Monday, April 5th

We started the week off with a pretty interesting leak from Verizon Wireless’ depths. Contained in an InfoDoc activation write-up, the HTC Incredible made a very distinct appearance. This is still one of those devices that’s insanely popular amongst Android fans, along with Verizon Wireless customers who are looking for a powerful new device. The sad thing is, though, Verizon still hasn’t officially announced the device. Hopefully, though, that happens soon.

And we can’t go a week without having some kind of Samsung news, now can we? Of course not. And sure enough, they came through for us. They were out and about, taking slides with them that show off the progression of their Bada Operating System. Familiar faces, like the Samsung Wave, made an appearance at the top tier of the chart, but there were a couple full QWERTY slide-out keyboard devices that definitely piqued our interest. Especially if we can get some Super AMOLED goodness on there, all for about $350.

Ah, the HTC Hero. The light of Android’s eye, so to speak. At least, it was back in July, when it was the flagship device to launch Android 1.5, and bring HTC’s Sense User Interface to the fold. Well, if you’ve got an HTC Hero, or one of its many derivatives, then you know you’re still on Android 1.5, even if the rest of the world is moving on. Luckily for you, though, HTC have apparently given the greenlight for the Android 2.1 roll out, which should begin April 16th. Keep your fingers crossed.

Tuesday, April 6th

There’s no doubt about the fact that Nokia is one of the most beloved wireless carriers around the world. Probably not so much in America, but definitely around the world. And how could it not be, with such stable devices like the E71 and E66? These work horse handsets are some of the most popular ones floating around, and now they’re getting better. Thanks to the wireless carrier’s own Ovi Maps service. The free, offline-enabled service is now officially available for the two handsets, and the best part is it’s completely free.

So, Verizon Wireless wants the iPhone. In fact, Ivan Seidenberg –CEO of Verizon Wireless– says that he and the rest of his wireless juggernaut is ready to carry the Apple banner right now, but he understands that it is Apple’s call. There’s still rumors flying around that Verizon Wireless will indeed get the new (or some kind of new) iPhone for their network in the future, but that’s a rumor that’s been living since 2007, and just won’t seem to die. Well, at least if Steve Jobs and the rest of the Cupertino-based company decide to bring their prodigal phone to Big Red, they already know they’re eagerly waiting for it.

Speaking of Android devices, looks like the Samsung Moment is getting an upgrade. At least, that’s what we’re supposed to believe with these latest unofficial photo shoot. Apparently, the Samsung Moment 2 is going to rock the same slide-out physical QWERTY keyboard as its predecessor, have Android 2.1, and feature Samsung’s infamous TouchWiz (3.0) interface. Other than that, there’s not much known about it. We do know that it’s going to be a Sprint exclusive, just like the original, so that should be some good news to Sprint subscribers out there.

Wednesday, April 7th

The HTC Desire is the Nexus One with some major improvements in the software front: namely, the use of HTC’s Sense User Interface. Other than that, the two devices are pretty much identical, with the exception of the switch from a trackball to an optical trackpad. In any event, the HTC Desire is one of those devices that many people are eagerly anticipating getting unlocked, so they don’t need to be shackled to any kind of service plan for another three years. Unfortunately for them, as of Wednesday, the handset was delayed yet again from hitting unlocked online retailers.

As for the Nexus One, it continues to make the rounds. This time around, it’s heading to France, thanks to Bouygues Telecom. The Android 2.1 superphone showed up on the company’s website, spouting off all the cool details about the handset. There’s no word on when it will be officially released, but our hat is tipped for later this month (like, the end of it), or even the beginning of May. After all, it has to launch on Verizon Wireless here in the States first, along with Vodafone across the pond.

Verizon Wireless has new devices coming soon, and they wanted to make sure that everyone in Verizon Wireless knew about it. The official slide that was passed around internally wasn’t meant for the public’s eye, but was entirely meant to calm the Big Red’s employees, as everyone is expecting new handsets soon. Of course, it could be the HTC Incredible, or a new BlackBerry device. Or, it could be Microsoft’s Project Pink handsets. We’ll find out soon.

Thursday, April 8th

Nokia wants to make sure that their Comes With Music service is heard by all of their Nokia fans out there, but right now, it’s not available in every country. That’s changing in a big way, as Nokia is not only launching the service in China, but now allowing for DRM-free downloads of music. This is a way for Nokia, as well as major music companies in China, to save money on pirated music. It seems like a last-ditch effort to us, but we hope it works nonetheless.

The HTC Incredible showed up again later this week, in two big ways: the first, a Best Buy screenshot that said the device would launch in their stores on April 29th. There’s still no word from Verizon Wireless about the device’s existence, but at this point, we can safely say it’s a done deal. And, if that wasn’t enough proof for you, the handset’s user manual also leaked, just enforcing all the debate. We’re now just waiting for Verizon to pull the plug on this blackout, so we can finally get some official word.

Apple launched iPhone OS 4.0 on Thursday, and they did it with 7 tentpoles holding up their circus. The biggest announcement (at least in the phone department) is the fact that the latest upgrade to Apple’s mobile Operating System includes multitasking. A simple double-click of the Home button now brings up the applications tray, which showcases recently used apps, and you can switch back and forth on a whim. Multitasking made easy, by none other than Apple. Consider us unsurprised.

Friday, April 9th

When it comes to Windows Mobile, there’s only a few handsets out there that actually stand out. One of them is the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2. And, for the lucky owners of the device out there, Microsoft and Sony Ericsson have finally released a much needed update for the handset. This will officially push you into the realm of Windows Mobile 6.5.3, so keep your arms open wide, and accept the future, ladies and gentlemen.

AT&T is changing gears in a big way, starting in the next couple months. They want you to Rethink Possible, because the second largest wireless carrier in America is no longer focusing their energy on being a wireless carrier behemoth. Instead, they want to be a jumping off point for progressive, innovative lifestyle. We have no idea what that means, exactly, but hopefully AT&T will start to clarify their position soon. Furthermore, we just hope this means they aren’t going to forget about their tower upgrades. We still need service, folks.

Research In Motion is trying to find ways to change the game, it seems. According to a lot of insider chatting, it seems the manufacturer of the BlackBerry line of handsets has their eyes set on something completely different for them: a tablet. According to rumors and leaks, it seems that the Canada-based organization has recently purchased some 8.9-inch displays, for what can only be a tablet. These things are meant to sync with their BlackBerry counterparts, and be specifically designed for owners of BlackBerry devices. AT least they’re keeping it in the family.

High lights of MR1 software upgrade:

• MR1 is built on a new core platform release from Microsoft including a newer version of IE6
• Stability improvements are everywhere with focus on SlideView, Panel manager and TileWave
• Performance improvements focused on rotation and touch performance, the camera, web browsing, the software keyboard and audio streaming
• New features are added like FM radio, Video calling, Auto-lock and Fast GPS which allows for a faster first fix to the GPS signal
• SlideView 2.0 gives better usability throughout with a fresh design; and new actions are build in like new/reply/delete/edit capabilities in messaging and calendar. Music scrolling/searching and the mini-player have also been enhanced
• The new dialer took a big step forward with four easy buttons giving easy access to the dial-pad, favorites, call activity and contacts. We increased the target hit area in contacts for finger friendliness and added user friendly redial functionality
• software keyboard (XT9) improved speed and touch responsiveness

[via sonyericsson]

“Putting developers’ applications directly in front of consumers is a crucial focus for us,” says Christopher David, Head of Developer and Partner Engagement at Sony Ericsson. “We created the Panel SDK to streamline the development process, minimising the time it takes to get applications directly to the consumer and providing developers with additional revenue opportunities.”

With 14 specially designed preloaded Xperia panels and 16 more to download, you can quickly switch to panels like Skype, Mytopia, Google, CNN and Windows Live. Although the new X2 will only be upgraded to a 3.2-inch full touch screen, the new Windows Phone now comes with a 8.1 megapixel camera and flash LED.

“In the fast moving world we live in, the need to stay connected has never been so important.” said Sumit Malhotra, marketing business manager, Sony Ericsson. “We constantly rely on our mobile phones as an extension to the office and the XPERIA X2 debuting with Windows Mobile 6.5, allows users to work quickly and efficiently while on the move. The XPERIA X2 also features a new range of interactive panels as well as SlideView, which provides quick access to frequently used phone activities – perfect for those who need to see any missed incoming activity at a glance.”

Xperia X2 supports GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS/HSPA 850/900/2100. XPERIA™ X2 will be available in selected markets from early Q4 in the colours Elegant Black and Modern Silver.

• Windows Mobile 6.5
• 528 MHz CPU
• Slide view
• TV out
• 8.1 mega pixel camera with Photo light, Auto focus, Geo tagging, Image stabilizer
• Bluetooth
• Motion gaming
• A-GPS
• Wi-Fi
• microSD card slot
• Size: 110 x 54 x 16 mm
• Weight: 115 grams
• Main screen: 65,536 colour TFT
• Resolution: 480 x 800 pixels (WVGA)
• Size: 3.2 inches
• Phone memory: Up to110MB
• Talk time GSM: Up to 10 hrs
• Standby time GSM: Up to 500 hrs
• Talk time UMTS: Up to 6hrs
• Standby time UMTS: Up to 640hrs

More press photos at next page

]]> http://www.slashphone.com/rumor-more-sony-ericsson-xperia-x2-photos-in-the-wild-246459/feed 0 http://www.slashphone.com/rumor-sony-ericsson-xperia-x2-in-the-wild-055926 http://www.slashphone.com/rumor-sony-ericsson-xperia-x2-in-the-wild-055926#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:56:00 +0000 Kim Poh Liaw http://www.slashphone.com/?p=5926 Is the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 continue to maintain the design of its first Xperia X1? A leaked picture has been sent to engadget and said to be the X2, the second Xperia product from Sony Ericsson Windows Mobile fans. While we aren’t sure about its detail specs, Sony Ericsson is quite confirmed to continue the Xperia product series with more models according to the recent news.

[via wmpoweruser]