location-sensitive features into new and existing apps. Granted, we'd care a lot more about those location-based apps if we could drag our 3G MicroCell to Panama to use it to make free calls whilst on vacation, but hey -- maybe that's the next logical step. Not that we're much for passing along hints or anything.

O2 UK Postpone Xperia Play Release But No Other Carrier

For those in the United Kingdom who were hoping to snap up the first PlayStation phone, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play on the O2 UK network on the 1st of April, it appears that you’ll be out of luck as O2 wont be releasing the gaming smartphone on that date.

According to an article over on Engadget, O2 announced via their official blog, that they have postponed the release of the Android 2.3 Gingerbread handset until further notice due to finding software bugs and thus will not offer the device to their customers until said bugs and issues have been ironed out.

However, apparently no other UK carrier that is releasing the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play has delayed the release date, with Vodafone still on track to push out their pre-orders for the gaming centric handset by the 5th of April.

Here’s apparently what Sony Ericsson had to say about the release delay… “Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY will be launching on 1st April across all UK mobile operator partners except for O2, who have decided to prolong the testing period in order to ensure that the software meets the requirements of its procedures. Sony Ericsson will be working with O2 over the next couple of weeks to expedite the process and ensure that O2 customers can soon join consumers across the UK in being able to enjoy the world’s first PlayStation certified smartphone.”

So there you have it, although one does have to give kudos to O2 UK for not wanting to deliver the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play laden with bugs, one does have to wonder why others haven’t commented that the device is suffering for issues.

Thus if you are of the impatient kind and really want the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play on April Fools Day best not try to get it from O2, unless of course you want the white version, which is an O2 UK exclusive.

Xperia Play delayed by O2 UK due to software bugs, what are the other carriers doing?

Oh, woe is us. Or, to be more precise, woe is us if we wanted the Xperia Play on the UK's O2 network on the day of its release, April 1st. The British carrier has been candid in admitting it found software bugs on the Play and is holding back release of the gamer-friendly device until those have been ironed out. We appreciate its effort in "testing the phone non-stop for weeks" and its reluctance to grab a quick buck by releasing imperfectly baked goods, but a major question remains -- if this isn't an O2-specific software problem, and we've heard no peep of O2 customizing the Android 2.3 build on the Play, why are no other carriers signaling a similar delay? Vodafone is still aiming to deliver UK pre-orders by April 5th and there seems to be no indication of flawed software from others. Only thing we can think of, given that O2 has the white Xperia Play exclusive, is that the white phone curse has struck again.

[Thanks, Ed]

Update: Here's what Sony Ericsson has to say on the matter:

"Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY will be launching on 1st April across all UK mobile operator partners except for O2, who have decided to prolong the testing period in order to ensure that the software meets the requirements of its procedures. Sony Ericsson will be workingwith O2 over the next couple of weeks to expedite the process and ensure that O2 customers can soon join consumers across the UK in being able to enjoy the world's first PlayStation certified smartphone."

Business Watch: iPad’s rivals still struggling to make inroads

The iPad 2 knocks spots off the competition, according to analysts who all seem to be gushing in awe at Apple’s new tablet

The device was unveiled by Apple founder Steve Jobs, who made a surprise appearance despite reports that the technology legend’s health is failing.

In the shops in the UK from March 25, the iPad 2 is a third thinner and 91g lighter than its predecessor, which itself is only about a year old.

Other new features are front- and rear-facing cameras, a faster processor, and the fact that it also comes in white as well as black.

Most importantly, perhaps, it will cost the same as the first iPad.

CCS Insight wrote that the “iPad 2 underlines Apple’s dominance of the tablet category”.

Oppenheimer’s Yair Reiner told clients that while the iPad 2 doesn’t include any new breakthrough features he still expects Apple to take between 75 and 85 per cent of the tablet market in 2011.
“This is a sad day for the crowd of competitors still struggling to home in on the first iPad’s price and performance,” he wrote.

The iPad, which has effectively created a whole new product category, has spawned a flurry of copy-cat devices from hardware makers and mobile phone manufacturers.

But rival stockbroker Jefferies & Co said: “Despite the launches of many competitive tablets, we believe Apple’s product leadership, vertical integration, and vast scale will cause it to win the largest shares of the tablet market and the majority of the economic benefits.”

Analysts at Gartner are even cutting their forecasts for worldwide sales of personal computers,  saying that consumers are increasingly choosing the convenience of tablets instead.

Apple investors meanwhile were somewhat reassured to see a public appearance from Jobs, whose health remains the source of much speculation, which rarely fails to move the Apple share price.

Among the first UK carriers of the iPad 2 in the UK will be Everything Everywhere – the company that owns the combined T-Mobile and Orange networks.

In a release, the networks declared: “Everything Everywhere (Orange and T-Mobile) will be selling the iPad 2 in the UK once it’s made available later this month! Hurrah!”

But perhaps it’s early for Everything Everywhere to be celebrating, if its latest results are anything to go by. I didn’t have space to cover them properly in the last column and they merit further examination.

Challenges everywhere
When the merger happened in April of last year, it was sold as the creation of a “national champion”.

But there is a huge amount of work still be done before the company can claim such a title.

Everything Everywhere reported a 1.3 per cent rise in service revenue in the three months to December 31.

In contrast, Vodafone’s UK business reported underlying revenue growth of seven per cent for the same quarter and O2 UK, a 5.6 per cent increase.

And Everything Everywhere’s profits went backwards: earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in the nine months to December 31 fell from 1.17 billion to 1.02 billion.

In the company’s defence, it had heavier restructuring charges in that period, as it continued to cut costs and jobs.

But there was no escaping the fact that the company’s EBITDA margin – the closely watched measure of a mobile network’s profitability – fell from 21.6 per cent to 19.3 per cent.

Some analysts described the fall in margin – which compares with margins of 25.4 per cent at O2 UK and 23.1 per cent at Vodafone – as “alarming”.

Nevertheless, Tom Alexander, Everything Everywhere’s chief executive, said he was confident that the business would reach its target EBITDA margin of 25 per cent or more by 2014.

“While everybody else is trying to squeeze the pips out of their organisations, we are reaping the benefits of economies of scale, efficiencies and driving forward that margin progression,” he said.

The margin squeeze was caused in part by the group’s push to win more contract customers, which involves giving away fancy phones for free. Thus subscriber acquisition costs rose sharply.

The positive was that the business added 300,000 new contract customers in the last three months of 2010, to take contract adds over the nine months to 752,000.

But it has now lost one million prepay customers since its formation in April of last year.

It lost 187,000 prepay punters in the Christmas quarter alone, but says it’s part of a strategy to focus on profitable contract customers, from whom revenues are more stable, reliable and higher.

The good news is the company says it’s on track to achieve its cost savings target of 3.5 billion.

Its owners France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom also reaped a 646 million dividend.

Often businesses will go through a period of pain and disruption after a merger, so it’s little surprise that Everything Everywhere is reporting weak figures right now.

The question is whether Alexander can keep spirits up and hit that ambitious margin target, along with his aim to achieve double-digit growth in cash flows between 2010 and 2014.

Spectrum portent
Finally, a spectrum auction in Hong Kong last week could give a small clue as to the sorts of levels UK operators might be tempted to pay when 4G spectrum is auctioned off here.

The two winners spent two-and-a-half times the amount paid for 3G spectrum a decade earlier.

Hutchison, which owns Three in the UK, and SmartTone-Vodafone, paid 134 million for 15-year licences to operate 20MHz of radio spectrum in the 850MHz and 900MHz bands respectively. The spectrum could be used for super-fast fourth-generation (4G) services.

The auction result prompted an extraordinary attack from the market leader CSL New World, which accused its rivals of paying “stratospheric” and “value-destructive” prices.

Perhaps it was just sour grapes, and no-one expects the UK auction of 4G spectrum to fetch anything like the 22.5 billion raised here in the dotcom boom, but it just proves that anything can happen in an auction.

Square Enix launches Hippos Lab for smartphone game development

Square Enix isn't exactly a stranger to the smartphone scene, but it looks like the company behind Final Fantasy (among countless other games) is now going to be moving quite a bit beyond ports of its existing games for other consoles. The company has just announced the launch of its new Hippos Lab game development studio, which will be primarily focused on creating "high quality original content" for smartphones. Details are unfortunately still pretty light beyond that, but the studio has apparently been up and running since March 7th, and it says it hopes to have its first game "ready soon." No word if they've scored the license for Hungry Hungry Hippos.

Google brings check-ins to Google Latitude on iPhone, 30 languages to Places

Unsurprisingly, El Goog gifted the Android versions of Latitude and Places with these updates a few weeks back, but now the iOS loyalists are being brought into a similar circle. The search giant has just added check-ins to the iOS version of Google Latitude, with any iDevice using iOS 4 or higher being deemed compatible. In related news, the Applefied build of Google Places is now available in 30 languages, and there's an added 'Saved Places' feature for keeping tabs on your favorite spots. You can check your phone for updates, or if you haven't dug in yet, have a poke around in the App Store.

Sprint To Launch Anti-Texting-While-Driving Service For Android

Back in January, T-Mobile launched DriveSmart, an Android app which automatically disables the ability to text whenever it detects that you’re driving (or, really, just moving at a certain speed. If you’re just bein’ a passenger, you can override it — but make sure you’re really just a passenger. It sends a text to your ‘rents [or whoever set it up] letting them know its been overridden).

That launch, it seems, has started a trend.

Sprint’s now getting in on the anti-texting fun, announcing plans to launch a similar (or identical, really; it’s made by the same people) service called “Drive First” in Q3 of this year. Like T-Mobile’s offering, this one’ll be for Android only. Also like T-Mobile’s service, it won’t be free — but at $2 a month, it’s less than half of the $4.99 that T-Mobile is charging

iSkin earTones Earphones supports Lots of Devices

iSkin is generally a company that makes cases and other accessories for smartphones and gadgets. The company has announced a new product called the earTones earphones. The new offerings will work with all sorts of devices including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other smartphones.

One of the big features of the earTones is the Microban antimicrobial coating that helps to prevent any growth of bacteria or germs to keep the earphones sanitary and from getting stained up. The earphones also have a special Flexfit neck that flexes when in the ear for comfort.
An inline remote control allows the wearer to control the music on a smartphone like the iPhone and the iPod. Along with the controls, the earTones earphones also have a mic that allows a music phone user to make and receive calls with the earphones on. They come in several colors and sell for about $40 right now.

O2 delays Xperia Play release because of software “bugs”

Network stalls on April 1 launch after it finds problems with the handset’s software, but all remaining UK networks will go ahead with the planned release date

O2 has delayed its rollout of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play after finding “bugs” in the device’s software.

The operator said the bugs will affect the experience that O2 customers who purchase the phone are able to enjoy.

Speaking on the O2 Blog, O2 head of testing Stuart Hibberd said the handset– which O2 is offering in an exclusive white version – will not be available on the network at the start of next month as originally planned.

Hibberd said: “Sometimes we discover bugs and issues on a phone. This is perfectly normal – bugs can appear in every form of software. This is what has happened with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.

“We’ve been testing the phone non-stop for weeks and have found some bugs in the software that, if they’re not fixed, means customers won’t have a great experience.

“We’ve been working with Sony Ericsson to get these bugs ironed out, but haven’t been able to get them fixed in time for us to be able to launch the phone on April 1st as we originally planned.”

O2 said it would “regularly” updating its customers over the coming weeks regarding the Xperia Play rollout.

Sony Ericsson has suffered with software problems on its phones in the past, most notably its Aino and Satio devices.

In a statement Sony Ericsson confirmed the remaining UK networks are going ahead with their April 1 launch dates as planned.

“Sony Ericsson Xperia Play will be launching on April 1 across all UK mobile operator partners except for O2, who have decided to prolong the testing period in order to ensure that the software meets the requirements of its procedures. Sony Ericsson will be working with O2 over the next couple of weeks to expedite the process.”

Ford Focus Electric hooks up wirelessly with AT&T, incurs jealous looks from T-Mobile

AT&T is keeping up its wheeling and dealing this week, signing an agreement with Ford to provide the built-in wireless connectivity for its upcoming Focus Electric hatchback. The deal's pretty simple, really. Ford has put together a comprehensive MyFord Mobile application to go with its EV, which will allow you to keep track of and schedule charging, while also serving up status notifications, range information, and nearby recharging stations' locations, the latter facility being provided with the help of MapQuest. All that data exchange will need a nice dumb pipe to carry it between the Focus and your smartphone and AT&T is obligingly fulfilling that role -- and don't worry if your phone doesn't support the app (works with Android, BlackBerry and iOS), Ford's got a web interface too. Full PR after the break.

Show full PR text

Ford Teams With AT&T to Wirelessly Connect New Ford Focus Electric

- Ford Electric Vehicle Owners Will Have Ability to Remotely Monitor, Engage and Control Vehicle Settings via Information Collected over the AT&T Wireless Network

- Ford Motor Company to use AT&T wireless network to connect new Ford Focus Electric

- Wireless connection enables vehicle owners to control vehicle settings when away from the car - all part of a strategic approach to make Ford electric car ownership simple, easy and engaging

- MyFord Mobile, Ford's exclusive app powered by MapQuest data, will be accessible through a smartphone or secure website

- Embedded wireless connection and dedicated app includes the ability for the owner to monitor and control vehicle charge settings, plan single- or multiple-stop journeys, locate charging stations, pre-heat or cool the car

DALLAS and DEARBORN, Mich., March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ford Motor Company and AT&T* today announced an agreement to wirelessly connect the Ford Focus Electric, Ford's first all-electric passenger car. Announced in January at the 2011 International CES, the new Focus Electric enters production at the Michigan Assembly Plant in late 2011.

Through the new MyFord Mobile smartphone app, using the embedded AT&T wireless connection, Ford Focus Electric vehicle owners will have the ability to send and receive data about their car providing command and control of vehicle settings while away from it.

"Ford has been at the forefront of developing market leading telematics and infotainment services for its vehicles and we're thrilled to be a part of this exciting and significant next step with the upcoming Focus Electric," said Glenn Lurie, president of emerging devices, resale and partnerships, AT&T. "Connecting consumers directly to their electric vehicles in this new and innovative way is going to drive innovative and exciting levels of interaction."

MyFord Mobile technology provides Focus Electric owners in North America with a powerful tool to stay connected, monitor and control their vehicle. Through a smartphone app or secure website, MyFord Mobile invites Focus Electric owners to plan trips, monitor the vehicle's state of charge, receive various alerts for vehicle charging, as well as provides several other features designed to simplify the electric vehicle ownership experience.

"With a wireless connection, we're putting battery charge and vehicle range information, along with an interactive, data-driven trip planning app, directly at the fingertips of our customers," said Ed Pleet, product and business manager for Ford Connected Services. "This technology will keep drivers connected to vital information, enhancing their electric car ownership experience. The AT&T network is an important part of this equation and we're pleased to have AT&T on board."

MyFord Mobile will connect through the AT&T network, allowing the car to communicate off-board through standard wireless technology. From an internet connected mobile phone or computer, owners can:

Find current and projected state of charge information including estimated range and the amount of charge time necessary for additional distances
Program vehicle charging with utility input, allowing the car to start charging immediately or when electricity prices are lowest with the value charging feature, powered by Microsoft
Features powered by MapQuest available on the MyFord smartphone app:
Locate charging stations and get the destination sent to the vehicle
Know if the vehicle can reach a specific charge station from its current location with the current charge level
Create a journey with multiple stops, and determine the likelihood that the car has adequate charge for the full journey
Find the car by creating a route from a mobile phone to the vehicle
Receive alerts if the vehicle isn't charging when it's scheduled to, or if charging stops unexpectedly due to a power outage, plug removal or other event
Receive alerts during recharge when the vehicle has reached a particular preset charge level or has the ability to reach a particular destination
Engage remote vehicle preconditioning, using grid power to heat or cool the vehicle interior
Remotely lock/unlock doors
Use the built-in GPS system to locate the car
Download performance and system data
Fun ways of understanding your driver behavior, with ratings from 'Zen' to 'Zippy'
Receive information personalized to the driver, depending on which key the driver used

How the system works

At launch, the MyFord Mobile app will be available for most major smartphones, along with a mobile web application for compatibility with any phone supporting HTML-5 browser-based access, or feature phones with WAP 2.0-supported browsers. The feature also is accessible via a secure Ford website.

Owners will use the smartphone to communicate with a cloud-based highly secure server, which stores information provided by the embedded wireless module in Focus Electric. Using a cloud-based architecture ensures users will have up-to-the-minute access to information through the AT&T wireless network

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

Android Hits Back At If You Don’t Have An iPhone Ads

Not too long ago Apple decided to push out three new adverts for the iPhone 4, and each of these TV commercials for the iOS device used the line “If you don’t have an iPhone, you don’t have…”, you can check out those ads (here).

I closed that article jokingly with “If you don’t have an iPhone, well, you probably have an Android” and it appears that Android is now hitting back at those iPhone ads with a video called “If you don’t have an iPhone, you have…”

Basically the new Android video reels off what you have if you don’t have an iPhone, such as freedom, choice, true multitasking, a decent OS, and a multitude of others and apparently was made in retaliation to the iPhone 4 commercials.

Of course we have that new Android video for your viewing pleasure below courtesy of the guys over at Daily Mobile and by way of YouTube user Mmace.

Apparently the video was made because the Apple adverts make people believe that the iPhone is the only mobile operating system capable of things they say, when it isn’t.

So check out the video below and feel free to let us know if you agree or disagree that Android offers just as much as iOS if not more…enjoy.

Sharp End: GiffGaff benefits and bill shock

Dealer Jez Harris discusses why he thinks Giffgaff’s offers are good value for money and congratulates Three on being fair to customers

Giffgaff MVNO value
I’ve recently become familiar with O2’s Giffaff prepay MVNO, which offers users some amazing value. Standard calls are charged at 8p and texts at 4p. Calls and texts between Giffgaff users are free. It is even offering free internet access to the end of February. Giffgaff has bundle offers available, called ‘Goody Bags’, that give certain allowances for a fixed monthly charge. So a 5 Goody Bag gives the user unlimited texts, a 10 Bag gives 250 minutes and unlimited texts and internet, a 15 one gives a further 50 minutes, and 20 gives another 350 minutes.

Giffgaff’s unlimited internet, like Three’s, is unlimited, with no monthly caps and no extra charges. Another nice touch is it does not charge for 0800 numbers like other networks. It also rewards users with 2 calling credit if they recommend the service to others who join. It provides a whole raft of internet banners and links to enable easy referral and tracking of leads. Anyone that joins up as a result of an affiliate link receives 5 calling credit. Giffgaff gives users SIM cards to pass on to be activated by new users, for which they get a 5 airtime bonus.

More bill shock
I’ve been writing a little bit about this recently, and fellow dealers have contacted me over the Christmas period to say their customers, also, have been charged excessive data charges by operators. They agree operators should take steps to ensure customers know when they are approaching the end of their allowances. It would not be difficult for them to text customers to advise them of this, and to request they reply to acknowledge they are aware of charges going forward.

It seems consumer action group Which? is also making noises about operator data charges.

Three now has true unlimited, or ‘all-you-can-eat’ data tariffs, as they describe it on their One Plan. As well as 2,000 minutes, 5,000 on-network minutes and 5,000 texts, Three is the first operator to give a truly ‘unlimited’ data to customers. This goes against what other operators seem to be doing, which is to be reducing  data allowances.

Congratulations to Three, then, for embracing data and being fair to customers – at least with this.  Other operators need to be clearer about data allowances and ensure customers cannot go over their allowance without their knowledge and incur bill shock.

Orange commissions
Commissions are roughly the same for the start of 2011 as the end of 2010. Let’s hope this continues through the rest of 2011.

It took Orange quite a while this month to actually sign off commissions – I actually received my Orange commercials on January 7. It would seem someone at Orange could not quite decide on whether or not to sign them off, and whether the extra bonuses paid towards the end of last year were going to be carried forward into this year.

As it turns out, it looks like the commissions for new connections were only dropped by 10 per connection, which is a relief, as it looked for a time like they might be reduced by 55 per connection. On the plus side, some small business upgrade commissions saw a small increase, which is always welcome.

Build your own apps
And finally, a little tip for those who are more technically minded. Fancy creating an app for your business that will run on Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android or Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7? Well now you can with minimal programming knowledge.

Get yourselves over to www.appmakr.com and you can start creating your own apps for free.

Google Voice for Sprint hands-on

Remember that Google Voice integration for Sprint we mentioned recently? Today at CTIA we got to see it in action, and it promises to take us one step closer to our robot overlords -- well, those of us who are Sprint customers, anyway. The most exciting feature is that the integration works with almost any Sprint number and device, and is not limited to just smartphones or the newly minted Nexus S 4G. Basically, you can pick your Sprint number or your Google Voice number to be your mobile number, and switch between them if necessary. Either way, this is the number that appears on other people's phones when you call them, and you still benefit from all the Google Voice perks. See it for yourself in our video after the break.

Chad Mumm contributed to this report.

HTC Incredible S India Price: Less On Pre-order

The HTC Incredible S, which was announced by HTC at the Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona last month and which, is the successor to the popular HTC Incredible smartphone, is the latest HTC phone to be launched on the shores of India.

Now there is good news for those wishing to pre-order the Incredible S, according to the guys at techtree.com the price of the phone at launch will be Rs.28,900, which is Rs.2,000 more than the pre-order price.

The price of the HTC Incredible S on the site of flipkart.com is currently shown as Rs.26.999, which includes a 1 year HTC India Warranty.

HTC Incredible S smartphone, currently runs on Android 2.2 Froyo. However, this will be upgradeable to Android 2.3 Gingerbread when the phone is made available.

Further specs for the Incredible S, as revealed by fonearena.com include: a 1Ghz processor, 4 inch touchscreen display, HTC Sense, an 8 megapixel camera with auto focus and dual LED flash, HD (720p) video recording, 1.3 megapixel front camera, Bluetooth 2.1 with FTP/OPP, WiFi connectivity, 3.5mm headset jack, micro-USB and more.

For more information on the HTC Incredible S, why not check out our article on the release of the Incredible S in the UK or the In-Depth Video Review of the phone.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc Promoted with Dancing Android Robot: Video

Well if you are going to promote the new Android 2.3 Gingerbread packing Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc why not have someone dress up as the famous Android robot and strut a few moves for an audience?

Thus what we have for your viewing pleasure below is a video of that Android robot strutting their stuff in front of a Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc promo display, which comes our way courtesy of the guys over at Android Police and by way of YouTube user Dark32.

Obviously whoever decided to use the Android robot to promote the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc smartphone has a good sense of humour as I couldn’t help but crack a smile when watching the footage, and it kind of makes me want to own one, the Android mascot that is.

Anyway if you are in need of a smile head on down and hit that play button to check out the dancing Android robot dancing their heart out for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc…enjoy.

Samsung Vibrant passes FCC again with AT&T 3G bands: a pre-acquisition tester? (updated)

This is out of left field, but bear with us -- it all makes sense, in a creepy, business-y sort of way. First, the facts: a Samsung SGH-T959P just got FCC approval with 3G support on the 850 and 1900MHz bands (it might also support 2100MHz, but we can't tell from the documents we've skimmed in the filing -- and since it's not a US band, the FCC doesn't really care anyway). T-Mobile's original Samsung Vibrant was the SGH-T959, and the Galaxy S 4G was the SGH-T959V -- so you can imagine that this is another device in the same vein. Samsung SGH product codes that start with "T" and end with "9" are T-Mobile devices... but if this is for T-Mobile, where's the AWS 3G support?

So here's our wild theory: T-Mobile and AT&T may have fast-tracked a T-Mobile-branded device -- in this case, an offshoot of the Galaxy S 4G -- with HSPA+ for AT&T's bands. AT&T has mentioned this week that one of the first fruits of its planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA will be a roaming agreement that allows T-Mobile customers to use AT&T's network, and naturally, that would require devices that support AT&T's spectrum; interestingly, this roaming agreement is going into effect whether the acquisition completes or not, so these guys have to deal with it. We'd doubt that either of these carriers would be keen on releasing yet another variant of the original Galaxy S as we move toward mid-2011 here, but it's entirely possible that T-Mobile and AT&T employees could be getting these to test the network integration over the course of the year. Crazy, yes... but just crazy enough to be plausible.

Update: Here's another thought. This could be an HSPA+ device (a la Galaxy S 4G) for a Canadian network, since several of those guys have also deployed Samsung devices that start with "T" and end with "9" -- the model number exclusivity to T-Mobile is strictly within American borders. We'll find out soon enough!

Sprint's HTC EVO View 4G hands-on (video)

Well, if you were keeping abreast of the happenings at Mobile World Congress, then Sprint's EVO View 4G launched today at CTIA may seem pretty familiar to the HTC Flyer you saw there. These two HTC devices are essentially the same, with just a couple of minor cosmetic differences and some UI changes shown in the video that follows. We're still not completely sure about the Scribe pen, though it certainly is an entertaining thing to play with. The Evernote app makes great use of the stylus allowing images to be scribbled on and saved, notes recorded -- with voice and your text input -- and of course everything can be shared. We're not massive humans here at Engadget, and we're happy to report that the device can still stay planted fairly comfortably in hand. A standout amenity is the ability to drop apps from the lockscreen onto a small target, and have that app open immediately rather than having to go find it once you've unlocked the device. All this and more is just below the fold.

Sprint's HTC EVO View 4G hands-on with video