These devices are certainly both made for the lower end of the Android-toting universe as they’re both running a version of the software that’s a couple generations old and both have a single-core 1.4Ghz processor from Qualcomm inside. With such a processor and software you’re still certainly going to be able to do a whole lot, of course, as most of your everyday functions like web browsing, interacting with social networks, and emailing all work just great on a single-core processor as they should.

Note: T-Mobile is marketing this duo as a set because they are so extremely similar. The only real difference we can tell from what we’ve seen thus far between the two is the slide-out QWERTY keyboard – and the thickness, of course.

They’re also both rather small at 0.56 x 2.5 x 4.9 inches for the Q and 0.41 x 2.46 x 4.5 inches for the myTouch without the keyboard. They both have a lovely look, just as all myTouch devices have had over the past few years, regardless of manufacturer. Have a peek at our myTouch 4G review from 2010 and our myTouch 4G Slide review from 2011 as well. And if you’re really looking for a thrill, head back to our T-Mobile myTouch 3G unboxing from back in 2009!

Though they make look similar, these devices are not the myTouch phones of old. Their build is significantly lower quality than the past versions of the myTouch lineup – where HTC chose high quality hard plastic and a solid build, here we’ve got what feels like a slightly more flimsy set of details.

That said, we’re giving these devices the benefit of the doubt for now. We’ll give you the full scoop when our full review ramps up for both devices very, very soon. Meanwhile you can check out the rest of our [Phone Review Portal] to see all the other choices you’ve got on the market today – with more from T-Mobile on the way as well!

This device also brings on the same fabulous 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor as each of the other USA-based Galaxy S III units and has a lovely 8 megapixel camera on the back with the ability to film 1080p video. You’ve got both 16 and 32GB built-in memory options and a microSD card slot with which you can expand your memory by another 64GB if you wish. Also under the battery cover is a massive 2100mAh battery that’ll have you powered up all day long, no worries.

You’ve got a choice between Metallic Blue, Ceramic White, and Garnet Red for this device when you pick it up on AT&T here in the USA, and inside you’ve got a collection of software and hardware perks that will make you want to purchase a device for each of your friends and family too. Have a peek at some Galaxy S III exclusive sharing options as well as our [full review of the AT&T Galaxy S III] too for more information on this cool smartphone – out in stores right this minute.

You’ll be able to pick up the Garnet Red version of the Samsung Galaxy S III on July 29th, that being this weekend for those of you keeping track, and it’ll cost the same prices that the other color combinations have cost thus far – check it out!

Also have a peek at our hands-on with the Galaxy S III in many different iterations in the timeline below:

This device works with Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich and has HTC’s own newest user interface on top, that being Sense 4.0 as well. This device looks and feels rather similar to the HTC Rezound, aka the highest definition smartphone on the market, and comes with its own lovely egg-like shape as well. Have a peek at our full review of the HTC Rezound and come back for a much more compact version of said device here.

Above you’ll see our newest hands-on with the device, our first look having been back earlier this year at CTIA 2012 in New Orleans. Things having changed much since then, this device still looking the same on the inside and outside, with what appears to be no significant software modifications inside either. On another note, the only difference between this and an HTC One device – HTC One S, HTC EVO 4G LTE, HTC One X, is the HTC ImageSense chip.

What you’ve got here is the next in a line of rather successful “Incredible” devices from Verizon’s DROID lineup. With HTC’s addition of the fantastic Snapdragon S4 – the same processor also sitting in the rest of the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S III line, mind you, HTC and Verizon likely have another winner on their hands. Have a peek at the hands-on photos above and below and prepare for a full review this week!

The packaging shows another slight evolution of Apple’s design aesthetic. The original iPad was shown face-on on the box-art, emphasizing the screen size above the iPhone, while the iPad 2 rotated the table to emphasize its slender build. This third iPad is perhaps tilted a little further back, highlighting the screen again (it’s also ever so slightly thicker than the second model).

The video is in Vietnamese, but even if you can’t understand the words you can lust over the Retina Display. It also shows the LTE toggle switch in the Settings page, which allows users to turn off the power-sucking 4G connectivity.

Pre-order customers all over have already started receiving shipping notices, though Apple is expected to have arranged for Friday, March 16 delivery across the board. If you haven’t ordered online, it’ll probably be quicker joining a queue outside an Apple store, since pre-order delivery times now stretch to 2-3 weeks.

Alternatively, you could head over and take part in the SlashGear iPad Giveaway!

[via MacRumors]

The original concept envisaged a fixed cord, perhaps for a laptop charger. Since then, mu – in partnership with Made In Mind – has tweaked it to offer a USB port instead, replacing existing USB chargers in the process. The swiveling prongs are still there though, now patented as “PVT” and promising 70-percent reduction in bulk in comparison to a regular UK plug.

The block itself measures 60 x 55 x 14 mm, with the earthing pin protruding around 5mm from the two protective flaps. They hinge open, the neutral and live pins swivel 90-degrees clockwise – locking the flaps in place – and the whole thing is ready to use.

mu Folding USB Adapter hands-on:

Although we love the design, it’s not quite the perfect package. At £25 ($40) it’s expensive for a power adapter, and we’d have liked to have seen two USB ports rather than just one. It’s compatible with 100-240V and outputs 5V 1A, akin to a regular cellphone charger but less than what a tablet charger will deliver; it managed to rejuice our iPad, but it’ll take a lot longer than the usual PSU. A tablet-optimized version – along with a replacement power cord for laptops – are both expected later this year.

Still, for regular travelers it’s a neat little addition to a rucksack or briefcase, and we always love to see cool concepts actually reaching consumers. You can order a mu in the UK now, and Made In Mind says it’s looking at select international launch plans this year and next.

What we’re looking at here is a device that’s been out in Japan for some weeks now and is set to be Sony’s biggest bet on mobile gaming yet. Inside you’ve got a massive quadcore SGX543MP4+ GPU, this powering a fantastically giant 5-inch OLED touchscreen at 960 x 544 pixel resolution surrounded by your favorite PlayStation controls and additional physical buttons that will allow this machine to be not only a portable monster for physical cartridges, downloaded games, and acting as a PlayStation 3 controller – perhaps the most interesting feature of the device in and of itself. This device can be used as a wireless PlayStation 3 controller and connects to your PlayStation 3 to complete the structure that is the mighty 2012 Sony Four-Screen Strategy – which Sony is very much banking on this season.

This device at first appears to be so massive that it’ll never work as a so-called “mobile” device, portable only if you’d be willing to toss it into your backpack. Instead the only thing impeding your carrying around this device in your pocket is the twin analog sticks and the entire device’s abnormal length. The PS Vita is also extremely light – and not in a way that makes it feel cheap – the combination of tough plastic, solid buttons, and a fully creak-free construction across the entire device makes this a hero to be sure.

In addition to the idea that this device can connect to many odd devices with its many connectivity abilities, we’re looking forward to testing the back panel off for its touch sensitivity. Look at that fantastic pattern – how could it be bad in any way at all?!

The thing at this point you’re going to want to pay attention to is the difference between how I’m interpreting this device and its build, software, and overall experience from Chris Davies and his UK unit. They’re essentially the same, and certainly there’s no big difference between the software and hardware, so it’s up to you to get what you need out of our dueling reviews!

That said, feel free to ask any and all questions of either of us so we can do as full a set of reviews as you want and need to decide whether you’re going to purchase not only this device but the games that you’ll certainly be thinking about should you do so.

To do that, Sony has thrown the works at the spec sheet, turning the PS Vita into the portable power-house most smartphones only dream of being. Freed from cellphone expectations of a full day’s runtime, the Vita packs a quadcore processor and quadcore SGX543MP4+ GPU, powering razor-sharp graphics on a gloriously bright, color-saturated 5-inch OLED touchscreen running at 960 x 544 resolution.

It’s a surprisingly light device – in fact it gives the impression of not having the battery in place, though in fact the power pack is actually non-user-accessible – and there are plenty of controls. In addition to the touchscreen you get twin analog sticks, a D-pad, shoulder buttons and the traditional control button cluster, along with a large touchpad on the back for more unusual in-game navigation.

Sony PS Vita 3G unboxing:

Our particular model is the WiFi + 3G version, with a Vodafone UK SIM in place for gaming, browsing and downloading on the move. AT&T will be offering an equivalent model in the US. There’s also WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth and, on this 3G model, GPS as well.

Unfortunately, that lightness can leave the PS Vita feeling somewhat plasticky and almost cheap, and we haven’t been initially impressed by the load times of the games we’ve tried. A demo of ModNation Racers took almost two minutes to go from the Vita’s homescreen to actual gameplay, for instance. We’ll be pitting the Vita against a stopwatch to see whether that’s the exception or the rule.

Many gamers have been waiting a long time for the PS Vita, and Sony has a huge amount riding on the portable. If it does indeed turn out to be Sony’s last portable games console then it needs to exit with a bang, not a whimper. We’ll have a full review very soon.

Head up and down the screen to access your opponents, kicking and screaming as you beat them down one by one. As you do so, know that Google is inviting you into the Galaxy Nexus for a good time, even though the Ninjas aren’t necessarily included in the actual device. Have a peek at the video collection here before you do so:

Then you’ll be able to head to the Android Market to get the game, it being titled nothing less epic than Clash of The Nexus Ninjas and developed by Monsieur Monsieur Boivin. Punch and kick to the future and get that Nexus as fast as you can! Then head to the collection of Galaxy Nexus stories and hands-on posts we’ve got here in the timeline as well:

Our unit comes ready for HSPA+ on both AT&T and T-Mobile USA, pentaband HSPA/WCDMA support being a most welcome change from the previous Nexus S. Samsung is also preparing an LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus, set to launch on Verizon in the US sometime before the end of the year. It’s not a small device, the curvy form-factor having grown to 135.5 x 67.94 x 8.94 mm and 135g, but Samsung takes advantage of that scale to fit a sizable 4.65-inch Super AMOLED HD display.

It’s not just inches that the new screen offers, but pixels too: at 1280 x 720 this is one of the rare 720p HD-capable smartphones. The curved display looks incredible, despite the concerns pre-launch about Samsung using a PenTile display. For those unaware, PenTile Matrix panels have sub-pixels that share colors, which can lead to a slight blue tint and underwhelming greens. However, eyes-on it’s hard to be disappointed with the Galaxy Nexus’ screen: colors are punchy, viewing angles broad and ICS’ clever on-screen controls – which automatically hide when appropriate to give you more room for video and other apps – are a great example of the refined UI.

Samsung’s casing materials aren’t as instantly premium in their feel as, say, the Rezound’s unibody chassis, but nor do they feel cheap or brittle. There’s thankfully little in the way of glossy plastic, and the various textures feel good in the hand. Google says the Contour Display makes for a phone that’s easier to hold and use one-handed, though reaching across the screen with a thumb can still be a stretch. We’re more impressed by the minimal bezel around the display. Sound from the rear speaker seems surprisingly muffled, however, particularly noticeable during turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps Navigation.

Galaxy Nexus Unboxing & Hands-on:

A volume rocker is on the left edge, the power key on the right; no dedicated camera shortcut, though Android 4.0 adds one to the lock-screen. The camera itself is a 5-megapixel autofocus snapper with 1080p HD video capture support, the relatively low resolution still another source of concern after Google’s official announcement. Google is hoping the Galaxy Nexus is the device that finally convinces the majority that good photos are about more than just raw megapixels, and we’re looking forward to testing that out for the review. It certainly loads fast and snaps off images in quick succession, this more recent software version proving considerably faster than the already-quick firmware running on Google’s original launch demo units; there are sample shots in the gallery below. A 1.3-megapixel camera can be used for video calls or Google+ Hangouts.

Galaxy Nexus 1080p camcorder sample (rear camera):

Galaxy Nexus front facing camcorder sample:

Power is courtesy of a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, paired with 1GB of RAM and – in our unit – 16GB of non-expandable storage. In addition to the HSPA+ there’s quadband GSM/EDGE, WiFi a/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 3.0, a microUSB port with MHL HDMI output and GPS/A-GPS, together with NFC for scanning tags and making mobile payments with Google Wallet. Performance is slick out of the box, though we’re yet to run actual benchmarks: this may not be a 1.5GHz dual-core, as we’ve seen Samsung put inside its other recent phones, but Android 4.0 has no apparent issues with multitasking, opening apps and rendering/zooming/panning webpages. Of course, the Galaxy Nexus is box-fresh now, so we’ll have to see how it shapes up after we’ve loaded some third-party apps and put it through its paces.

That’s not the only magic we’re looking forward to testing. Face Unlock, Voice Typing and – if we can find someone else to rub smartphones with – Android Beam for NFC transfers all promise to be stand-out features that, until Ice Cream Sandwich updates start rolling out, will be Galaxy Nexus exclusives for the moment. It’s a big step in Android development, so stay tuned for the full Galaxy Nexus SlashGear review, and until then enjoy our hands-on video and unboxing gallery!

Don’t forget to check out our Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich hands-on for more details!

With our first hands-on with the Lumia 800 just last week, the smartphone is feeling like a pretty familiar subject today. Nokia’s packaging is cleanly designed and eye-catching: compact, matte blue box, neatly stacked manuals and accessories each compartmentalized into its own recycled cardboard sleeve. As well as the Lumia, there’s a wired stereo headset – of which Nokia has been quite vocal about the promised quality – a USB to microUSB cable for charging and syncing, a small USB charger, and a rubber bumper-style case as was bundled with the N9.

Nokia Lumia 800 unboxing:

Nokia will offer three color variants of the 800, the black of our review unit, and cyan and magenta models. All are crafted from a single block of CNC milled polycarbonate, into which Nokia slots a brilliant 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED ClearBlack display, triband UMTS/HSPA, an 8-megapixel camera capable of 720p HD video recording, a 1.4GHz single-core processor paired with 512MB of RAM, and 16GB of storage.

We’ll be putting the Lumia 800 through its paces for the full SlashGear review, but until then there’s no shortage of test material to look through from last week’s show. Check out our iPhone 4S vs Lumia 800 comparison, our iPhone vs Lumia vs Galaxy S II camera showdown, and our browser test showdown.

What we can see thus far is that this device, again, certainly isn’t meant to win any contests for thinness or power – instead Samsung has stuck with a more classic “who would dislike this” sort of design for those that want a smartphone that’s neither flashy nor in danger of disappearing in a pile of newspapers. The display is fantastic, as all AMOLED displays are prone to being, and the cameras on the front and back, those being 1.3 megapixels and 5 megapixels respectively, seem to be adequate for an everyday hobby user. It’s the Verizon 4G LTE speeds and the added features from Cisco that’ll have enterprise users interested.

Cisco has here provided B2B-enabled connectivity services, then there’s also “the most comprehensive mobile implementation” of Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) as well as the ability to use Sybase Afaria for secure remote device management. You’ll be jumping for joy if you’ve ever used any of those before, essentially. Then there’s the LTE factor. This device will allow you to not only access what’s easily the fastest network in the USA, it gives you the ability to use your device as a mobile hotspot for up to 8 other devices at once (or 5 if you jump down to 3G).

Have a look at a couple of initial speed tests here:

Then have a look at the rest of the gallery to see this device in all its shiny glory as well as it sitting next to a Galaxy S II and a DROID Charge, the Charge being the only other Samsung device running on 4G LTE right at this moment (until the Galaxy Nexus comes, that is.)

AND don’t forget to ask any questions you might have on this device so that I can answer them when the full review of this device comes soon!

There are several factors to consider when taking your first glance at the HTC Jetstream here in the United States. First, HTC makes high quality products. Noone will debate that, or if they do, I’ll call them foolish. What you’ve got here is a nearly entirely metal and glass device with one of the most powerful dual-core processors, the Qualcomm APQ8060 1.5GHz dual-core SoC, that is, on the market. Second, note that the first attempt HTC had at releasing an Android tablet-type device here in the USA was the HTC Flyer, a smaller tablet that your humble narrator did quite like but whose unpopularity caused it to be price chopped at Best Buy (not to the levels Best Buy accidentally reported, but chopped nonetheless.) Will this next effort best the first?

If you don’t consider the price of this tablet – yes, oh my goodness yes, yes indeed. What HTC has done here is to take all the best specs it could find, put them in a container made of metal, then smash them down into a tablet. This is the only tablet on the market, THE ONLY tablet on the market with a decent camera on the back. It’s an 8-megapixel camera capable of 1080p video recording – that’s top notch for smartphones right now, and blows away the rest of the tablet market.

The chassis on this device are superb. It’s not the thinnest or the lightest on the market, but it’s certainly not the fattest of the heaviest either, and unlike SOME tablets out there, the “bulk” of this device is dedicated to making it a magnificent piece of machinery. But I won’t say it’s fantastic quite yet, as I’ve literally only had the device for less than a half a day at this point. Let’s just say that things look good so far.

Have a look at the hands-on video, in it you’ll see a thorough look at the tablet’s hardware as well as the newest version of HTC Sense for tablets, that being “Sense for Tablets 1.1″, aka the first. I’ll jam this monster through some benchmarks for you over the next few days, take some photos, some video, and generally bring it along for a ride that’ll allow me to report back to you on what it means to work with HTC’s vision for a 10-inch Android. Check it out soon!

Also hit up http://device.ac/jetstream-1463/ for all the specs you need for now if I didn’t give you enough to make your pre-review decision on this device yet – they’ve got it all!

BONUS check out Chris Davies’ look at the HTC Jetstream all the way across the ocean and through many, many woods: HTC Jetstream Hands-on (v 1.0)

It’s been a while since we first played with the Galaxy Tab 8.9. Samsung announced it alongside the Tab 10.1 back at CTIA 2011 in March, and since then it’s been the subject of some legal wrangling in Europe with Apple taking issue over the design. Perhaps more pressingly, Samsung’s own tablet range has continued to expand, with the Galaxy Tab 7.7 getting the official nod at IFA 2011 earlier in the month. With just a little more than an inch between the two screens, Samsung is going to have to work hard to figure out positioning for this 8.9-inch model if it doesn’t want it to get lost in-between.

That would be a shame, as the 8.9-inch form-factor has plenty going for it, especially if – as Samsung has – you’ve made it impressively slim too. The smaller casing means it’s easier to hold in one hand than the Tab 10.1, but there’s no loss in screen resolution. Samsung’s TouchWiz panel UI looks better slightly shrunken, in our opinion, and it’s less unwieldily reading ebooks in portrait orientation.

Performance from the 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor isn’t anything we haven’t seen before, but Android 3.1 runs along at a brisk pace just as you’d hope. We’ll be benchmarking and doing battery testing in time for the full SlashGear review. Samsung has been going for “bigger is better” in its smartphones, screen sizes gradually increasing with each generation; could the reverse be true for its tablet line-up?

While I mention most of it during the hands-on video below lets go over the specs just to make sure. This beast is one of the fastest phones around rocking a 1.2 GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB internal storage — and then we can’t forget that amazing screen. Running with a 4.3″ AMOLED display just like most Samsung phones it is bright, vivid, and has extremely good colors and contrast. Extremely lightweight and thin was the goal and Samsung delivered. With a slight hump down below on bottom the rest is as plush as it gets. We have an 8MP camera on the rear with flash, and a 2MP shooter around front for video chatting and more. Check out my video!

AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II hands-on and unboxing

What makes the AT&T Galaxy S II different from the others is both the Epic 4G Touch (already released) and the upcoming T-Mobile Hercules versions have a larger 4.52″ display. The AT&T model, like its international cousin, only has a 4.3″ screen although the difference is quite small. Everything else remains just about the same for this beautiful collection of aluminum, plastic, and glass. With four capacitive touch buttons on the bottom and a nice sleek frame this phone both looks and feels nice. You all probably already knew that though right?

This phone has been a long time coming and now it’s finally here I’m not quite sure what to do with it. Totally joking there because we’ll be tossing this bad boy through the trenches that is a guarantee. I’ll be running plenty of benchmarks and speedtests, and comparison tests with something like the 1.2 GHz Sensation 4G for an idea although I’m pretty sure we already know who wins.

Obviously we’ve seen Samsung’s AMOLED dislay before but the Super AMOLED Plus that comes with the Galaxy S II is simply stunning. Between the brilliant display, fast and extremely fluid performance of the dual-core processor, and the overall sleek and thin design I can tell you from my initial hands-on I’m going to love this phone. The Sensation 4G is my daily driver but we’ll see who wins that battle in my full review coming in the next few days. Feel free to drop any suggestions or questions in the comment section below and I’ll be sure to keep them in mind while conducting my full in-depth review.

Now look over the photos below and imagine if you’d like to buy this phone. It will be available from AT&T starting October 2nd, for only $199.

(trust me I was careful)

The Vizio Tablet offers an 8-inch multitouch display with a 1024×768 resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio. It sports a front-facing VGA (640×480) 30fps camera, but no rear-facing camera. Inside, it runs on a 1GHz single-core Marvell 600 Series processor with 512MB of RAM and has 2GB of internal memory that’s expandable with a microSD up to 32GB.

For connectivity, it offers micro-USB, micro-HDMI, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. There’s also the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, a physical on/off power button and volume rocker. When powered-on, three capacitive touch buttons light up for Back, Home, and Menu. They sit in the bottom frame of the bezel and adjust sides to remain below the screen when you switch between portrait and landscape modes.

Something else that also switches depending on landscape or portrait orientations is the Vizio Tablet’s stereo speakers. This is one of the hardware features that really stands out about this budget slate. Instead of one, or even two, the Vizio Tablet has THREE speakers that adjust to allow for proper stereo sound regardless of which orientation you’re using the tablet.

Another standout feature is the integrated IR blaster, which is certainly not seen included in any other tablet. It allows the Vizio Tablet to turn into a giant universal remote, capable of controlling up to 95% of your home entertainment devices. It taps into a third-party database of presets for thousands of TVs, media players, and set-top boxes.

Unfortunately, the Vizio Tablet does still run on Android 2.3 Gingerbread at the moment and its interface is so customized with Vizio’s own skin, that you can’t really tell what’s running underneath. However, there is access to Android Market, and an upgrade to Android 3.2 Honeycomb is promised for the near future. But with such a customized skin, that day might not be too near.

I won’t go into any further details as this is just my unboxing and hands-on for the Vizio Tablet. I’ll be putting it to the test for lots of multimedia action, so make sure to check back on SlashGear.com for my full review.

Most of the specs we already know but I’ll go over the important parts. It features a 1 Ghz dual-core TI OMAP 4 processor, a 4.3″ 480×800 glasses-free 3D diplay, then it has those cameras around back. dual 5 megapixel cameras for capturing 3D help out around back. LG is calling this the first device on their “Tri-Dual” architecture. What does that mean — dual-core, dual-memory, and dual-channel. It also comes standard with an 8 GB Micro SD card and a 1540 mAh battery all wrapped up and running Android 2.2 FroYo but should get Gingerbread soon.

Overall the design is pretty sleek and you could even call it purdy. The rear has those cameras as well as the aluminum strip that matches nicely with recent LG offerings such as the LG G-Slate and G2x. The back cover is a soft touch plastic with a very light and barely noticeable pattern that almost seems like it was carbon fiber inspired, it’s a nice touch. Around front is the usual capacitive android buttons as well as that all popular front facing camera for chat. The device features HDMI-Out and they supplied the cable unlike most carriers or OEM’s so thank AT&T and LG for that one.

I don’t want to give away too many details before the full review but the phone has plenty of 3D inspired apps installed. We have 3D Pictures, 3D videos, 3D games, and even a 3D youTube. Gameloft has a 3D game market that has been pre-installed for all you fans. I played NOVA 2 in 3D for about 25 minutes today instead of working, it was that fun. The dedicated 3D button nicely takes you right into all the 3D action and I liked they made it so simple.

I will keep this short and sweet so make sure to check out the video unboxing below for more details as well as all the photo’s in the gallery to enjoy them in the full size goodness they were intended. Full review will be coming shortly after I’ve enjoyed this beast for a few more days.

First off I’ll mention some hardware specs then toss the photos and video below for your viewing pleasure. The myTouch 4G Slide boasts that new powerful 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor just like the Sensation and EVO 3D from Qualcomm. Featuring a 3.7″ 480×800 super LCD display (no qHD here), it has 768 MB Memory and 1GB RAM. The new kids on the block are the 4 row QWERTY keyboard that slides out, and around back HTC has boosted the camera and they are claiming “best camera on any smartphone” it has a huge 8 MP sensor with a fat lens on the back as well as dual LED flash, oh and a VGA front too.

The phone is running the latest iteration of the mobile OS and that is Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, so video chat should work with G Talk. It also has Sense 3.0 UI but layered a little bit to look more like the original myTouch 4G software. It does come with Swype pre-loaded although many will opt to use the hardware keyboard. The actual phone dimensions are: 4.8″ x 2.4″ x 0.52″ and weighs about 6.4 ounces. Below you can see it next to the original myTouch 4G we reviewed to get an idea on size and thickness and we will compare more in our full review.

Next up I must mention the camera but I’ll save the results for the review. The camera is 8 MP and they claim it is the best camera on any smartphone. Some of the specs include:

8 MP lens with auto face detect and dual LED flash
Low-light performance with a backside illuminated sensor and wide aperature lens with a f-stop of f/2.2
Zero shutter lag
SweepShot for capturing panoramic photos with a single click
ClearShot HDR images
and Burstshot for capturing multiple photos in a quick burst so you don’t miss a thing
Full 1080p HD video recording and you can edit right on the phone

Enough about that, wanna see the camera?

Small right? That lens is what will be doing all the hard work listed above and I know it looks large but it doesn’t add much size to the phone according to HTC that was mainly the keyboards fault. From my initial tests the camera seems amazing and takes some truly great shots especially in low light inside my house. For now check out the unboxing video below, I don’t want to spoil anything just yet so you better check back in the next few days for my full review. Thanks!

Before I break it down a little bit here is the hands-on and unboxing video for you to get a better idea of the hardware of the phone.

Samsung Dart hands-on and unboxing

Hardware

The Samsung Dart also known as the Galaxy Mini is one of the smallest Android phones around. Weighs just around 3.80 oz and sized at 4.09 x 2.40 x 0.51 although it might feel large if you’re coming from a flip phone or a everyday feature phone but for most Android users this is a small device. One of the phones biggest pros is also a con and that is the screen. It has a 3.14-inch TFT display with a low 240×320 resolution so it isn’t the best looking display, but that small screen gives this phone pretty great battery life. Below you can see both the phone and its screen size compared to the other recent Samsung offerings.

It has a 600 Mhz CPU as well as a 3.2 MP camera on the rear, the battery is 1200 mAh so like I said above it lasts plenty long when it only has to power that size of a screen and processor. The overall design is actually pretty nice and the reason I say that is for a mid-range phone that is free with a new 2-year contract it has some decent build quality. The Samsung Gravity Smart slider actually feels a bit cheaper in comparison.

Software and Performance

It has a 600 Mhz processor like stated and even though you wont be playing some of the latest games in the Android Market it will handle some and I was able to play Angry Birds on the phone. I know that is a big deal to some. Performance while scrolling through homescreens or the app tray seemed great for what you pay for. It was quick and snappy and didn’t seem to freeze or lag, but then I’m not doing anything all that consuming either. It is running Android 2.2 so thing feels pretty smooth. It comes with Swype, Wifi Calling and a few other apps pre-loaded and that is all. They kept that list short but that is better than having apps you wont ever use.

Camera

The camera is a 3.2 MP shooter but it lacks an LED flash so you better make sure you have enough lighting to get the job done. It does have a decent face detector feature but the auto focus seems to be lacking and I had a hard time getting a great shot. The shutter speed was quick and once focused the photos turned out good for only being 3.2 MP. Here are a few test photos so you can see the quality yourself.

Auto focus could have been better for close-up photos but it still turned out ok. (If you like blurry close-ups)

Wrap-Up

Again this is the Samsung Dart, a mid-range device from Samsung on T-Mobile USA and it is available right now. If you’d like to compare it to the other three devices coming from Samsung for T-Mobile we’ve reviewed the Exhibit 4G and unboxed the Gravity Smart with a full review coming soon. Those are your choices from the mid-rage T-Mobile list in the Android world.

To finish things off I’ll just say no this phone might not be the best, but for what you are getting and the price you pay it is a great little starter device. The build quality and software running on Android 2.2 make for a seamless and smooth day to day experience. My only concern is the screen resolution is low and it does have a pretty blurry display. I think the original G1 might have looked better but that is just a guess. For any first timer getting a smartphone or for your kids this would be a good start. Make sure you check out all the photos in the gallery below so you truly get a feel for the hardware. Thanks for reading.

We’ll start off with a few specs just so you are up to spec. It is small and lightweight Android phone running on Android 2.2 and an old version of Touch Wiz, has a 600 Mhz CPU and a 3MP camera on the rear, but no led flash or anything although you do get a 2GB MicroSD card for all those photos and videos. At first I thought it was a 3.2″ screen like that of the Gravity Smart but quickly found out it was actually smaller, and had a lower resolution. Picture below shows the Exhibit 4G on the left, then Gravity Smart followed by the Dart on the right.

I have to mention it because it is a huge factor in a smartphone since you look at the screen all day, but the Samsung Dart has one of the lowest quality displays I’ve seen to date and I honestly think my G1 looked better. The issue is the 3.14″ screen is only sporting a 240 x 320 resolution and most lower end phones at least are 320×480 in that department. In general the rest of the phone actually feels pretty nice in the hand and of decent build quality. Here is the video below

Samsung Dart hands-on and unboxing

Other than the fact that the display actually is fuzzy enough to give me a headache the phone is quite nice. Android 2.2 works pretty well and the 600 Mhz CPU seems to be enough for a device like this. It comes with Swype pre-installed and it works great and screen responsiveness wasn’t an issue. The phone is currently free with a new line or 2-year contract on T-Mobile or can be bought outright for $200 if you wish. This would probably be a great first smartphone for your kids.

For now check out all the pictures below and get a better look at the device and I will be messing with it over the next few days and will post some final thoughts with a review shortly.

The phone is short and sweet so I’ll keep this unboxing the same and save the goods for the full review coming soon. The Samsung Exhibit 4G is actually probably one of the better mid-range phones I’ve felt and used as of late. When I say mid-range I mean mid/high-range because this seems about as close as you can get to a top tier device without breaking the bank. I was more impressed than I thought I’d be. Its biggest feature in my book is that it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, YES I said Gingerbread. It does have the Samsung Touch Wiz UI but that is to be expected.

This phone runs on a 1 Ghz processor with a 3.5″ display, it has a 3.2MP rear camera with flash and a VGA front for video chat, along with a 4GB MicroSD card that is included. It has 3 capacitive buttons as you can see in the video. A menu, back, and search and then a dedicated home button below. From what I’ve seen thus far this is a great little device for those that don’t need all the bells and whistles. It’s like a mini Nexus S but made for a different crowd and price point.

Out of the gate is actually comes pre-loaded with a few applications that are actually worthwhile and not what I’d consider “bloatware”. Pre-installed you have a few popular games like Bejeweled 2, Scrabble, and Doodle Jump as well as all those usual T-Mobile apps like T-Mobile TV. It is nice to see it come with apps that will be of some use to many buyers rather than just loaded with nonsense.

We will be checking out this phone over the next few days so stay tuned right here at SlashGear if your interested in this baby. It’s currently FREE at Wirefly with a new contract so if you’ve seen enough check out this story for more details. If you want me to look over anything specific on this Exhibit 4G feel free to leave a few comments below and I’ll do my best to answer any questions you may have. Check out the video and all the pictures below and thanks for reading!

First Impressions:

First off I’ll mention the specs of this bad boy. It features a 4.3″ qHD 540×960 high-res display, a 1.2 Ghz dual-core CPU, 1GB RAM, 8GB SD was included (expandable to 32GB as usual), dual 5MP cameras on the rear and a front facing 1.3 MP camera. It runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and has the new and cool HTC Sense UI 3.0 to round things off.

Basically there are two things to focus on here and those are the dual-core 1.2 Ghz Snapdragon CPU, and those dual 5MP cameras on the rear to capture 3D video. Right away I can tell you the phone seems blazing fast and that is probably mostly thanks to the dual-core CPU, even things like flipping through the Sense UI homescreens until it starts spinning was smooth as can be and better than on the Sensation 4G for some reason.

Then you have those dual cameras around back that will shoot regular photos and video and you can use the toggle switch to quickly access 3D video capture. They feature autofocus and take some pretty amazing photos. The dual LED-flash will come in handy in those low light situations as well.

In the video below you can see I compare the HTC EVO 3D to the newly launched Optimus 3D that I recently unboxed. Overall both 3D phones are quite similar in size as well as weight but the EVO 3D was slightly smaller and once again the curved edges of the back make it not only feel better in the hand, but smaller as well.

Wrap Up:

From my limited time playing with the HTC EVO 3D it does carry on that same amazing build quality HTC is known for, all while staying true to its older brother the original EVO. The overall design is obviously familiar and I think all you EVO fans will love this new addition to the family. It does have a few extra buttons that the EVO did not and those are that huge and hard to miss aluminum dedicated camera button, as well as the 2D/3D switch. Something tells me they want you to use this often because they make it hard not to notice. Do take note that the Micro USB slot for charging is also a MHL port but sadly we didn’t get a converter like we expected and did with the Infuse 4G. Enough talk for now, check out all the photos below and let us know in the comments what you’d like to see in the full review.

This beast of a smartphone packs a dual-core 1 Ghz TI OMAP 4 processor, a 4.3″ glasses-free 3D Display, HDMI out, dual 5 MP shooters on the rear for 3D video capture, a front facing VGA camera and more. LG is calling this the first device on their “Tri-Dual” architecture. What does that mean — dual-core, dual-memory, and dual-channel. I guess you could even say quad-dual since it has dual 5 MP cameras also. The dual channel memory and ram as well as that blazing fast dual-core CPU and all those other features should basically make this one top tier device that can do it all.

I was able to play with it for a while today and overall I’m really impressed. The Optimus 3D feels quite similar to the G2x and even has the same tapered edges on the screen but overall the build quality seemed a little better than that of the G2x. It has a lot packed into a relatively small space and it does seem a little heavy, but when you consider what all is inside I think we can all agree that a few extra pounds might be ok. The Optimus 3D was both heavier and larger than the recently released (and reviewed) HTC Sensation 4G, but it was a close match.

The Optimus 3D will launch on Android 2.2 from what we have been told and along with it comes all sorts of 3D apps and games bundled for our 3D enjoyment. From 3D Games like Asphalt 6 and NOVA and more available for download as well as custom 3D Gallery and 3D Camera apps all specific for this device. As we check out this device more over the coming days we will show you some of the cool features and the 3D glasses free display but for now some beautiful photos and a small video will have to be suffice.

LG announced that the device is launching today (June 17th) starting in Europe and will be available in more than 60 markets around the world in the coming weeks but didn’t give any more information regarding other markets such as the U.S so for now we will have to wait for more news. The wait shouldn’t be long and soon enough you will be able to get your hands on this device. Maybe the LG Thrill 4G from AT&T? Check out the full press release and all the photos below.

Hands-on and unboxing video

LG ROLLS OUT OPTIMUS 3D, WORLD’S FIRST TRI-DUAL ARCHITECTURE SMARTPHONE WITH FULL 3D
Dual-Core / Dual-Channel / Dual-Memory Device Also Delivers Amazing 3D Experience

Seoul, June 17, 2011 – LG Electronics (LG) today officially launched the long-awaited LG Optimus 3D, an innovative new smartphone featuring second generation dual core technology and an advanced “Tri-Dual” architecture. First unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in February, the LG Optimus 3D offers a full 3D experience — recording, viewing, sharing — in a smartphone form factor.

The LG Optimus 3D takes the smartphone experience into new territory with its Tri-Dual configuration – dual-core, dual-channel and dual-memory – which allows for improved performance when multi-tasking, enjoying a movie or playing graphics-intensive games. This LG smartphone is also a major step forward in the utilization of full 3D functionality in everyday life – users can record and immediately view content in 3D without the need for special glasses.

“Tri-Dual architecture opens up a whole new world in smartphone performance,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. “As the latest offering in our Optimus line-up, we expect there will be significant interest from those who seek the very latest in smartphone technology and are excited about 3D as the next big frontier in mobile devices.”

Peak Efficiency and Performance Powered by Unique Tri-Dual Configuration
LG’s Tri-Dual architecture pushes the LG Optimus 3D’s performance well beyond simple clock speed improvements. Other smartphones – even those with higher clock speeds and dual-core technology – suffer when it comes to actual performance because of the inefficiency inherent in a single-channel configuration. With a dual-channel configuration, data transfers take place simultaneously between the dual-core and dual-memory, resulting in noticeably faster performance. As a result, the LG Optimus 3D maximizes run-time efficiency leading to noticeably smoother, faster, and longer multi-tasking, browsing, gaming and multimedia enjoyment than ever before.

Full 3D Experience: 3D Recording-Viewing-Sharing
LG’s full 3D concept transforms 3D technology from a novelty to a practical tool. 3D recording, viewing and sharing is faster and more convenient in the Optimus 3D and can be enjoyed without cumbersome glasses. LG’s latest smartphone enables owners to capture high quality 3D content with 3D video stabilization technology and real-time misalignment correction algorithm which automatically corrects for shake during recording. And the smartphone’s wide viewing angle makes watching videos and movies much more convenient and comfortable.

The 4.3-inch WVGA display offers bright and flicker-free images in HD, up to 1080p in 2D and up to 720p in 3D. Special software allows for real-time conversion of 2D photo and video content into 3D. Free software for converting 2D games will be available for download during the third quarter, letting users enjoy a variety of multimedia content in 3D. Captured 3D content can be shared with 3D TVs via an HDMI 1.4 connection and the phone can also send content to any DLNA Certified™ device. In addition, users can upload and stream 3D content on YouTube’s dedicated 3D channel (www.youtube.com/3D).

The LG Optimus 3D also incorporates the world’s first 3D augmented reality (AR) browser in collaboration with AR pioneer Wikitude. The browser will be available through an app downloadable from LGWorld (www.lgworld.com).

The phone will be available in Europe first, and then in more than 60 markets around the world over the next several weeks.

In the box there’s the usual sparse selection of accessories: a USB AC adapter, USB to microUSB cable and a wired stereo headset with in-line controls. We’d like to have seen the MHL-to-HDMI adapter bundled too, like AT&T sensibly did with the Infuse 4G, but that’s still an optional accessory; you do get DLNA streaming support over WiFi b/g/n, though. HTC will offer a charging dock – you can set the Sensation to automatically boot into Dock Mode, with weather and Facebook updates shown, and even optionally turn on the Mobile Hotspot functionality – though right now it’s not on sale.

HTC Sensation unboxing & hands-on:

Construction is solid, with a sheet of toughened glass up front that rises to a slight lip at the edges of the screen. That serves double purpose: keeping the display raised slightly off the table when placed face-down, and also giving some tactile feedback as to when your thumb is swiping toward the very edge. Responsiveness is good, and the whole thing is creak-free. Unlike the somewhat fiddly slide-off doors of recent HTC devices – the Flyer was a particular chore to open up – the Sensation pulls out of its rear chassis entirely, revealing the microSD slot and SIM slot.

Android and Sense moves swiftly on the dual-core chip; the jerkiness we spotted when pulling shortcut buttons down to the launcher ring on the Flyer’s lock screen is non-existent on the Sensation. The 3D animations on the homescreen are smooth and menus open without delay. Similarly, the browser renders even heavy pages quickly, and thanks to the qHD resolution you can read, say, SlashGear homepage articles without having to zoom in from the full page width view. Just to whet your appetite, we ran benchmarking tool Quadrant Advanced and the Sensation scored 2245 overall, with 5918 in the CPU category.

We’ll be putting the HTC Sensation through its paces over the next few days in time for the full SlashGear review, but for now let’s just say this: the Samsung Galaxy S II has got some serious competition.

There have been no shortage of pundits proclaiming the stylus dead and the finger-paradigm its successor, and a quick glance at the iPad dominated market might suggest they’re right. Still, after the near-identical Honeycomb tablets we’ve seen of late, the Flyer is enough to have us intrigued. Based on the phone version of Android, Gingerbread (though a Honeycomb upgrade is in the works), it runs the risk of following in the footsteps of the premature Samsung Galaxy Tab, perhaps.

Yet the Flyer’s pen wants to prove it can be more than a relic from resistive touchscreen days, and our first impressions are that it has some promise. The digital ink flows smoothly, despite HTC opting for a 1.5GHz single-core Snapdragon processor rather than the dual-core chips we’re seeing in high-end phones and tablets of late, and the slate is full of neat touches like the twin set of fascia buttons – rotating automatically to suit portrait or landscape orientation – the Evernote integration with its handwriting recognition, and the sturdy, paperback-scale chassis.

It’s not all perfect, mind. For a tablet with such a resolute focus on the pen, the fact that there’s no place – bar the bundled slip-case – to store the stylus is faintly ridiculous. The absence of broad app support for it is also frustrating: you can shoot screenshots by tapping the display just about anywhere in the system, but only a couple of apps will actually allow you to ink into them.

We’ll be putting the Flyer through its paces properly for the full SlashGear review, so until then enjoy the unboxing and hands-on video!

Video after the cut!

Powerful phone, powerful car, one very nervous SlashGear writer. Last week I headed out to mid-Wales and the Phil Price Rally School to be very tightly strapped into a Subaru Impreza and hurled – sideways, some of the time – around a forest gravel rally stage, all the time trying to remember everything I could about the Galaxy S II and trying not to lose my lunch.

A couple of stats, just for fun. The rally stage is around two miles long, and Phil – getting no small amount of pleasure in listening to me squeak – took on average 1 minute 52 seconds to go round it. That’s from a standing start, and hitting up to 120mph on the few straight sections of the track. We’re not talking crisp, smooth asphalt here either: it’s crunchy, bouncy, skid-friendly grit, reaching up to the edges of some particularly steep drops.

“Phil’s only rolled the car a few times” they told me, unfortunately when I’d already been locked into place with a four-point seatbelt that, hopefully, would keep me dangling safely inside the roll-cage (the latter presenting a couple of useful places for the crew to fix 720p cameras). The fact that a huge tank of compressed gas – the fuel of choice – was right behind me was something I chose to ignore.

You can judge for yourself how well the Samsung Galaxy S II unboxing went in the video below. Needless to say, the box and all of the accessories went quickly shooting over my shoulder, as I tried desperately to cling to one of the very few units in the UK so far. At one point I managed to shoot some video of us in motion, using the Samsung’s 1080p HD video camera, but all you could really see afterwards was bouncing Welsh hills overlaid with the sound of a bouncing SlashGear writer.

Our full review of the Galaxy S II will be coming soon – I’ll be particularly interested to see if it’s as fast as the Subaru – but until then enjoy my first (and maybe last) Extreme Unboxing!

The Incredible 2 is also compared for size against the original incredible. The second that the two smartphones are placed side by side, it’s clear that the Incredible 2 has a lot of the same design features, but a significantly larger screen. The original Incredible had a screen that measures 3.7-inches. The new Incredible 2 has a screen that is 4-inches with a WVGA resolution. The details on the hardware aren’t offered by the person unboxing the phone at Wirefly, they come from a boot screen you can glimpse in the video.

According to the boot screen, the Android device has the WVGA resolution I mentioned and appears to use a 1GHz QUALCOMM MSM8655 processor. The number was a bit blurry, but I think that is the model number it says. The phone is an international phone and can operate on networks around the world using a SIM card. It also supports the Verizon 3G network in the states. You can check out the unboxing video for yourself below.

[ via Android Community]

As a phone, the Thunderbolt is generally pretty similar to HTC’s other recent big-touchscreen handsets. With a 4.3-inch display and a new single-core 1GHz Snapdragon processor (MSM8655, Qualcomm MDM9600), it’s a direct relative of the EVO 4G (Qualcomm QSD8650) (with Sprint WiMAX), Inspire 4G (with AT&T HSPA+) and the Desire HD in Europe (limited to just 3G).

It packs dual cameras – 8-megapixels on the back and 1.3-megapixels on the front – along with 8GB of internal memory, and the whole thing is solid and, despite lacking a dual-core processor, whips neatly through Android 2.2 Froyo. Sun Spider test result came in at 6031.9ms compared to 3,960.8ms Motorola ATRIX 4G (also on Android 2.2) powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 Dual-Core processor. We’d far prefer to have seen Gingerbread installed, but HTC Sense will have to tide you over until an upgrade is ready; Verizon has no public timescale for that to take place.

Unsurprisingly, what we’re most curious about is the Thunderbolt’s 4G performance. Verizon is throwing in a few months of free tethering service – it becomes a $20 a month option for 2GB of mobile hotspot data after May 15 – to get users hooked to LTE, and having tested (and been mightily impressed by) the carrier’s USB modems we wanted to see how the Android phone held up.

Abnormal speed test results via speedtest.net Android app:

So, an impressive turn of speed and a slick slice of hardware. Plenty to like, in other words, but we’ll save all that for the full SlashGear review. Until then, check out our hands-on gallery and unboxing/demo video!

HTC ThunderBolt Unboxing and Hands-on:

HTC ThunderBolt fast boot vs regular boot up speed:

Sample video shot with HTC ThunderBolt in 800 × 480 [not max 720p!]:

Day 2 Battery Test

The first time we tested the battery on this device, it was the very first time we’d powered it up and we decided to go at it full LTE the whole time. The results weren’t the best! (see comment section for results) Now we’ve got the phone out and have been using it in a much more “everyday” fashion, as a mix between LTE and Wifi, and the results are much more favorable.

Take note that we’re photographing the phone here instead of taking screenshots because when we plug the device into the computer to take shots, it resets the “usage time” and we don’t want that!

Video after the cut

With a 4-inch display the ATRIX 4G isn’t going to be a small phone, but it packs in a lot more pixels than other Android handsets with the same screen size. That’s because Motorola has used a 960 x 540 qHD panel, just short of the iPhone 4′s 960 x 640 Retina Display. In total there are 518,000 pixels (versus the iPhone 4′s 614,000) which adds up to a far smoother screen than, say, the WVGA Nexus S. It’s also highly usable outside, which is more than we can say for many LCDs.

The casing is plastic but feels high quality, and Motorola has given the battery cover a carbon-fiber style finish that does a good job of hiding fingerprints. There’s also a very clever combination power button and fingerprint scanner, which allows you to power on and unlock the ATRIX 4G with a simple swipe; I’ve had no problems getting it to recognize my finger, but there’s a PIN backup for manual access.

On the back is a camera with dual-LED flash (note, I accidentally say the ATRIX 4G has an 8-megapixel camera in the video; it actually has a 5-megapixel camera) capable of shooting HD video. A front-facing webcam supports video calls, though you’ll need an app like Fring in order to do so since Android still doesn’t include native video call functionality.

Motorola ATRIX 4G unboxing & hands-on:

So far the ATRIX 4G has proved generally reliable and fast, with the Tegra 2 processor delivering the superphone speeds NVIDIA promised. Still, I’ve had 5-6 lock-ups with the phone becoming unresponsive, generally when handling large amounts of data (for instance, when downloading my address book). OS is Android 2.2.1 with MOTOBLUR on top, and that’s pretty much identical to the software experience on other Motorola devices. The haptic response is improved, however, feeling almost localized when using the on-screen keyboard.

AT&T and Motorola also sent over most of the official accessories that will be offered alongside the ATRIX 4G, including the Laptop Dock, Desktop Dock and a separate external keyboard and mouse set (only the Car Kit is missing). The Laptop Dock is probably the most interesting of the three, slightly larger than a regular 11.6-inch ultraportable because of the ATRIX 4G docking section at the back; the question remains whether it’s worth the several hundred dollar price tag, considering it’s dependent on the smartphone for its functionality.

The Desktop Dock packs three USB ports, HDMI, power and audio-out, and comes with a useful multimedia remote. With it, the ATRIX 4G turns into a potent multimedia center, supporting 1080p HD. It should also appeal to business users, too, given that the handset comes with support for Citrix Receiver.

So far, so promising, and the ATRIX 4G certainly looks to be shaping up as one of the stand-out smartphones of 2011. Pre-ordering for the AT&T Motorola ATRIX 4G will begin on February 13, with deliveries from March 6; the full SlashGear review will be up very soon.

Update: Video added after the cut

We loved the E7′s hardware back at Nokia World, when the Finns only had prototypes to show us, and we love the quality of the production model too. Resembling a larger N8, the E7 is longer, broader, thicker and heavier than its touch-only counterpart, but overall we prefer the design; the N8′s awkward camera bump on the back has been dropped (the camera resolution and Xenon flash have also been dropped, too) and it’s a smoother device as a result.

Ports include microUSB, HDMI and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top edge, with the SIM card loading in a carrier on the right edge. Physical controls continue Nokia’s well-machined bevelled style; the lock switch is the only mild frustration, audibly rattling a little if you shake the E7. Still, it’s the only negative (and a minor one at that) on a piece of high-quality design.

Pop open the screen and you’re presented with one of the best hardware keyboards on a device today, four rows of tactile, pleasingly-clicky buttons that are nicely backlit and responsive. The 4-inch screen itself is a marked improvement over the N8, a 640 x 360 AMOLED “Clear Black” panel with broad viewing angles and rich, inky blacks.

Nokia E7 unboxing & hands-on:

Of course, the thorn in the Nokia E7′s side will be Symbian for many would-be smartphone buyers, and while the platform has plenty of loyal fans – and, it has to be said, its own share of advantages – we can’t help but be disappointed that this isn’t the company’s first MeeGo handset. The UI refresh expected later in 2011 should go some way to tweak things aesthetically, but frankly the design and keyboard of the E7 are so strong that, if it were running Android or Windows Phone 7, it would easily slot in as a top-tier device.

It’s how all these elements stack up which we’ll be judging for the full SlashGear review of the E7, so if you’ve any curiosities of your own then let us know in the comments.

Press Release:

All-in-one business smartphone, the Nokia E7, arrives in stores

Espoo, Finland – The highly anticipated Nokia E7 will begin arriving in stores in select markets this week, with broader availability building up quickly in several markets.

With its tilting 4 inch ClearBlack display, full qwerty keyboard and a fast access to a wide variety of apps directly on the homescreen, the Nokia E7 is the key to having a successful day in or out of the office. Importantly, the device supports business applications from leading enterprise technology partners including Microsoft and IBM.

Key features of the Nokia E7
• Easy access to private and business email
• Create, edit and share office documents and view PDF files with Adobe Reader
• Fast, secure intranet access with the built-in VPN
• High-resolution photos and HD video with the 8 megapixel camera and dual LED flash
• HDMI connectivity to project files, videos and images onto large screens
• 16 gigabytes of on-board flash memory
• USB-On-The-Go, enabling easy file sharing by connecting a USB stick to the smartphone

For business users, Nokia E7 provides direct, secure and real-time access to email, calendar, contacts, tasks and the corporate directory through Microsoft Exchange servers, as well as Office Communicator Mobile, developed by Microsoft for Nokia smartphones, which brings presence and corporate instant messaging.

Additionally, a wide range of entertainment and social services available on the Nokia E7 make it the perfect off-duty companion, and the Ovi Store offers a wealth of apps such as Bloomberg, Angry Birds and Sports Tracker.
The new arrival offers drive or walk navigation in 80 countries. The latest commercial version of Ovi Maps, available immediately via Ovi Store or Ovi Suite, adds visibility to subways, trams and trains, real-time traffic, safety alerts, visibility to parking and petrol stations, speed limit warnings, and improved search and location sharing capabilities.

Videos after the cut

As we discovered in our own hands-on time with the EP121, the Core i5-470UM processor certainly means that Windows 7 whips along nicely, and the active stylus and dual-mode touchscreen makes for an arguably more impressive touch experience than finger-use alone. In the second video there’s a more general overview of Art Rage Studio, Adobe Photoshop, the bundled Bluetooth keyboard, 1080p YouTube streaming, and on-screen keyboard and hand-writing recognition.

The Eee Slate EP121 is up for pre-order now, priced from $999 for the 2GB RAM, 32GB SSD model, and $1,099 for the 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD model.

There’s also the news that a firmware update for the tablet is already available, and will be ready to install as soon as the Adam comes out of the box. No word on what that offers, however; we’re presuming something to do with Notion Ink’s own Eden UI and multitasking system, rather than the underlying Android OS itself.

As for when pre-order customers can expect their slate, the boxed production units have to go from China to the main Notion Ink logistics center in Hong Kong, and then from there to buyers. No word on exactly how long that will take; you should eventually have tracking details in your order status page.

The case is made from magnesium-aluminum alloy with a leather-patterened palm rest and glass touchpad. The display is 12.5″ high definition 1366 x 768 with Intel HD graphics, and the whole notebook weighs 3.04 pounds. There are two 1w speakers (for stereo sound) Wifi b/g/n, gigabit ethernet, Bluetooth, two USB 2.0 ports, audio in/out, VGA, and HDMI. The touchpad is multi-finger, the keyboard is a “breathable” chicklet style, and there’s an optional external USB DVD drive available (we won’t really get into that since we don’t have it here.)

The box this notebook comes in is as nice as we’ve come to expect from high-grade computer producing companies like Lenovo. Gloss printing, excellent illustrations, graphic design at A levels, minimalism up the wazoo. The box is nice enough that you’re going to want to keep it, the paperwork kept to a minimum in more ways than one so that you might keep it all in one place for safe storage without a hassle. Unboxing this brightly colored notebooks is an overall pleasant experience. The laptop itself is very sleek, made with magnificently nicely chosen materials for comfort and aesthetics, and the screen, of course, is very bright. More on this in the review.

You can take a look at the full original press release back in the “On Sale Today” post then take a peek at the gallery and video below. Then prepare yourself for a sweet review in a few days.

While there’s only one photo of the Adam tablet itself, and plenty of shots of the box it came in (…), we’ll take it for what it is: an unboxed Notion Ink Adam. According to Van Gunst, he received an Adam tablet to better build applications for the device. He relates it to how Apple handled application development for the iPhone. However, Notion Ink doesn’t have the means to invite developers to their headquarters, so the next best step is to send them tablets, and then assign them programmers. That seems to be what’s happening in this situation.

We would have preferred a video of the unboxing, but at this point, beggars can’t be choosers. As of right now, Van Gunst’s tweets via his Twitter account are protected, but his YFrog account is not. We’ll have to wait for more information, if any comes from it. You can read Van Gunst’s full statement from his blog below, regarding the tablet arriving on his doorstep.

[via Android Community; thanks, Samuel]

Unboxing video after the cut

It’s an unassuming box, and smaller than we imagined it would be. Measuring 70 x 45 x 8 mm, the only ports are a microUSB for power and micro HDMI for hooking up a TV. On the front is a standby/power button with a status LED. HTC bundle an HDMI cable along with a USB cable and regular USB power adapter; we prefer that to a fixed adapter, since it means you can use the same charger for your phone with the Media Link.

HTC Media Link Unboxing:

The Media Link uses WiFi to stream content from a phone, tablet, laptop or other DLNA-compliant device, and it can either hook up wirelessly to your existing home network or create its own WiFi network to which devices can link directly. HTC also offers an app for their phones to turn them into a remote control, though you don’t necessarily need it.

We’ll be putting the HTC Media Link through its paces in the best way we know how: boring friends and family with all the wireless media we can find from the various DLNA-compliant devices we insist on carrying around with us during the holidays. Will the Media Link’s appeal pale before our relatives scream for mercy? We’ll let you know in the full review.

Inside the UPS pack, inside the manilla envelope, aside the fact sheet, inside the box, and beyond the taped plastic package, THERE you will find your very own set of earbuds from AUDEO – the PFE 022 + Mic. Such a tiny little mini set of buds for such a ginormous set of packs. BUT take not that you’ll probably end up buying these in the store in which case the box is probably pretty much the minimum for such a nice pair of audio blasters.

Aside from the buds, you’ll find a tiny zip plastic package with 6 rubber earbud covers (3 sets) – a set of these will need to be applied to the main earbuds before you jam them in your ears. You’ll see there’s three user guides, each one in a different language, and a single quick-start guide. And that’s about it! Look for a full review of these sassy little buds in about a week and a half (a little further out than normal because of the quickly approaching holidays.) Hooray!

It’s a mighty impressive piece of Flash animation, and the best thing is that all of the different parts – the comments box, the like/dislike buttons, the various links – are all still functional. After the main animation has finished, don’t forget to scroll down and pick up the nunchuck near the bottom of the page, too; we spend several gleeful minutes hurling it at the various comments. If only we could do that with regular YouTube comments, the video sharing world would be a whole lot more satisfying.

[via Android Community]

This massive computer comes with it’s own pair of high quality 3D glasses (with nice rubbery rims to keep them held on your head.) The glasses are in a pouch, the computer’s in a pouch, and the pouches are in boxes and there’s a bellyband for the box! It’s such a package as I’ve never before experienced. This massive 17.3-inch beast is sitting inside just waiting to deliver monster amounts of content to our eyeballs at a speedious rate. But not before I get a look at all the boxy goodness that envelopes it.

Of course you know that besides this lovely box and its extra contents, (lots of books and pamphlets and paper and a power cord and a 2GB removable memory card and 3D glasses,) there is a laptop with a gigantic HD screen in here. It’s made basically entirely of sweet freezing cold metal, a quadcore Intel Core i7-720QM processor, 2TB of storage and a slot-loading Blu-ray drive.

There’s a ATI Mobility Radeon 5850 GPU for graphics, Beats Audio (Dr Dre’s spirit is enveloping us all) for sound, and HP’s active shutter glasses coupled with the emitter in the bezel of the notebook for 3D movies. Wild! This machine is HEAVY but that’s of course because it’s so freaking gigantic – like Chris says and I agree with, this isn’t the sort of laptop you carry around with you all day.

Take a look at the close-ups in the gallery below and check out the super exciting unboxing and hands-on video here and get pumped up for the full review coming soon!

Video after the cut

They’re surprisingly enthusiastic about the EA800, too, with the 8-inch slate running quickly on its Marvell CPU. Whether students and other note-takers will find it quite so appealing remains to be seen, of course.

Meanwhile, ASUS has put up the user manual for the Eee Note EA800 [PDF link], along with the guides for the DR900 Eee Reader [PDF link] and TZ900 Eee Reader [PDF link]. A US debut for the EA800 is expected sometime in Q1 2011.

[ASUS manuals via EeePC.it]

Google’s packaging is broadly similar to that of the Nexus One, and you don’t get much in the way of accessories. A USB to microUSB cable, USB AC adapter and wired hands-free headset is your lot. The plastic back cover pops off to reveal the SIM card slot and the removable battery, but there’s no microSD card slot, only 16GB of internal storage.

In with the phone there’s also one of Google’s NFC stickers, as announced for the new Google Places Business Kits. Hold the Nexus S up to the sticker with the new Tag app open and it’ll automatically scan it and take you to a Google video on the Nexus S. When they become more common, Google envisages NFC being used for payments, checking business information and more, basically turning your Android smartphone into a digital wallet among other things.

Android 2.3 Gingerbread automatically pulled in our previously-downloaded apps and even restored our wallpaper when we logged in with our regular Google credentials, and we were quickly up and running. The smartphone feels speedy, certainly faster than a Galaxy S family device despite running on the same 1GHz Hummingbird processor.

Unboxing Nexus S:

Nexus S (Android 2.3) Hands-on demo:

We’ll be putting the Nexus S – and Gingerbread – through its paces ahead of the full SlashGear review, so until then enjoy the unboxing video and hands-on demo, and let us know what questions you have about Google’s new superphone!

The Box

As you might already know, if I open a box up for a review of the device inside and I find that the box is above-average quality, I’m gonna tell you about it. This particular box is a combination of shipping-quality toughness and second-thought printing. As you can see in the photos and video, there is a slide-off cover to the box which is itself surrounded by a brightly colored print display which tells you all about the product as it would stand in the store. This piece of gloss paper is taped on, letting you know instantly that AAXA does not depend on its graphic design presentation to sell you its products. Is this a good sign? Sometimes no, but in this case, it’s just fine, as the product itself is relatively high quality, as you’ll discover through the rest of this week’s reviews.

The people who would buy this projector are not the same people who buy Apple products whenever they’re released and refuse to use anything other than an iPod to listen to their music. Or is it? If you take a look at the image used in this post, you’ll see that they’re attempting to capture at least a part of the Apple consumer crowd. The box itself doesn’t really reflect this.

Inside the box are some thin cardboard separators and a piece of plastic cushion padding. These aren’t the sort of pieces you’re going to keep. Might as well just toss them in the garbage as soon as you open the package. Each cord is wrapped in its own plastic bag, the directions are situated right on top, and the device itself is precariously placed inside the thin cardboard right in the middle. The one we have here came in perfect condition, but I would definitely warn you to make sure your device isn’t bashed against the side before ripping all the packaging apart, just incase the cardboard broke down in the shipping process and a shipper’s thrown the box (as is often the case in shipping boxes this size, no matter who you get it shipped through.)

The Guide and Cords

In the box besides the device you’ll get an instructional manual and several cords. The manual is nicely printed and very easy to work with. Each time I’ve had a question about how the device works thus far, it’s been simply addressed by the book in an easy-to-find chapter.

The cords are thus: power cord (which plugs into a wall socket exclusively,) VGA video cord (which I agree with Intel, will be dead sooner than later, but is very nice to have here and now,) and a composite A/V cord – you know the kind, with the three color plugs red, white, and yellow. Both the A/V cord and the VGA cord connect to the device via a port on the right side of the device right next to the charge plug, both under the same flap.

As you’ll see in the video, and I still miss here, I wish there was a straight USB cord here to connect to the computer, as it does show this happening in the manual, but then again, there’s no headphones or earbuds either, and more than likely anyone purchasing this device already owns both.

The Device

The projector itself, as you can see in the video, is definitely hand-held. This is as far as technology has brought us so far with thinness in a laser projector, and I am satisfied. A big question for the future is how projectors are going to be integrated into thinner devices like tablets, etc – but then again, maybe they never will be?

You can see each of the plug covers plainly around the edges of the device: the power cord imput and external port (for VGA, RCA, and S-Video cords) under the same cover along the right side below the USB 2.0 port under a separate cover. Along the top is the projector glass – do not look directly into it! This is something AAXA is very clear about in the users manual. Watch out! Along the left side is the headphone port as well as the reset button (under the surface, accessible with a pin or something tiny, of course.)

The buttons include an Projector Adjustment button (top left), On/Off button (top left), Menu button (bottom left), and Cancel (bottom right.) Between these are up, down, left, and right, as well as an OK button in the center. Above these buttons you can see where the fan cools the engine off, and on the back you can see a laser warning as well as several rubber pads for setting the device down without scuffing it up.

The Bracket

The bracket is an item that lets you know exactly what this device is – not just an object that works in and of itself, but one that works as a teammate of other devices. This device is a projector, and should be thought of as a middleman between your device and the image it projects. The bracket lets you know that although the device works perfectly fine held in your hand or set on a flat surface, you might consider adding a tripod or similar holding object. That’s not to say that this device cannot play media on it’s on though – it can! You’ll hear all about that in the future reviews.

So get all pumped up! This is a handheld projector that works pretty neatly. Stay tuned all next week for several more reviews as we get used to it and blast images all over the place (as I write this, I’m watching the Empire Strikes Back on my wife and I’s apartment wall as we’re snowed in for the day – fun!) Seeya then!

A Week With the L1 v2 Laser Pico Projector from AAXA

Take a look at all of our “Week With” posts for the L1 v2 projector in this ever-growing list right here, starting with the first announcement and ending with the final word:

L1 v2 Laser Pico Projector Revealed by AAXA [Original Press Release]
A Week With the L1 v2 Laser Pico Projector : Hands-on and Unboxing
A Week With the L1 v2 Laser Pico Projector : Everyday Use