InTheWild
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Nokia N9 (or something) in the wild: 8 megapixel camera, American 3G?
We told you, didn't we? Whether you want to call this the N98, the N900's successor, or the N8 plus QWERTY, what you're looking at above is potentially the visage of Nokia's next smartphone. It's being dubbed the N9 by the folks at Negri Electronics, who also inform us it has an 8 megapixel imager on the back, 850 / 1900 3G bands (good for AT&T, Rogers, Telus, and Bell), and "ridiculous screen clarity." This sort of throws us for a loop, since we're looking at some straight Symbian action up there, whereas Nokia has told us directly that there'll be no more Symbian on the N Series after the N8. A clue to what might be going on is provided by the "C0" label at the upper left corner of this device, suggesting that it could be a future C Series member. All we know is that the thing seems pretty real and it's headed to a full video review in the next few days. Yay! [Thanks, Jason]
Exclusive: BlackBerry 9800 for AT&T fully exposed!
We've just been sent a mother lode of shots of RIM's upcoming BlackBerry 9800 -- a phone whose market name is still unknown -- but whether it's called the Bold, the Torch, or something else altogether, we think we're looking at near-final hardware here. The software is identified as version 0.9, but you can clearly tell from the UI that it's running BlackBerry 6 with an ever-so-slightly refined look and subtle 3D elements missing from prior releases. This particular phone is AT&T-branded, and it starts up with a carrier logo screen that proudly proclaims the 9800 a world phone -- sure enough, the About screen shows support for WCDMA bands I, II, V, and VI, which means you'll be able to use the phone for 3G service in Japan and most of Europe. Generally speaking, BlackBerrys haven't been known to be the prettiest things around (with the possible exception of the Curve 8900), but we'll admit -- we're digging this. Check out the full gallery below! [Thanks, Om]%Gallery-96246%
iPhone 4 arrives at Walmart (update: and Best Buy!)
Check out that sweet, sweet box. Yes folks, we seem to have received our very first in-the-cardboard picture of the retail iPhone 4 out in the wild. We don't work at Walmart, so we can't verify this one for ourselves, but our tipster says Apple's latest phone has just landed in the big box retailer's storehouses. P.S. -- Before you start frothing at the mouth, the CDMA coding on the box in the background relates to an LG 290C handset also stocked by Walmart. Update: A shot of a Best Buy arrival is past the break.
LG leaks in Brazil include Android-powered C710, cute T310
Brazil's CelularCafe looks to have scored a four-pack of fresh leaks out of LG, most notably a new Android handset being called the C710 that looks suspiciously like Verizon's Ally but apparently lacks a QWERTY keyboard, steps up to a 5 megapixel cam, and includes 802.11n WiFi, a new spec sheet line item that's been picking up steam with higher-end smartphones as of late. Next, there's the T300, a low-end full touchscreen device with a 2 megapixel cam that the site has taken to calling the Cookie Light; next to it lies the slightly-spiffier T310 (pictured) with a larger display and irresistibly cute styling. Finally, there's a forgettable A130 clamshell with EDGE data and an FM radio with recording capability -- needless to say, not the most exciting of the bunch. No word on when, or where, we might see any of these for sale. [Thanks, Daniel P.]
AT&T's LG Prime and Pantech Ease in the wild?
If the Pursuit isn't up your alley, it looks like Pantech's got a slightly higher-end phone in store for you: the Ease. We know next to nothing about it, but it's clearly got a more spacious keyboard than its kid brother -- and the silver highlights are a little more businesslike than green and blue. From LG, we've got a phone called the Prime that looks as though it could be a keyboardless (and arguably better-looking) version of the Vu Plus. No dates or prices on these, but dummies are out and about, so it can't be long. See more in the gallery below. [Thanks, anonymous tipster] Update: We've been told by two independent sources that the Ease is actually geared toward the older set -- first we've really seen a full touchscreen phone do that -- and the Prime is destined for AT&T's prepaid GoPhone service with a 2 megapixel cam. Thanks, guys! %Gallery-95670%
Sprint's 4G-equipped Samsung Galaxy S Pro in the wild?
The Moment just got a whole lot less interesting, didn't it? What you're looking at is allegedly Samsung's Galaxy S Pro for Sprint, a potential blockbuster of a phone that's said to have WiMAX support and a front-facing cam -- basically, the QWERTY answer to the EVO 4G (and this one's presumably got a Super AMOLED display, to boot). It doesn't look exactly like a standard Galaxy S with a keyboard grafted on, so we're not sure how confident we are that the "Galaxy S Pro" name is going to stick by the time it hits retail -- but you could call it "ball of dung" and we suspect it'd still sell like hotcakes. Stay tuned for more on this one as we get it. Update: Android Community has more pictures posted now that confirm both the Galaxy S branding and the 4G radio (note the "Sprint 4G" logo on back). Thanks, Linh P.!
Motorola Droid 2 fully exposed?
And finally, the puzzle pieces are coming together. There's been a lot of confusion the past few weeks about these two new models for Verizon in Motorola's pipeline, but by all accounts, this seems to be the A955 Droid 2 in its entirety -- the true successor to the original Droid, of course, and a distinctly different product than the more slate-like Xtreme. It looks like Moto has killed off the Droid's major pain points, giving the new model a more tactile keyboard and eliminating the nearly useless d-pad; the shiny bezel around the top half is a matter of personal opinion, but we don't think we mind it from the blurry shots we've seen. As specs go, we're looking at a faster 750MHz OMAP core -- probably similar to the 720MHz silicon quoted in the XT720's data -- along with a 3.7-inch display, 8GB of internal storage paired with an 8GB microSD card in the box, and a 5 megapixel camera. What's missing is an HDMI port and Froyo -- current test units are said to be running 2.1, so hopefully we'll see a 2.2 upgrade in the near term. So, Droid owners: is this the golden ticket to get you to shell out another couple hundred dollars? As a bonus, follow the break for alleged video of the Droid 2's boot sequence, which shows a reworked version of the scary red droid eye we're accustomed to.
Sony Ericsson 'Shakira' is a lower-cost X10 alternative?
Call it the Legend to HTC's Desire, if you will, but we're hearing that Sony Ericsson may have another Android device in the works that would slot in beneath the high-end Xperia X10. The phone -- allegedly codenamed "Shakira" -- is said to have a 3-inch display, but otherwise, we don't have any details; the tipster says that it could be running either Android 1.6 or 2.1, and with Sony Ericsson's custom skin in full effect, it's impossible to tell from this shot. Of course, the SE community has a legendary reputation for creating unbelievably convincing mockups, so we can't rule this real until the day it's announced; then again, it stands to reason that they'd want to make something cheaper than an X10 and less of a novelty gadget than the X10 mini. Stay tuned, folks. [Thanks, Dion]
Motorola Droid Xtreme pictured yet again, still not announced
Quickly becoming the most well-leaked handsets since the next iPhone, Motorola's fine little piece of kit informally known so far as the Droid Shadow / Xtreme has shown up yet again -- and this time, we're getting a great view of that bulbous posterior. The 8 megapixel cam, HD video capture, and dual LED flash are all confirmed, which takes just a little edge off the EVO 4G's reign, we'd say. Competition is grand, ain't it?
BlackBerry Curve 9300 fixing to replace the 8500 series?
It death of the BlackBerry Curve 8900 on T-Mobile (you can still get it on AT&T, by the way) bummed us out for the simple reason that it was perhaps the best-looking BlackBerry every made. The Curve 8500 series that followed it just didn't have the same sort of sleek, high-end air about it, so we're happy to see that the 8500's follow-on should go a little ways toward closing the gap. What we're apparently looking at here is the Curve 9300, a phone that carries over the now-standard optical pad from the 8500 but uses a decidedly 8900-esque chrome surround while adding 3G and support for 802.11n, a feature it shares with the Pearl 3G. What keeps the 9300 on the low end of the spectrum, though, is its screen -- it's apparently just QVGA, and we're a little discouraged that the leaked unit here isn't running BlackBerry 6 -- but you get what you pay for, right?
LG's Windows Phone 7 caught in some early packaging, to be dubbed GW910? (update: video!)
LG hasn't been what you'd call "super secretive" with its first Windows Phone 7 hardware (codenamed LG Panther), after all, the phone was flashed on the Engadget Show as the first official hardware for the new OS. Still, a prototype of the phone, meant for developers to start testing their apps on, has made its way into the wild and might shed some new light on the handset. It's been spotted with some full-on packaging (which is apparently non-final, even the Windows Phone 7 logo is wrong) and a "GW910" model number, which might be the final name for the handset -- or at least its internal call sign. It's also dangerously close in sound to the GW990, bringing back painful memories of that Moorestown phone's cancellation. Other notes accompanying the leak state that while the OS still has plenty of rough edges and is being updated with new builds almost every other day, it's "more or less feature complete" and very fast. They even shot a sample photo with the device, which you can find at your friendly neighborhood source link. Haven't had enough Windows Phone 7? Hit up our nerdtastic breakdown of the OS's core components. Update: Looks like Innovative Singapore got a video of the phone's startup sequence as well. Watch it power on at our source link.
Mystery Motorola Droid (Shadow?) spotted with Verizon branding, set to be starting somethin'
Why hello there... you. Over at the HowardForums, a certain "wnrussell" has uploaded a picture of what looks to be a Getting Started manual for a Verizon-bound Motorola Droid that we can't recall ever seeing before. There's unfortunately no other information provided at the moment, except maybe a hint from the filename: Shadow. Is this the same 4.3-inch phone we've been seeing rumored for some time now? At any rate, we gotta say, this is a pretty attractive device -- and if that's a new hue for Motoblur, we're all for it. Now how about pulling out a secret slide-out keyboard to make our lives complete... [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
LG's Windows Phone 7 phone caught in the wild, looking good
Been wondering how that LG proto unit debuted on The Engadget Show is doing? Pocket-lint got to see the QWERTY slider up close and personal in London yesterday, and their takeaway from the meetup was that the device and OS are well on their way to stardom. Calling it the LG Panther, they delve into its deep Facebook integration, which throws up status updates when you hit on a contact in your address book, ability to recognize addresses and provide relevant links to Bing maps, as well as its quick and clear Zune media player. The latter was accompanied by confirmation that the Zune Store will be hitting the UK in time for Windows Phone 7's release, which could happen as early as September -- it all depends on who you talk to. Hit the source for more imagery and impressions.
Zotac's ZBOX HD-ID11 tiptoes into the wild, should ship soon
When you've got a footprint of just 7.4- x 7.4- x 1.73-inches, it's hard to make too big of an impression. That said, Zotac's new ZBOX looks to be just the thing for those scouting a diminutive HTPC or bedroom machine that can handle the best Glee re-runs and all of that YouTube HD footage that your long-lost siblings continue to email you from the wilds of Wisconsin. Originally launched back in March, this pint-sized PC is just now starting to make its way out to reviewers, which hopefully means that it's ever closer to shipping to end users, too. The benchmarking lords over at Hot Hardware took the time to unbox and preview the device, giving you the opportunity to wade through a gallery of images while it undergoes all sorts of torture. Head on down and have a look if an Ion-based machine that can fit inside your shoebox sounds even marginally appealing.
HTC EVO 4G found loitering in Sprint store
It's not the biggest of pictures -- the PPCGeeks forum poster says he shot this with his Touch Pro 2 -- but what we're looking at is allegedly the HTC EVO 4G. Wish we could have a better look, but who knows, maybe some lucky contest winner in the next few weeks will have a decent DSLR handy. [Thanks, Rigo]
T-Mobile Garminfone finds itself in the camera's eye (update: video)
Where to, Garminfone? The front of a gracious tipster's camera, that's where. Well, looks like someone's enjoying the navigation smartphone on T-Mobile bands, even if it's not yet you. More pics below! Update: And now we've got video, too, via TmoNews and after the break! %Gallery-92145% [Thanks, anonymous!]
Mysterious Motorola MT820 poses for a long, leisurely spy shoot
Two in one week -- Two leaked Chinese Motorola phones with Android and transparent MOTOMING-like flip covers, that is. However, this one's a little more exciting. Dubbed the Moto MT820, this sleek handset's got a full leaked gallery of nice, clear images courtesy Chinese forum HiAPK, and word has it this might be the first device to make use of the dual-screen 3D patent Motorola applied for early this month. Actual facts are a little more scarce, though spy shots show a front-facing camera, physical home, power, volume and camera buttons, and a microSD slot hidden inside the back cover. Oh, and that spiral G3 logo? That means this particular device is destined for China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network. See all the spicy pics at our more coverage link.
Sony gives NEX3 and NEX5 names to its first ultra-compact interchangeable lens cameras
Those ultra-mysterious folks at Sony are finally starting to loosen their grip on info about the Japanese giant's entry into the growing market for compact interchangeable lens cameras. Having already witnessed some of the user interface and a few prototype bodies, we're now seeing the first shots of these new shooters in the wild. Spotted in an Asian pub (what is it with drinking establishments and hardware leaks?), the mirrorless NEX3 body reveals its name, an external flash attachment (with a proprietary connector, boo!), and a a chrome-finished 16mm F2.8 pancake lens. It doesn't look very pancakey to us, and indeed Sony Alpha Rumors claim it's bigger than the nearest competitors from Olympus and Panasonic, but apparently that's because Sony has included optical image stabilization in the lens, perhaps a worthy trade-off. Both new models are expected to sport the 14 megapixel ExmorHD sensor, though the NEX5 will record 1080p video versus the NEX3's 720p. We're told to expect a May 11 announcement for the pair, with what's being described as "very aggressive" pricing relative to their Micro Four Thirds competition. Let it be so.
Android 2.2 spotted in analytics data, running on Magic?
Hero owners, look away now. Google's Froyo appears to be almost ready to exit the freezer and enter handsets on an official basis. Since April 7, Android and Me have noticed visits from devices identifying themselves as having Android version 2.2 on board, while German site MobiFlip.de has come across pictures of a T-Mobile myTouch 3G (aka HTC Magic) that is supposedly running the latest software. The images are certainly easy to spoof (including a wonky looking .2), but their timing and our eternal optimism invite some attention. They indicate a new option for automatically pulling down app updates from the ether, which would be kinda neat, while Android and Me have also compiled a list of other rumored new features for Android 2.2 and confirmed with "sources familiar with the matter" that the new OS is indeed being tested right now. Their tip is to gaze expectantly toward the Google I/O conference starting on May 19 when we're sure to learn at least a little bit more. Considering Android 2.0 got a full features demo at that meetup last year, chances are good that Froyo will be on show in just under a month's time.
Project Natal spotted in the wild, user manual and all?
My, how you've grown. Since the day we learned that PrimeSense was behind Microsoft's Project Natal, we've been under the impression that the 3D camera hardware would be a cute little face with three eyes. So why are we staring at another hammerhead shark? Perhaps because this latest leak isn't real -- or perhaps because Microsoft hasn't nailed down (or rightly doesn't trust testers with) the final hardware. Either way, Multiplayer.it has a host of pictures of an alleged Natal test kit, complete with user manual, and if their sources are legit, it seems Natal will have a motorized tilt function and require additional power (via wall wart) as a result. The better to track your body with, we suppose. See more pics at our source link. [Thanks, Skipper]
