PRADA PHONE BY LG 3.0 BEGINS WORLDWIDE ROLLOUT
Much Awaited Designer Smartphone Arrives in
South Korea Today, Europe and Asia in January

Seoul, 28 December 2011: LG Electronics (LG) made its highly anticipated PRADA phone by LG 3.0 available to the public today in South Korea. The phone is now available to Korean customers and scheduled for the release in most European countries and other parts of Asia in January.

The phone, its existence announced only last month in Seoul during the joint signing ceremony, was unveiled for the first time at a showcase event in London two weeks ago. The stylish new device has been attracting significant attention for being the only smartphone with premium branding on the market currently.

The PRADA phone by LG 3.0 is the third handset from the PRADA and LG collaboration following the highly successful PRADA phone by LG 1.0 and 2.0 phones. The latest offering continues in the same tradition combining PRADA’s trademark chic simplicity with LG’s leading technology, including one of the brightest 800-nit NOVA display and a PRADA themed UI for truly unique mobile experience.

Following PRADA’s renowned design philosophy, the handset features a full glossy touchscreen on the front and PRADA’s signature Saffiano pattern on the back. Impressively thin at only 8.5mm, minimal hardkeys and a classic black finish complete the phone’s sleek look.

With 1.0GHz Dual-Core/Dual Channel architecture, the PRADA phone by LG 3.0 is as effective as it is stylish. The phone runs on Android Gingerbread OS with an update to Android Ice Cream Sandwich scheduled for the second quarter of 2012.

For more details on this unique collaboration, please visit the official site of PRADA Phone by LG 3.0 at www.pradaphonebylg3.com.

Key Specs:
Operating System: Android 2.3 Gingerbread
Memory: User 8GB maximum (varies depending on carrier requirements)
Display Size: 4.3 inches
Resolution: WVGA (800 x 480)
Display Brightness: 800 nit
Camera: 8MP
Processor: 1.0GHz Dual-Core / Dual Channel
Battery: 1540mAh

LG Optimus 3D P920 3D Android Phone Review
Bluetooth 23 Oct 2011

Phones have evolved so much these few years, from keyboard to touch screen, to voice control etc. Although most people will agree that most Android phones are just iPhone look alike with similar features, LG Optimus 3D is otherwise.

LG Optimus 3D, is quite different from it’s competitors. Based on Android 2.2 which LG promised an upgrade, the LG Optimus 3D spots a glasses-free 4.3″ wide display, displaying 3D contents that are recorded by the phone or from Youtube. The dual 5 mega pixel camera is capable of doing real time video recording and still images both in 3D. 3D videos can be uploaded to youtube immediately. It can also record 2D videos at 1080P HD resolution and 720p in 3D.

There is also a 3D hot key on the rear of the phone. It can convert 2D to 3D vice versa by the press of the button. 3D game converter is added in the latest firmware (v10d). You can also share and view 3D videos on the large screen effortlessly, with HDMI 1.4 connection to 3D equipped TV.

All this is accomplish with LG’s advanced “tri-dual” configuration: a dual-core, dual channel and dual memory architecture based on the ground breaking TI OMAP4 chipset. This configuration enables users to enjoy significantly improved performance and run-time compared to any other smartphone. Unlike other dual-core smartphones, with single channel and single memory, the LG Optimus 3D enables the simultaneous- and thus faster transfer of data between its dual-core, dual channel and dual memory.

The phone is capable of running on 2G GSM 850/1800/1900, 3G HSDPA (900/1900/2100) and hSDPA (1700/2100/850), HSDPA-HSPA+ (14.4Mbps/5.7Mbps) networks. It has a dimension of 128.8x68x11.9 and weighs 168g.

The screen is a 3D LCD Capacitive Touch screen with 16M colours at (480×800). It has a battery pack of 1500mAH. The processor is a Dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, PowerVR,SGX540 GPU, TI OMAP4430 chipset.

In the following pages, we will take a look at the interface, pictures and videos recorded using the phone.

If you have been looking for a unique tablet, the SONY S1 and S2 definitely fits the bill. We first set sight on it at the press event of VAIO S and Z notebooks. Unfortunately, it is enclosed in a plastic casing and we aren’t able to get close to it for a hands on. Check out our short article with pictures and video of it at the link below :

LINK

At the launch event of the SONY VAIO S and Z series, the attention was drawn away from the two laser thin notebooks. Instead all media attention seems to be on the yet to be available SONY tablet.

One of them is S1 and the other is S2. Both tablet looks sleek and information is sketchy. Below are some screen shots of it and a video of it in display at the event held at Handy Road, Singapore.

From the web, we can find some sketchy information about this two upcoming products.

The Sony S1 and S2 are both based on Android 3.0 Honeycomb with customised UI.

The Sony S1 has a 9.4″ screen with 1280×800 resolution. it has 512MB RAM and 32GB storage. It is powered by NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor. Some features include QUick and smooth Touch panel UI, Swift web browser, front and rear cameras. It also has access to playstation suite of games.

For wireless connectivity, it has 3G/4G and WIFI. It can also function as a remote control for Sony products. The design makes it foldable like like a magazine.

The Sony S2 has a 5.5″ screen with 2 1024×480 pixel display screen. It has a Book Style UI Layout and it is WIFI/3G/4G compatible. It is again powered by NVIDIA Tegra2 processor.

LG Optimus 2x Smartphone Review – Introduction
bluetooth 16 Jun 2011

For readers of OCWorkbench, PC component chipset maker NVIDIA shouldn’t be a stranger to you. They have been in the motherboard arena for quite some time. In recent years, they re focus into smartphones. LG Optimus 2x is one of the first smartphones powered by this new Dual Core processor Tegra 2 from NVIDIA.

LG Optimus 2X runs at a clock speed of 1GHz and boasts low power consumption and high performance for playing video and audio. In terms of multimedia capability, the LG Optimus 2X offers 1080p HD video playback and recording with HDMI mirroring that expands content on external displays to full HD quality. The LG Optimus 2X can connect wirelessly to any DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compatible digital device such as HD TVs for a console-like gaming experience taking full advantage of the phone’s HDMI mirroring, accelerometer and gyro sensor. The smartphone also includes both rear- and front-facing cameras, microSD memory expandability, Micro-USB port and a hefty 1500mAh battery.

Currently, the LG Optimus 2x ships with Android 2.2. It is said that 2.2 is not capable to tap the power of Dual Core. A 2.3 Gingerbread is expected in June/July 2011 which should speed up the phone especially with Android softwares that take advantage of dual core.

In the next few pages, we will take a look at the functions of the phone, pictures, video shots and also HDMI out from the device.

Here are some basic specs

•1 GHz dual core, Tegra 2 processor

•4-inch display

•Android 2.2 with plans to upgrade to Android 2.3

•8 megapixel rear camera, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera

•HDMI

•1080p video playback

•Gyro sensor

•1,500 mAh battery

•microSD card slot

- Google TV to launch in US this autumn, worldwide in 2011

- CEO says new Chrome OS to run tablet computers

- Tablet partnerships to be announced later this year

According to Reuters news, Google will launch its service to bring the Web to TV screens in the United States this autumn and worldwide next year, said it’s CEO Eric Schmidt.

Google TV will allow full internet browsing via the TV and it will be free. Google will work with a variety of programme makers and electronics manufacturers to bring it to consumers.

Sony last week had agreed to have Google TV on it’s TV sets and Samsung is looking into it. This come as a challenge to Apple TV which was announced just earlier.

On the tablet front, the Galaxy Tab is powered by Android 2.2. Google on the other hand is pushing Google’s Chrome OS (due to be launched soon) for the tablets.

Huawei will launch own brand Google Android 2.2 phone Huawei U8150 in September 2010

The device comes pre-installed with Android 2.2 (one of the first to come out of the box with 2.2), with the hardware designed to be 100% compatible with 2.2.

The product was jointly planned and developed with Google and brings a wealth of Google options, downlink speeds of more than 7.2Mb/s, ubiquitous mobile broadband services. It also functions as a Wi-Fi router.

This new smartphone will be announced on September 2nd, 2010 in Germany. The product will be launched in Hong Kong early September.

It will be highly competitive price-wise and comes in 4 colours -  Black, purple, blue and yellow targeting the youth.

From our sources, this phone intends to be a mass market phone, it will be priced quite competitively at around HKD 2000 (USD 258, SGD 350, Euro 203, UKP 166) without contract.

* Specifications

Dimensions 104×54.8×13.5mm
Frequency UMTS Radio Interface:
EDGE/GSM/GPRS: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
UMTS 900/AWS/2100MHz or UMTS 850/1700/1900/2100MHz
HSDPA 7.2Mbps
Display 2.8” QVGA (320×240) TFT Capacitive Touch
262K colors
Auto rotate (G-sensor)
Camera 3.2 Megapixel Camera FF
Sensor Proximity Sensor
Ambient light sensor
Color Black, purple, blue and yellow

Features
Home Screen: Android Home screen
Local Search: Google Search
Tools: Key Lock / Alarm clock / Calculator / Settings / Note pad
Call service: Voice call
Supplementary Service: Voice mail
Google Mobile Suite:
Google Search, Google Maps, Google Calendar, Google sync and Android
Market
Digital Compass: Support digital compass base on Android
Sound Recording: Audio format: AMR
Other
Applications
Google Maps, Google Search, Gmail etc.

From now onwards, you can view OCWORKBENCH NEWS on your mobile phone. Be it a Nokia, Android, iPhone, it will have that streamline view. If you have a larger screen that renders html, you can choose to view it in web view.

Just point your phone’s browser to http://en.ocworkbench.com and the system will take care of it. Here is how it looks like :

Video Review of the LG GD880 Mini Feature Phone
Bluetooth  11 Jul 2010

Looking for a small size feature phone? THe LG GD880 will fit the bill. The first sight of it reminds me of the minis from various manufacturers, all trying to outbid one another to make it more compact and handy.

Finished in polished black with silver lining, this phone looks very unique just like the LG BL40 which is longer in size. It has icons and widgets similar to those you commonly see on Android phones.

The GD880 uses a 3.2″ TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M Colors of Size 480 x 854 pixels and is powered by the ARM11 processor which is used in the original iPhone 3G.

Although the GD880 Mini is not a smartphone, it has some neat features that address the social media users.  You have  3 page customisable desktop (with widgets, shortucts, icons). They are widgets available for download for real time Facebook and Twitter updates on the 3 page desktop. When the desktop gets too messy, you can just shake the phone and it will help you arrange them in an orderly fashion.

The phone has a 10.6mm Slim 3.2″ Multi-touch LCD. It has  built-in Phantom Browser (Support Flash-lite v3.1). It supports Wi-Fi, HSDPA 7.2Mbps & GPS and comes with a 5MP Camera with Auto Focus & Face Detection (no flash). The GD880 also supports 2 finger pinch and zoom for pictures and in the browser to manify the text. There is a FM Radio built in.

LG GD880 is the first to implement the LG Air Sync. LG Air Sync allows you to synchronize your mobile with the computer without USB. A simple right click can select, resize, and crop from a PC or a website, and send directly to your LG Mini. You could also retrieve important information, like contact list, schedule and memo from your LG Air Sync account.

Below is a video showing the contents of the package.

Display

Main Display Type

TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M Colors

Main Display Size

480 x 854 pixels, 3.2 inches

Sensor

S-Class Touch UI, Multi-touch input method, Accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate, Proximity sensor for auto turn-off

Screen

Scratch-resistant surface

Sound

Alert types

Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3 ringtones

Speakerphone

Yes, 3.5 mm audio jack, Dolby Mobile sound enhancement

Memory

Phonebook

1000 entries, Photocall

Call records

Yes

Internal

60MB

Card slot

microSD (TransFlash), up to 32GB

Data

GPRS

Class 10

HSCSD

Yes

EDGE

Class 10

3G

HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps, HSUPA 2.0 Mbps

WLAN

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g

Bluetooth

V2.1 with A2DP

USB

Yes

Camera

Primary

5 MP, 2576×1928 pixels, autofocus

Features

Geo-Tagging , face detection, Manual Focus, Smile Shot, Beauty Shot, Art Shot, Frame Shot, Panorama, Stitch Shot, Animation Shot

Video

Yes, WVGA@30fps

Secondary

Videocall camera

Features

Messaging

SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email

Browser

LG Phantom Browser, WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML

Radio

FM radio

GPS

Yes, with A-GPS support; Google maps

Java

Yes, MIDP 2.0

Software

MP3/AAC/AAC+/WMA player, DivX/XviD/MP4 player, Organizer, Document viewer (DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF), Voice memo

Next Page

Motorola and StarHub launch MOTOROLA Milestone™ XT Android 2.1 with HD Capabilities in Singapore
-       First smartphone on Android platform to play high-definition (HD) videos directly on your HD television
-       Features 720p HD camcorder and 8MP camera with professional xenon flash

Motorola and StarHub launch MOTOROLA Milestone™ XT Android 2.1 with HD Capabilities in Singapore

-       First smartphone on Android platform to play high-definition (HD) videos directly on your HD television

-       Features 720p HD camcorder and 8MP camera with professional xenon flash

SINGAPORE – June 9, 2010 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) and StarHub today introduced the exclusive launch of MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT in Singapore. This exciting offering allows StarHub to further expand its Android™ smartphone line-up to meet increasing consumer demand.

Combining an ultra-thin, fashionable design with the power of high-speed Internet access on the go, the MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT keeps you up to date with the latest industry buzz and lets you create and enjoy the mobile internet experience that matches your lifestyle. Its 720p HD (High-Definition) camcorder lets you capture your videos in high-definition and, for the first time on an Android-powered device, play them directly on your HD television. The photography buff in you will enjoy the 8 megapixel camera with xenon flash to showcase your artistic flair with crisp, high quality images.

Powered by StarHub’s nationwide advanced mobile broadband network and Wi-Fi, MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT gives you the flexibility of high-speed internet access at home, outdoors and on the road, anytime. With a cool and trendy industrial design and ultra-large high-resolution 3.7” pinch-and zoom screen, MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT offers a delightful mobile Internet experience, including browsing the web, watching videos, viewing photos and playing games. Plug it to your HD television via HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and enjoy those memorable videos in high-definition quality.

MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT also offers the best mobile entertainment experience with StarHub’s 24 premium mobile TV channels such as CNN, Asian Food Channel and National Geographic Channel.

 “This phone is for the fashionable crowd in the market who do not want to compromise on performance. We are pleased to work with StarHub to bring MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT to Singapore. This device will blow your mind away with its ability to deliver HD videos directly to your HD television!” said Andrew Morley, Vice President of Marketing across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Russia and Asia at Motorola.

“Android has rapidly risen to the rank of a major smartphone platform worldwide. Hot on the heels of the very well-received MOTOROLA MILESTONE launch in March 2010, we are thrilled to offer the MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT exclusively in Singapore from tomorrow,” said Ng Long Shyang, Head of Sales at StarHub. “Powered by StarHub’s nationwide advanced mobile broadband network and no-bill-shock data access packages, the MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT is a fashionable yet power-packed phone for anyone who desires only the best experience in communications, Internet access and the coolest entertainment content on the move.”

MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT gives you access to thousands of apps and widgets from Android Market™¹. A suite of Google™ applications including Google Maps™ with Latitude, Gmail ™ and YouTube™ are also integrated onto the device. It brings that experience to life, and makes it simpler, faster, and more fun than ever. Powered by Android 2.1, MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT offers endless possibilities to make consumers’ business, living, gaming and entertainment better by releasing you from the constraints of time and space. The upgraded live wallpaper, with up to five home screen panels, allows more space for customization. You can even group different widgets, such as your calendar, contacts, email, clock, and dozens of others the way you want to, so that you see what you want, where you want.

As MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT is based on an open platform, the preloaded software on your handset updates automatically, regularly renewing the phone with more features and better performance. The reciprocal support between MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT and PC also helps download new applications from the handset or PC.   

Capture those important moments like a pro with MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT’s built-in 8-megapixel autofocus digital camera with a professional xenon flash. For the video buffs, record in HD with the 720 x 480 high definition video camera.  Save your ideas and other important information with Motorola’s proprietary handwriting recognition technology, which lets MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT record and turn your handwriting into words accurately at high-speed.  And the handset’s aGPS satellite positioning and navigation helps you find shortcuts quickly, accurately and easily, and makes traveling down the street or around the world a whole new experience. And with its powerful quad-core processor, MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT allows for smooth and easy multitasking.

Product features and functions at a glance

• 3.7”, 16:9 WVGA display
• Dimension: 60.9×115.95×10.9mm/ Weight:139g
• HD video capture at 720p, HDMI to HDTV
• 854 X 480 ultra-large high-resolution with pinch & zoom and double tap
• 8 megapixel digital camera with professional xenon flash and 720 x 240 high-resolution video camera function
• Support for Bluetooth^®  stereo headset and data transmission²
• 3.5 mm jack for the widest choices of headsets for music enjoyment
• FM Radio
• 8GB Micro SD expandable to 32GB
• CrystalTalk™ professional noise cancellation technology, recognized throughout the industry for its clear, uninterrupted voice calls in high-noise environments.
• 3.5G HSPA 10.2Mbps/5.2 and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g for high-speed internet access
• Newest Motorola handwriting recognition technology to enable quick input and accurate recognition of cursive styles and simplified forms of Chinese
• Built-in gravity sensor, infrared proximity sensor, and ambient light sensor mode
• Powerful Cortex™ A8 processor with 3D accelerator built in for smooth and easy multitasking
• Concurrent processing of multiple email accounts and separation of work email and personal email inboxes
• Five Chinese input methods including phonetic notation, handwriting, Cangjie, pinyin, and Chinese strokes

Other applications and functions

• Google™ Maps³: User location identification, direct direction guide, and as satellite photos and street views provided during map browsing
• Gmail™: Integration of, and support to, multiple email accounts
• YouTube™: Single-touch play on the home screen or applications
• Google Talk™: Communications service provided by Google
• Google™ contacts: Online synchronization of contacts
• On-screen proximity sensor that automatically locks up when the ear is close to the handset to enable uninterrupted phoning
• Touch-control GPS for quick, accurate, and easy identification of shorts

Availability

MOTOROLA MILESTONE™ XT will be available at all StarHub Shops and selected Exclusive Partners’ outlets from 10 June 2010, from as low as S$0, on selected price plans.

1. Your Nexus One MUST NOT BE ROOTED.

Chrome Web store is the new service that Google has announced at I/O 2010, together with Android 2.2, or FroYo. This service will allow users to find the best web apps, and developers to sell their apps in an online market. Froyo, or Android 2.2, now has a release date – it will be out in June.

The idea only goes to prove that Google thinks web apps are the future. This is an idea they have worked with in the past few years. Google Docs is just an example.

Even if it is called the Chrome Web Store, these apps, Google says, will be usable by anybody that has a computer and a web browser at their disposal. They won’t be restricted to Google Chrome.

The apps will be installable, meaning that a shortcut and some data will be stored on your computer.

Google didn’t say when the store will be available, they only said it will be ”later this year”. Developers can already take a look at the official documents so they can develop an app that is up-to-speed with the store.

As for the new version of Google Android, version 2.2, you have to know that it has a tasty name, just like the other versions. It is called FroYo – the name comes form Frozen Yoghurt. It will be out in June and the most important thing it brings is native Flash and AIR support. If Steve Jobs decided to ban Flash, Google seems to be fine with it. WiFi tethering will also be available in the new version. This means you will be able to use it just like you do with a USB dongle.

Source

3D TV is not news anymore but 3D mobile phone is. This clamshell phone is capable of displaying 3D and you do not need special glasses to view it.

The Ming is a clam-shell phone with a 2D screen in each half of the handset. Close the phone, and the screens on top of each other present a 3D image. It’s all to do with auto-stereoscopic technology, according to a recent patent.

The MT820 is set to pack Android — which means Ming could soon get Flash after all. These leaked shots show the handset branded with the China Mobile logo.

Source : Cnet UK

Good news for Android users. MOTOROLA and SINGTEL jointly announce the Motorola BackFlip for the Singapore market just an hour ago. This device is the 2nd phone that comes with Motoblur, allowing users to have real time updates of Facebook, twitter on their handsets.

Availability 1st May 2010, Price ranges from S$0 onward for high end plans.

Today Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) announced the latest addition to its Android™ portfolio: BACKFLIP™ with MOTOBLUR™.   The unique reverse flip design makes it easy to enjoy videos, music and photos, and the QWERTY keyboard allows you to blast through e-mails, texts, news feeds, social network messages and more.

“Since introducing our first MOTOBLUR-based device, we’ve remained focused on differentiating the Android experience and bringing it to new carrier partners around the globe,” said Sanjay Jha, co-CEO of Motorola and CEO of Motorola Mobile Devices. “BACKFLIP maximizes the multi-tasking and multi-functional potential of MOTOBLUR with its unique design elements, making it as smart as it is social.”

MOTOBLUR is Motorola’s Android-powered content delivery service created to make phones more personal and socially smart. It is the first and only solution to sync contacts, posts, messages, photos and much more—from sources such as Facebook®, MySpace, Twitter, Gmail™, work and personal e-mail, and LastFM—and automatically deliver them to the home screen. Content is fed into easy-to-manage streams allowing you to spend less time managing your life and more time living it.

BACKFLIP is designed around the MOTOBLUR experience and provides multiple features to keep phone conversations moving. Multi-tasking has never been easier with BACKFLIP’s reverse-flip QWERTY keyboard and high-res 3.1” HVGA screen—letting you see more and respond faster.  Navigate quickly and easily through menus and features with the new and unique BACKTRACK™ feature. BACKTRACK is a touch panel located on the other side of the device, offering you a new way to scroll through—the Web, texts, e-mails and news feeds without obscuring the home screen.

The truly original design allows BACKFLIP to create new ways to enjoy photos, music and more. In the reverse-flip, tabletop mode, listen to music or view videos hands free. The digital picture frame mode lets you show off your latest adventures. You can even turn BACKFLIP into a bedside alarm clock for your morning wake up call.

BACKFLIP comes fully equipped with the MOTOBLUR features you know and love. The full HTML browser on BACKFLIP’s 3.1” high-res, touch display will be sure to impress, and, with 3G speed and Wi Fi access, you will never be out of the loop. Android Market™ gives you access to more than 18,000 apps and widgets, so you are free to customize BACKFLIP to your liking. Capture the moment with BACKFLIP’s 5 MP camera with flash and easily upload to your favorite photo sharing or social site. Additional extras such as aGPS and stereo Bluetooth¹ make BACKFLIP the complete package.

Finally, MOTOBLUR provides end-users with convenience and peace of mind, as lost devices can be located from a secure personal information portal and even remotely erased if necessary.  Then, one user name and password brings back your contacts, messages and connectivity to your previously configured networks and email providers.

A few months ago, Motorola launched the Milestone in Hong Kong and Singapore (Mar).  Motorola will launch a new Android phone tomorrow in Hong Kong. We also have word that there is a launch event in Singapore tomorrow but we suspect they will launch the BackFlip instead.

It is suspected that the new phone is the XT701. The XT701 is very similar to the Milestone except that it doesn’t come with a slide out keyboard. It has a 3.7″ screen with 5 mega pixel camera. For Milestone users who have been complaining about the lack of a Chinese interface, the XT701 comes with a full Chinese interface and it is preloaded with Android 2.1

We anticipate that the Milestone XT701 to be an exclusive deal with Hong Kong’s Vodaphone-Smartone, the suggested retail price in HK is HKD 3980.

In case you are not aware, Motorola Milestone comes with a Navigation software “MotoNAV”. It is available for a 60 days trial after which you can purchase the license online.

In this video, we take a quick look on how it looks like. If you haven’t read our review of the Motorola Milestone, here is the link of our Review.

During a technology conference in Berlin yesterday Neofonie unveiled the final specs and new video showcasing their highly anticipated WePad Android Slate.

The WePad is a Google Android tablet with 11.6 inch touch screen display, 1.66GHz Intel Atom processor, 16GB of flash storage, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1, and 1.3 megapixel camera starting at $611 and will have another model with a 3G-32GB version that will be available for $774 USD. The We-Pad launch date according to the company is August 2010.

Other notable features include memory card reader, two USB sockets, audio output, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, stereo speakers and Flash and Adobe AIR support. Additionally, the WePad will also come touting HDMI out as well as a Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator for 1080p video playback.

Despite the impressive list of specs, the company lists a battery life of “around” six hours. Meanwhile rival Apple boasts a 10-hour life for its iPad tablet. The WePad also weighs in at 800g with an 11.6-inch display, significantly heavier than the iPad’s 680g.

A list of partners were announced by the company during the press conference. Partners included were Adobe, Siemens, Intel, and various telecom and media partnerships. They have also partnered with Gruner + Jahr, one of Europe’s largest magazine publishers, offering the company’s flagship magazine, Stern, on the platform.

With many of the Telecom and Mobile partners announced leads us to believe that carriers will offer the WePad and more than likely give discounts on the unit with a contract with a data plan. Google was left out of the official partner list which leads us to believe that a true Android Market Place will not be in place. Neofonie is in the process of developing its own WePad Meta-Store, an online store that integrates many 3rd party stores.

Many people are wondering what sets the WePad apart from the industry standard Apple iPad? Well for one factor users who would want to bring in music on their WePad need not depend on any particular software as in the case of the iPad. On the contrary, the Apple device requires Apple software like iTunes to do so. It also has Flash Support which is one of the main factors that sets the WePad apart from their competition, for a full multi-media web browsing experience.

Many Companies such as Notion Ink Adam, MSI and others are currently having problems with the Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and the implementation of Flash. This is setting back many Slates release date by months. Neofonie with their Intel partnership might be a boon to the small Berlin based company with only 180 employees.

Neofonie claims it already has some 20,000 people interested in signing up for a pre-order, even though orders won’t be formally accepted until April 27. Apple’s iPad has not yet gone on sale in Germany, and the WePad is expected to hit pre-orders at least before Apple’s latest gadget.

At the IDF 2010 held at Beijing, an Intel executive has confirmed that Google’s Android mobile operating system has been ported to smartphones based on its Atom microprocessors.

Renee James, general manager of Intel’s software and services group did not provide further details of the project. One thing confirmed is that Intel is enabling all OSes for Atom phones.

The move is to expand Intel’s reach into the mobile smartphone market which is now dominated by ARM. As Google’s Android is open source, other companies can modify it to be used on other chips and runs Intel x86 instruction for example.

We should be seeing more atom powered phones in the near future running Android.

HTC Legend Video Review
Bluetooth 12 Apr 2010

HTC announced both the Legend and Desire at the MWC2010 at Barcelona earlier this year. Of the two, the HTC Legend is of a lower spec. Although it hasn’t got the processor muscle to take on the 1GHz snapdragon smartphones, the HTC Legend does have a decent specification for it’s latest Android phones.  The HTC Legend features Android 2.1 and the new HTC Sense and comes in a unique aluminum unibody design, giving it a leg up over the HTC Desire in the style category.

The specifications are quite similar to the older HTC Hero with some minor updates. The Legend features a 3.2 inch AMOLED display, 600MHz processor, 512MB ROM, 384MB RAM, 5MP camera with flash, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1 with FTP and OPP file transfer capabilities, 3.5mm headphone jack, and USB tethering capabilities.

So far, only the Motorola Milestone supports pinch and zoom or multitouch feature which was made popular by the iPhone. The HTC Legend also has that too named “Leap”. Just pinch the screen to zoom out and you will see all your home screens panels with their widgets. Tap the panel you want and you will Leap right to it. The second new feature in HTC Sense is the new Friend Stream integration and widget.

The HTC Desire simplifies the way that you tend to all of your social networks. With Friend Stream, your interaction with friends across multiple social networks like Facebook®, Twitter™, and Flickr™ are brought into a single easy to follow stream of updates, photo posts, and shared links. Friend Stream also lets you shout out your thoughts or feelings to all your online friends with a single comment that gets broadcast to both Facebook and Twitter.

The HTC Legend measures in at 112 x 56.3 x 11.5mm compared to the Hero’s 112 x 56.2 x 14.35 mm and weighs 9 grams less at 126 grams.

On the next page, we take a first hand look at the retail version of the HTC Legend. It goes on sale last Saturday in Singapore.

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You don’t have to root your Acer Liquid to get it running in 2.1. We have done that and the user experience is pretty good with the new 2.1 eclair.

Check out how it looks like in the video below.