LG EnV Touch (Verizon Wireless)

The LG EnV Touch was a surprise to us. We thought all of the EnV line of phones would be in the style of the LG EnV VX9900, the LG EnV2, and the more recent LG EnV3.Those phones had numeric keypads on the front, with QWERTY keyboards behind their flip designs. But it appears that the LG EnV Touch is actually a successor to the Voyager VX10000, due to its full touch screen-interface. Perhaps Verizon and LG are going back to the EnV name to reinforce its association with high-end messaging phones.

We gave the LG Voyager VX10000 an Editors' Choice award when it first launched, but it has been almost two years since then, so it's about time for an upgrade. The LG enV Touch definitely offers better design and features. Both the touch-screen and internal displays are bigger, the keyboard has a better layout, the 3.2-megapixel camera has more advanced settings, the 3.5mm headset jack accommodates your own headphones, EV-DO Rev. A offers faster Web browsing, and more. The EnV Touch doesn't have V Cast Mobile TV like the Voyager did, but that's about the only thing missing with this upgrade. Perhaps our only complaints were that the touch-screen interface and Web browsing could use some refinements, and the lack of Wi-Fi was disappointing.

The LG EnV Touch is available for $149.99 with a $70 mail-in rebate and a two-year service agreement, which isn't too expensive for what you're getting.

Entelligence: The HTC HD2 and the future of Windows Mobile

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
A few columns ago, I wrote how folks shouldn't dismiss Windows Mobile. This week, Microsoft released Windows Mobile 6.5 and it's further proof that this OS is very much a serious contender in the mobile OS platform wars. What makes Windows Mobile 6.5 work isn't so much the OS per se, but rather the Windows Phones that are the basis for the ecosystem.

PlayStation emulator coming to Android, courtesy of yongzh and ZodTTD

If you don't know the names yongzh and ZodTTD, you can certainly be forgiven, but they're basically the cell phone emulation dream team -- where the former has been cranking out high-quality Nintendo and Sega emulators for Android, the latter is the one who brought PSX to iPhone, iPhone 3GS and the Palm Pre. Today, we hear they're collaborating on a PSX emulator for Android that's running faster than the 3GS version -- before Froyo's even factored into the equation -- and that when his domination over the PSX is complete, ZodTTD intends to begin work on an Nintendo 64 emulator for Android, and then VLC. Without letting our enthusiasm get the better of us, let's just say it's an exciting time to be an Android owner, to say the least.

Nexus One review

The Nexus One. In the modern climate of hyped (and over-hyped) smartphone launches, Google's official entry into the phone-sales game has excelled in a department where many find difficulty: generating legitimate excitement. Of course, long before the name Nexus One or the recent bounty of pictures and details existed, the very concept of a "Google Phone" had been ingrained in the public conscience, predating even the Open Handset Alliance and Android itself; the company dabbled in the concept of direct sales through its offering of the Android Dev Phones 1 and 2 (alias Ion), but this time, it's a public retail ordeal, not a couple of one-off developer specials. The genuine-article Google Phone is finally here -- for better or worse.
The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks -- on paper, at least -- like the ultimate Android handset, combining a newly tweaked and tightened user interface with killer industrial design. A sleek, streamlined phone that can easily go toe-to-toe with the iPhone 3GSs, Pres, and Droids of the world, powered by the latest version of Android (2.1 "Flan," if you're counting), and hand-retooled by Google. But is it all it's cracked up to be? Can the Nexus One possibly live up to the hype ascribed to it? And more importantly, is the appearance of the phone the death knell for the OHA and a sign of the coming Android autocracy? In our exclusive review of the Nexus One, we'll answer all those pressing questions and more... so read on for the full scoop!

Google Nexus One unboxing and hands-on
Note: The unit we have in hand is -- by all appearances -- a production model, save for the QR code imprint on the back, which is likely an employee-only Easter egg. However, Google is making its official announcement tomorrow, and there could always be differences. If anything changes with the device, or there are revelations about the marketing or sale of the phone, we'll be sure to update the review with new info.

Hardware
As we said in the intro -- and our previous hands-on write up -- the Nexus One is nothing if not handsome. From its ultra-thin body to sleek, curved edges, the phone is absolutely lustworthy. While it's unmistakably HTC, there are plenty of design cues that feel authentically Google as well -- and it's that balance which makes the phone such an intriguing piece of hardware.

ZTE V7 MID Perangkat Internet 3G dengan OS Maemo

Pabrikan elektronik dari RRC yaitu ZTE telah menampilkan perangkat barunya untuk berinternet ria di mana aja yaitu jenis MID (Mobile Internet Device ) V7 ZTE.

MID ZTE baru ini tipis dan ringan dengan ukuran 120×85×12mm dan berat 190 gram saja. Fitur menariknya yaitu keyboard QWERTY utk sms dan twitteran lebih lancar. Walau begitu, layar tetap jenis layar sentuh dengan ukuran 4.1 inch dan resolusi 800×480.

Tak ketinggalan MID ini dilengkapi kamera 3.2 mpx dan porsesor 806 Mhz dengan sistem operasi Maemo OS (sama spt Nokia N900). Selain bisa dipakai untuk telefon dan SMS, perangkat ini bisa untuk video conferencing, melihat video streaming dari Internet, membuka dokumen office, mengirim email, dll.

Perangkat ini kompatibel dengan 3G CDMA1X, EV-DO dan mendukung HSDPA juga. Fitur lain yang ada yaitu WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, SD slot, USB.

Sayangnya belum ada kepastian harga maupun kapan perangkat ini dipasarkan.

New iPhone in Vietnam spotted running iPhone OS 4? (update: it's a fake)

This is a bit of a confusing one, but we just got tipped an additional shot of this 4th generation iPhone that leaked out in Vietnam, but this time with a big twist: it appears to be running iPhone OS 4. Or at least displaying a screenshot of the new OS, with that telltale wallpaper in the background. We have no idea how this crew might've circumvented Apple's lockdown of the device, and there's always the chance this is some sort of Photoshop or other trickery. Still, a source has confirmed to us that the markings "N90 PRO2" indicate an older prototype N90 (the Apple codename for the new iPhone), which refers to "Working Prototype 2" and might possibly be easier to enable than the newer, lock tight model Gizmodo obtained. Also, despite the photo's out-of-focus nature, the display (or at least its contents) doesn't appear nearly as sharp as those previous shots we saw of the "fireball" screen. We're digging for more info as we speak, but unfortunately the original source site, Taoviet, is down right now. We'll keep you posted if we hear anything else about this image's origins.

Keepin' it real fake: N8 available now, only not from Nokia

Well, it was bound to happen: a flagship device released as a KIRF (for the second time) well ahead of its official launch. Unfortunately, that's what happens when you delay a product that already leaked months in advance. The $99.20 "N8-00" might share its name and stylings with Nokia's imminent Symbian flagship but that's where the similarities end. This Chinese N8 packs a 3.3-inch touchscreen (resistive, no doubt), a quad-band GSM radio, pair of VGA cameras (ha!), 2GB of MicroSD blah blah blah... hey, let's be honest, the specs don't really matter do they? This "Nseries" device, like all KIRFs, will be sold to poseurs who want to look the part before quickly discarding it for the next trend. Picture of the backside after the break.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is likely NTT DoCoMo's best selling smartphone -- ever

Japan's wireless networks have a longstanding, legendary reputation for existing in some parallel plane that's technologically light years ahead of the rest of the world, but that reputation's unquestionably in greater danger today than in any point in the past fifteen years. Why? Though the featurephones offered by NTT DoCoMo, SoftBank, and KDDI are ultra high-spec beasts, they're still featurephones at the end of the day -- and this comes at a time when smartphones are finally becoming true cultural phenomena across the remainder of the developed world (and, in some cases, the developing world).

There's no greater evidence of this than the word this week that Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 -- a phone that's been met with lukewarm reviews, including from Engadget Japanese's own Ittousai -- has allegedly become NTT DoCoMo's best-selling smartphone in history, a fact that would seem completely inexplicable in any other market globally. What makes it possible in Japan, of course, is DoCoMo's historically lame selection of true smartphones, a lineup that currently includes localized versions of the HTC Magic, and the original HTC Touch Diamond and BlackBerry Bold. What's more, many of these devices integrate poorly with popular carrier services on account of their super-tight control of the operating systems running across the featurephone lineup, something they've got less control over with a device running Android or Windows Mobile.

In other words, when it's reported that DoCoMo had sold 100,000 X10s in its first 20 days -- and a third-party retailer claims that the Magic-esque HT-03A is the next best seller at 80,000 units in 10 months -- it seems plausible, if not likely (and Ittousai agrees). Yeah, even though the localized device has been plagued with performance problems and bugs, incompatibilities with DoCoMo's i-mode push email, and so on. It's hard to say what it's going to take for these guys to make an honest-to-goodness transition to the brave new world of open platforms and freewheeling third-party development, but they're clearly not there yet.

Keepin' it real fake, part CCXLVIII: Xderia X2 packs 2X the KIRF

Sony Ericsson's Xperia X2 may have been delayed until next month, but official delays have never held back the inevitable KIRF hordes, as exemplified by this intriguing "Xderia X2." Not content with simply approximating SE's stylish QWERTY slider, this one goes the extra mile with a KIRF edition of Windows Mobile, not to mention some impressive specs like a 12.1 megapixel camera, dual SIM card slots, and a built-in FM radio -- which may or may not match the phone's actual specs. No word on a price just yet, but we're guessing you'll be able to buy anywhere from four to fourteen of these for the price of an actual X2.

Sony's VAIO W Billabong hits US shores June 11th, $500 buys you a ride

Remember the boardshort-inspired VAIO W Billabong netbook that surfaced in Australia last week? The limited edition lappy's headed stateside, too, and its Imperial Lime lid and faster 1.83GHz Atom N470 CPU will only cost you $50 more than the stock model. Mind you, this is otherwise the same pricy VAIO W that wasn't worth five Benjamins last fall, but if you're the type that dreams of barreling down a tunnel of deep blue ocean nightly, we suppose the occasional concession can't hurt. Now available for preorder via the source link, the mini-notebook ships June 11th; PR after the break.

Motorola Droid Shadow / Xtreme pictured again, powered by Ninjablur?

Because we can't seem to get enough Motorola Droid Shadow / Xtreme teasers in our lives, here's a few more with which to tide you over. First on the docket is a pair of pics from Droid Life, with the screen-saving film intact (and a still-visible Verizon logo underneath) and a cleaner side shot of its bulbous derriere. If that wasn't enough, the clue-dropper wnrussell of HowardForums -- who gave us the vast majority of the previous leaks -- is back showing off a 1500mAh battery and claiming a name for that monochrome Motoblur-esque skin we saw earlier. In his words, "Ninja Blur is Blur running without the user knowing. For those who don't like Blur." Translation: it's an Android skin that does very little but make aesthetic differentiators and probably slows down the processing speed a bit. Any chance the ninja can go into hiding in lieu of a vanilla robot experience?

Aava Virta Android reference platform will be the first shipping Moorestown smartphone

Sure, Intel might not be planning for Moorestown-based smartphones to hit the market for at least another six months, and the LG GW990 might have died a quiet death, but that's not stopping Aava from getting right in the game with its Virta Android, an Atom Z600-based reference smartphone designed for developer testing. Slated to ship in Q3, the Virta features a Moorestown processor, a 3.8-inch 864 x 480 capacitive touchscreen, quad-band EDGE radios with AT&T 3G support, WiFi, Bluetooth, a five megapixel video camera, and a microSD slot. We're assuming the shipping version will look a lot like the prototype Aava device we've been seeing for a while now, but Aava has some fancier renders up on its site, so we'll see what happens and how much this costs when this thing arrives.

Dell CEO: Streak coming next month to Telefonica O2, 'later this summer' to AT&T

You know who can't stop talking about (or showing off) the Dell Streak / Mini 5? Company CEO Michael Dell, that's who. The man once again returned with his Android-powered 5-inch display of choice, showing it off on stage at the Citrix Synergy conference this morning. Sure, we've seen the handset ad nauseum at this point -- we're even a proud owner of one prototype -- but here's the quote that piqued our interest: "this [phone] will be available starting next month, first with our partner 02 Telefonica [sic] in Europe, then later this summer with our pretty good partner here in the United States, AT&T." He couldn't be much more direct, and we couldn't get it from a more knowing source. Excited for the near future yet?
We've just learned at D8 today that Dell will be offering the Streak to US customers direct from its website -- unlocked -- starting next month for $500. That's later than the June 4 date that UK customers will be enjoying, but it's earlier than it could've been -- Dell had merely been giving "later this Summer" guidance previously. More on this as it develops!

ASUS Eee Tablet preview

Alright, stick with us here. For some reason, ASUS decided it best to name its freshest e-reader the Eee Tablet, while its downright magical tablet goes by Eee Pad. Got all that? Good. The Eee Tablet (again, not to be confused with the Eee Pad tablet) is half e-reader, half note taker, and it's an interesting twist on a played product category. We took a few precious minutes to experiment with the device here on the Computex show floor, and overall, we like what we're seeing. Gone is the painfully slow E-Ink page refresh that Kindle owners are so accustomed to, with this particular LCD proving deliciously quick at changing screens. The only hang-up comes when you attempt to flip through too many pages, too fast -- we managed to harness a loading wheel on two occasions, both of which took around six or eight seconds to vanish and the next page to finally appear. We also confirmed that the screen only works with the included stylus, much like pen-enabled Wacom tablets. That said, the bundled stylus was perfectly weighted, and the Eee Tablet responded well to our doodling. Speaking of weight, the model shown here in Taipei was shockingly heavy (at least iPad-level heavy), while the 10-inch EP101TC was markedly less hefty. Enough chatter -- have a look at our hands-on video just past the break.

Intel demos Android 2.1 on Moorestown smartphone (video)

Intel's barking up all kinds of trees (ones planted by Qualcomm, NVIDIA and ARM) with its Moorestown Atom platform, and while it'll be quite some time before we see an Atom Inside sticker gracing the face of a smartphone, the company's making sure the world sees what it has ramped up so far with reference builds here in Taipei. Aava Mobile was kind enough to build a number of prototypes for Intel to showcase at Computex, and while the vast majority were running Moblin, a couple were humming along with Android 2.1 underneath. We were able to get our hands around one here at the show, and while performance seemed decent enough, it certainly didn't floor us any more than a 1GHz Snapdragon has in the past. Granted, we weren't able to seriously tax it due to having no internet connection and no pre-loaded HD multimedia, but casual users probably won't notice a significant boost in screen transitions. Don't take our word for it, though -- jump on past the break for a video of Intel doing Eclair.

Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXXVIII: Palm Pre knockoff doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up

Yes, this was only a matter of time, and we're a little surprised we didn't see one earlier. Regardless, this is the Palm Pre knockoff we've been waiting for. Seemingly called just iPhone +QWERTY -- this KIRF is being marketed as just that -- a real business phone with a hybrid identity blending the BlackBerry and the iPhone. And really, that's not too bad of a description for this little dude, we guess. Boasting analog TV, Bluetooth, and an FM radio, it runs the much-loved OPhone operating system, and can be had for 600 RMP (about $88). There are two more shots after the break. Hit the read link for a full peek.

Asus Eee Pad To Have a 12-Inch Touchscreen, Windows 7

Asus has announced its much-anticipated Eee Pad. One version of this tablet computer will run Microsoft Windows 7 and have a 12.1-inch display, while a second will have a 10-inch screen and run a stripped-down version of Windows.

Although CEO Jerry Shen formally took the wraps off these models today, not all the details were revealed. But he did say they won't be on the market until early 2011.
Asus Eee PCWindows Version
The EP121 will have a 12.1-inch, capacitive touchscreen, and run Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium on an Intel Core 2 Duo ULV processor. Asus says this tablet computer will emphasize web browsing and video playback,
The exact size and weight have not been announced, but Asus describes it as "ultra-slim and light ".
It will have a web cam, USB port, and should offer 10 hours of battery life. Asus plans to offer a docking station with a built-in keyboard.
Shen did not reveal for price for the EP121 at today's event.
Windows Embedded Version
The smaller version of the Eee PC, the EP101TC, will have a 10-inch display and run Windows Embedded Compact 7, the latest version of an operating system that was once called Windows CE.
This will also have a web camera, and have a slate design that's about half an inch thick and 1.5 pounds.
Asus CEO said the EP101TC will sell for $400-$500.

Review of the HP EliteBook 2740p

HP recently updated their popular business-grade tablet PC with the latest Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors. Over on TabletPCReview.com we recently had a chance to take an in-depth look at the new HP EliteBook 2740p. Click here to see what we thought about it.
Our review model includes a 12.1-inch UWVA touchscreen display with pen-input, an Intel Core i5-540 2.53GHz processor, 4GB of memory and a 250GB 1.8-inch hard drive. For extended runtime HP offers a slice battery as an option for the 2740p, increasing the battery capacity from 44Wh with the onboard 6-cell battery to a total of 90Wh with 46Wh coming from the external battery. This gives the computer just under nine hours of total battery life. For more information on this convertible Tablet PC, check out the review on our sister site TabletPCReview.com.

Dell Inspiron 14z dips to $399, for now

It may be nearly a year since we first got our hands on Dell's thin-and-light Inspiron 14z, but the laptop still certainly holds its own in its class, and Dell has now made an offer that's awfully hard to refuse -- it's lowered the price to just $399. That will of course get you the lowest-end, Pentium Dual-Core SU4100 model, but you can upgrade to a Core 2 Duo for $65 extra, and the rest of the basic specs aren't too shabby, including 3GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, and a DVD burner. Anyone thinking of taking the plunge better act fast, however, as the deal is apparently part of a 48 hour sale, and quite a few of those hours have already ticked away.