Maybe you’re not a fan of signing lengthy contracts, but you also don’t want to spend $500 or more on an unsubsidized smartphone. This deal on the Motorola Pro Plus MB632 could be just the ticket.

Yes, it’s true that this Android smartphone isn’t quite as sexy as the HTC One X or the Samsung Galaxy S III, but you are paying a fraction of the unsubsidized price. The Motorola MB632 has a 1GHz single core processor to go along with its 3.1-inch touchscreen display. You’ll also notice that, unlike so many other smartphones these days, this one actually has a full physical QWERTY keyboard.

Going through the rest of the specs and features, we find Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 5MP camera with LED flash, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, 4GB internal memory, microSD expansion (up to 32GB) and the usual array of Google services like Gmail, Search and Google Maps with Navigation.

Find the Motorola MB632 on Amazon for $199.99 outright, a $100 savings off the regular price of $300.

The post Daily Deal: Motorola Pro+ MB632 Unlocked Android Smartphone for $200 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The Sony Xperia NXT family of smartphones is making its way to the United States market and it’s coming in no fewer than three different flavors: the Xperia S, Xperia P and Xperia U. Variations of these phones have already been made available to international markets, so it’s not like they’re bringing a lot of high powered novelty to the mobile table.

The most expensive of the bunch at $559.99 outright, is the Sony Xperia S powered by a dual-core Snapdragon 1.5GHz processor, 1B of RAM, and the Sony Mobile Bravia Engine. Android 2.3 is overlaid with Sony’s Timescape UI. Rounding out the specs are the 12MP camera, 4.3-inch 720p display, and standard 1750mAh battery. Look for it in black or white.

Next, the Sony Xperia P ($479.99) will ship in silver, red and black. It gets a dual core 1GHz processor, 4.0-inch 540×960 pixel display, Android 2.3 with Timescape, 8MP camera, and Sony WhiteMagic technlogy.

Sony Xperia U at $299.99 unlocked, is by far the cheapest of the bunch. It’s also the smallest with its 3.5-inch display, but you still get a 1GHz dual core processor and Android 2.3. An upgrade to Android 4.0 ICS is being planned, as is also the case with the P.

[Source]

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The Samsung Galaxy Note is certainly an awesome device, if you have any doubt about that, click here. The LTE handset was released in Canada earlier this year, and now it appears like a white version of the Gingerbread-running Smablet (or phablet) is finally headed to the Land of the Maple Leaf.

According to the internal documents that you see here, which come to us courtesy of MobileSyrup, Telus will launch the 5.3-inch white Galaxy Note on April 4^th, which, if you haven’t realized, is today. The device will have the same price tag of $199.99 with a 3-year contract or $779.99 without any strings attached.

Bell appears to have decided to launch the white ones a few days later on April 10^th. The device will be priced the same – $199.99 on a 3-year contract or $729.99 outright. There are no hints about whether Rogers will be releasing the white model.

We are expecting to hear an official confirmation from both the carriers sometime soon, so stay tuned for updates.

The post White Samsung Galaxy Note To Be Launched On Telus Today, Bell On April 10th? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It may not be coming jam-packed with features as the new iPad which becomes available today for the cost of an arm and leg, and it may not be as thin as the teased stainless steel Archos slate, but it certainly is unbeatable when it comes to its price tag. The ridiculously cheap Aakash 2 tablet, which is the successor to the $35 Aakash tablet designed for the students in India, will be launched in the country in the coming month with a price tag of just $40.

Yes, you heard that right, the device will cost only that much. And although it can never be placed alongside all the high-end tablets out there, it features some better components when compared to its predecessor and is expected to come with improved performance (and don’t forget the $40 price).

The new Aakash will come equipped with a 700MHz Cortex A8 processor, a 3200 mAh battery (promises 3 hours of use), 512 MB of RAM and a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen display (replaces the resistive one). That may not look too great, but the previous Aakash lasts just around 2 hours and its performance was not that awesome either.

Although some are saying that the device will run Android 2.2 Froyo, it might arrive with Gingerbread on board. In case you are new to the OS, ICS is never going to arrive. And support for Android Market, now called the Google Play Store, is also a possibility.

The Indian government wants to see a tablet in the hands of every student in the country within the next five to six years. That’s a mighty big task in a country which is home to over 1.2 billion people. Makers DataWind have promised to bring out 100,000 units, although that’s not going to be nearly enough.

[ source ]

The post Do You Want The New iPad Or The New $40 Aakash Tablet? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The Sony Xperia S from the company’s Xperia NXT series turned out to be a big attraction at CES 2012, but their newest additions, the Xperia P (pictured above) and Xperia U, into the same family appear to be lacking in lustre. But that did not stop us from taking a closer look at the pretty looking Android handsets.

Confirming previous rumors, both the handsets run 1-GHz, dual-core processors. The Xperia P features an 8-megapixel camera with HD recording capabilities and its 4-inch qHD screen comes with the company’s new “White Magic” screen tech. The technology will automatically adjust brightness to allow for use in direct sunlight. We will be putting that tech to the test in the very near future.

The handset also features HDMI and DLNA connectivity, 16GB of storage, and will be available in silver, black, and red.

The Xperia U that you see above has a smaller 3.5-inch “reality” display, but it lacks the new White Magic feature. It features a 5-megapixel HD camera.

Both the handsets can capture 2D and 3D panoramic images and features NFC. They will be running Android 2.3 Gingerbread when launched sometime in the first half of 2012, but Sony has promised that the upgrade to ICS will arrive by the second quarter.

Meanwhile, the company announced that the Xperia S will go on sale this week in Barcelona. Anyone who wants to play with the device’s impressive 12-megapixel camera should just go for it. Check out the hands on videos (from T3.com) of the Xperia P and Xperia U below.

The post MWC 2012: Sony Xperia P And Xperia U Hands-On (Video) appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Samsung is expected to come out with a lot of exciting products at MWC 2012. But their newly unveiled Galaxy Beam handset might not impress you when it comes to the specs, although it has one trick up its sleeve. The device features a built-in pico projector.

The new device is an updated version of Samsung’s Galaxy Beam which was shown off at the Mobile World Congress in 2010. And in case you are pondering, Samsung is not the only company which has dived into the idea of a projector in a phone. Have you heard about the LG eXpo projector phone?

The original Galaxy Beam was only slated for Singapore and it came with Android v2.1, a 3.7-inch screen, and a 9 lumens projector. The updated version runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and features a 4-inch 480×800 TFT display, a 1GHz dual-core processor, 8GB of internal memory (there’s a microSD slot for cards of up to 32GB), a 5MP rear shooter, a 1.3MP front camera and a 2000mAh battery.

That’s no HTC One X, but those who are buying this device will be looking forward to playing with its 15 lumens projector. Although that is not enough to blind anyone, it is more than enough for projecting pictures, videos, and other media onto flat surfaces. And, according to Samsung, it can display images up to 50-inches wide.

Unfortunately, we haven’t got any hints regarding the price tag and availability of the Beam. We will keep you updated. The Beam is expected to be launched in a number of countries.

And yeah, almost forgot. According to the device’s landing page, the handset has 6GB of RAM. That’s most probably a typo, but maybe not, since it could take some serious memory to power a projector.

The post MWC 2012: Samsung Galaxy Beam Projector Phone Has “6GB RAM” appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

No, unlike the PlayStation Vita, the Xperia Play 2 does not appear to have dual thumbsticks or a touch-sensitive panel on the back. Instead, the basic control scheme remains unchanged from the first Xperia Play, meaning you get a D-pad, shoulder buttons, and a couple of touch-sensitive pads in the middle meant to mimic the controls of thumbsticks.

You will notice that they’ve seemingly abandoned the curvaceous nature of the first Xperia Play (and most other Xperia smartphones) for something a little more squared off, though it still has rounded corners. The rumored spec sheet includes a peppy 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 4.3-inch 1280×720 display, and an 8.1MP rear camera with LED flash. And yes, it’s PlayStation Certified, of course. The touch sensitive Android buttons seem to point toward Gingerbread, but there’s likely an ICS update in the works too.

There’s no way for us to know if this rendering is legitimate, so take this with a grain of gaming salt.

The post Leaked Image of Sony Xperia Play 2 Android PlayStation Smartphone appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

LG’s newest flagship device has arrived on Verizon, but haven’t we seen this device before? Essentially, the LG Spectrum is in fact very similar to the 4G LTE supporting LG Nitro HD on AT&T and the LG Optimus LTE north of the border with Bell. Beneath it’s 4.5-inch IPS display beats the heart of a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, a 1,830mAh battery and 4GB of internal storage, supplemented by 16GB of microSD memory. The handset measures 5.33-inches by 2.71-inches, and is just .41-inches thick. The Spectrum currently retails for $199 with a 2-year contract with Verizon.

Design

While many users out there who have gotten their hands on the Spectrum say that it isn’t an attractive device, I have to disagree. It is true that the design is very simple, and for some users this translates over to ‘boring’. LG didn’t go for a beautiful or eye-catching design, they went for a basic, clean look that isn’t exciting but is highly functional in a business sort of way. Of course, some of you out there are looking for a phone that you can show off to your friends and have them drooling over, and admittedly this phone is not it. It’s more of a “blend in to the crowd” type of phone, but I certainly wouldn’t call it ugly.

The true elements worth showing off boil down to its 4G LTE speeds, and not the outward appearance.

Hardware
While 4G LTE is a very important feature on the Spectrum, it is the large 4.5-inch True HD IPS display panel that really sells this device. Watching the pre-loaded HD trailers was a thrill and admittedly this little guy’s screen looked a lot better than my own 2-year old HDTV. The colors, contrast, and overall clarity proved perfectly crisp. The front is coated in Gorilla Glass and again, is really quite impressive.

For those picky about pixel density, there is little to complain about with the Spectrum thanks to its IPS display packing 319 ppi. This is a little higher than even the iPhone 4s, which offers 319 ppi. Beyond the screen, the front also bares three capacitive buttons for Menu, Home, and Back. Additionally, the face of the unit has a 1.3MP front-facing camera.

At the unit’s top you’ll find a power button, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB charging port. The volume rocker is on the left-hand side, and on the right? Actually nothing, there are no ports or buttons of any kind on the right, leaving it as blank real-estate.

On the backside we have the Spectrum’s primary camera, an 8MP shooter that actually performs rather well. There is actually minimal shutter lag (under a second) and it’s video camera can even capture in 1080p. The camera software is the same as you’ll find on the Nitro HD and allows you to shuffle between portrait, landscape, sports, sunset and even night mode.

One qualm I do have with the back of this phone is its backing is a finger-print magnet, not only this, but it is a little sleek to the touch and doesn’t quite offer the best grip out there.

Software

This is probably the only major disappointment I found when testing out the Spectrum, it is still using Gingerbread. Don’t get me wrong, Gingerbread is more than capable of providing a great experience, but I had hoped to get my hands on ICS with the Spectrum. The good news is that at some undefined point in time LG promises that the headset will in fact get an upgrade to ICS.  For now we get a custom-skinned version of Android Gingerbread 2.3.5. The device has seven different home-screens and some customized widgets for weather, news and other functions like social networking. Honestly, the skin really doesn’t offer anything exceptionally great to the Android experience, other than perhaps the App folder and its collapsible categories.  The Spectrum also comes with a good amount of bloatware and demos that are best forgotten.

For sports fans out there though, one app that might be worth mentioning is the ESPN Score Center App. This program allows you to easily follow and receive the most comprehensive sports coverage imaginable, including tracking teams from over 500 leagues from MLB to NFL, and even sports like Cricket, Rugby, and Nascar.

Performance

I’ve really gotten to know the Spectrum well over the past few days and must admit, I really like it. It isn’t necessarily the most powerful phone out there, but it certainly performs quite admirably, offers 4G LTE and has a truly beautiful HD IPS display.

But how does it fare in benchmark test? I ran it through Quadrant Standard to give our users a better look. As you can see from the benchmark shot on the right, the Spectrum scored 2400, putting it just a little over Samsung’s Galaxy Tab. Keep in mind that is fairly impressive considering this is a smartphone, not a tablet. Notably, its CPU ranked 4071 and its 3D capabilities came in at 1448.

You will find that its Qualcomm MSM8660 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM should be more than enough to compete even with many of the mid-range tablets out there. Overall, it’s quite an impressive phone in my personal opinion.

Unfortunately, I can’t say as much for its battery capabilities. In your pocket, with 4G LTE largely not active, and only occasional use, it can easily do around eight hours. Unfortunately, if you hit it hard with 4G LTE and other intensive tasks like HD, you’ll find yourself lucky to get much more than four hours.

This is pretty common with 4G LTE, which is known for its battery draining side affects. Although I’d love to see a better battery experience with 4G LTE running, for now you can always just disable the LTE when you aren’t using it.

How does the 4G LTE itself perform, though? First off, I live in a rural enough area that I had to head towards a friend in a bigger city just to find out. Once there though, I admit I was enthralled by the speed abilities, though it doesn’t take much to impress me because I’m used to only 3-4 Mbps speeds.

There were moments when I could only hit around 1.46 Mbps, but for the most part it averaged out over 10 Mbps. It even managed to get up to 30 Mbps at one point, which for someone used to 3-4 Mbps speeds was damn-near astounding.

Bottom Line

While not all users will fall in love with the simple aesthetics of the LG Spectrum, I certainly found myself mesmerized by the overall experience I had. I enjoyed the HD capabilities and large screen, messing around with apps like the Siri-clone “Evi”, and playing with the camera. It certainly was a major step up from my older entry-level LG Optimus, that’s for sure (of course any phone would have been better than my older entry smartphone).

While I can’t get 4G LTE in my area, I spend a lot of time in the city and still get 3G near my home, so the bottom line is that 4G LTE support is very important for this phone, but it’s not the only feature worth noting on the device.

If you don’t like the looks of the phone, you’ll at least be won over by its high-end HD IPS display. The 4G LTE isn’t too bad either.

For those that want a little better aesthetics, you might want to check out the Droid RAZR. If you are upset about the battery life though? You won’t find anywhere better to turn if you are interested in 4G LTE, bad battery life seems to be the price you pay for speed, at least for now.

The post Review: LG Spectrum with Verizon 4G LTE appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The reason why most people don’t go after budget devices is that those devices won’t be too impressive on the specs side. But you all should check out the teXet TM-7025, which is a new affordable Android tablet just released in Russia.

Although it is a drawback that the new tablet runs only Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, ICS has been “promised.” But, get this, the new device is coming with 3D video playback. And it boasts a Boxchip A10 Cortex A8 1GHz processor along with 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory, and a microSD card slot for expanding memory.

It features a 7-inch capacitive TFT LCD display that looks pretty stylish. But for a better viewing experience, you can connect the device to your HDTV via its miniHDMI connector.

Other features include Wi-Fi, a miniUSB port, a 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera, an accelerometer and a 3,100 mAh Li-Ion battery. You can also connect the tablet to a 500 GB hard drive without the need for extra power. It’s just 12.1mm thin and weighs in at only 13 ounces.

And all that will cost only 5,999 rubles (around $200) in Russia. Now that’s a pretty cheap tablet. And if it’s coming to the US, there is a possibility that it will be available with an even cheaper price tag. We will surely let you know if this one reaches the gates of FCC.

The post Russian teXet TM-7025 Budget Android Tablet Is Just $200 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

People in Europe have been waiting for a while to enjoy the glorious speeds of 4G LTE. Although some countries in the continent will still have to wait a bit more for the launch of the network, Germany can celebrate since they will be getting the HTC Velocity, the first 4G LTE Android-powered smartphone in Europe.

Vodafone’s German arm will launch the device “sometime soon.” The Velocity is a variant of the HTC Vivid LTE handset that was released in the US on AT&T’s network in the previous year.

Similar to the Vivid, the Velocity comes equipped with a 4.5 inch qHD display with a resolution of 540 x 960 and a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. Although the screen is not as big as the one on the Galaxy Note, it’s more than enough for the first 4G LTE phone to arrive.

The handset features two cameras: an 8 megapixel rear facing camera with 1080p video capture and a front-facing 1.3 megapixel shooter to satisfy all your video chatting needs. The phone will run Android 2.3 Gingerbread and you can expect an update to ICS to arrive in the coming months. Other features include 1GB of RAM and 16GB of on-board memory.  The device will arrive in Germany first and we expect it to make its way to other parts of Europe later this year. But for everyone in the UK, you will all have to wait until the 4G auctions are completed.

[ source ]

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