There isn’t any word on what the problem could be, but whispers are beginning to float around that it could have something to do with a bug that is screwing up the software update. So, that’s that. It’s not coming today. And, while we certainly hope that “as soon as possible” means tomorrow, we doubt it. We’ll keep you updated of any changes.

[via Boy Genius Report]

The X10 Mini is scheduled to release in Belgium and France by the end of May, while the X10 Mini Pro is meant to see the same region in June. The only real differences between the two devices is the Pro’s physical, slide-out keyboard. Other than that, they’re both rocking a 600MHz processor, the Sony Ericsson created “Rachael” User Interface over-top the Android Operating System (which is drastically different than the competition’s skin), and a 5MP camera. They’re the tiniest of smartphones, we’d bet, and that’s probably going to really only cater to a very nice group. Nothing wrong with that, though.

If you’re in that niche, and these little guys seem interesting to you, then start saving: The Mini will cost you about €300, or $410, to purchase, unlocked. The Mini Pro is €330, or $450, unlocked. Sure, it’s not enough to break the bank, but it’s still pretty pricey for these small devices. We imagine it’s that whole smartphone feel. Let us know if you decide to pick one of these bad boys up, we’d love to hear your feedback on the small design.

[via the unwiredview]

Just to recap quickly, the HTC Incredible is a different version of the Nexus One. It’s got the same 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display, along with the same 1GHz Snapdragon processor under the hood. The only issue is that processor is speculated to be underclocked to “only” 768MHz. Sure, that’s plenty fast, but we still want the full 1GHz at our disposal, whenever we may need it. The Incredible brings an 8MP camera with dual-LED flash to the table, 6GB of onboard storage, and 512MB of RAM. The real kicker though, is the fact that it’s running the latest version of Sense UI, HTC’s modified User Interface running atop the Android Operating System.

The latest rumors have the Incredible making its official debut for Verizon Wireless in just two weeks time. It hasn’t been that long since we first heard about the HTC Incredible, and even less time that we started seeing some “official looking” images of the device. The fact that it could see store shelves by the beginning of April is shocking. It’s great, but it’s also shocking. And while some out there are whispering that due to the impending launch of the Incredible, that Verizon Wireless will be waiting to launch the Nexus One. We doubt it. Considering the Nexus One will (almost guaranteed) be sold only via Google’s online Phone Store, there’s no reason for Verizon to wait.

[via SlashGear]

And while we wish that title said something along the lines of “Gesture Search Hits 1.5, Everyone Happy,” we just can’t. Google released Google Gesture Search two weeks ago, and it came under some high praise for its functionality, as well as the fact it was fun to use. But, alas, it launched with a very “core” group in mind: 2.0.1+, to be exact. That meant every Android device out there running 1.5 and 1.6 was out of luck, and the new feature was lost on them. That’s changed, as of today.

Google officially came forward from their blog, and announced that Google Gesture Search is now available in the Marketplace for users on Android 1.6 and above. It’s also available outside of the US, even though it still only supports the English language. So, that’s great for 1.6 and international users, but alas, 1.5 gets left in the dust. Of course, you can take some solace in the fact that here in the next few months, your 1.5-based device will get the good ol’ update to 2.1, so that’s good news. Patience is a virtue, right?

[via Android Community]

The Motorola CLIQ XT is the latest hardware running Motorola’s MOTOBLUR User Interface. It’s still running atop the Android mobile Operating System, with Android 1.5 (yes, yes, we know…). It’s got a 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen with a 320×480 capacitive panel. The camera on the back is of the 5MP variety, and it’s got autofocus. This is not the device you’re looking for if you’re in the market for a high-end device; it’s meant more for a mid-range, social media intensive individual. You can pick up the device right now from T-Mobile USA stores, as well as online, for just $129.99 with a qualifying voice and data plan. Of course, we recommend you check out the review, first, before you go jump the gun.

And then, we have the heavy hitter. The HTC HD2 is a marvel in almost every way, with its considerable screens size (4.3″), the 1GHz Snapdragon processor under the hood, and the powerful Sense User Interface laid out over Windows Mobile 6.5. It’s coming with a lot of extra features, packed neatly on the device even before you pick it up, in the form of Blockbuster Mobile. The HD2, as much as we’d love to have it in our hands right now, is coming out on March 24th, so try to remain on the edge of your seat just a little bit longer, okay? You can pick it up from stores then, or order it online if you want, for just $199.99 on a new contract, with a qualifying voice and data plan.

What’s also great, is that the Swype keyboard, which allows you to trace a line from one letter to the next to spell a word, is also bundled with both devices. T-Mobile is pushing the new software keyboard, and for good reason: it’s fantastic. There’s a bit of a learning curve, but it’s definitely worth learning.

The update is obviously bringing a lot of great new features, along with some improvements to the system as a whole. It’s still rocking the speedy processor, along with all of the integrated Google services that you’ve come to expect from an Android device. While it’s great that the update is rolling out to the devices, there’s a bit of a speed bump in front of your upgrading pleasure. Instead of it being an Over the Air (OTA) update, it looks like you’re going to have to use PC Studio 7 (which came on a disk with the device) in order to get the update. Not a huge deal, but still, we like our things delivered to us. (Where’s that silver platter!?)

So, here’s the deal: You’re getting no less than nine (9!) screens, which you can obviously change up as much as you want, with whatever widgets you so desire. And thanks to the upgrade in versions, your Spica will now allow you to take full advantage of augmented reality applications, such as Layar. It also features patented Samsung widgets, along with some other standardized features, like the PC sync, so that you can synchronize your information quickly and easily. What we’re most interested in though, is the Media Browser, which allows you to browse the media on your device in a quick, easy, and fashionable way. As for the update itself, it’s rolling out in Germany first in March, and then gradually rolled out to the rest of the countries where the Spica is available. We’re not sure what that means in time, but hopefully it’s sooner than later.

Samsung Delivers World of New Experiences With Upgraded Galaxy Spica

Android 2.1 gives Galaxy Spica new functionality and unrivalled user experience

SEOUL, Korea – March 17, 2010 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today announced it has upgraded its powerful Galaxy Spica (I5700) smartphone to harness the power of thelatest version of AndroidTM, Android 2.1. The smartphone now offers users a galaxy of new features and an unrivalled mobile experience.

The Galaxy Spica retains all the features inherent in the successful Galaxy Spica (I5700), such as seamless connectivity and access to GoogleTM mobile services, multimedia functionality and speedy processor performance

“Lovers of the Galaxy Spica appreciated the ease with which they could access their contacts and personalise their experience – our upgraded handset offers all this and much more; a rich and rewarding and powerful mobile experience,” said JK Shin, President and Head of the Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics.

The upgrade will be available via PC Studio 7, Samsung’s unique in-house software upgrade program. PC Studio 7 was included in the package of Galaxy Spica or can be downloaded at the Samsung mobile website (http://www.samsungmobile.com).

Enhanced User Experienced
The Galaxy Spica becomes a highly intuitive communications device offering users the option to personalise no less than nine side-scrolling screens. Users can really let their imaginations run wild, creating different home screens according to different personal interests or requirements.

The handset now features augmented reality technology that displays real-time digital information of your surroundings over the view-finder of the Galaxy Spica’s 3 megapixel camera. The Galaxy Spica also features Samsung widgets, Visual bookmark and PC Sync support to enable users to synchronise their devices quickly.

Enhanced Multimedia and Messaging Functionality
The handset now comes with a number of enhanced multimedia features which transform the Galaxy Spica into a personal entertainment device. Media browser allows you to browse through your media collection with ease. The camera has been upgraded to offer enhanced picture options and viewing functionality.

Improved messaging functionality means that it is much easier to attach files to MMS and email that users can easily add contacts to messages direct from the phonebook. Improved contact management enables users to find a necessary contact very easily through the alphabetical index.

The upgrade will be available from March 2010 in Germany and gradually rolled out to other European markets, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Asia, Africa and rest of the world.

What are you still doing here? Get over there and order it!

[Thanks, Dave]

A report from Flurry, an analytics company that’s provided us with previous Nexus One information, states that the initial 74-day sales of the Nexus One have been next to abysmal, especially when compared to the original Apple iPhone and the Motorola Droid. That 135,000 may seem like a big number to a lot of people, especially in just 74 days, but the iPhone did 1 million units sold in 74 days. And the Droid? The other Android-powered handset, which is currently offered up by the Verizon Wireless network, sold a shocking 1.05 million handsets in 74 days. So, you see, Google has missed the mark with the Nexus One, and in the biggest way possible: marketing.

When compared to the marketing barrage that occurred with the original iPhone, and especially with the Droid, there’s no surprise that the Nexus One is failing in this regard. Here at SlashPhone, we can’t even honestly say that we’ve ever seen a Nexus One commercial on the TV. (It’s true, though, that we don’t watch much TV.) Yes, there are a lot of Google-centric Nexus One advertisements while you surf the Internet, but that’s not enough for the average consumer to purchase the device. And while many would paint the exclusive launch deal with T-Mobile USA another contributor of this failure, we’re not of the same mind. It would have helped them to have sold the device in T-Mobile USA stores, and that’s the bottom line.

On one last point, we have to play the Devil’s advocate with this. While we agree with everyone else in saying that 135,000 units sold in 74 days isn’t good at all, we’re also going to point out that Google didn’t market the Google Phone. In fact, it seems that Google was more interested in marketing their digital phone store, rather than the phone itself. So, yes, sales aren’t as high as the two most advertised devices in recent memory, but is that really shocking? Marketing vs no marketing has a distinct, clear winner, and that’s not a mystery to anyone.

[via Android Community]

Google filed for the patent last year, on December 10, with a direct connection with mobile phones. Apparently there’s another trademark with the same name, because that’s exactly why the Trademark Office has denied Google’s request. The other mark? That was granted to Integra Telecom in 2008, which relates to “the provision of telecommunication services and the transmission of voice and data.” So, basically, the Trademark Office has gone ahead and assumed that people would be confused by the similarities. We . . . Well, we don’t necessarily agree with that statement.

If Google wants to respond to the Office’s decision, they’ve got six months to do it. In that time, Google can continue to use the Nexus One name for their device. In fact, they can continue to use the name until Integra Telecom sues them for infringement. Which, if that does happen, we imagine that a settlement would be just about mandatory, which which Google would pay to continue to use the name. However, if Google can prove to the Trademark Office that their trademark should be supported, then everything could be turned around for the company. Or, if they really wanted to, they could use this opportunity to change the name of the device. What do you think?

[via CNET UK]

Software keyboards is one of those things that comes up on someone’s radar whether they like it or not. Most phones today have a dual-keyboard solution: hardware and software. But for phones like the Android-powered Nexus One, there’s just the one software keyboard. And while that may perfectly fine for some, options can be the best bet. Swype has the answer for you. Their Swype keyboard offers a great, intuitive way to enter text: just by sliding your finger from one letter to the next, spelling out your word. The Swype keyboard public beta launched this week, and from what we’ve heard, it was a huge success.

That moment we talked about the evolving mobile market? Nokia seems to want to be at the head of the pack. They’ve filed a patent that brings the science of piezoelectronics to the fore, shoving them into the body of a cell phone. They want to place the most important parts of the phone, such as the battery, on a set of rails that are powered by the piezoelectric cells. When the rails are compressed in one fashion or another, they would surge “life” into the battery. This would basically mean that the phone would never need to be charged from the traditional wall outlet. That’s right, it’s a self-charging device. No word on when we could see a phone like this, but we’ve got our fingers crossed that it’s coming some time in the next year or so.

The HTC Legend, the successor to HTC’s flagship device, the Hero, got a first-look review from our friends over at SlashGear. They did a nice job with it, too. If you’re interested in the newer version of Sense UI, along with Android 2.1, and are in the European market, then this may be the device you’ve been looking for. Especially if you’re looking for an obviously positioned mid-range device, that does all the cool things of a smartphone.

HTC has the HD2, and it’s a great device. No argument there. And while it’s been out in the European region for a few months now, it hasn’t made the leap to the States quite yet. Of course, that’s been rumored to be coming for awhile now, and HTC have finally teamed up with T-Mobile USA to bring the legendary device to US-based customers. On the 16th of March, T-Mobile is giving a small keynote about the power of the HD2, and what it means that it’s coming to their network. We’ve been invited, so keep your eyes peeled for what’s to be announced.

Palm released their Plug-in Developers Kit earlier this week as well. What this means, is that the gaming community for the webOS-based devices is about ready to take a pretty big leap in the right direction. By allowing developers access to the PDK, this means that games can be ported over to the Palm hardware without much of a hassle at all. So, games that are on the iPhone OS, or even the Android OS can be enjoyed on the webOS devices. Developers are hard at work at the latest batch of games now, so hopefully soon we’ll see the fruits of their labors.

LG showed off a whole new batch of devices to the Dutch news, ranging from the simplest of devices, to the higher-end S-Class devices. There wasn’t any kind of mention about when these devices would be released, and even though they were showing them off to the press, LG reinforced the fact that this was not the company officially announcing the handsets. So, while we wait for the GT405 to make some kind of official rounds, we’ll just have to be happy with the pictures we have now.

The Android Operating System is a great place to try out a lot of different features, especially programs. In this case, we have the new, mobile version of Opera. It’s been a mainstay for Windows Mobile devices for quite some time, so the launch of the browser on the Android platform isn’t that big of a surprise this week.

Motorola is removing Google Search and Google Maps from their devices launching in China for the foreseeable future. Considering the mess that Google and China have been since the new year started, this piece of news isn’t that surprising to us. Yes, we would much prefer to see Google-centric platforms on the Android Operating System, we understand that it’s the nature of the beast when using an open platform. Open source software means that manufacturers can do whatever they want with it when they get their hands on it, and Motorola seems to be making sure that no matter what, their phones are sold in China.

Considering the launch of the next iPhone is pretty much right around the corner, the rumors about what’s to come are starting to pick up. The latest one is one that we’ve heard more than a few times, so we’re starting to wonder if there’s some truth to it. If the next iteration of the iPhone does indeed support multitasking, we are mostly interested to see just how Apple has figured out how to do this. While it will be great to have the ability in general, too.

And finally, we have the BlackBerry Slider making an appearance again. This phone, though we originally believed to be a prototype that had been cast aside, is starting to look more real, and more possible, with each passing day. If it is, we are already applauding Research In Motion for trying to make something new and bold, and if not, then, well, at least they were trying at some point or another. There’s no word on whether or not this device will be seeing the light of day, but it does seem to have a model number now: 9900 for the GSM networks, and 9930 for the CDMA variants.

We want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read over the highlights of this last week. We can’t wait to see what’s coming in the week to follow, especially considering we have the HTC HD2 launch from T-Mobile, as well as the MIX10 developer’s conference, where more information regarding Windows Phone 7 Series is sure to come to light. So, stay frosty. We’ll be sure to keep you posted.