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Verizon LG Optimus Vu apprehended by Android Police, confesses to Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade
If the LG Optimus Vu's insistence on running Gingerbread was the sole factor keeping you from its 5-inch HD-IPS display and its goofy 4:3 aspect ratio, your prayers may have been answered. According to a leaked gallery of images at Android Police, the oversized slab's rumored Verizon variant will be running Android 4.0.4. The images don't reveal much else --save for big red's standard logo, prominently stamped above the device's face -- but that's one less negative you can count from our review. Check out a second shot after the break, or the full gallery at the source below.
LG Optimus Vu review: a 5-inch, pen-enabled phone to take on the Galaxy Note
Tech companies are no strangers to the game of follow the leader -- industry imitation is, after all, the sincerest sign of a successful product. In the case of the Galaxy Note, Samsung's phablet wonder has been enjoying some unexpected popularity in markets abroad and even here in the US. But the company's ownership of that once-niche category is about to be contested by a surge of copycats, spearheaded by the stylus-toting LG Optimus Vu ($866 unlocked). It should go without saying: this 5-inch not-a-smartphone, not-yet-a-tablet has a steep climb ahead if it wants to oust or even claim equal billing with its successful opponent. Of course, the Vu isn't launching an attack on all fronts yet as, right now it's a Korea-only affair running Android Gingerbread. (It redeems itself somewhat with an LTE radio.) Though the competition is welcome, the duel is not an even one, given the Vu's unusual mix of internals: a 1,024 x 768 HD-IPS LCD display, dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor, 32GB of non-expandable storage, an ample 2,080mAh battery and a region-specific T-DMB TV tuner. But could that be enough to dethrone the current category king, or at least present a viable alternative? Join us after the break as we crack this rectangular nut and winnow out the marketing noise.%Gallery-160090%
PSA: Sony Xperia Ion lands in US today, yours starting at $50 with two-years of commitment
You've likely read our review of Sony's Xperia Ion by now, so just consider this a reminder for those who've yet to peruse it. After nearly half a year from being christened at CES, the Ion can officially be purchased today in the US. Agreeing to a two-year commitment and laying out 100 smackers at AT&T -- or just 50 at Sony or Best Buy -- will net you this handset and its curious match-up of dated and up-to-date specs. On the one hand, this Xperia disappointingly runs Android Gingerbread (2.3.7) atop a dual-core 1.5Ghz Snapdragon S3 processor. However, it also packs a 4.6-inch HD Reality display (1280 x 720), 1,900mAh battery, 1GB of RAM, a 12MP (720p video) Exmor R sensor-loaded rear shooter, NFC and PlayStation certification. Hit up your local AT&T, Best Buy or Sony store to see if it feels better in your hand than it did in ours, or shop for it online at the source links below. [Thanks, Jason & Oliver]
Sony Xperia Ion review: an Android handset with a split personality
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. But that adage, such a truism when applied to interpersonal relationships, doesn't quite carry the same weight when extended to the intimacy between expectant geek and promised hardware. So here we are, six months later: CES has long passed, the One X and Galaxy S III have been revealed, and the Android landscape is now decidedly governed by Ice Cream Sandwich. A veritable eternity has passed since Sony first introduced the AT&T-bound Xperia Ion, its LTE flagship for the US market, muting much of the initial buzz surrounding the handset. So, why choose now to bow a smartphone that's already been outshone by more recent and robust contenders? Perhaps it's simply a case of better late than never. But surely after all of that time, both parties could've managed to ship it with Android 4.0 and not the dated 2.3.7 build of Gingerbread that we get instead. More Info Sony Xperia Ion hits AT&T June 24th for $99 on contract Sony Xperia Ion hands-on Sony outs Xperia Ion HSPA for poor 4G-lacking citizens The Ion's aging OS and 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 CPU may be a nod to mobile's past, but the rest of its internals paint a more forward-thinking picture. This 4.6-inch Sony-bred device boasts a 1280 x 720 HD Reality display, 720p webcam / 12-megapixel rear camera with Exmor R sensor, PlayStation Certification, 16GB of storage plus 1GB RAM, a 1,900mAh battery and NFC. For that spec mix, you'd expect the Ion's on contract cost to double up on the Benjamins, but instead it's been priced to sell at an attractive $99 -- much like the Lumia 900. Will that retail positioning hurt or help its prospects? Can the Ion effectively straddle two worlds, carving out an identity for itself and attracting a defined market segment? Or will this hodgepodge of internals prove too inconsistent for any demographic, save, perhaps, bargain hunters? Find the answers to those questions and more below.
Samsung Galaxy Note for AT&T to ditch Exynos, sport 4G LTE?
Is a 4G LTE-capable Galaxy Note headed stateside? According to PocketNow, that could very well be the case. Rumour has it Sammy's bringing a branded variant of the 5.3-incher, purportedly the SGH-I717, to AT&T's lineup sometime in early 2012. We'd already seen the Note pass through the Commission's gates and had anticipated a U.S. debut would soon follow, but that version -- the GT7000B -- might simply be a color variant of the currently available international model. An operator tramp stamp and 700MHz / 1700MHz radios won't be the only changes reportedly on deck, as this tablet / phone in-betweener is said to pack a dual-core 1.5GHz MSM8660 -- similar to the HSPA+ 42 and LTE-friendly Qualcomm chipsets found in the Skyrocket and T-Mobile's GS2. Bear in mind, folks, that this is all still hearsay. Until we get word of an official release, you'll just have to make do with an unlocked import.
Pantech cooks up world's first 1.5 GHz dual-core phone, tablet in the works
If you keep a close eye on the latest dual-core superphones, you'll be blown away by the latest offering from...Pantech? The Korea-based company may not have a large smartphone presence in the West, but it throws together some decent devices at home. The latest in its Android lineup is the Vega Racer, the world's first superphone with a 1.5 GHz dual-core chip inside. With plans to go on sale later this month on SK-Telecom, it's got some real power under the hood with Qualcomm's MSM8660 Snapdragon chip, 1GB RAM, and Adreno 220 GPU. On top of these killer specs, the Racer also sports a 4.3-inch Sharp ASV TFT LCD display with 800x480 WVGA resolution, dual cameras at 8MP / 1.3MP, and 1650 mAh battery. Not bad for a phone that weighs 120g (4.23 oz) and is 9mm thin. Apart from the Vega Racer, Pantech is hopping on the tablet bandwagon and development is said to be "in full swing." When those slates will swing into retail, however, remains to be seen. [Thanks, Han]
