MobileWorldCongress
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Acer's CloudMobile gets manhandled, sexy shell may hide Android secrets (video)
Acer's CloudMobile has already broken cover once. Now it's been manhandled in the flesh by members of the media. Sadly, we weren't on hand at Fashion Week in Milan to give it the once over ourselves (we'll have to wait for MWC for that), but the folks at Notebook Italia were. It looks like the 4.3-inch display is, in fact, of the 1280 x 720 variety, and the processor tasked with pushing all those pixels is a dual-core 1.5GHz part. Underneath that award-winning shell is also Dolby Mobile sound, NFC and Ice Cream Sandwich. Interestingly, reports are that the handset is running the unannounced Android 4.1, but we haven't been able to confirm that just yet. Also not quite ready for prime time? It's namesake AcerCloud platform, but the company still has a few more months to work that one out before the anticipated Q3 release. Check out the video after the break and hit up the source link for a few more photos.
Acer Liquid Glow: Glossy-coated ICS phone to show up at MWC
One phone is never enough. Acer's revealed that it's bringing a second handset to Barcelona next week and it's got that Ice Cream Sandwich we know you love. With a 3.7-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, the Liquid Glow packs a 1GHz processor and a 5-megapixel camera underneath that glossy colored shell. Those underwhelming specs are pepped up a bit with the promise of Android 4.0, but we still expect those gentle specifications will keep the phone pretty keenly priced -- it's unlikely to go toe-to-toe with its quad-core sibling. Acer says that we can expect it to arrive in the UK this summer, but we'll be sure to try it out ahead of that in just a few days.
ViewSonic adds ViewPad G70, E100 and P100 to its tablet collection
In addition to the ICS phone trio, ViewSonic's also just announced three new tablets ahead of the MWC party. Pictured on the left is the 7-inch "super light, super slim" ViewPad G70 -- to be sold alongside the E70 -- featuring Android Ice Cream Sandwich, 1GB RAM, 4GB storage, microSD expansion, a two-megapixel imager and a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera, along with various ports including mini HDMI, micro-USB and mini-USB. Oddly enough, ViewSonic hasn't confirmed the G70's processor specs, but we'll let you guys know when we do.Another ICS tablet in this lineup is the 9.7-inch ViewPad E100. While we're still waiting for its press shots, we're told that this slate packs a 1,024 x 768 IPS display, a 1GHz chip, and the usual selection of connectivity like HDMI, USB and microSD. All of this comes in a package weighing 620g and at 9.1mm thick.Last but not least, we have the Windows 7-powered ViewPad P100 pictured on the right, featuring a 10-inch 1,280 × 800 IPS display, a dual-core 1.6GHz Intel Atom N2600 and a camera on both the front and the back. No deets on pricing and availability just yet, so stay tuned as we scan the MWC show floor next week.
ViewSonic goes dual-SIM with ViewPhone 4s, 4e and 5e, all packing Android Ice Cream Sandwich
When you're ready, here's yet another load of pre-MWC goodness. This year ViewSonic decided that merely slapping Ice Cream Sandwich on its new ViewPhones isn't good enough, so instead, the company's just-announced 4s, 4e and 5e also come with an extra SIM slot. Starting from the left we have the ViewPhone 4s featuring an impressive 3.5-inch 960 x 640 Super Clear IPS LCD (which, should be very similar to Apple's Retina Display from LG -- rather ironic given the phone's name), along with a five-megapixel camera, a VGA front-facing imager and a 1GHz chip. Pictured in the middle is a similar-looking ViewPhone 4e but packing a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 LCD, a slower processor at 650MHz only, a three-megapixel camera and one extra touch button than its sibling; all of this made with budget in mind, obviously, though somehow ViewSonic's very proud of its 10.3mm thickness.If 3.5-inch displays aren't your cup of tea then you'll have to jump straight to the 5-inch ViewPhone 5e, but so far all we've been told is its 800 × 480 screen resolution. Could there be more in this dual-SIM beast? Stay tuned to our MWC coverage and you'll know as soon as we do.
Mozilla rumored to debut LG-made Boot to Gecko device at MWC
Mozilla hasn't exactly been quiet about the fact that it has some big stuff to show off at Mobile World Congress. We've already gotten a peek at Boot to Gecko and it's announced it'll be joining the app market fray. But, what we haven't heard anything about just yet, is hardware. A mobile operating system and software outlet are only useful if you've got a physical platform to run it on. Now rumors are circulating that LG is in cahoots with the makers of Firefox and will be building developer hardware for its fledgling OS. Mozilla CTO Brendan Eich has said publicly his foundation will be at MWC with "partners..." plural. Who exactly those ally companies are isn't clear, but we'd say it's safe to assume there is at least one hardware maker in the mix. And, if the sources at ExtremeTech are right, that manufacturer already has a rather busy schedule. We'll just have to wait till we land Barcelona to find out for sure.
LG's upcoming MWC lineup runs into some Italians, gets documented on video
You might have already seen LG's upcoming Optimus Vu in video form, but what about the rest of the company's Mobile World Congress debutants? Enter Italian site Telefonino, who's managed to wrangle hands-ons with that phablet and two of its co-stars, the Optimus 3D Max and the delectable Tegra-3 powered Optimus 4X HD. Catch the latter running LG's customized version of Ice Cream Sandwich in the embedded clip above, and those seeking demos of its other brothers can head on over to Italia, via the conveniently placed source links below.
Samsung's Galaxy S II celebrates 20 million sold, just in time for MWC
After crossing the 10 million units moved threshold back in September, Samsung has joyously announced ahead of MWC 2012 that its Galaxy S II family of phones has sold 20 million since launching in April. According to Samsung, taking just ten months to hit the mark puts it ahead of the original Galaxy S (hovering around 22 million sold) by seven months. The hallmarks of this model -- in its many forms as seen above for AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint -- has been the Super AMOLED Plus screen, slim design and dual core CPUs, all of which made it a record breaker right out of the gate. Samsung's been pretty quiet as Mobile World Congress 2012 approaches, but whenever we see the Galaxy S III, it will certainly have a lot to live up to.
ZTE to unleash eight new phones at MWC, hopes multi-core chipsets and LTE push them into third place
If the trio of slabs ZTE announced earlier this week weren't enough for you, sit tight, the outfit just announced it's bringing a total of eight new phones to Barcelona next week. The new handsets will reportedly flaunt multi-core processors, LTE radios and the latest versions of the Android and Windows Phone platforms. This announcement both echos and one-ups the recently announced Mimosa X, which gets its dual-core chops from an NVIDIA Tegra 2, but boasts only HSPA+, rather than the promised LTE. ZTE says it hopes the new devices will help it become one of the world's top three handset providers by the year 2015. Seem far off? Don't worry, at least the phones will be here by Monday. Read on for ZTE's official press statement.
LG Optimus 4X HD unveiled: Quad-core Tegra 3, Ice Cream Sandwich, 4.7-inch display
If LG failed to impress so far with the Android 2.3 phones it's shown off in the run up to MWC 2012, perhaps the Optimus 4X HD can turn things around. This 4.7-inch beast will hit Europe in the second quarter and is its first to feature a 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 3 as its benchmark destroying CPU, a 4.7-inch True HD IPS LCD (1280x720) plus what appears to be a lightly customized version of Ice Cream Sandwich. Perhaps the only logical followup to its Optimus 2X that kicked off all the dual-core madness, it also includes a 2,150mAh battery, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Despite that huge screen, at a depth of 8.9mm it's only slightly thicker than the superwide 4x3 Optimus Vu. Just like the Fujitsu prototype we spent some time with at CES, the Tegra 3 features a 4+1 "Companion Core" design, with a fifth low power unit available to take care of more mundane tasks without draining the battery. This is all pretty close to the leaked "X3" specs we'd heard, however there's no mention of NFC or HSPA+ just yet, only DLNA and MHL. Check out the full press release after the break for a few more specs.
M3 Android NFC Communicator mixes something old, something new for prepaid subs
Malaysia may not be on the tip of anyone's tongue when wireless comes to mind, but that's not stopping local outfit DMD Mobile from attempting to make its mark. Set for an official unveiling at next week's Mobile World Congress, the M3 Android NFC Communicator is the outfit's clumsily titled stab at the prepaid market in South Asia and the Middle East. The touchscreen handset, to be available in both 2.6-inch portrait QWERTY and 3.2-inch candybar form factors, comes loaded up with a surprising mix of last- and current-gen specs: 650Mhz single-core CPU running a skinned version of Gingerbread 2.3.5, support for dual-band HSPA+ (850 / 2100MHz) and quadband GSM, VGA front-facing / 3MP rear cameras, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi and NFC. Sure, it's not the most thrilling of forward-looking devices to surface this year, but priced at RM500 (that's about US$165), it's certainly more of a great deal than it is bargain bin entry. Hit up the source below for additional info on this low-hanging mobile fruit.
Huawei Prism, HTC Ville may be heading to T-Mobile in April?
HTC and Huawei are both expected to bring their A-game to MWC. What exactly that entails remains a mystery, thanks to both companies keeping their lips sealed. And while we're still not completely sure as to what secrets these devices still hold -- or even their official names, for that matter -- TmoNews picked up a leaked screenshot that shows off a list of upcoming accessories on T-Mobile, some of which are for the HTC Ville and Huawei Prism in April. Does this guarantee that we'll see both devices featured on the GSM carrier? Not at all, but stay tuned over the next few days because we have a feeling more answers will come pouring in soon.
Nokia bringing two Lumia devices to MWC next week?
You have to love the last days leading up to a major event like Mobile World Congress, because the rumor mill just doesn't stop. The focus of this particular whisper is Nokia's Lumia series, which according to Reuters should have at least two new members before the show is over. Its sources indicate that the oft-rumored global version of the Lumia 900 is go (AT&T's model shown above), as well as a lower-end Lumia 610. All of us who crave the deeper details are still left in the dark about what we can expect on these devices, but it does give us a heckuva lot more to look forward to next week.
Sony Mobile rebranding quietly begins, changes to roll out over the next month
With the assimilation of Ericsson's wireless stake now neatly a footnote in its corporate history, Sony's moving on and making its newfound freedom known -- albeit quietly. According to a rep for the company, its first rebranding baby steps began just last night, with the former SonyEricsson portal now redirecting to SonyMobile.com. Other related properties, like its social networking extensions and various related digital properties, are also slated to make the transition throughout March, with further announcements planned for Mobile World Congress next week. We'll be there live in just a few days, so stay tuned. In the meanwhile, hit up the source below to see synergy at its finest.[Thanks, Kevin]
Mozilla Labs Apps set to allow developer submissions for Mozilla Marketplace at MWC
Been keeping up with Mozilla Labs' Apps project? Today the company's focused on developers, with pleasing news if you've been looking to get your app's feet wet in it. In the coming weeks at Mobile World Congress, the Firefox maker will finally open its self-titled Marketplace's doors for app submissions. If you're unfamiliar, Mozilla's been working to create an "operating system- and device-independent market," which will rely on the likes of HTML5, CSS and other open source materials -- Mozilla also plans to introduce its own APIs for apps, pending W3C approval. The end result will be the ability to use said apps without being locked down by your devices and their respective app stores. The store is set to open up for consumer consumption later in the year, so now's your chance to reserve your software's spot and name on the list. More details await in press release after the break and at source link below, while you get your code ready.
Nokia teases with imaging-themed video ahead of MWC
Well what do we have here? Nokia just posted a delightful little video on its YouTube channel hinting at some kind of announcement during Mobile World Congress next week. The imaging-themed video entitled "Get ready to capture a pure view" shows beautiful snowy landscapes and uses words like detail, depth and definition. While we've enjoyed Nokia's recent foray into all things white, the company's current imaging flagship is getting a bit long in the tooth. Could this be about an N8 successor running Symbian Belle? Guess we'll have to wait until Monday to find out.
LG Optimus 3D Max is a slimmer sequel, world's first phone with 3D video editing
We're not sure if the world was anxiously awaiting a follow-up to LG's Optimus 3D (the AT&T Thrill 4G here in the states), but here it is: the LG Optimus 3D Max -- or Optimus 3D Cube, depending on your country. The latter's been announced for Korean carrier SK Telecom, with the former rolling out to Europe later. The Optimus 3D Max is slightly thinner than its predecessor at 9.6mm vs. the Thrill 4G's 11.9mm, with a faster 1.2GHz dual-core CPU and 16GB of storage built-in, confirming most of the rumors we'd heard previously. According to LG, it will also be the world's first that can handle 3D photo and video editing right on its glasses-free 4.3-inch screen, all shot by the dual 5MP cameras mounted on the back. It also has NFC baked in to support the new LG Tag+ stickers that change the phone's settings when swiped, just like the Optimus LTE Tag. It's scheduled for release in early March with Android 2.3, but we're promised an Ice Cream Sandwich makeover soon after launch, just like its cousin, the Optimus Vu. Check out the full list of specs after the break and expect to us to get a firsthand look when Mobile World Congress kicks off on the 27th.Update: It looks like it'll also arrive in Europe with a new name; the Optimus 3D Max. Check the full English PR release below.
Huawei's alleged 10-inch slate shows up at photoshoot ahead of MWC
Shortly after Huawei's Ascend D1 made a trip to the studio for some glamour shots, an incognito slate is following suit. A set of photos from Russian site hi-tech@mail reveals what could be in store from the Chinese outfit at MWC 2012 (you know we'll be there), though the lack of full-body pics makes us question whether it's in fact the 10-inch tab it claims to be. Aside from the questionable size, we do see a tour around its purported metal casing, which is very reminiscent of that T-Mobile-bound MediaPad we showed you last year. Allegedly, the tablet will come sporting an 8-megapixel rear shooter, Ice Cream Sandwich and will be priced at about 20,000 Russian Rubles (or around $670). Those of you feeling intrigued can hit up the source link below to catch the rest of the sneaky shots.
Qualcomm Krait S4 SoC fully benchmarked, diagnosed as 'insane'
We've seen it, touched it and we fully expect it'll be turning heads in Barcelona next week, but until now Qualcomm's Krait chip has largely escaped the rigors of independent benchmarking. Fortunately, AnandTech has to come to our rescue once again with a characteristically thorough analysis at the source link. Those blue and green charts can speak for themselves, but if you're in a rush then here's the rub of it: the Krait truly is a next-gen SoC, with the dual-core 1.5GHz MSM8960-powered reference handset delivering an "insane performance advantage" of between 20 percent and 240 percent on CPU benchmarks. As we glimpsed recently, graphics performance is somewhat less ground-breaking but still very healthy, with the 28nm process allowing the Adreno 225 GPU to run at up to 400MHz, versus 266MHz on its Adreno 220 predecessor. Oh yes, this is going to be one mother of an MWC.
Samsung's GT-i9300 is probably not the Galaxy S III, as revealed by its low-res screen
Straight from the Dana Scully school of debunking, Android Community has poured cold water on the notion that the GT-i9300 is the quasi-mythical Galaxy S III. Having happened upon the user agent profile of the device bearing that codename, the stats reveal a lackluster 1024 x 600 resolution display that's easily beaten by the Galaxies Nexus and Note. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled at Mobile World Congress and hope that Samsung isn't planning to ruin the pedigree of the handsets that have previously born that code: the i9200 i9100 was the Galaxy S II and the i9250 was the Galaxy Nexus, after all.
Samsung Galaxy Ace 2, Galaxy mini 2 officially revealed, launch first in Europe
While we get ready for MWC to begin Samsung is apparently next to reveal a few new handsets, as it just posted the details for its new Galaxy Ace 2 (left) and Galaxy mini 2 (right). Like their earlier incarnations, the Ace 2 has the best specs of the two, with a dual-core 800MHz processor, HSDPA 14.4 connectivity, GPS/GLONASS, 1,500mAh battery and 4GB of internal storage hiding behind its 3.8-inch WVGA screen. The mini 2 has HSDPA 7.2Mbps connectivity, an 800MHz CPU, 1,300mAh battery and 3.27-inch HVGA screen. Both will ship with Android 2.3 this spring, with the Ace 2 hitting the UK in April and mini 2 coming to France in March before beginning a global rollout. Check after the break for the press release with full specs.
