According to the report, Sprint’s burgeoning LTE infrastructure will not be supported in the LTE model of the next-gen Apple tablet. Nevertheless, bringing it up to speed on Verizon and AT&T will make the iPad 3 even more attractive, and will lessen the impact of LTE-powered Android tablets in their attempt to differentiate themselves from the industry-dominant iPad brand.

The prospect of an LTE-equipped iPad has been the subject of iPad 3 rumors previously, but as we now have an official date for the tablet’s unveiling and the time continues to clock down, details are sliding into place. The other well-known fact about the iPad 3 is that it will have an incredible high-resolution screen known as a Retina Display, in addition to a quad-core processor. We’ll see the full details when the unveiling event happens on March 7.

[via WSJ]

Theverge.com, which reported on the halt of Lumia 900 pre-orders, said users will see information on the official Microsoft Store Facebook page regarding updates on the phone. The Lumia 900 follows on the heels of the successful Lumia 710, though this time it will be slightly more powerful, slightly more expensive, and available at AT&T instead of T-Mobile.

Nokia has managed to garner a fair amount of attention since it launched the Lumia 710 in the US last month. It was a confirmation that the company made the right decision in ditching Symbian, and because Windows Phone is much less competitive of a market than Android, it has earned enough of a splash to make a difference. The question is whether or not the momentum will continue to grow at the same rate.

[via The Verge]

The NY Times says that John Cozen is among the first of AT&T’s unlimited data customers to have reported receiving notice of throttled data speeds, despite having used only 2.1 GB of data. He received an email from AT&T that claimed he was in the top five percent of heavy data users and hence would be throttled until his next billing period.

Cozen argued that it was unfair since his unlimited data plan cost the same as a tiered data plan that offered 3GB of data usage per month. However, AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel explained that since last summer, the top five percent of heaviest data users averaged about 2GB or more per month. He also adds that the throttling was decided on a case-by-case basis and that it depends on spectrum availability and the data usage of other customers.

“There’s a very good chance you wouldn’t be slowed,” said Mr. Siegel, adding that in the last month, less than 1 percent of AT&T smartphone customers were affected.

The smartphone has a 1280 x 800 display and uses an active digitizer to work with the digital pen. That can capture and annotate screenshots, be used to write and draw on photos and even video clips, or simply to navigate the Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS with Samsung’s own TouchWiz interface. There’s also an 8-megapixel camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.

Opinion is split as to whether the Galaxy Note counts as a phone or a mini-tablet, though you could argue it offers the best of both worlds. Samsung made it the centerpiece of its Apple-skewering advert for the Super Bowl this weekend.

More details on the AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note LTE in our full hands-on with the smartphone, and you can find more on the tablet functionality in our review of the European version.

For those unfamiliar, Google Wallet allows you to register your Citi MasterCard or a Google Prepaid Card to your Nexus, and pay for things at participating retailers simply by holding the phone to a payment terminal. The app also pulls in Google Offers, discount vouchers and other promotions, based on your shopping history.

Google Wallet is available for AT&T Galaxy S and Galaxy Nexus users here or by searching in the Android Market on the device itself.

If you haven’t got an AT&T SIM lying around, there are some semi-sneaky ways in which you can grab a copy of Google Wallet for your Verizon or T-Mobile USA Galaxy device. Head over to Android Community for details.

[via Android Community]

Featured: Hey, iPhone 4S users – be sure to check out our Intoxicase Plus review for the latest Apple phone. And if you want a digestable way to look at the Facebook IPO craziness from yesterday, and a look at other trends, don’t forget to check out Chris Davies’s latest column – Facebook’s IPO, webOS, and the perfect social phone.

Mobile: Hey, here’s a paradox for you. Today, we posted about Verizon getting top customer service honors from JD Power & Associates, and a few hours later we saw a survey from Vocalabs ranking AT&T at the top spot. Maybe it depends on what overseas customer service rep picks up your call. Anyway, in other mobile news, the Lumia 900 is now available for pre-order; good news for you Nokia and/or Windows Phone fans.

Other Stuff: What else made news today? Well if you’re into cloud storage, this is pretty cool: Dropbox offering 4-5 GB of cloud space to desktop bug testers. On a completely separate note, we have some leaked images of Asus’s Eee Pad Transformer 2. Well, that’s it for now. Check back tomorrow for Friday’s evening wrap-up.

The Huawei MediaPad features a 7-inch IPS multitouch display with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, and 5-megapixel rear-facing camera. The rear camera is capable of 4X zoom, AF, and 1080p Full HD video capture. The tablet also sports HDMI output and has a 4,100mAh battery for a six-hour battery life.

Although Huawei is set to launch MediaPads with the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on board, this MediaPad for AT&T will not. Instead, it will running Android 3.2 Honeycomb with the ICS update likely to come over-the-air sometime this first quarter of 2012. It’s not clear if AT&T will be releasing a more consumer-targeted version in addition to this enterprise offering.

[via PRNewswire]

The survey found that 69% of AT&T customers surveyed were “Very Satisfied” with their customer service experience. This is an improvement from the 65% ratio the year before. AT&T also dethroned the Now Network, which dropped 12 points to 59%. Tying with AT&T a year ago at 65%, T-Mobile has dropped 17 points to a miserable 48%, while Verizon remains unchanged at 60%.

Apparently, AT&T was able to improve customer service without its proposed T-Mobile acquisition, despite its arguments otherwise. However, T-Mobile’s customer service ratings appear to have collapsed along with the failed merger. Perhaps after some regrouping, T-Mobile will be able to recover this year. It was recently revealed that T-Mobile is offering additional support for unlocked iPhone customers on its network.

Featured: So there are quite a few mixed reactions to Facebook’s new Timeline feature, and if you’re one of those who aren’t particularly pleased with it, you need to check out this PSA: Facebook Timeline absolutely cannot be undone, don’t be fooled. On a lighter note, our Chris Burns examines one of the most exciting technological advancements in his column, 3D printing may explode at rate incomparable to its 2D predecessor.

Gaming: Well that was fast! Steam’s mobile app, which just recently launched in closed beta form, is now open to everyone. And if you’re more interested in console gaming, we have a fresh round of Xbox 720 rumors, this time with a closer look at the speculated dual-SKU strategy we first heard about last week.

Mobile: Attention all Samsung fans – Samsung Galaxy S Note S tipped, GSIII release date dropped. And on the carrier side of things, AT&T’s behind-the-scenes craziness continues. This time the carrier is in the news for a massive executive shake-up. Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, we’ve heard that China Telecom will offer the iPhone 4S next month.

First, John Stankey will be now be in the role of the newly announced Group President & Cheif Strategy Officer. This role will have him responsible for developing the roadmap for the future, addressing corporate development, working with long-term wireless-capacity needs, and finding the best paths for low-growth and non-strategic assets. Andy Geisse is now the Senior Executive Vice President of AT&T Business and Home Solutions. Geisse will be responsible for serving the business segment, this including small businesses all the way up to global enterprise customers, and he will be leading the Home Solutions team that’ll be working with local wireline operations in 22 states as well as U-verse.

Ralph de la Vega is now the President and CEO of AT&T Mobility. da la Vega will be continuing to head up the biggest AT&T growth engine here with mobile, expanding and focusing then on the company’s “industry leading smartphone position.” John Donovan will now be the Senior Executive Vice President of AT&T Technology and Network operations, with responsibilities to the tune of the groups technology and network operations including AT&T’s “nation’s fastest mobile broadband network.”

There’s also an 8-megapixel main camera with 1080p Full HD video recording, and a front-facing camera for video calls. Inside lurks Qualcomm’s dual-core Snapdragon 1.5GHz processor along with HSPA+ for when you’re outside of AT&T’s growing LTE network, plus WiFi b/g/n and GPS.

AT&T will also be offering a range of official Galaxy Note accessories with the smartphone, including the Desktop Dock, the Spare Battery Charging System and a Protective Flip Cover Case (in multiple colors including tan, black, pink, red, white and blue). There’ll also be the Galaxy Note S Pen Holder Kit, making the stylus fatter and easier to hold.

Pre-orders will begin at AT&T’s online store from February 5, with deliveries from February 17. That will be followed by in-store availability on February 19. The AT&T Galaxy Note will be available in carbon blue and ceramic white.

More on the Galaxy Note in our full review of the European version.

“Eliminating the FCC’s authority to establish competitive rules, just as Congress is poised to authorize significant new auctions, could discourage participation by bidders other than the largest carriers, ironically driving down auction revenues and potentially undermining the very economic development Congress hopes to gain through its legislation” Kathleen Ham, VP of Federal Regulatory Affairs, T-Mobile USA

T-Mobile’s need for spectrum has been exacerbated after the collapse of the AT&T acquisition. The carrier will receive a “record high break-up fee” from AT&T, including $3bn in cash and “a large package” of AT&T’s AWS spectrum (plus mandatory roaming agreements), but experts say that’s still not enough to make it competitive today.

In fact, it’s estimated that T-Mobile USA will need to spend around $9bn in order to bring its network up to scratch, and it’s presumably this which has motivated the carrier into speaking out over the FCC’s involvement in upcoming auctions. “The FCC has the experience and expertise to ensure that each auction is structured to promote robust competition, both in bidding and service provision,” Ham concludes, “and results in the most efficient and effective use of the spectrum.”

Maps were released earlier this week showing exactly where T-Mobile will gain coverage from AT&T’s spectrum handover. The exchange is believed to be worth around $bn.

AT&T also added almost 600k data device users – including data-enabled tablets, modems and mobile hotspots – taking total subscribers of such devices to 5.1m. Wireless data revenue grew almost 20-percent, and wireless revenues in general grew by 10-percent.

The carrier is calling the three month period its “best-ever quarter for Android and Apple smartphones” though it’s Apple devices that really pushed that momentum. The majority of the 7.6m iPhone activations were of the newest iPhone 4S model, though AT&T does point out that more than twice as many Android smartphones were sold in Q4 2011 as in the same period a year ago.

Elsewhere in AT&T’s business, the company added 208,000 U-Verse subscribers to take the total user-based to 3.8 million. However, AT&T also saw a decrease in wired voice users, though an increase in VoIP use offset that slightly.

The HTC Titan II features a massive 4.7-inch display with a 16-megapixel camera and support for LTE. The device is priced at $199.99 with a two-year service agreement and is expected to be released on March 18, the same day the Nokia Lumia 900 will launch. The Lumia 900 features a 4.3-inch screen with LTE support and is priced at $99.99 with a two-year service agreement.

The slew of Android devices include the smartphone-tablet hybrid Samsung Galaxy Note, sporting a 5.3-inch display, the Samsung Galaxy SII Skyrocket HD, and lower end Samsung Exhilarate, most all of which we’ve seen and heard about before. But what we’re hearing about for the first time is a Sony Crystal tablet, which BGR says will support AT&T HSPA+ and will be priced for $409.99. Dates have not been revealed for these devices yet, but they are planned for release in Q1.

What you’ll see here is that T-Mobile will not be getting a whole solid nation-wide map of pink but rather a selection of key cities that’ll bump them up in the minds of consumers. The midwest is mostly empty except for the coolest places in Minnesota (your humble narrator’s home stomping grounds) and essentially the whole southeast is forgotten about, but the western half of the states is pretty well covered. San Francisco, San Jose, Salt Lake City, and all the way back over to Washington DC, each of them will have a jump up in connectivity for T-Mobile customers in the very near future.

T-Mobile will have between 60 MHz and 80 MHz of combined AWS and PCS airwaves in the cities it’s picked up in this transaction. This will allow T-Mobile to make its HSPA+ 42 Mbps footprint an equitable one in this ever-growing market, and those of you with the pink carrier will find yourselves amping up just so long as you live in one of these areas. Meanwhile AT&T will continue to jam out their relatively new LTE network in states that they did not give over to T-Mobile as well as the one’s they did. Make no mistake, AT&T hasn’t sacrificed any location they can’t continue to cover otherwise – because that would just be silly.

[via GigaOM]

The March 18 date isn’t final and could change, the source reckons, since the Lumia 900 is still going through technical acceptance and that might introduce delays. Still, it’s the price that will make the biggest waves; $100 for a 4.3-inch device with LTE is a stand-out figure, and – along with Microsoft’s hefty marketing budget for Windows Phone in the US – should make some waves in the US market.

As we wrote earlier this month, AT&T, Nokia and Microsoft need to be ambitious with the Lumia 900 pricing if they want the smartphone to stand out from the overwhelming crowd of Apple and Android. We won’t know final pricing until AT&T announces it, however.

More on the Lumia 900 in our full hands-on from the launch at CES, and in the video below.

AT&T had called off the merger in December after facing several hurdles, including lawsuits brought on by the US Department of Justice, state attorneys general, and rival carriers. The company finally buckled on the merger when the FCC threatened to request an administrative hearing.

As part of the deal, AT&T had promised to fork over a $4 billion breakup fee should the acquisition fall through. That break-up fee includes $1 billion of spectrum and $3 billion in cash. T-Mobile has said it needs the spectrum to keep up with competition.

[via TMoNews]

The original data plans announced include one that offered 250MB per month for $15 and another that offered 2GB of data per month for $25. This second plan has now been adjusted with the bandwidth and cost increased to 3GB per month for $30. But other than that, the plans remain the same with free WiFi hotspot access, no contract, and recurring opt out.

It’s not clear what inspired this change and it forces customers to pay more for an extra GB of bandwidth they may not need. The PS Vita has already launched in Japan, where its weekly sales numbers have dropped significantly since launch. It’s set to launch in the US on February 22, with the 3G model priced at $299.99, while the WiFi-only model is priced at $249.99.

[via PlayStation Lifestyle]

The Aspire A0722 packs a 1GHz AMD Fusion C-50 dual-core processor with Radeon HD 6250 graphics, 2GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. It’s six-cell battery offers a long battery life, although the specific rating was not listed. It also comes with a webcam, three USB ports, VGA, Ethernet, and HDMI.

The A0722 is available now via www.att.com for $449.99 without an annual contract. But with a two-year service agreement that requires a 3GB monthly data plan, the netbook can be had for $39.99.

[via AT&T]

Instead, what we’ve got here is a simple set of facts: first of all, if you DO want to switch to the new data plan, you’re getting more data per dollar. Where before the prices were $15, $25, and $25, now they cost $20, $30, and $50. With these prices comes an increase per dollar of 2MB, 20MB, and 100MB. That’s substantial for those of you that use more data than you’re allowed on the current plans, and it’s GOOD for people that would otherwise be going OVER the basic amount of data per month, incurring added fees.

Then there’s this fact: new customers will not see a price increase. New customers, quite simply, did not have the old prices in the first place, because they were not customers until now – that’s what makes them new. For those of you new to economics, the only price increase here is for people that elect to change their prices themselves. There’s no tricks here, only a price adjustment AT&T is making for the future of mobile data usage.

All that said, I think data should be MUCH cheaper than it is now, so it’s all nonsense when it comes down to it.

Current customers have the option of staying on the plan they’re on now, even if you’ve got an unlimited plan, and Sunday (the 22nd of January) is the change date for all you people deciding if you’re going to join AT&T now or later on. You of course have the option of switching over if you like, this likely a good option for those of you without unlimited data but WITH a desire to use much more data than you’re normally allowed. Bump up your price a bit for a bit more data – but remember, you can’t go back!

You can even keep your plan if you upgrade your device os sign a brand new contract off of your old one. This will be great for those of you wishing to keep your current price and data allowance when you switch to the Galaxy Note. Coming soon to a gigantic pocket near you!

[via AT&T]

As you’ll notice right away, the capacitive buttons do light up as they do with many Android devices, but here with the white casing it creates an effect to be envied – glowtastic! Then there’s the same awesome specifications you’ve all heard and know: a 5.3-inch Super AMOLED HS display at 1280 x 800 pixels, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.5GHz dual-core processor inside, and LTE speeds on AT&T. This device carries its own stylus which works marvelously with the device’s own S-Memo application or for whatever other set of pen-positive apps you might desire to use.

Then there’s the fact that we’ve already reviewed this device – or the international edition, that is, as it was released in a slightly different iteration in late 2011. We’ve been waiting patiently for the device to drop here in the states since it was first revealed several months ago, and the moment of truth is nearly here – just ever so close that it’s difficult not to head down to AT&T right now to camp out. If only I didn’t live in the tundra up here in Minnesota. I need that snow-colored Note!

Neither A&T nor Nokia would be drawn on exactly how much the Lumia 900 will cost when it eventually goes on sale. Going by previous LTE smartphones, however, $199.99 with a new, two-year agreement and mandatory 4G data plan would on the fact of it seem most likely.

Still, AT&T is working hard to push LTE down through the price range. The Pantech Burst and Samsung Exhilarate didn’t exactly grab attention like the Lumia did, but AT&T has promised them for $50 apiece (again, with contract). 2012 may well end up being the year for relatively affordable LTE devices after all.

Will any of those be bearing the Nokia logo, however? The Finnish company has been ambitious with its Lumia 800 pricing in Europe, undercutting Android and iOS rivals and negotiating decent subsidies with networks to make the Windows Phone more affordable. As an exclusive on AT&T, however – something both companies have repeated ad-nauseum – there’s always the suspicion that the carrier will use that rarity to milk subscribers of a little extra cash.

That would potentially be death to Nokia’s chances in the US market, however. It may still be the number one mobile phone company in the world, but Nokia’s standing in the US is embryonic at best; if AT&T slaps a $200 tag on the Lumia 900 it’ll lose a huge chunk of potential audience who might be willing to give Windows Phone a punt. Offer it for $100, however, and all of a sudden there’s a lot more appeal. Do the unthinkable and opt for free-on-contract – just as the 800 is sold in many European countries – and you could have a real success on your hands.

Nokia has long made a point of highlighting its supply chain and experience in producing hardware, which combine to help the company drive down prices. Stephen Elop has even recently namechecked that as a reason why selling off its smartphone division to Microsoft simply wouldn’t make sense.

Now it’s time for Nokia to put its potency to work. It has one chance to storm the US market and convince analysts, investors, geeks and consumers that it has caught up with its rivals, and a bulging marketing budget isn’t enough, on its own, to do that. Price the AT&T Lumia 900 right, and Nokia could take its first step on a comeback campaign it’s been paying lip-service to for months.

Nokia Lumia 900 hands-on:

It’s obviously in Microsoft’s best interest to give developers as much notice as possible as to the new LTE Lumia’s launch, as that gives them the opportunity to get new US-centric apps ready for its arrival. AT&T, Microsoft and Nokia are expected to spend in the region of $200m to market and promote the smartphone.

Similar to the existing Lumia 800 which has been on sale for some time now, the Lumia 900 has a larger, 4.3-inch display and packs 4G connectivity, as well as an 8-megapixel camera with 720p HD video recording. Different from the Lumia 800, however, is the front-facing camera, though both handsets use Nokia’s milled polycarbonate construction.

More on the AT&T Lumia 900 in our full hands-on.

[via WMPowerUser]

AT&T‘s cluster of LTE devices was perhaps the biggest single launch of the show, with the carrier hoping to flood our attention with more than a half-dozen 4G handsets. There are some stand-out phones in among the torrent, however: the HTC Titan II, for instance, packs a whopping 16-megapixel camera, while Nokia‘s much-anticipated Lumia 900 brings polycarbonate unibody style to the US and marks the start of the Finn’s North American re-entry.

Otherwise there’s the Pantech Burst and Samsung Exhilarate, both attempting to drag LTE to the entry-level, with a $50 apiece price tag. Sony ditched the Ericsson name and passé hardware with the Xperia ion, toting a 720p HD display and sizable 12-megapixel camera; both it and its European HSPA+ Xperia S pack NFC and the promise of ICS in Q2.

Finally, Samsung‘s Galaxy Note gets a new, AT&T LTE version, offering a compelling – if perhaps tricky to pocket – smartphone/tablet hybrid with useful digital ink input and a beautiful 1280 x 800 display. It’s a phone we’ve coveted in Europe and we’re curious to see how it does in the US.

Verizon had fewer devices than AT&T, but some eagerly awaited ones nonetheless. Motorola brought the DROID 4 to the party, an LTE-toting QWERTY Android slider, along with the DROID RAZR MAXX. The latter answers a common complaint of the original DROID RAZR of last year, meagre battery life on LTE, throwing a huge 3,300 mAh battery at the phone while still measuring just 8.9mm thick. Those looking for superlative displays have the LG Spectrum to look forward to, another LTE device but offering a 1280 x 720 IPS panel with iPhone 4S-besting pixel density.

T-Mobile USA had a much quieter show than either of the big boys, perhaps still licking its wounds and pondering the future now the AT&T acquisition has been ditched. The carrier had just one new device to announce, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G, supporting HSPA+ and – as the name suggests – being another iteration on the Korean company’s familiar Galaxy S II.

Then there are the outliers and oddities. Lenovo opened the show with its S2, headed to China first with an encrypted kernel to keep your data secure and malware-free, while ViewSonic attempted to bridge the work and home worlds with its dual-SIM ViewPhone 3. Beyond their core conceit it proved tough to work up much enthusiasm around either device.

Easier to like has been the Huawei Ascend P1 S and P1, two phones that take dieting very seriously. The “S” prefix device is a mere 6.68mm thick, with what looks to be Galaxy S II “inspired” styling helping it take – for the moment at least – the title of world’s thinnest smartphone. Perhaps more interesting, they both run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, still something of a rarity (all of the previously mentioned handsets are still using Gingerbread).

ASUS‘ Padphone – back in its 2012 redux – is a lot chunkier than the Huawei, certainly, but arguably more useful. Like the Ascend phones it’s now running Ice Cream Sandwich, but of course the Padphone also gets a tablet chassis in which it can be docked for big-screen browsing and multimedia playback. ASUS reckons it’ll hit shelves in the spring, though still isn’t talking pricing.

Finally Intel, a company that has been talking about entering the smartphone market for several years, but is only now looking like it’s building any sort of momentum. The freshly announced Atom Z2460 Medfield processor, along with deals with Motorola and Lenovo, should result in some actual handset launches by the end of the year, each running Android, with talk of tablets also making an eventual appearance.

Lenovo stopped by to demonstrate its Racer-A Atom reference design, an impressive 4.5-inch smartphone with a 1280 x 720 display, 8-megapixel camera, HSPA+ and a 1.6GHz dual-core processor. There may be a few tweaks to the aesthetics, but for the moment this is likely to be one of the devices Lenovo brings to market in the second half of this year. We’ll have to wait until then to find out whether Intel’s long-standing battery issues have been ironed out with Medfield.

Tempted by any of these smartphones? Or are you waiting for Mobile World Congress next month, to see what HTC and others have in store for 2012? Let us know in the comments!

That will change in time, and eventually all Windows Phones should be able to join in the fun. Still, it’s a sign that Nokia is playing things seriously with Lumia, not just treating Android and iOS as the competition but making an early play against others using Microsoft’s OS.

Joining the ESPN sports hub on Lumia devices will be the CNN App for Windows Phones – exclusive to Nokia users for 90 days – and the Univision App. That, too, will be exclusive to Nokia Lumia owners in the US and Puerto Rico, this time for 18 months, with Spanish-language content.

The Nokia Lumia 800 will be available on its own, and also in a bundle with the Nokia Play 360 Speakers and the Nokia Purity by Monster headset. The phone will be available in black, cyan and magenta, as in Europe. No word on pricing at this stage.

More on the Nokia Lumia 800 in our full review, and on the AT&T Lumia 900 LTE in our hands-on from CES.

Just like the Lumia 800 we reviewed late last year the new 900 features the same 1.4 GHz single-core processor, but don’t let that fool you as this device is screaming fast and exceptionally fluid. You can see from the video below the 4.3-inch AMOLED WVGA display is very vivid and bright. I was only able to hold it for a brief moment before it was yanked from my prying fingers but it feels great. The soft-coat matte finish is wonderful to say the least.

Nokia Lumia 900 hands-on

The Lumia 900 features an 8 megapixel rear camera with LED flash, 2 MP front for video. And all those essential Nokia apps such as Nokia Drive and Nokia Music. Current Windows software limits the camera to just 720p video but its 8 megapixel lens should take great photos if it’s anything like the 800 before it.

All this is wrapped in a single-piece polycarbonate casing with an 1,830 mAh battery for all day usage. Nokia did mention this was a prototype without final software but things ran smoothly from what we saw. Neither AT&T or Nokia have released any details on a release date or pricing other than “in the coming months”. Stay tuned as we’ll have more details soon and be sure to get a full SlashGear review as soon as possible.

Gone is the Samsung Exynos 1.4 GHz processor and instead we’ll be running with the Qualcomm 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and of course that 5.3″ Super AMOLED HD display at a full 1280 x 800 resolution display. The colors are simply amazing but you all already knew that. Retaining all the specs from the international version we have the 8 MP camera around back and 2 mp front for video chat. The S-pen isn’t anything new and our review below goes into extreme detail with that.

We’ve already been enjoying the international version and have reviewed the Note in full (links below) so this is nothing extremely new other than the slight design changes to the processor and the four capacitive touch buttons down below. Of course, you get access to AT&T’s LTE network too – just as soon as the phone comes out.

Inside, there’s a 1.4GHz single-core processor, also as in the Lumia 800. On the back is an 8-megapixel camera with an LED flash and autofocus, supporting 720p HD video recording; that resolution is a limit of Microsoft’s smartphone OS, at present, rather than whatever the optics in the phone itself (indeed HTC’s 16-megapixel Titan II is also limited to 720p). Still, you do get Carl Zeiss f/2.2 optics on the new Lumia, and a front camera has an f/2.4 lens.

Nokia has used the extra space inside the injected polycarbonate single-piece casing – another thing carried over from the smaller Lumia and the N9 before it – to accommodate a 1,830 mAh battery, and the phone itself will be available in either black or cyan. Preloaded is a special CNN app, with iReport features.

Neither Nokia nor AT&T are saying exactly when the Lumia 900 will go on sale, bar “in the coming months” and nor will they confirm pricing. More info at Nokia Conversations.

The Samsung Exhilarate is constructed from 80 percent recycled post-consumer materials and is certified Platinum by UL Environment, achieving the highest level of sustainability certification. It features eco-modes and tools for more energy efficient operation. And, it has a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, front- and rear-facing cameras, voice recognition, and access to AT&T U-Verse Live TV.

Other specs on the handset have not been revealed yet, except that it will support 4G LTE and should arrive on AT&T’s network in the coming months. The handset is expected to be priced at less than $50 with a new two-year service agreement.

This tablet has a 5 megapixel camera on the back, a 2 megapixel camera on the front, and works with Bluetooth Stereo 2.1. The big money item on this device seems to be the waterproof nature of it, complete with IP57 certification and the ability to dunk in your bathtub for a full minute. We both literally saw it dunked in the water the entire time it was being presented on stage earlier in the day and we had our own dunk test performed for us here –

Pantech Element hands-on dunk

What’s great about this tablet though is not that it’s dunkable, not that it’s the first LTE tablet from Pantech, but that it’s both inexpensive and nice: this is definitely NOT one of the hundreds of terrible knock-off Ice Cream Sandwich tablets you’ll otherwise see at CES 2012. This is a high quality offer from Pantech on AT&T.

Also there’s a bit of information on the feedback: it’s a new system that works with a motor inside the tablet, offering somewhat of a bit of localized touch-responsiveness, but not exactly. Holding the device we can feel how it’s feeding back anywhere you touch or with whatever you’re doing, but it’s an odd feeling: might be turning it off for the full experience. That said: we’ll be bringing you a full review of this device in the coming weeks. Meanwhile get pumped up about it.

The Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD is a follow-up to the current AT&T Galaxy S II variant, but instead of the previous 4.52-inch display, it now sports a larger 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED screen with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. It runs on a 1.5GHz dual-core processor with Android 2.3, a removable battery, and LTE support all in a slim 9.27mm thin chassis.

Few other details have been revealed about the device, except that its massive high resolution screen and powerful processor promise ultra-smooth game play and video playback. The device is expected to be available in the coming months, but a more precise launch date is not available yet.

The Sony Xperia ion features a massive 4.6-inch HD display with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution along with two HD cameras. The front-facing camera is capable of capturing 720p HD video, while the rear-facing camera is capable of 1080p Full HD video recording and features a 12-megapixel resolution. With Sony’s Fast Capture technology, the cameras can go from standby mode to first shot in 1.5 seconds.

The handset is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor running Android 2.3 and comes with 16GB of internal storage. It offers a host of HD connection options through DLNA, HDMI, and BRAVIA Sync to quickly and easily stream HD video content to other screens. And, being PlayStation Certified, the device will have access to rich multimedia entertainment from the Sony Entertainment Network.

This camera on the device has a dual LED flash, BSI sensor for low-light, and 720p video capabilities. You’ll be getting a brand new HTC widget on this device as well, this making the device look rather similar to the Android offerings of last year. This is a “true showcase” as Chou says, of hardware and mobile lifestyle connections with high speed. This Windows Phone experience, so good and so smooth here, brings forth a high-class show for the first LTE Windows Phone on AT&T and in the world.

Applications were set at the heart of the launch here, believe it or not, and Ballmer’s optimism on the products they had out already – Windows Phone and Mango, that is. Enthusiasm, he says, that Microsoft shares, apps publishing at 300 a day and benchmarks being set constantly. Microsoft, he said, believes in creating developer opportunities, no better a time is there in history to be a developer, new hardware and cloud-based hardware set up already and coming soon from the group to add to the storm.

Windows 7 PCs, he notes, are all able to run Windows 8, and the flood is coming on quick. His last thought on the matter, before the devices were dropped, was that developers, developers, developers were still the top of importance.

The Pantech Element, specifically, is waterproof. But that’s not all that important when you consider how big a high-five this is between AT&T and Pantech as the latter is still on its way into the USA in the smartphone market. The Pantech Element has a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor and has an 8-inch XGA display. This device has a non-localized enhanced haptic feedback display as well, providing a rather strange feeling for your tips. Throughout the set of announcements for the tablet, the Waterproof bit did keep coming up though, with the device dunked in a tank the entirety of the talk.

We’ll be getting some hands-on looks at these devices this week.

We’ve been waiting for this device for some time now as it’s been revealed and reviewed by us in the past in its international edition. That said, it’s one unique device to be sure. This newest version has a textured back instead of a smooth one — much closer to the Galaxy S II, mind you, and has a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. It’s got a 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED Screen at WXGA, and it does still have the cool S-Pen.

Have a peek at our review of the original and check us out in a short bit for out first hands-on with this device here in the USA – later today!

This device will have the biggest software lineup in the history of PlayStation – the biggest amount of apps available to the device as it launches, right out of the door, that is. You’ve got both 3G and wi-fi connectivity if you wish, and the rest of the party is there as well: party, microphone, and the lovely hardware launched in Japan already.

For the Sony Tablet P, he spoke on how it has optimally designed software made specifically for its two-screen interface, how its swift and smooth, and how it’s got cross-device connectivity like blu-ray disk players and smart television — markedly connected with the following hero brands: Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited, PlayStation Certified, and Reader Store networks. They spoke on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, revealed recently to be carried by AT&T as well.

The PS Vita will be launched in the USA on AT&T on February 22nd 2012. This device will have two data plans available, no term contracts which include 250MB for $14.99 and 2GB for $25 – the data you need when you need it. Will you be buying in?

Pandora’s Conrad spoke on how they were amongst the first to be using ARO, it showing them how they were using batteries too fast, them seeing with ARO how their app would be able to use resources to a much greater effect, and with much less power used. Traffic was also detailed, Pandora now able to use your data to much greater effect and with much less damaging effect on your monthly bills. Zynga’s Zakzewski said similar things, them learning how their socially connected apps benefitted greatly from this tool specifically.

The open source license for ARO will be available later this year, with availability, again, starting now. Go get em, developers!

There are a couple of minor changes – the earpiece is larger on the Ace, a long slit rather than a small hole – and the LED flash on the rear of the phone has been moved from above the camera lens to the side of it, as on the N9. The camera itself is believed to be the same, however, running at 8-megapixels with autofocus and 720p HD video recording.

AT&T has also thrown some of its own software at the smartphone, though the exact details of what apps are preloaded haven’t been shared, while there’s also said to be ESPN, Spotify, Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive onboard.

Finally, despite what reports over the weekend suggested, the Ace will use the same polycarbonate construction and design as the Lumia 800, not a “metallic” finish. We’ll know all the details when AT&T and Nokia officially announce the smartphone later on today.