The ladies phone - HTC Rhyme goes official, to hit Verizon first

HTC has finally announced Rhyme. It's a mid-range Android handset targeting the female smartphone users out there. The gadget was previously rumored as HTC Bliss and leaked numerous times in pictures, specs, spy shots, etc.
Despite the lack of surprise about it, the Rhyme still looks pretty sweet. It is based on the Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon (MSM8655 for Verizon) featuring a 1GHz single-core Scorpion processor, Adreno 205 GPU and 768MB RAM. HTC Rhyme utilizes a 3.7-inch WVGA display and has 5 megapixel snapper with 720p camcorder, 4GB internal storage, 8GB pre-installed microSD card and the usual connectivity package.

HTC Rhyme
HTC Rhyme runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and comes with the latest Sense UI 3.5 on top of it. There is also the HTC Watch service for on-demand Hollywood movies streaming.
The most interesting part about the Rhyme is its retail package. It comes with a docking station, a "sports armband", a Bluetooth headset and a "Charm cable" that has a small cube, which lights up for incoming calls and messages. There is also a nice in-ear wired headset with music controls. All the accessories will come in the Rhyme color. The Verizon's Rhyme will come in "lavender", but we already saw a silver version too.


There is nothing mentioned about the previously rumored pouch. We guess it might be a market-dependent thing.
Update: HTC's event just ended

HTC Rhyme hands-on photos
The HTC Rhyme is hitting Verizon's network on September 29. Europe and Asian markets are going to get it in October. There is nothing on the price yet, but it shouldn’t be too expensive.
Source

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BlackBerry Bold 9900

Introduction

A brand new OS, more speed, a facelift and a high-res touchscreen, the latest of the Bold messengers is listening for the roar of the crowd. There's no going back to the old rational and composed self - give it danger, thrills and excitement. The BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 is stronger, faster, better. No ordinary messenger, it's the bearer of good news.

BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 official pictures
Although on a second thought, a snappy 1.2GHz processor, the new BlackBerry OS 7.0 with Liquid graphics and a super crisp VGA touchscreen are no good news for the competition. Nor is HD video, dual-band Wi-Fi and NFC support. And all that comes on top of the standard BlackBerry package. The solid build quality and corporate grade email and data security go without saying. The sharp precision of the trackpad and a responsive capacitive touchscreen balance each other in a device that's convincingly comfortable to handle. Add a standard-setting QWERTY keyboard, and you have a phone which puts you in charge.

Key features:

• Enhanced email and data security
• 2.8" 16M-color TFT touchscreen of VGA resolution (640 x 480 pixels)
• QWERTY keyboard
• Quad-band GSM support and quad-band 3G with HSDPA
• Dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n connectivity
• NFC capabilities
• GPS receiver and BlackBerry maps preloaded, digital compass
• 5 megapixel fixed-focus camera, LED flash
• HD video, 720p@30fps
• 1.2GHz QC8655 processor
• 768MB RAM
• 8GB of inbuilt storage
• BlackBerry OS v7
• Trackpad
• microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
• DivX and XviD video support
• Office document editor
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Smart dialing
• Compact body and solid build quality

Main disadvantages:

• BlackBerry Internet Service account is a must to enjoy all phone features
• Fixed focus camera of outdated and unintuitive interface
• No video-call camera
• No Flash support
• Non-hot-swappable memory card
• No FM radio
• No haptic feedback

To begin with, the Bold Touch 9900 is bigger than the preceding 9700 Bold series. It's actually more of a return to the BlackBerry 9900 styling, with a larger screen and body. And since this is a touch phone we're talking about, the increased display real estate is welcome. Especially considering that the main competition recently had a major boost in resolution. With BlackBerry and Eseries now on par at VGA, the Bold Touch 9900 gets ahead of the Nokia E6 with 2.8" against 2.44" of screen diagonal.

 Source

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HTC Pico will be called Explorer, first press shot leaks

We already got a sneak peak of the HTC Pico thanks to a leaked spy shot and detailed specs. Today, we stumbled upon more important information about the upcoming Android smartphone.


Reportedly, the HTC Pico is going to be known as HTC Explorer when it hits the shelves. As we already knew, it will be a mid-range smartphone and will most probably slide just above the HTC Wildfire S in the company portfolio. It has similar specs to the Wildfire S - a 3.2-inch HVGA display, a 600MHz processor (Qualcomm MSM7227 platform with Adreno 200 GPU), 384MB RAM, a 5 megapixel snapper and the usual well-geared connectivity.
The HTC Explorer, however, is the only one of the couple to offer the latest HTC Sense UI 3.5 on top of its Android Gingerbread OS.
HTC is holding an event today in a few hours so we might see the Explorer announced there. If it misses on that train the Explorer will most probably be unveiled at the other upcoming HTC event - in London on October 6th.

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LG Optimus Pad

Introduction

Tablets are killing netbooks, pundits say, and all gadget makers are jumping on the bandwagon. LG, it seemed, were in no particular hurry but now that their Optimus Pad is here, it shows they mean business. The 8.9" tablet is powered by Tegra 2 and adds a bit of stereoscopic 3D for a dash of excitement.

LG Optimus Pad official shots
On paper, the LG Optimus Pad is a beast. Other tablets lose out on quite a few specs. The Optimus Pad is powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 2 chipset, which is the norm for droid tablets, as is Android Honeycomb.
5MP cameras are fairly rare though, dual-5MP cameras even harder to find. And they'll record 1080p in 2D mode when most others stop at 720p. And there’s 720p 3D video capture. The 2MP front-facing camera promises solid video calling experience.
Also, a standard miniHDMI port will sure save some adapter-related headaches. There's USB On-The-Go too, with a cable for that and a miniHDMI cable both included in the bundle. The LG Optimus Pad has the richest tablet package we've seen yet.
So, the Optimus Pad has a few more tricks than your average tablet. Here's the summary, along with the downsides.

Key features

• 8.9" 16M-color TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen of WXGA (1280 x 768 pixels) resolution
• Tegra 2 chipset: Dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor; 1GB of RAM; ULP GeForce GPU
• Android 3.0.1 Honeycomb
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz, HSDPA 10.2 Mbps, HSUPA 2 Mbps
• 32GB of built-in memory
• Dual 5 MP 2592x1944 pixels resolution autofocus cameras; geotagging
• 2.0 MP front-facing camera; Video calls
• 1080p FullHD video recording @ 24fps (2D), 720p HD 3D video recording @ 30fps
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with hotspot functionality; DLNA
• microUSB port; USB On-The-Go support
• Stereo Bluetooth v2.1
• miniHDMI port, HDMI v1.4
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Flash 10.1 support
• GPS with A-GPS support; digital compass
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor; Gyroscope sensor
• Document viewing and editing out of the box
• 6400 mAh Li-Ion rechargeable battery

Main disadvantages

• Quite expensive
• Camera can't shoot 3D stills
• Non-replaceable battery
• No microSD card slot
• Screen is regular 2D, 3D viewing with anaglyph glasses
• No DivX/XviD support
• No telephony

The Optimus Pad and Optimus 3D are leading LG's charge into mobile stereoscopic imaging. Unlike the phone however, the Pad doesn’t have a goggle-free screen - it uses anaglyph glasses (unfortunately, there aren’t any to be found in the box), which spoils the viewing experience somewhat.
On the upside, the Optimus Pad is capable of playing 3D over HDMI, which can quickly turn it into your 3D movie player of choice. And if you don't have a 3D TV, you can use the same anaglyph glasses you use with the Pad itself.

LG Optimus Pad visits our office
http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_optimus_pad-review-624.php

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LG Optimus 3D

Introduction

The magical allure of 3D is stronger than ever but manufacturers struggle to meet the demand for better and cheaper ways of 3D capture and viewing. And while glasses may feel alright in the cinema, wearing them to watch TV is perhaps too much to ask of the general public. In the 3D dawn, users are already waiting for a revolution. Surely, there are many reasons why the goggle-free 3DTVs can’t enter our homes yet, but we're lucky to have a piece of that magic in our pocket.
And while the other manufacturers are still mulling it over, LG is taking the lead. The first ever mobile phone with a 3D display - the LG Optimus 3D - was announced back in February at the MWC and is now available.

LG Optimus 3D official photos
In one swift stroke, LG caught the competition off guard. It seems the Optimus 3D holds all the cards right now. There is barely a phone that can compete succesfully on all levels. Although the screen and pair of cameras are the key features, it has everything to become a bestseller even without the 3D trickery. Starting with the dual-core processor and latest-gen graphics, through the capable camera and connectivity package, and the snappy Android Froyo (hopefully, soon to be replaced with Gingerbread).
No more teasing, here is the full feature list.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM and 3G support
• 21 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
• 4.3" 16M-color capacitive LCD stereoscopic touchscreen of WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels)
• Android OS v2.2 Froyo with LG 3D UI
• Dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 proccessor, PowerVR SGX540 GPU, TI OMAP4430 chipset
• 512 MB RAM
• 8GB internal storage
• Dual 5 MP autofocus cameras, LED flash; stereoscopic 3 MP pictures, face detection and geotagging
• 1080p@30fps video recording, stereoscopic 720p@30fps videos
• Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
• GPS with A-GPS
• microSD slot up to 32GB
• Accelerometer, proximity sensor and an auto-brightness sensor
• Front facing camera with video calls
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v3.0
• microHDMI port
• Smart dialing, voice dialing
• DivX/XviD video support
• Office document editor
• Innovative gesture controls
• Adobe Flash 10.3 support
• Dolby Mobile and SRS sound enhancement

Main disadvantages

• No FM radio
• Less than impressive camera performance
• Very limited third-party 3D apps
• Unimpressive with the screen's outdoor performance
• Performance not quite as convincing as other dual-cores
• No dedicated camera key

LG Optimus 3D is far from perfect, but there is no such device out there anyway. The thing of utmost importance here, beside the Optimus 3D being the first of its kind, is that it does an excellent job at it right away. You know most tech pioneering gadgets are nice concepts but rarely turn out polished enough to make a difference. Well, the Optimus 3D is no tech demo. It works as it is supposed to – there are the 3D menus, the 3D gallery, the 3D pictures and videos and finally, real 3D games. And the best part is that they look awesome.

LG Optimus 3D live pictures
http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_optimus_3d-review-622.php

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Galaxy S II vs. Galaxy S Plus vs. Optimus 2X: Head to head revisited

Introduction

Are you ready for more heavyweight droid action, with superclocked punches thrown around and more blood on the floor? It’s time for round two of our dual-core battle of the flagships. The Samsung Galaxy S II and the LG Optimus 2X are fully updated and ready to show their best. We’ve also thrown the Samsung Galaxy S Plus in the ring to see if one, faster core is better than two slower ones.


The first time around, we had a pre-release Galaxy S II on a 1GHz dual-core CPU and the Optimus 2X has since received a few firmware updates up to stock V10B, which made it noticeably zippier.
Not only that, but we also got the latest 1.2GHz Galaxy S II, we felt obligated to redo the tests now that we’ve got a final Galaxy S II with a 1.2GHz processor (updated to the I9100XWKE7 firmware). A Galaxy S Plus with a faster than usual single-core processor makes it a three-cornered fight.
Now, our Galaxy S Plus unit runs at just 1.2GHz instead of the 1.4GHz planned for the final version. Stil, we can’t wait to see if 2 x 1GHz is better than 1 x 1.2GHz – a 20% increase in clock speed should bring a big improvement in single-threaded tasks of which there are many, considering we’ve only recently entered the world of dual-core phones.

Samsung Galaxy S II official photos
Now, the Plus version could breathe new life into the old Galaxy S but it’s still using the old 5MP camera with “just” 720p video recording and the old PenTile SuperAMOLED screen.
The Samsung and LG flagships on the other hand boast 8MP cameras with 1080p video capture. And in the case of the Galaxy S II, the screen is a massive improvement.

LG Optimus 2X official photos
So, here’s what we’ll cover in this repeat head to head comparison.
For starters, we’ll look at the screens again but having seen the Galaxy S, S II and Optimus 2X last time there’s nothing really new to say here – the screens of the phones are exactly as before.
After that we’ll test the 8MP sharpshooters (the Galaxy S Plus need not apply) and see if the firmware changes affected the camera. Maybe improved bitrate for the video recording has allowed finer detail in the videos, we’ll have to check.
Then, we’ll be testing the processor and graphics performance – cutting edge CPUs and GPUs simply beg to be benchmarked. Browser performance is another topic we plan to cover – it’s taxing on the system (especially with Flash) and is used almost daily.
What else? Some real-life games, of course, we shouldn’t put too much trust in benchmarks. We’ll also want to try out the GPS capabilities of the phones – it’s got nothing to do with fast processors but flagships should be good at everything, right?
Well, let the tests begin. It’s about which one’s the best if money is no object and what the latest and greatest phones can deliver.
http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s_ii_vs_galaxy_s_plus_vs_optimus_2x-review-602.php

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LG Optimus Black

Introduction

It’s not a Black Label phone but could’ve honored the designer series. It’s called Black but bathes in light. What is the LG Optimus Black? To begin with, it’s solid build and pure elegance. With Android on board, smartphone meets fashion phone in a super slim package.

LG Optimus Black official photos
The Optimus Black is the first phone we’ve tested that uses the NOVA display technology. Special enough to warrant a dedicated article. You’re welcome to read the whole piece but, to sum things up, it’s the brightest display on a phone with picture quality that stands up next to the industry’s best.
Despite the 4” NOVA display however, the Optimus Black is a compact device – there’s not much bezel around the screen and it's mere 9.2 mm slim. The smooth back with sloping edges makes the Black feel thinner still. And that’s 9.2 mm at the thickest – no camera bump or any other bulging bits.
The screen and the slim silhouette are certainly the highlights of the LG Optimus black but not all there is to it.

Key features:

• 9.2 mm slim touchscreen bar
• 4” NOVA display at 700 nits of brightness, 16M-color WVGA capacitive IPS LCD unit
• Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support
• 7.2 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
• Android OS v2.2 Froyo (upgradable to v2.3) with LG Home launcher 2.0 and Gesture UI 2.0
• TI OMAP 3630 1GHz processor
• 512 MB RAM
• 5 MP autofocus camera with LED flash, face detection and geotagging
• 720p video recording at 30fps
• 2 MP front-facing camera with video calls
• Wi-Fi b/g/n; Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
• GPS with A-GPS, digital compass
• 2GB storage (1GB user available); microSD slot, 32GB supported (2GB card included)
• Accelerometer, ambient light and proximity sensor
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
• Smart dialing, voice dialing
• DivX/XviD video support
• Gesture controls with dedicated button
• Adobe Flash 10.1 support
• Document viewer/editor

Main disadvantages

• HD video clips come out with distorted aspect ratio
• Single core processor when most of the high-end has gone dual-core
• The blacks of the NOVA display are not deep enough to impress
• No dedicated camera key
• No Android 2.3 Gingerbread at launch
• Disappointing audio quality

The LG Optimus Black focuses on the all-round experience rather than the raw processing power but a 1GHz (single-core) CPU and 512MB RAM should be by any means enough for most apps .
The Optimus Black features the Wi-Fi Direct technology, which claims faster local file transfers than Bluetooth 2.x, and is as easy to set up as Bluetooth.
The imaging department also earns a nod – 5MP stills and 720p videos should be enough for the average user. The 2MP front-facing camera is right on time to join the revival of video calling.

LG Optimus Black live shots
http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_optimus_black_p970-review-596.php

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