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Next-gen Casio G'zOne makes it to the FCC, reveals LTE and NFC support
The last Casio G'zOne handheld to come our way was the Commando, a military-grade device that marked the company's first foray into Android smartphones. Now it seems there's another one in the works, at least if a recent FCC filing is any indication. The Casio C811 looks to be a successor to the aforementioned Commando, with its G'zOne branding and features like WiFi and GSM world phone capabilities. Notably, the FCC document reveals the phone has Verizon-flavored LTE plus NFC support, both of which lead us to believe it'll likely be a mid- to high-end handset. Not much else is divulged from perusing the filing, but we're sure that whatever the C811 turns out to be, it'll be just as tough and durable as the rest of Casio's G'zOne offerings.
ZTE's alleged 'Blade III' smartphone gets photographed ahead of official announcement
Let's be honest, ZTE isn't exactly the best at keeping its upcoming devices secretly under wraps before eventually making them official -- and, well, such is the case with the latest, unannounced Blade III. Finnish retailer Verkkokauppa's currently listing ZTE's purported Blade III as a 3.5-inch (800 x 480) slab that's sporting Ice Cream Sandwich, a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU (MSM7227A) and a 5-megapixel rear shooter. Still, as FoneArena points out, these alleged specs go against other rumors circulating around the web, which indicate the Blade III is boasting a 4-inch display rather than the smaller sized 3.5-incher listed on the Finnish site. Whatever it may be, let's just hope ZTE's next Android smartphone doesn't come with any backdoor woes.
Microsoft adds Acer, ViewSonic to patent licensing list
You can go ahead and add Acer and ViewSonic to Microsoft's long list of patent licensees. This morning, Redmond announced a pair of new licensing agreements with the two companies, just a few months after striking similar deals with Itronix and Velocity Micro. Details, however, are few and far between, with Microsoft saying only that it will receive royalties from ViewSonic and that the patents in question pertain to both companies' Android tablets and smartphones. Of course they do. Both press releases await you, after the break.
Medion announces LifeTab P9514 tablet, mysterious Android smartphone at IFA
Medion enjoyed a pretty eventful weekend at this year's IFA in Berlin, where the German PC maker unveiled a new Android tablet and a rather obtuse Gingerbread smartphone. Known as the Lifetab P9514, the company's 32GB, 1.6-pound slate is powered by a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, runs Honeycomb 3.2 and features a capacitive multitouch display with 1280 x 800 resolution. The device also supports both quad-band 3G and WiFi connections, along with the usual smattering of HDMI, microUSB, and microSD ports. Medion's new phone, meanwhile, remains decidedly more mysterious. At this point, we know that the 4.3-inch handset rocks a five megapixel shooter and comes pre-loaded with the manufacturer's GoPal satnav app, but further details remain murky. Both devices are expected to ship within Europe during Q4 of this year at unconfirmed prices, though rumor has it that the LifeTab will run for €399 (about $564). No word yet on whether we can expect to see either product hit the US anytime soon, but you can catch a glimpse of the freshly unveiled smartphone, after the break.
Sony Ericsson enlists hippies to unleash the flower power of the Xperia Arc
Is the screen of Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc really bright enough to make a flower bloom? Not something we considered while reviewing SE's flagship, yet the company's gone and answered that question anyway. Helping settle the score are a group of swank euro-hippies, who apparently have free access to building materials and dwell in a post-apocalyptic greenhouse. Using a metal contraption that hoisted eight arcs, the team of mavericks was indeed able to get the flowers to flourish under the gizmos' potent white light. Don't believe us? Espy that and the ensuing tears of joy after the break.
Motorola XPRT available now on Sprint for $129.99 on contract
It took eight months, but Sprint has launched the Motorola XPRT, a rebadge of the Droid Pro that Verizon's been shilling since November. Since the Now Network is late to the game, it lowered the price to $129.99 on contract -- $50 less than what Big Red customers had to pay when the phone was brand new. (Then again, Verizon has since slashed the price to $149.99, or $99.99 if you buy online.) To recap, the XPRT is a portrait QWERTY handset with a 1GHz processor, 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen, and a 5 megapixel camera running Android 2.2 with Motoblur layered on top. And, like Verizon's version, it has a dual-mode CDMA / GSM chip making it ripe for worldwide roaming. We know, you've seen this phone before, but for what it's worth, if you've been holding out for an Android device with a portrait QWERTY keyboard on Sprint's network, the XPRT is one of just two options (the other being the lower-end Samsung Replenish).
Samsung Prevail review
In the years since the first Android device debuted, we've seen dozens of forgettable handsets running Google's now-ubiquitous software. The Samsung Prevail would fall into that category, too – were it not for some tempting pricing. It costs $180 with no contract – a steal compared to other unsubsidized smartphones – and Boost Mobile is charging just $50 a month for unlimited data. Oh, and that plan doesn't include throttling, so you won't see your data speeds slow down after you chug one megabyte too many. So, is this generous data plan worth settling for a decidedly ho-hum device? You'll have to head on past the break to find out. %Gallery-121965%
Samsung's Galaxy S 4G for T-Mobile going for $149 at Walmart
It may be a Vibrant with Froyo, a front-facing camera and a thing for Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but it's still downright enviable when you consider the Galaxy S 4G's innate support for 21Mbps downloads. As of today, neither Samsung nor T-Mobile USA have been perfectly clear about how much they'd be demanding for this guy, but thanks to a leaked pricing sheet from Walmart, it looks as if it'll be a solid $50 less than most new smartphones. Those who waltz into Wally World later this month will be able to take one home for $148.88 with a two-year service agreement, or if you're the No Strings Attached kind of individual, $650. Ah, the choices we're saddled with.
