Telstra has announced that it will be bringing out its first 4G phone running Windows Phone, parterning with HTC to bring the TITAN 4G to Australia – beating the Lumia 900 (which has been announced on Optus, but will run on its 3G network as opposed to its upcoming 4G LTE network) as the first WP7 phone for Australia.

The HTC TITAN 4G features a 4.7-inch display running on a 1.5GHz processor, a 16-megapixel camera with dual LED flash, autofocus and image stailisation, and features the latest version of Windows Phone – version 7.5 Mango.

HTC was the first phone manufacturer to produce a 4G phone for Telstra, with the HTC Velocity 4G. That phone has been wildly successful for Telstra – and now we’re seeing that slowly expand with more phones.

Consumers can get the phone for $0 upfront on its $79 Freedom Connect plan under a 24 month contract – and this will get you 2GB of data, $800 worth of calls and unlimited SMS. Business customers can also get this under its $79 Business Mobile Maximiser plan, which has the same features as above, for $0 upfront.

It will come out on May 29 – next Tuesday. Full press release below:

TELSTRA AND HTC TO LAUNCH AUSTRALIA’S FIRST 4G WINDOWS PHONE

24 May 2012 — Windows Phone fans will soon be able to surf the mobile web, respond to email and access work documents faster than before on the HTC Titan4G – Australia’s first 4G Windows Phone which launches next Tuesday 29 May on the Telstra Mobile Network.

Will Irving, Group Managing Director, Telstra Business said HTC Titan 4G is the first business-geared 4G smartphone to launch in Australia.

“Australian small businesses have embraced smartphones to help them work where they want and to stay responsive to customers and new business opportunities. The launch of the nation’s first 4G Windows Phone means small businesses can perform even more advanced tasks from the palms of their hands – like handling larger emails on the go, capturing and sending high-resolution images and video  and accessing emerging cloud-hosted services direct from their smartphone screen.  Best of all, Windows Phone is incredibly easy to navigate and immediately familiar to anyone who uses Microsoft’s popular Office software,” Mr Irving said.

“We were the first company to launch Australia’s first 4G smartphone – the HTC Velocity 4G – and we are very proud to have  chalked up another first by introducing Australia’s first 4G-enabled Windows Phone, the HTC Titan 4G,” said Ben Hodgson, Country Manager, HTC Australia and New Zealand. We have already seen how 4G speeds improve the smartphone experience and when you include the benefits of an easy user interface, a 16 megapixel camera and all the great Microsoft applications, you have a really compelling smartphone.”

Megan Howard, Windows Phone Lead, Microsoft Australia commented on the launch: “ We are thrilled to have the HTC Titan 4G added to the Windows Phone portfolio – adding more speed and power to the platform’s capabilities.  Microsoft is dedicated to providing consumers with choice and variety when it comes to their phone options and the platform’s first 4G capable handset is key to that offering.

“Microsoft also has the fastest growing app marketplace in the country with more than 80,000 apps ranging across productivity with Lync, Skype and SkyDrive, practical apps like Go Catch and Pizza Hut and fun with Xbox LIVE,” Megan said.

The HTC Titan 4G enhances connectivity, efficiency and productivity for busy people, with its large on-screen keyboard and built-in Microsoft® Office Mobile software. Customers can use mobile email with Exchange ActiveSync to view work emails by conversation and to view all, unread, flagged, or urgent messages. In addition they can search for emails that aren’t stored on their phone but are available on their email server.

Owners can also access, change, and share Office documents and notes easier and faster when in 4G coverage areas. The built-in Office Hub brings together Office documents and notes in one convenient place. Customers can take and sync notes using OneNote Mobile and easily view, edit, comment on, and sync Office documents back to their SkyDrive.

Packed with advanced imaging technology, the HTC Titan 4G features a 16-megapixel camera, a wide-angle lens, autofocus, dual LED flash, red eye reduction, image stabilisation, a backside-illuminated sensor and a physical camera button, allowing customers to leave digital point-and-shoot cameras at home. The HTC Titan 4G delivers a number of features that HTC has developed to help people capture perfect photos in a variety of conditions; for instance, panoramic shot for sweeping landscapes and burst shot for action photography.

Customers using the HTC Titan 4G in 4G coverage areas (capital city CBDs, associated airports and more than 80 additional regional and metropolitan locations) can access typical download speeds ranging from 2Mbps to 40Mbps and typical upload speeds from 1Mbps to 10Mbps. When outside 4G coverage areas the Titan 4G uses HSPA+ Dual Channel technology to serve up Australia’s fastest 3G download speeds which range from 1.1Mbps-20Mbps in all capital CBDs and much of the associated metropolitan areas and many regional locations. Outside these areas speed ranges will be less.

HTC Titan 4G Key Features:

• Lightning fast 4G speeds in 4G coverage areas
• Windows® Phone 7.5 OS
• 4.7 inch WVGA super LCD  capacitive screen
• 16-megapixel camera with dedicated button, auto focus and dual LED flash; 1.3 megapixel front facing camera
• 1.5 GHz processor
• 720p HD video recording to capture video with incredible quality and detail

Pricing and availability:

The HTC Titan 4G is available from Telstra Stores and online from Tuesday 29 May.

Business customers can purchase the HTC Titan 4G for $0 upfront after using their MRO bonus on our $79 Business Mobile Maximiser™ Plan. This includes $800 worth of national calls and MMS, unlimited SMS to standard Australian numbers and 2GB of data for use in Australia each month. Min cost over 24 months is $1,896.

Consumer customers can purchase the HTC Titan 4G for $0 upfront on the $79 Freedom® Connect Plan (after using an included MRO Bonus), with $800 worth of included calls and MMS, unlimited SMS and 2GB of data, all to standard Australian numbers (excludes use overseas) each month. Min cost over 24 months is $1,896.

4G coverage is currently available in all capital CBDs (meaning within 5km from the GPO), associated airports and selected regional areas (meaning within 3km from the regional town centre). For details on 4G coverage locations, visit: www.telstra.com/mobilebbcoverage.

Motorola’s DEFY Mini phone is heading to Australia via Optus. And like I said when it was announced back at CES, it’ll most likely (and is going to be offered as) a pre-paid phone when it comes to Australia. And like the DEFY – it’s dust-proof, water-resistant, scratch-resistant and the screen is protected by Gorilla Glass, making the screen crack-proof.

The phone features a 3.2-inch display, a 3-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front-facing camera, GPS navigation and will have expandable memory via an SD card slot. The phone will also feature “MotoSwitch”, which apparently learns the songs you love, who you talk to the most and which apps you most use, and collate all of it on the home screen.

Because it is a pre-paid phone, it won’t run Ice Cream Sandwich – instead, it will run Gingerbread (2.3.6).

It will be on Optus’ network, and is on sale now from Dick Smith and Optus for $199 on prepaid and includes $30 of credit. Other retail outlets, such as K-Mart and Target, will sell the phone from next Monday (May 21).

Gallery and press release below.

Motorola Mobility Brings Style and Strength to Australia with the Motorola DEFY™ MINI

The smartphone that can take whatever your adventurous lifestyle throws at it, for a price you can’t beat.

SYDNEY, Australia –18 May, 2012 – Say hello to the smartphone that defies expectations. Dust-proof, water-resistant, scratch-resistant and featuring a powerful 1650mAh battery, the new, life proof Motorola DEFY™ MINI sets you up for social survival wherever you decide to go, making sure you stay connected for longer.

The phone’s crystal-clear, 3.2-inch Corning® Gorilla® Glass touchscreen display is great for email, texting and browsing the Web. It’s cool, compact design and long battery life means that only you decide when the fun stops.

Snap photos of your various exploits with the Motorola DEFY MINI’s 3-megapixel camera, or take advantage of the front-facing VGA camera to connect with friends while you’re on the train, bus or just relaxing at home. Featuring an intuitive interface with social and activity widgets, the DEFY MINI also allows you to instantly share all the fun you’re having with your friends.

Plus, if you’re on the move, the Motorola DEFY MINI’s GPS navigation will always keep you pointed in the right direction and make sure you get where you’re going.

Motorola DEFY MINI is the first device to launch in Australia with MotoSwitch, a handy user interface which learns the songs you love, who you talk to most and which apps you get the most mileage from. It then cleverly collects all your preferences and keeps them front-and-center, which means you’ll be so organised you’ll have loads of extra time on your hands.

But don’t worry… your boredom won’t last long. Since Motorola DEFY MINI is an Android™- powered smartphone, you’ll have immediate access to thousands of games, apps, music, books and movies available on Google Play ™.

“Motorola DEFY MINI is just the right mix of style, value, performance and toughness.” said Timo Brouwer, Managing Director, Motorola Mobility, ANZPI. “It can stand up to whatever your busy life throws at it, keep you connected and organised and capture and share your once-in-a-lifetime adventures – all with resilience and style.”

Gavin Williams, Head of Segment Marketing, Optus said, “Smartphones are becoming increasingly significant for Australians and our customers are expecting their devices to withstand more and more. As such, we’re excited to offer a great solution in the Motorola DEFY MINI, which wraps the latest tech innovations in a tough and robust package.”

Price and Availabily

Motorola DEFY MINI is available on Optus pre-paid $199 RRP which includes $30 of credit and a sim.

DEFY MINI will be available today from Dick Smith and from Optus retailers,as well as mass market chains like Kmart and Target from Monday 21st May.

Nokia’s Lumia 900 and Lumia 610 heading to Australia, as confirmed by Nokia. Both phones come just months after their sister phones, the Lumia 800 and 710, were launched in Australia – and surprisingly, Nokia Australia took a few months to get the Lumia 900 and Lumia 610 out the door to Australians. Both phones were only announced back in February.

The Lumia 900 is heading to Optus, and will be $0 upfront on its $60 Optus plan. This is a stark difference to the Lumia 800, which is currently available on all carriers. The phone, however, can still be purchased without a contract for $699 (still far cheaper than the iPhone 4S).

The Lumia 900, which has a large 4.3-inch display and a 1.4GHz processor, is not the LTE version that is on AT&T’s network, but rather the high-speed 3G version announced back in February. The phone also features an 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flash and Carl Zeiss optics, and a 1-megapixel front-facing camera.

The Lumia 610, labelled as the “most affordable” Windows Phone will be available via retail channels in July for a price tag of $329. It will be also available via carriers Boost Mobile in June, and Vodafone in July. No pricing details have been announced by Nokia, or the two carriers. The phone will have 8GB of storage, 5-megapixel camera, a 3.7-inch display and runs on a cheaper processor.

And I’ve said before:

But with that price tag, it’ll make a good pre-paid phone, or a phone if you simply want to try Windows Phone without signing a contract and if you have money to throw around (and if you don’t like it, you can simply return it within 14 days – win-win!)

LG smartphones are about to get a brand new user interface, with the Korean phone manufacturer pushing a new update on its custom UI – the aptly titled LG Optimus UI. Now hitting version 3.0, it brings several features that essentially play catch-up with its rivals own custom interfaces – HTC’s Sense and Samsung’s TouchWiz.

“With smartphone hardware becoming more and more similar, it’s important for manufacturers to differentiate their products from the competition through the user interface,” Dr. Jong-seok Park, the CEO and President of LG’s mobile division, said.

The new update, only available for its Ice Cream Sandwich phones, will include a new “powerful memo function” called Quick Memo, where users can jot notes on the screen with a finger and share them with friends via social network, text messages or email. It will also introduce ‘Voice Shutter’, which lets you control the camera with voice commands.

It also introduces things that you may have seen on Samsung and HTC phones with a new pattern lock and unlocking sequence, quick access to the camera, a feature that will choose the ‘best shot’ among multiple images, and a new ‘Download’ category.

It will be on the new LG Optimus LTE II phones – which launch in Korea this week, then on the LG Optimus 4X HD in June.

The “first real Windows Phone” – that’s what Nokia’s call to the world when it announced the phone back in October. Now, we have the flagship device for Nokia and Windows Phone in our hands. However, is it all that it is hyped up to be, or will it show that Nokia made a mistake signing a pact with Microsoft? Will this show to the world that Windows Phone has some future?

Nokia is gambling its future on the success of the OS, and Terence Huynh evaluates if the Lumia 800 is worth that gamble.

Design & Hardware

The Nokia Lumia 800 features the same body as the Nokia N9 – and probably was because the fact that they had to release something, so they got together the parts of other phones to produce a new one. However, I love the Nokia N9 body, and I still love it on the Lumia 800.

The polycarbonate unibody is slim, minimalistic and looks beautiful. It’s comfortable to hold, and doesn’t use faux metal brushes to attract the eye. It simply stands out in its Finnish-ness. The body comes in a few colours – magenta, blue and the traditional black and white. Like the Nokia N9, you can change the colour by getting a skin over it. So if you felt that you wanted blue, you can buy a skin over it.

Other the traditional Windows Phone buttons, it also has a volume rocker, a camera button and a power button on its side. On the top, it has a microUSB port, headphone jack and and a microSIM slot.

The screen is a 3.7-inch display, and colours are vibrant. The screen resolution is only 480×800, but it’s not really much of a problem due to its smaller screen (and the fact it doesn’t try and fit over 200 pixels per inch on a display – unlike the iPhone). The screen is also protected by Gorilla Glass, so it won’t crack if you drop it from a desk.

While phones are now bumping their specs up – from dual core and quad core processors – the Lumia 800 has a 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm processor. Yes, this is because of Microsoft’s stringent restrictions on what you can put in your phones – one of the big problems that Microsoft needs to address for Windows Phone’s future. However, despite not having two or four cores in its CPU, it runs like a charm. There wasn’t any sluggishness or problems when running on Windows Phone 7.

The Lumia 800 basically shows that big numbers don’t necessarily mean big performance. It runs like a charm on a single core processor.

The phone also features 16GB of storage, but doesn’t have a microSD card slot for people to store additional music, files or apps on. The battery life of the phone, however, is alright. Because of Windows Phone 7′s constant need for data for live tiles, you’ll most likely see it using a bit more than half of the battery of it during an average workday.

The Camera

The Lumia 800 has a 8-megapixel camera, and the image quality is decent but not outstanding like the camera on the rival iPhone 4S. The lens is provided by, as usual, Carl Zeiss and has a fixed 28mm focal length and F/2.2 aperture – and the colours of the images do look amazing when you look on it on the screen. However, looking at through a monitor, it does have a paler look. The colours are more muted or even washed out.

So, don’t expect this to be a total replacement for an actual camera. But if you want to take a quick snap and post it on Twitter or Facebook; or you’ll be sticking them on your phone only, then it’s not much of hassle. If you want to print them out, on the other hand, then  you will have a problem – but who prints photos taken by their phone?

Also, yes I do know the picture is sort of depressing. It was raining heavily when I took it – and being Melbourne, that’s a common occurrence.

So, Windows Phone?

I was really critical of Windows Phone 7 when it came out. I gave it a 6.4 for having several key features being omitted, the lack of customisation and some confusing aspects, especially in settings. This time, however, I can safely say that most of the issues are no longer bugging me as they had when I first gotten my hands on version 7.0.

I, and everyone else on the TECHGEEK.com.au team, really do love the Metro interface. It is beautifully designed. The start screen was one of the things that I loved on Windows Phone 7, with the Live tiles (now accessible to all apps) giving you reminders or upcoming events. It wasn’t static, it was full of activity. And, if I may confess, the calendar design – while may not be all that important – is brilliantly designed and makes it easier to see what’s next.

If only they could do the same for Outlook’s calendar.

The People Hub is one of Windows Phone 7.5′s best features out there. It manages your contacts and merges their social networking profiles into their contact listings, so you’ll never miss a Facebook or Twitter update from them. You do have to connect them to each other manually, but they do offer suggestions on what to link. You can also choose to have your own links as well.

The main criticism has always been the lack of applications in its marketplace. That is a fair critique of the operating system and one that won’t be going away for a long time. It is third, and there hasn’t been much interest in developing for the platform as Microsoft would like. It does appear to change as we see some good quality applications come out – in with the thousands of crap that is present already, sadly.

Though, that said, most of the time I found the apps that I was looking for – Twitter, Facebook, public transportation for Melbourne, among others. Most of the good ones, however, will see you having to spend a bit of cash to get (though MIcrosoft does let you try the app before you fully purchase it – something that is good, so at least you know you’re not buying a dud).

Internet Explorer Mobile for Windows Phone 7.5 gets a big improvement. The browser’s bar been simplified to one bar, at the bottom of the screen and only shows the address bar and stop/refresh. You can see more options by pressing the three dots at the right-side of the screen – whee you’ll be able to add it to your favourites, share or add it to the start screen.

However, while it does now support HTML5, Javascript rendering is far from the best – and this is evident with Twitter. Twitter’s mobile website didn’t work properly and Twitter has now resorted in pushing WIndows Phone users to its feature phones versions, meaning that it won’t get the same features such as pull down to refresh.

The Nokia Touch

Nokia has packed this with some exclusive applications that you’ll most likely never see on any other rival Windows Phone device. Nokia Music is its music service and while it is basically a music store like iTunes, it does have something called Mix Radio. That service is like Pandora – a ‘radio’ service that plays songs randomly based on genre. That is free to all Nokia users – something that pushes them ahead of the game from other manufacturers.

As well, you have Nokia’s crown jewels – navigation. Since making their navigation services free, it makes your Lumia 800 the perfect GPS device. Nokia has two map applications installed – Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive. Drive is, as what it says, used for your car and the interface has been designed with big buttons and large text so you can see the information without being distracted. As well, you get turn-by-turn directions for free.

Nokia Maps is more for walking about the city – and it does offer suggestions on where to eat. Nokia doesn’t rely on having it constantly pump maps via your mobile signal, it preloads the entire map, and then uses your GPS signal as a pointer – that’s all good to avoid bill shock.

We should also point out that these services don’t replace similar services from Microsoft – Bing Maps and Zune. Interesting for Microsoft to allow them to do it, but it’s possibly a price to get Nokia to sign up to Windows Phone.

Is it worth getting?

The Lumia 800 is a pretty good phone – especially for a Windows Phone. The camera is alright, and it is really snappy despite being on a single core processor. It goes to show that size does not really matter in this race – despite what the Android manufacturers have displayed – but the experience and how it runs. It’s no point in having a dual core processor when it keeps freezing all the time.

What lets it down is predominantly the OS – however, this is not a call for Nokia to go to Android. The OS has improved tremendously when I got my hands on it for the first time, and it does have some way to go. The main problem is the apps – or lack thereof. Nokia’s future lies in the hands of Windows Phone – it’s just that Microsoft is now proving to be a hurdle with its restrictions.

However, putting that all aside, the Lumia 800 is a phone I would wholeheartedly recommend. But the phone is up to you. Not everyone wants Windows Phone, but the same can be said for Android and iOS – not everyone want’s either of them. Windows Phone, however, is a good stepping stone towards getting a smartphone.

The phone is available on all three major carriers.

Trying to steal Samsung’s thunder, LG has made a second phone announcement. This time, it has announced the Optimus LTE 2 – no, that is its name, very original – and will feature 2GB of RAM and a “True HD” IPS display. The size, however. is not known but assume it somewhere in the 4-inches-or-more range.

Why? Because, for Android, size matters – especially with the screen.

Anyway, the phone will have LTE support, as its name suggests, and will have a larger battery (2150mAh – which is apparently 40 percent longer than the Optimus LTE). You will also be able to charge this wirelessly since it has an inductive charging coil at the back – so simply place it on the dock and it will recharge, like at the image below.

Other features, if we can seem to understand Google’s weird translation of the news release by LG, include possibly zero-shutter lag, or something to do with the camera loading fast to “capture the moment”. It will also have the ability to recognise your voice so you can command it to take the photo without pressing the button. Other than that, LG seems to be pushing 2GB of RAM. Why 2GB is up for speculation, because you necessarily don’t need that much RAM.

LG is pushing this in South Korea from mid-May, with no international availability confirmed as of yet. Though, we could possibly see this on Optus or Telstra if they want to build up their numbers of LTE phones in Australia – since we only have two.

“Inspired by nature.”

That’s the tagline that the Galaxy S III will be sold on. Samsung has officially revealed version 3 of its most popular smartphone line, and will be running Ice Cream Sandwich and feature a gigantic 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display.

The screen, while 22% bigger, won’t have an impact on its size – with Samsung saying that has reduced the bezel. The phone is also 8.6mm thin, and yet manages to pack a 16GB or 32GB memory, an 8-megapixel camera with zero shutter lag, autofocus and Flash and 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera. Oh, and the already revealed 1.4GHz Exynos 4 Quad with 1GB of RAM.

It also promises less than 1 second loading of its camera apps, and will also have “Best Photo” feature in its burst photoshooting mode, giving you a choice of eight ‘best’ photos out of 20. Other enhancements include ‘Face Zoom’ and ‘Group tag’ – their names sort of give it away. In addition, they will feature a brand new ‘S Beam’ service that expands on Android Beam by letting you simply share without the need of Wi-Fi or mobile signals.

Then we also have ‘AllShare Cast’ and ‘All Share Play’, which will share any form of files between the phone and your tablet, PC or television – regardless of distance. The phone does include NFC support for mobile payments.

It’s skinned interface for Android – TouchWiz – gets a redesign as part of this “natural” promotion. It’s pretty much core Android with a bit of customisation by Samsung – though it promises to have live wallpaper, information lock screen and smart alarm. However, Samsung has apparently made some customisations that make it more ‘human-friendly’.

The phone will be a 3G phone, but selected markets will have a 4G version – but the specific signals it will use will be “dependent on market”. That could possibly be to avoid the problematic use of ‘LTE’ in each market – like Apple and Australia.

The Galaxy S III will feature two colours at launch – a ‘Pebble Blue’ and ‘Marble White’ at launch. It will also follow Nokia in bringing some freaking colour on its products. On May 29, it will launch in Europe before going on a “World Tour” and land in the US in June. No word on carrier availability in Australia, but we will be asking Samsung Australia for comment.

Update: We’ve asked for Samsung Australia about availability of the device, but they are being very tight-lipped. “Samsung Electronics Australia is pleased there is continued interest about our GALAXY range in Australia, but we have no plans to make any announcements at this time,” the company said in a statement.

Gallery and its full press release today below:

Samsung Introduces the GALAXY S III, the Smartphone Designed for Humans and Inspired by Nature

London, UK—May 3, 2012—Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, announced today the third generation GALAXY S, the GALAXY S III. Designed for humans and inspired by nature, the GALAXY S III is a smartphone that recognizes your voice, understands your intention, and lets you share a moment instantly and easily.

This sleek and innovative smartphone has the enhanced intelligence to make everyday life easier. With Samsung GALAXY S III, you can view the content like never before on the device’s 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display. An 8MP camera and a 1.9MP front camera offer users a variety of intelligent camera features and face recognition related options that ensure all moments are captured easily and instantly. Samsung GALAXY S III is powered by Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, with greatly enhanced usability and practicality to make life easier. Packed with intuitive technology, the GALAXY S III delivers a uniquely personalized mobile experience that refuses to be compromised.

“With the GALAXY S III, Samsung has maximized the consumer benefits by integrating superior hardware with enhanced smartphone usability,” said JK Shin, President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung. “Designed to be both effortlessly smart and intuitively simple, the GALAXY S III has been created with our human needs and capabilities in mind. What makes me most proud is that it enables one of the most seamless, natural and human-centric mobile experiences, opening up a new horizon that allows you to live a life extraordinary.”

Introducing Natural Interaction

The GALAXY S III enhances the interaction experience between the device and user. Smart enough to detect your face, voice and motions, the GALAXY S III adapts to the individual user to provide a more convenient and natural experience. With the innovative ‘Smart stay’ feature, the GALAXY S III recognizes how you are using your phone – reading an e-book or browsing the web for instance – by having the front camera identify your eyes; the phone maintains a bright display for continued viewing pleasure.

The GALAXY S III features ‘S Voice,’ the advanced natural language user interface, to listen and respond to your words. In addition to allowing information search and basic device-user communication, S Voice presents powerful functions in regards to device control and commands. When your phone alarm goes off but you need a little extra rest, just tell the GALAXY S III “snooze.” You can also use S Voice to play your favorite songs, turn the volume up or down, send text messages and emails, organize your schedules, or automatically launch the camera and capture a photo.

In addition to recognizing your face and voice, the GALAXY S III understands your motions to offer maximized usability. If you are messaging someone but decide to call them instead, simply lift your phone to your ear and ‘Direct call’ will dial their number. With ‘Smart alert,’ the GALAXY S III will also save you from trouble by catching any missed messages or calls; your phone will vibrate to notify missed statuses when picked up after being idle.

Easy and Instant Sharing

The Samsung GALAXY S III is more than a personal device that can be enjoyed by one user – it wants you to share and experience smartphone benefits with family and friends, regardless of where you are. With the new ‘S Beam,’ the GALAXY S III expands upon Android™ Beam™, allowing a 1GB movie file to be shared within three minutes and a 10MB music file within two seconds by simply touching another GALAXY S III phone, even without a Wi-Fi or cellular signal. The ‘Buddy photo share’ function also allows photos to be easily and simultaneously shared with all your friends pictured in an image directly from the camera or the photo gallery.

With ‘AllShare Cast’, users can wirelessly connect their GALAXY S III to their television to immediately transfer smartphone content onto a larger display. ‘AllShare Play’ can be also used to instantly share any forms of files between GALAXY S III and your tablet, PC, and televisions regardless of the distance between the devices. Under AllShare Play is also the ‘Group Cast’ feature that allows you to share your screen among multiple friends on the same Wi-Fi network; you can make comments and draw changes at the same time with your co-workers, witnessing real-time sharing on your individual device.

Human-centric Design with Uncompromised Performance

The GALAXY S III not only presents features with enhanced usability, but also provides an ergonomic and comfortable experience through its human-centric design. Its comfortable grip, gentle curves, and organic form deliver a rich human-centric feel and design. Inspired by nature, its design concept is the flow and movement of nature. The elements of wind, water and light are all evoked in the physical construct of the GALAXY S III. In its essence, the minimal organic design identity is reflected in the smooth and non-linear lines of the device. Available in Pebble Blue and Marble White at launch, Samsung will introduce a variety of additional color options.

With a 4.8” HD Super AMOLED display, the GALAXY S III offers a large and vivid viewing experience. Samsung Mobile’s heritage Super AMOLED display even enhances to HD and 16:9 wider viewing angles. To ensure faster content sharing and connectivity, the GALAXY S III offers Wi-Fi Channel Bonding which doubles the Wi-Fi bandwidth.

The GALAXY S III also sports a range of additional features that boost performance and the overall user experience in entirely new ways. It introduces ‘Pop up play,’ a feature that allows you to play a video anywhere on your screen while simultaneously running other tasks, eliminating the need to close and restart videos when checking new emails or surfing the Web. Its 8MP camera features a zero-lag shutter speed that lets you capture moving objects easily without delay – the image you see is the picture you take. With the ‘Burst shot’ function that instantly captures twenty continuous shots, and the ‘Best photo’ feature that selects the best of eight photographs for you, the GALAXY S III ensures users a more enhanced and memorable camera experience. HD video can be recorded even with the 1.9MP front-facing camera, which you can use to capture a video of yourself. Improved backside illumination further helps to eliminate blur in photos that result from shaking, even under low lights.

Mobile payment is also accessible with the device through advanced Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The gaming experience is enhanced through ‘Game Hub,’ providing access to numerous social games, while Video Hub brings users high quality TV and movies. Furthermore, Samsung Music Hub will offer a personal music streaming service. Game Hub, Video Hub and Music Hub will be introduced in select countries initially and soon rolled out to global markets.

The Samsung GALAXY S III will be available from the end of May in Europe before rolling out to other markets globally.

Running Ice Cream Sandwich, featuring a 4.3-inch display and a body that is designed to avoid the nasty legal issues with Apple (it’s very oblong) – the LG Optimus L7 will be launching in Europe this month, soon followed by launches in Asia.

The Optimus L7, part of its ‘L-Series’ of phones, is also said to include a new UI that would allow multi-tasking. And looking at the images, it appears that they have done little changes to the UI, maybe changing icons but not the overall experience. It also features zero-speed shutter on its five-megapixel camera.

However, for some unknown reason, LG has pretty much kept a tight lip on what its specs are (even this announcement has little detail) – and probably we’ll see what it has inside once we get a European launch date. We do know that it as a 4.3-inch WVGA screen, 5-megapixel camera (as mentioned above) and a 1GHz processor. It will also include DLNA and NFC support.

No pricing as of yet, but a rough guide would be pricing it similar to the Galaxy S II.

The Indians and the Russians are about to be the first few countries to get the new Nokia 808 PureView, with the mobile manufacturer confirming that it will be rolling out the 41-megapixel cameraphone in May in ‘selected markets’.

Other markets have not been revealed, but having growing markets such as India and Russia as part of its initial launch could hint at launching it first in those markets to test the waters of a launch in more developed mobile markets such as Australia, Europe and North America.

For those who don’t know, the Nokia 808 PureView has a 41-megapixel lens that can take pictures at 38 megapixel resolution, while also able to take it in smaller resolutions including 5 and 8 megapixels. It claims that it can take pictures – at 5 and 8 megapixel resolution – without the loss of clarity when zooming, and have sharper images.

It also runs on Symbian – but hopefully, it runs a bit better than the other phones we had that were running on it.

Full gallery below.

What do space and sheep have in common? Well, this new trailer by Samsung. Released on its YouTube channel, it’s hints potentially of a brand new Galaxy device that “fits perfectly in your hand” – so, let’s get the speculation wheel going.

We can assume that it will have a slim body, and a big screen – if it’s anything like the other images of the supposed Galaxy S III from a Vietnamese blog. The trailer also makes a slight dig at its competitor Apple by labelling them sheep.

Well, what do you think? Comment below – even if its a weird speculation – like I don’t know, Windows Phone 7 on this device?

The Sony Xperia S is heading to Optus. The telco is planning an early April launch, and will be $0 upfront for those who sign up to a 24 month contract under its $49 Optus Cap Plan or $49 Business Complete Plan – which also includes 1.5GB of data.

Announced back at CES, The Xperia S features a 4.3-inch display, a 1.5GHz dual core processor and 32GB of storage. It also features two cameras – a 12-megapixel rear camera capable of recording 1080p and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera capable of recording 720p footage and has NFC support.

It will run on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and Sony has said that it will be upgradable to Ice Cream Sandwich soon.

The HTC One X smartphone has been confirmed to be on Optus’ network, and now we know when. Optus has announced that users can preorder the smartphone today on its website, and will start selling the device in April.

If users preorder it before March 29, then users will get the phone on April 2 for metro users and April 4 for those in regional Australia.

In terms of plans, Optus is having no handset repayments on its $59 Optus Cap plan and Business Complete plan. In addition, users will get two months free access – three if you are a business customer. Under the $59 plans, you get 2GB of mobile data, unlimited SMS and $750 worth of calls. Business customers get free intra-fleet calls and unlimited voicemail access.

The HTC One X features a polycarbonate unibody, a Tegra 3 Mobile Processor with a 1.5GHz Super 4-PLUS-1 quad-core processor. It also includes a 4.7-inch, Gorilla Glass-coated screen. It will also include BeatsAudio, promising to deliver an “authentic sound experience” and will run Ice Cream Sandwich.

You can preorder the phone from its website.

The HTC Titan II has been confirmed to launch in Australia, after its chief product officer Kouji Kodera revealed that the company plans to release the phone worldwide to other LTE networks.

In an interview to Pocket-lint, he made mention of Australia as one of the countries that would be getting the phone.

The phone is most likely then go to Telstra, as the company has a small, but substantial 4G network covering regional centres and capital cities – albeit only the CBD for capital cities. In addition, Telstra already has an HTC phone on its 4G network, the HTC Velocity 4G and that phone has sold really well.

The HTC Titan II is an upgraded version of the HTC Titan, with a 4.7-inch display and a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S2 processor. It also includes a 16-megapixel rear-camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.

HTC may be pushing more and more Android phones, but it will still have its fingers on the other mobile OS, Windows Phone. The company has recently confirmed to two different media sources that it will continue making phones with the Microsoft-backed OS, despite HTC’s overall financial woes with tough competition with Samsung and Apple.

The mobile maker’s CEO, John Wang, told TechCrunch that the company will not give up on the OS – despite the news being made at MWC by HTC was the launch of its Android-powered HTC One series. Telling reporter Ingrid Lunden, Wang said “Today, the news happened to be Android, but we have not given up on Windows Phone.”

But when will HTC make new Windows Phones? Well, Pocket-Lint has said that the company told them that it will release new devices when Windows Phone 8 (Codename: Apollo) emerges later this year.

“For Windows Phone we haven’t decided on the branding yet, but you will see a new range of Windows Phones from us when Microsoft release their new Apollo operating system,” Kouji Kodera told the website.

HTC was the first pick by Microsoft for its relaunch into the mobile sphere, replacing the long-struggling and tired Windows Mobile OS. Now, Microsoft has found a better partner for the OS – Nokia, and quickly the Lumia line has proven to be popular, topping 1 million already despite a small launch in Europe in late October.

Nokia even managed to take the crown from HTC despite only being in the market for one quarter. So, what does HTC have up its sleeves? We’ll wait and see.

Long speculated, the Nokia Lumia 900 – the LTE cousin of the Nokia 800 – is to go global in April. The first country to launch the device will be in Canada, and could even launch in Australia sometime later – but maybe not on LTE.

Nokia has announced that it will bring the Nokia 900 globally, but will also create another version of the Nokia 900 for those where LTE isn’t as prominent as it is in the United States. It will create a DC-HSPA variant, where those on a 42Mbit download 3.5G connection will be able to buy.

So what does that mean for Australia? Telstra currently has implemented such a standard on its NextG network – though in selected areas, such as the metro capital cities. But while Telstra does also have an LTE network, Telstra has not made any indications that it will plan to launch more phones on LTE. The network essentially is a test, since it’s using the much weaker 1800MHz band.

But hey, we’ll have to wait and see until Nokia Australia gives some confirmation.

In line with Windows Phone’s spec reduction – meaning that more phones can be made for developing markets – Nokia has announced its “”most affordable Lumia smartphone”. Dubbed the Nokia Lumia 610, the phone features the same 3.7-inch display, but with a focus on being a social phone for teenagers.

As a teen, however, I doubt that.

The phone will also have 8GB of onboard storage, 256MB RAM, a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and auto-focus, and run Windows Phone 7.5. The phone also comes in white, cyan, magenta and black. It will also include all the same apps that are exclusive to Nokia’s Lumia range – including Nokia Music with Mix Radio, Nokia Drive and Nokia Maps (which offer offline support, so you don’t even need 3G to get the map you need).

But what about the price? Well, the Lumia 710 has a price tag of EUR270 (AU$340). The Lumia 610 has a price tag of EUR189 (AU$238). The main market is the developing areas, with the added announcement that it has now gotten approval to launch in China – including supporting network and language requirements.

But with that price tag, it’ll make a good pre-paid phone, or a phone if you simply want to try Windows Phone without signing a contract and if you have money to throw around (and if you don’t like it, you can simply return it within 14 days – win-win!)

No word on Australian launch, but global shipping is expected to start in Q2 this year.

Nokia has certainly upped the smartphone camera race with the announcement of its new Nokia 808 PureView smartphone. It is unique mainly of two things – it features a 41-megapixel sensor (yes, you read that right, there is no dot between the 4 and 1); and will be Nokia’s first Symbian phone for the year.

Yes, you read that right as well. This phone will be running Symbian Belle. Though, whether Symbian has improved or not, we’ll have to wait and see when we get our hands on it.

And while it has a 41-megapixel sensor, you are not going to take photos of that resolution. You can take photos at 2/3, 5 and 8 megapixel resolutions – meaning that the image will be sharp and clear. You can also take photos up to 38 megapixel quality, where you can zoom, reframe, crop and resize images. Nokia is also touting the fact that its PureView technology will mean that it will also have superior low-light performance. The phone will also handle 1090p HD video recording with 4x lossless zoom.

No date has been set for its release, and Nokia is planning to use the PureView technology to all of its future phones – including those (apparently) on Windows Phone.

Gallery below.

Sony Mobile has announced two new phones that will join the Xperia S announced back in CES last January. Called the Xperia P and the Xperia U, the two phones – which look like the Xperia S, but with different size screens – will be available in the second quarter of this year.

Both the Xperia P and Xperia U boast the Mobile BRAVIA engine. The Xperia P, however, has a 4-inch qHD display; while the Xperia U has a 3.5-inch display. The Xperia P also features something call WhiteMagic technology, which allows for an ultra-bright and power efficiency

Hardware-wise, both will have a 1GHz dual-core processor. The Xperia P also has 16GB flash storage, while the Xperia U has 8GB flash storage. The Xpera P also features an 8-megapixel camera with HD and 3D capabilities, NFC technology and HDMI/DLNA connectivity. The Xperia U, however, has a 5-megapixel camera.

But these phones will not be featuring Ice Cream Sandwich. These phones will run Gingerbread, but will be upgradable to Ice Cream Sandwich during Q2 next year.

No word on Australian availability, but press release and gallery below.

Sony Mobile Communications introduces Xperia P and Xperia U – smartphones for connected entertainment experiences

26 February, Mobile World Congress, Barcelona – Sony Mobile Communications today unveiled the latest additions to its Xperia™ NXT series – next generation smartphones from Sony, the new Xperia P and Xperia U. In addition, Xperia S, the ultimate HD smartphone, is now shipping to markets across the globe, with first sales in the Sony Style store in Barcelona during Mobile World Congress.  Xperia P and Xperia U will be available to consumers globally in the second quarter of this year.

Xperia NXT series – a connected entertainment experience

Incorporating the best of Sony technology and premium entertainment, the Xperia NXT series is a cornerstone of Sony’s connected experience.  With easy connectivity, consumers can enjoy and share content on whichever screen best suits them, whether it’s their smartphone, TV, laptop or tablet.

With the next generation of smartphone design from Sony, the Xperia NXT series has a look that is instantly recognisable.  These smartphones have intriguing design features including the “transparent element”, a band that encircles the base of the phone and also integrates invisible antenna components.  The transparent element illuminates when receiving calls, texts and notifications.

The new User Interface (UI) follows the same design principles and enhances the Android™ experience – offering rich applications and content with a simple and clean look.   A new  album, video player and music player will deliver compelling entertainment experiences  and the new UI design also allows consumers to access their favourite application direct from the lock-screen.

Xperia P and Xperia U boast Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA® Engine for razor-sharp clarity, along with fast capture to take the camera from sleep to snap in a little over a second with a single key press.  Both smartphones come with powerful 1 GHz dual-core processors for super fast performance.

As with Xperia S, Xperia P and Xperia U connect consumers to premium entertainment experiences with access to the Sony Entertainment Network*.  Out of the box, consumers can watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters on Video Unlimited or listen to millions and millions of songs** through Music Unlimited.

Xperia P – ultra-bright viewing experience   

With a full aluminium unibody design, Xperia P debuts WhiteMagic™ display technology from Sony for the first time on a smartphone.  WhiteMagic technology delivers the brightest viewing experience; whether at the beach or on the ski slopes. Smart power efficiency automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen to the surroundings to conserve battery life.

The new SmartDock, exclusively for Xperia P, offers simple connectivity to multiple screens, turning the smartphone into an entertainment hub for the living room.  Using a TV remote control consumers can easily navigate their smartphone’s media content to watch their HD videos, the latest movies or favourite TV shows on the big screen.  With USB support in the SmartDock, they can also use a wireless keyboard and mouse to write emails, browse and post on Facebook or watch videos from YouTube on their TV.

Key features for Xperia P

• 4” Reality Display with powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine.
• WhiteMagic™ display technology for an ultra-bright and power efficient viewing experience.
• 1 GHz dual-core processor for super fast performance with 16GB flash storage.
• 8MP camera with unique fast capture, HD recording and Sony technology to capture 2D and 3D panoramic images.
• Easy HDMI and DLNA connectivity to share content on any screen.
• NFC (Near Field Communications) enabled to access a growing range of NFC applications and services as well as Xperia SmartTags.
• Available in a choice of silver, black and red, all with an aluminium unibody.
• Launches on Android platform 2.3 (Gingerbread), upgrade to Android platform 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) during the second quarter of 2012.

Xperia U – powerful Sony entertainment in a stylish and compact design

Xperia U combines powerful Sony entertainment in a stylish and compact design that consumers can personalise inside and out.  With xLoud™ and Sony 3D surround sound audio technology integrated into the music player, consumers will enjoy a crisp and loud sound experience. They can also stream music from their Xperia U to wireless speakers with a touch using DLNA.

In Xperia U the transparent element illuminates to match the colour of photos viewed in the gallery or the album art of music tracks currently playing. Xperia U can also be personalised with exchangeable caps and themes to reflect consumers’ personality and mood.

Consumers listening to music on their Xperia U can also enjoy improved sound quality with the stylish new Smart Headset for Android smartphones, which features SmartKey – a dedicated application launch key that consumers press once to launch a favourite app.

Key features for Xperia U

• 3.5” Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine.
• 1 GHz dual-core processor for super fast performance.
• 5MP camera with unique fast capture, HD recording and Sony technology to capture 2D and 3D panoramic images.
• Crisp and loud listening with xLoud and 3D surround sound audio technology.
• Available in a choice of white or black, with pink and yellow exchangeable caps for the base of the smartphone in the box.
• Launches on Android platform 2.3 (Gingerbread), upgrade to Android platform 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) during the second quarter of 2012.

HTC has announced its brand new line of Android phones, touting excellent sound quality thanks to its Beats Audio investment and brilliant photography. Called the HTC One series, the phones are expected to roll out in April, and HTC has announced that all three major carriers will have the series on their networks. Which one, however, is still up in the air.

Above is the HTC One X, and it features a polycarbonate unibody, a Tegra 3 Mobile Processor with a 1.5GHz Super 4-PLUS-1 quad-core processor. It also includes a 4.7-inch, Gorilla Glass-coated screen. The HTC One X will also have an LTE version that will have a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU from Qualcomm since it supports LTE.

Then we have the HTC One S, that also features a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It has a 4.3-inch display, and a metal unibody that is only 7.9-mm thin (apparently, the thinnest phone HTC has ever made).

Finally, the last product in the line is the HTC One V, which has an “amazing camera and authentic sound” and a simple unibody made from aluminum. HTC hasn’t gone into detail with the specs, so expect this to be the cheaper one of the lot.

And if you were wondering, these phones will all run Ice Cream Sandwich – so yes, now the phone manufacturers are releasing phones with it. Also included is Dropbox integration with 25GB free for two years.

Full press release and gallery below.

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Mobile World Congress – HTC, a global designer of smartphones, today unveiled its new HTC One series of smartphones that represent its most premium mobile experience with a new level of iconic design and amazing camera and authentic sound experience.

“The best moments in life are captured with a photo or remembered by a song, so it was key for the HTC One series to improve these emotional experiences with an amazing camera and authentic sound experience,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “We are very focused on creating a camera and audio experience customers will love and use often and we believe the HTC One series delivers this in a way never seen on a phone before.”

With HTC’s most premium experience, the HTC One series integrates Android 4.0 (ICS) with HTC Sense™ 4, the new version of HTC’s branded user experience that is introducing HTC ImageSense™, a new suite of camera and imaging features that set HTC One apart from other phones. HTC Sense 4 also includes broad enhancements to audio quality and simplifies how people listen to music on their phone.

Amazing Camera

With ImageSense HTC One rivals traditional digital cameras with improvements to every part of the camera, including the lens, the sensor, the software, and even integrating a new custom HTC ImageChip. These enhancements combine to deliver our fastest image capture, best image quality under adverse conditions and easiest interface that enables quick access to capturing stills and videos with side-by-side photo and video capture buttons.

• Superfast Capture - HTC One dramatically reduces the time it takes to capture those key moments. In just 0.7 seconds you’re able to take a shot, and with a new superfast 0.2-seconds autofocus, continue to take nearly unlimited continuous shots simply by holding the shutter button.
• Good photos in adverse conditions – HTC One delivers dramatic enhancements in image capture quality even in adverse conditions such as low light, no light or with bright backlighting. The f/2.0 lens on the HTC One X and HTC One S offers best-in-class performance, capturing 40 percent more light than the f/2.4 lenses available on other high-end phones. HTC One also includes HDR, a market-leading technology, for taking great photos even when there are varying levels of brightness.
• Video Pic (Concurrent Video/Still Capture) – With Video Pic you capture a photo and shoot video at the same time. Now, while you’re shooting HD video, all you have to do is tap the shutter button and it snaps a high-resolution still photo while the video continues to shoot. You are also able to capture a photo frame from a previously recorded video.
• Dropbox integrated with HTC Sense - HTC One gives you an easy way to save and share your photos and videos. HTC has integrated Dropbox into HTC Sense 4 enabling HTC One customers to get 25 gigabytes of free Dropbox space for two years. That’s enough to keep more than 10,000 high-quality photos. Dropbox is also integrated throughout HTC Sense 4, so it’s easy to edit, save and share your documents and other kinds of files.
• Sharing your photos and more – HTC One gives you a new way to share your photos and videos. When you plug in HTC’s wireless Media Link HD* accessory into your TV’s HDMI port, you can easily share your photos, videos, or anything else on your phone with your friends, family or colleagues regardless of the television’s brand as long as it has HDMI.

Authentic Sound

With HTC One, Beats By Dr. DreAudio™ integration is enabled for the first time across the entire experience for richer, more authentic sound whether you’re listening to your favorite music, watching a YouTube™ video or playing a game. HTC One also makes it easy to get and listen to your music on your phone with the built-in HTC Sync Manager software that automatically installs to your computer when connected. Once connected, it is easy to transfer songs, artists and playlists from your music library.

Of course, people today no longer just listen to the songs stored on their phones; they use streaming services and tune into Internet radio. So HTC One lets you customize the new Music Hub with your favorite services and music applications, like the latest Soundhound technology, giving you one place to go for all of your music.

HTC One lets you take all of your music anywhere, including the car. With HTC One, you get an easy way to bring your mobile music to your car’s sound system with the HTC Car Stereo Clip*. It also lets you connect to your music through more than 50 thousand online radio stations worldwide or play music from any service or app on your phone through your car speakers. All this makes HTC One the one place to enjoy all your music, wherever you are, with the power of Beats By Dr. DreAudio and HTC Car.

HTC One X

The HTC One X features a beautifully crafted polycarbonate unibody that has the ruggedness of metal but is super lightweight. With seamless construction, the unibody combines a unique high gloss ‘piano’ finish and a matte back. HTC One is blazing fast with the new NVIDIA® Tegra 3 Mobile Processor for clear graphics, faster applications and longer battery life. It includes a 1.5GHz Super 4-PLUS-1™ quad-core with an integrated fifth Battery Saver Core and a high-performance 12-Core NVIDIA® GPU. The HTC One also has an amazing 4.7-inch, 720p HD screen crafted from contoured Corning™ Gorilla Glass. HTC One X will also be available in select 4G LTE markets with a LTE-enabled Qualcomm Snapdragon S4™ processor with up to 1.5GHz dual-core CPU’s.

HTC One S

The HTC One S is for people who want a high-end smartphone in a more compact size. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor with up to 1.5GHz dual-core CPU’s. It also includes a 4.3-inch screen crafted from contoured Corning™ Gorilla Glass. HTC One S brings HTC’s innovative metal unibody styling to a new thin 7.9-mm design, making it HTC’s thinnest phone yet. The HTC One S sports two new finishes that break new ground in mobile phone innovation. The first is an ultra-matte black Ceramic Metal surface that is the result of a microarc oxidation (MAO) process originally developed for use in satellites. It transforms the surface of the aluminum unibody into a ceramic, super-dense crystalline structure that is four times harder than anodized aluminum, enabling the HTC One S to look great over time. The second finish for the One S takes anodizing to a new level with a new patented process that creates a light-to-dark gradient fade that looks gorgeous and sophisticated.

HTC One V

Utilizing the classic, award-winning design of the HTC Legend, the HTC One V brings top-end design to a smartphone with broad appeal and a premium experience that delivers an amazing camera and authentic sound. It features a simple, iconic aluminum unibody design that exudes craftsmanship and quality.

Global Availability

With unprecedented excitement, the HTC One series will begin shipping in April with broad global availability available beginning in April through more than 140 mobile operators and distributors globally. For more information and to pre-register for HTC One visit www.htc.com.

HTC One Series

Europe, Middle East and Africa - A1 Austria, BH Telecom Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bite Lithuania, Bouygues Telecom France, Cellcom Israel, Cosmote Greece, Cosmote Romania & Global Bulgaria, Cyta Cyprus, E-Plus Germany, Elisa Estonia, Elisa Finland, EMT Estonia, Euroset Russia, Everything Everywhere UK, H3G Austria, H3G Denmark, H3G Ireland, H3G Sweden, H3G UK, KPN Netherlands, Turkcell Turkey, LMT Latvia, M-Tel Bulgaria, Meteor Ireland, Mirs Israel, Mobilezone Switzerland, Avea Turkey, MTN Cyprus, Netcom Norway, O2 Germany, O2 Ireland, O2 UK, Omnitel Lithuania, Orange Austria, Orange France, Orange Israel, Orange Poland, Orange Romania, Orange Slovakia, Orange Switzerland, Pelephone Israel, Play Poland, MTS Russia, SFR France, SiMobil Slovenia, Sunrise Switzerland, Svyaznoy Russia, Swisscom Switzerland, T-Mobile Austria, T-Mobile Croatia, T-Mobile Czech Republic, T-Mobile Germany, T-Mobile Hungary, T-Mobile Macedonia, T-Mobile Netherlands, T-Mobile Slovakia, TDC Denmark, Tele2 Estonia, Tele2 Latvia, Tele2 Lithuania, Telefonica Czech Republic, Telekom Slovenia, Telenor Denmark, Telenor Hungary, Telenor Montenegro, Telenor Norway, Telenor Serbia, Telenor Sweden, Telia Denmark, Telia Sweden, TIM Italy, Tusmobil Slovenia, Vipnet Croatia, VIP Mobile Serbia, VIP Operator Macedonia, Virgin UK, Vodafone Czech Republic, Vodafone Germany, Vodafone Greece, Vodafone Hungary, Vodafone Ireland, Vodafone Italy, Vodafone Netherlands, Vodafone Romania, Vodafone Turkey, Vodafone UK, Wind Greece North America: AT&T, Bell Mobility, Best Buy, C-Spire, Cellcom, Fido, Metro PCS, Bluegrass, OpenMobile, RadioShack, Rogers Communications, T-Mobile USA, Target, TELUS, U.S. Cellular, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Mobile Canada Latin America: Cellcom, Claro Argentina (America Movil), Claro Peru (America Movil), Claro Puerto Rico (America Movil), Entel Chile, Iusacell Mexico, Movistar Chile (Telefonica), nTelos, Telcel Mexico (America Movil), Telecom Personal Argentina, Telefonica Brazil, Asia-Pacific: AIS, Bharti Airtel, China Mobile (TD-SCDMA), ChungHwa Telecom, 3HK, CSL, DiGi, DTAC, Fareastone, Globe Telecom, Indosat, M1, Mobifone, Maxis, Optus, SingTel, Smart, Smartone, StarHub, Taiwan Mobile, Telkomsel, Telstra, Viettel, Vinaphone, Vivo, Vodafone Australia, Vodafone New Zealand, XL Axiata, TRUE

About HTC

Founded in 1997, HTC Corporation (HTC) is the creator of many award-winning mobile devices and industry firsts. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC pushes the boundaries of design and technology to create innovative and personal experiences for consumers around the globe. HTC’s portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by HTC Sense™, a multilayered graphical user interface that vastly improves user experience. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). For more information, please visit www.htc.com.

*HTC Media Link HD and HTC Car Stereo Clip are sold separately.

Windows Phone has a new leader in the market, with HTC being over taken by Nokia. The numbers come from Strategy Analytics, who also claim that Microsoft’s big bet with Nokia is paying off with an increase of 36 percent in shipments.

While the iPhone and Android ship more phones, the 2.7 million number shows some signs of life in the operating system (which I’m happy – since a two-man race isn’t as interesting as a three- or four-man race). Nokia itself captured one-third of shipments in the last quarter of 2011 – big news since Nokia launched the device in late October and only available in a small number of European territories.

However, Nokia and Windows Phone still have a long way to go. Nokia particularly has to recapture some status in the mobile realm, as both Samsung and Apple continue to dominate.

“Nokia is by no means out of the woods yet, and it is still on a long road to recovery, but capturing top spot in the Microsoft smartphone ecosystem is an encouraging baby-step forward for the company,” Neil Mawston from Strategy Analytics said.

But what about HTC? HTC is struggling – in both Android and Windows Phone. In fact, they had two quarters of falling smartphone sales, and announced going ‘back to basics’. No one knows what that actually means, but HTC might double down with Android.

The Lumia 800 is coming to Australia in March, but Mobile World Congress is coming next week and Nokia has a press conference. So we’ll keep our eyes out on the product announcements from the Finnish smartphone makers.

Well, finally. We now have another Ice Cream Sandwich phone. LG has announced in the lead-up to Mobile World Congress that it will bring out the Optimus 4X HD smartphone. And based on the specs, it is hardware-heavy, with a quad-core processor and a big 4.7-inch screen.

The phone features NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 1.5GHz quad-core processor, a 4.7-inch IPS display, has 16GB onboard storage, and 1GB of RAM. The phone also includes an 8MP rear camera and a 1.3MP front-facing camera. But what LG is touting is the graphics on the phone – the phone features (thanks to the Tegra 3) a 12-core GPU within.

And all of this is packed within an 8.9mm design? We’ll see how it will feel once we get our grubby hands on the device. Full press release is below, via WhoWired:

[SEOUL=Whowired] February 23, 2012 — LG today unveiled its first Quad-Core processor smartphone, LG Optimus 4X HD. Combining NVIDIA’s latest 1.5GHz Tegra 3 with True HD IPS display, the LG Optimus 4X HD delivers PC-like performance in the palm of one’s hand.

“LG introduced the world’s first Dual-Core smartphone exactly one year ago and today we’re announcing the next milestone,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. “But speed in itself isn’t what makes LG Optimus 4X HD unique, it’s the benefit we’re bringing to customers with the HD multimedia experience in a mobile form factor.”

The NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor is the world`s only 4-PLUS-1™ Quad-Core mobile processor designed for high-level multimedia performance but utilizes a fifth battery-saver core to handle less demanding tasks such as active standby and music playback. When running at full speed, the 12-core graphics processing unit (GPU) in Tegra 3 delivers a visually rich experience and console-quality game playability.

Equipped with the True HD IPS display, the Optimus 4X HD guarantees the finest viewing experience with high resolution, clarity and no color or shape distortion. The Optimus 4X HD includes 16 GB internal memory and runs on the latest version of Android OS, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Besides the smooth and fast performance, the Optimus 4X HD boasts a 8-megapixel BSI (Backside Illumination) Sensor camera with LED flash and advanced multimedia features to enrich the overall multimedia experience.

And LG designers made sure that looks didn’t take a back seat to performance. The 8.9mm slim and sleek smartphone features a “prism-edged” design with enhanced materials and finish.

Additional information on the revolutionary new Optimus 4X HD will be available at LG Stand (Hall at MWC 2012 from February 27 to March 1.

Key Specifications:

Chipset: 1.5GHz Quad-Core processor (NVIDIA Tegra 3)
Display: 4.7-inch (1280 x 720) True HD IPS
Memory: 16GB eMMC and 1GB LP DDR2
Camera: 8.0MP BSI Sensor (Rear) and 1.3MP (Front)
OS: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Battery: 2,150mAh

Okay, LG is announcing its phones before Mobile World Congress. It has just announced that it will bring out a new Android-powered phone, the Optimus 3D Max. Featuring a 3D-capable 4.3-inch display, it hopes to capitalise on the “glasses-free” mobile trend.

Other specifications include a 1.2GHz dual core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a 5-megapixel lens and it runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Yes, so if you were expecting Ice Cream Sandwich, you’ll have to wait – though they did promise it will be “shortly after launch” (whenever that is). The phone’s screen is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass.

LG is also touting that it can automatically determine the phone’s setting based on location, meaning that you can have it in certain modes – like sleep, car and office modes – without physically switching it on your phone. It also has a “HD converter” to transform footage to HD quality so you can play it back on your TV via MHL.

Press release and gallery below:

SEOUL, Feb. 22, 2012 -– Following in the footsteps of last year’s glasses-free 3D smartphone, LG Electronics will publicly unveil the Optimus 3D Max at the 2012 Mobile World Congress (MWC). With powerful 3D technology and sleeker design, the Optimus 3D Max provides a complete 3D entertainment platform and marks a big leap forward in the ever-expanding 3D ecosystem.

“The Optimus 3D Max was born from LG’s constant efforts to bring user entertainment experience to a higher level,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The introduction of the Optimus 3D last year ushered in a new era for smartphones and Optimus 3D Max is real proof of LG’s commitment to portable 3D entertainment.”

LG Optimus 3D Max is equipped with diverse innovations and offers users with advancements including:

■ True Performance Muscle with Latest Mobile Technologies
LG Optimus 3D Max is a powerful smartphone in both 2D and 3D mode and a pleasure to view with LG’s exclusive brightened display. 3G’s network speed has been also improved to HSPA+ 21Mbps. LG Tag+ offers advanced NFC (Near Field Communication) capabilities designed to promote greater user convenience. One of its benefits is automatic setting changes which are possible by creating predefined tags that are customized to certain modes such as car-mode, office-mode or sleepmode. Depending on location, the predefined tags will automatically adjust various phone settings including Wi-Fi, bluetooth, GPS and sound volume. Beyond its already innovative features, attendees of MWC 2012 will see some of the future benefits that will be made available through a Maintenance Release or an application available on the LG SmartWorld (www.LGsmartworld.com). Additional features include:

- HD Converter to offer HD quality on a TV connected through MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link), when transforming Open GL-based 2D games and applications to 3D and viewing Google Earth;
- Range Finder to calculate the distance between the camera and the subject as well as the dimensions of an object through triangulation;
- Out-focusing Shot to enhance camera quality beyond that of other smartphones through image processing using depth information.

■ True 3D Entertainment Features with Improved 2D-3D Compatibility
Users can convert Google Earth, Google Maps and other road views into 3D using the enhanced 3D Converter. Furthermore, 3D photos and videos captured by the Optimus 3D Max can also be viewed in a single-screen mode in 2D, using the 3D Hot Key mounted on the side of the phone to easily toggle between 2D and 3D. LG also plans to continue expanding video contents, applications and games optimized for the 3D Converter available from the 3D Zone at LG SmartWorld.

■ True Excellence in Design with Slimmer and Lighter Body

The LG Optimus 3D Max’s premium design comes from LG’s commitment to fine details. LG focused on trimming details on the design of the Optimus 3D Max by keeping only the essentials and eliminating everything else. Measuring only 9.6 mm thin and weighing 148 grams, the lean body with metallic and rounded edges incorporates the best 3D features in addition to desirable 2D features. The Optimus 3D Max includes unique 3D-style cubicle icons which users can customize with their own photos through the Icon Customizer. The Optimus 3D Max will first launch in Korea in March and will gradually roll out in other markets starting in Europe. The device will receive an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich from Android 2.3 Gingerbread shortly after the launch.

More details can be found at the LG Stand (Hall at MWC 2012 from February 27 to March 1.

Key Specifications:
o Chipset: 1.2GHz Dual-Core processor (OMAP4430)
o Display: 4.3-inch 3D WVGA Display with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2
o Memory: 8GB Internal Storage, 1GB Internal Memory
o Camera: 5MP Dual-lens
o OS: Android 2.3 Gingerbread
o Battery: 1,520 mAh
o Others: HSPA+ 21Mbps
HDMI connection 2D/3D TV/monitor up to 1080p via MHL
DNLA for wireless connection with TV/PC (3D video also supported)
NFC Full Support, LG Tag+

Owners of the Samsung Galaxy S II will now be pleased to hear that Android 4.0 will soon be coming to your device. Vodafone has confirmed that it has just received the update and will now be testing it on its network. So, let’s all rejoice for the fact that Samsung has now started pushing updates now for Ice Cream Sandwich!

Vodafone confirmed in a tweet:

BREAKING: We just received Android 4.0 for Samsung GALAXYS II. Testing will begin shortly. Updates here:  http://t.co/3L26I2Ug 

February 22, 2012 3:06 PM via Stream PublisherReplyRetweetFavorite

@Vodafone_AU

Vodafone Australia

No word on when this OS will be pushed to users.

Think the Galaxy Note was too big? Well, think again with LG’s upcoming phone, revealed to the public a few weeks before Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona. Called the Optimus Vu, the phone is supports LTE, features a 5-inch display and powerful hardware and sees the return of the… 4:3 ratio display?

The phone features a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapxiel camera at the rear and 1.3-megapixel camera at the front., 1GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and (as mentioned before) a 5-inch display with IPS technology.

However, why opt for a 4:3 ratio screen? LG says that it “makes viewing documents, books, internet and multimedia contents easier and more comfortable.” You can kind of see what they are on about, since it means that your fingers aren’t stretched as far if you’re using it with one finger.

It also claims to be the smallest, measuring at 8.5mm thin, despite a “large 2,080 mAh battery”; and will feature HDMI and DLNA support.

But will it support Ice Cream Sandwich? Dream on. The phone will initially support Gingerbread (Android 2.3) before making the jump to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Why? Well, it’s LG and their desire to still maintain a customised skin on your phone. (And yes, I do hate that)

Gallery is below, in addition with the press release.

SEOUL, Feb. 19, 2012 -– LG today unveiled one of the most anticipated LTE devices, the Optimus Vu:. Equipped with LG’s advanced LTE and IPS display technology, the Optimus Vu: offers a unique combination of tablet-like viewing with smartphone portability. Running on a powerful 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 32GM internal memory and a large 2,080 mAh battery, the Optimus Vu: is a multimedia lover’s dream device.

“The Optimus Vu: was designed to maximize what customers could do with a smartphone,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. “By offering an optimal 4:3 ratio viewing experience, 5-inch display combined with superfast LTE technology, Optimus Vu: is just one example of what we can achieve when we combine our best technology with customer needs.”

The large 5-inch display with bright 4:3 aspect ratio makes viewing documents, books, internet and multimedia contents easier and more comfortable. The 4:3 aspect ratio is optimized for viewing to grasp more at a glance and note taking to increase productivity in everyday life. Moreover, IPS display realizes every color in its natural state for the best viewing experience even under bright sunlight.

Backed by unparalleled speed and performance from LG’s advanced LTE technology, the Optimus Vu: boasts unmatched productivity. Its unique built-in QuickClip™ hotkey allows users to conveniently capture screenshots and memos with a single push. Jotting notes is also possible with a finger or with the dedicated Rubberdium™ pen. Among many productive apps installed in the Optimus Vu:, the included Polaris Office allows users to open any document, spreadsheet or presentation while on the go.

At only 8.5mm, the Optimus Vu: is the slimmest among all LTE phones currently on the market and is perfectly suited for a hand and fits comfortably in a jacket pocket. Despite the large 2,080mAh battery, the Optimus Vu: adopts LG’s exclusive floating mass technology to appear slimmer than its actual dimensions.

In addition to HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), Optimus Vu: comes with 32GB memory and an 8-megapixel camera. While it will initially launch running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is already in the works.

The Optimus Vu: will be introduced in Korea in March. Additional information on the unique Optimus Vu: can be found at the LG Stand (Hall at MWC 2012 from February 27 to March 1.

Key Specifications:
o Chipset: 1.5GHz Dual-Core Processor
o Display: 5-inch (1024×768) IPS Display
o Memory: 32GB eMMC and 1GB DDR2
o Camera: 8MP with AF LED Flash (rear) and 1.3MP (front)
o OS: Android 2.3 Gingerbread
o Battery: 2,080mAh
o Dimension (L x W x D): 139.6 x 90.4 x 8.5mm