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HTC Sensation bids tearful adieu to Vodafone exclusivity
It was fun while it lasted, but Vodafone's expected two-week reign of exclusivity on the HTC Sensation has dropped, leaving the phone ready to be scooped up by other networks. Carphone Warehouse is now offering the dual-core Gingerbread device on pre-order for O2 and Orange with plans starting at £40, expecting to ship the week of June 20th. If neither carrier sounds overly tempting, BuyMobilePhones is also commencing pre-orders for T-Mobile and Three with a minimum tariff of £15; no delivery date was mentioned here, though we hope to be looking at a similar timeframe. Already sold? Head south to the source links, wallet clutched firmly in hand.
Ion iCade Arcade Cabinet review
The iCade Arcade Cabinet began as an April Fool's joke in 2010, but this golden unicorn of iPad accessories has actually made it to production, showing up at our door last week. iCade creator ThinkGeek partnered with Ion to make this former imaginary gadget a reality, and so far it appears to be a hit, backordered for weeks soon after hitting the online store in April. The $100 cabinet pairs with your iPad or iPad 2 over bluetooth, bringing familiar hardware arcade controls to the Atari's Greatest Hits app, which includes classics like Missile Command (free), and Pong, which you can download from within the free Atari app for $1. The iCade is an awesome addition to your gaming collection, but it won't replace the hours of coin-dropping at your local arcade. Read on to find out why this accessory may become a permanent fixture on our desk. %Gallery-124649%
First copies of Forza 4 include five extra cars, pre-order bonuses revealed
Despite the fact that retailers will assuredly have plenty of extra copies of Forza 4 when it arrives at retail, perhaps you're interested in pre-ordering the game long before its planned fall launch? Well that's just peachy, 'cause today Microsoft announced pre-order bonuses that folks can pick up at a variety of retailers. Unfortunately -- as has become de rigeur as of late -- rather than making it so fans of the series can actually acquire all the pre-order items that they're nicely plunking down money for ahead of time, various retailers have exclusive in-game content that can only be attained through a pre-order at their stores. In essence, this means that folks who pre-order Forza 4 at Target are locked out of the bonuses being offered at Amazon, GameStop, Walmart, and Best Buy... at least, unless the retailer DLC is offered later through XBLM. At very least, fans who pick up the game (at any store) around its launch later this year will snag a quintet of free vehicles in the "Ship Bonus" car pack, listed alongside the aforementioned pre-order items below the break. The car pack will only be free to folks purchasing the "first production run" of Forza 4, so be sure to choose your fastest supercar for shuttling to the local brick and mortar.%Gallery-124664%
Resistance 3's chimeric pre-order options
Resistance 3's retail pre-order incentives are as varied as the human fertilizer used on a Chimeran garden. GameStop is the only one with a tangible bonus, offering an "authentic replica" of a Chimeran teeth trophy necklace, along with a multiplayer boost that allows players to start online warfare at level 5. Walmart has "a special set of five custom name titles, including Sentinel." The name tags ... Sorry, that's just way too boring, we can't bring ourselves to finish explaining. Amazon will have the "No. 60 Air Fuel Grenade" available in the single-player campaign while Best Buy has a special multiplayer skin (pictured) featuring Hale as if he hadn't received the viral inhibitor. Best Buy also has an "exclusive ability in multiplayer to taunt your fallen enemies." Finally, Canadians and other US retailers will receive a multiplayer skin to be one of the "Black Ops troops" featured in Resistance: Fall of Man and Resistance 2. A final option is just waiting until Insomniac inevitably releases all of it as DLC at some point in the future.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 priced at €606 by Amazon.de, joined by 10.1 model in a pre-order dance
The US already knows when Samsung will launch its updated Galaxy Tab models and for how much, but that picture hasn't been quite as lucid over in Europe. Amazon.de is doing its best to dissipate the mists of unknowing by listing the 16GB Galaxy Tab 8.9 at a price of €606.50 ($852), whether you're buying the version with a black or white back. That sounds a relatively steep price, but it's not clear whether we're talking about the WiFi-only or 3G-equipped model. Notably, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 option is also listed alongside its 8.9-inch brethren, but there's no price attached to it yet. All we can really say for now is that the wheels are in motion and these Honeycomb tablets look to be on their way to the Euro market at about the same time as they'll hit the American one. Égalité!
HTC EVO 3D, View 4G available for pre-order at Sprint
Sprint customers holding out for the HTC EVO 3D can now inch slightly closer to that glasses-free display -- without dropping by RadioShack. The carrier has confirmed that you can reserve the WiMAX handset by visiting a Sprint-owned retail store and plunking down $50 for a gift card. There's still no word on when you'll be able to get the device in-hand (and the 3D's exclusive carrier is mum on pricing), but, if you don't mind reserving a phone without any hint as to how much you'll eventually need to pay, then Sprint seems happy enough to swap your Grant for a spot on the list. It's also taking names for the EVO View 4G tablet and, like the 3D, that $50 deposit can be used to take a bite out of a 2D handset. You know, in case you decide that a third dimension is too hot to handle. [Thanks, Brett]
HP Pre 3 listed for pre-order on Amazon.de: €449 for the best of webOS
We're not dealing with price estimates anymore, here's an honest-to-goodness pre-order for the HP Pre 3. Amazon Germany, a traditionally quick retailer to put device listings up, has added the webOS 2.2 QWERTY slider to its online catalog at a price of €449 ($640) -- though availability is predictably undefined for now. Lest your memory needs a refresher since the Pre 3's announcement back in February, this is a 3.6-inch smartphone with a WVGA (800 x 480) resolution, a 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8x55 processor, 512MB of RAM, and a pair of cameras, the rear of which can record 720p video and 5 megapixel stills. To fill the time until a launch date is made known, why not consult our handy chart for a detailed look at how else the Pre 3 improves on its Pre-decessor. [Thanks, Timo]
Galaxy Tab 10.1 goes up for pre-order at J&R, joined by Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 and 4.0
Remember that little GT-P7510 project Samsung seems to have on the backburner? You know, the ultraslim Tegra 2 tablet that makes Honeycomb finally feel ready for public consumption? Yeah, well, that's gotten its pre-order papers now, courtesy of J&R. Pricing of the WiFi-only Galaxy Tab 10.1 matches the $500 for 16GB and $600 for 32GB that Samsung announced in March, and though delivery dates aren't listed, we'll go ahead and assume the promised June 8th launch remains on track. Also ready for pre-order at J&R today are Samsung's 8GB Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 and 4.0 media players, priced at $270 and $220, respectively, though the only info about availability that's provided is a boilerplate "coming soon" note. Check out the source links for more details.
HTC EVO 3D pre-orders begin today at RadioShack, but launch date remains unknown
As of today, May 17th, RadioShack is starting to take pre-orders for HTC's mighty EVO 3D. You'll have to ask for it specifically, as this won't be an advertised undertaking, and you'll also need to swallow the cost of a $50 RadioShack Gift Card for the privilege. Moreover, the company makes sure to inform employees that the launch date for this Sprint-bound smartphone is still unknown -- meaning that what you're really signing up for is a glorified reservation. Still, if the retailers are stirring, we can't imagine the wait for actual stock will be lasting too much longer. [Thanks, Sulfer and Anonymous]
BlackBerry PlayBook coming to the UK on June 16th, 16GB model costs £400
Brits eager for a taste of the first 7-inch BlackBerry device have just under a month of anticipation left to go. UK retailers have today revealed the date and prices at which they'll be selling RIM's PlayBook: depending on how much integrated storage you want, you'll have to pay up £400 (16GB), £480 (32GB), or £560 (64GB) for your slate, starting from June 16th. Aside from the gigabytes, you'll be getting the gigahertz too, with a dual-core 1,000MHz TI OMAP4430 processor keeping the PlayBook's insides warm and its outsides responsive. Availability will be widespread, with Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4u, Insight, and Best Buy UK having already announced they'll be stocking the tablet. You can even hit up the source links now and lay down some cash to secure your pre-order.
Nokia X7 and E6 hop an early flight to Germany for pre-order delights
If Nokia's X7 entertainment handset overwhelms you with a fluttery sensation, then you may consider grabbing one on pre-order, where it retails in Germany and Portugal for €459 and €489 respectively. Meanwhile, if the X7's 4-inch, 640 x 360 display has you begging for greater pixel density, then also up for reservation in Deutschland is Nokia's E6 QWERTY phone, featuring a 2.46-inch, 326ppi screen that goes toe-to-toe with Apple's Retina Display. While the display size isn't stellar, it's one way to measure the cost of a physical keyboard -- the other method is €429. Either way, if you're hoping to ride Symbian's wave to the very end, these two handsets will go kilometers toward actualizing that dream. Update: Looks like pre-orders are also available in Italy. [Thanks, Simone] [Thanks, Jack]
Pivot Power strip starts shipping, folks who ordered a year ago rejoice
Don't you hate it when you preorder something and it doesn't show up for, like, a year? We know of at least 960 early adopters who can feel your pain. The Pivot Power strip, which lets you rearrange six outlets to plug in adapters of any size, went on sale in June of last year for $23 a pop. But, because the community-driven website Quirky is selling it, the ordering process wasn't as simple as paying and waiting for it to show up on your doorstep: the company would only ship them when 960 people "committed" to buying them -- not unlike how a certain number of people are needed to activate a Groupon deal. Well, the company quickly met its goal, the strip is at last shipping, and Jake Zien, the inventor (that's that giddy fellow up there) couldn't be more pleased. When we first reported on the Pivot Power strip's availability, more than half of those pre-sale slots had already been filled so we're not sure just what took so long. Since then, Zien & Co. have been spending their time seeing the thing through the manufacturing process. In any case, if you missed the boat the first time, it looks like there might still be additional units up for sale. [Thanks, Dan L. and Zo] %Gallery-123507%
Acer's 3G-equipped Iconia Tab A100 up for pre-order on Amazon UK for £400
When we first caught wind of the pending release of Acer's Iconia Tab A100 WiFi version, we were amazed by its Amazonian pre-order promise of Android 3.0 for a mere £300. Now, a second version of the seven-inch slate has hit the same site with a May 14 release date, a sprinkling of 3G, and the cut-rate cost of its cousin has been replaced with a £400 ($660) price tag. Unfortunately, the extra hundred pounds takes the A500's 3G baby brother out of the bargain basement, but you didn't think you'd get all those G's for free, did you?
Samsung Galaxy S II nets two additional carriers on South Korea's official launch day
Today marks South Korea's official launch of the Galaxy S II, with Samsung ensuring its home country gets plenty of superphone love before turning its attention abroad. Rival carriers SK Telecom and LG Uplus have added this Super AMOLED Plus beauty to their repertoire, joining KT, who's already begun taking pre-orders for the device which retails for approximately $790 (before subsidies, of course). Though we're left wishing this amazing slab of engineering was available everywhere and all at once, we must remind ourselves that patience is a virtue, and -- oh, forget it -- who's flying to South Korea with us? [Thanks, Amjath]
Samsung Galaxy S II on pre-order in South Korea, introduces Olleh Touch for NFC payments
When Samsung teased us with those clever Galaxy S II commercials, we could feel the growing anticipation for its early UK arrival. Coincidentally, today marks an end to Britain's exclusivity, with South Korea's KT now offering the dual-core stunner for pre-order. We've learned this Korean Galaxy S II includes NFC, coinciding with the carrier's roll-out of Olleh Touch, a payment system being implemented at local grocer Lotte Mart. Sure, NFC inclusion increases the phone's thickness to 8.9mm, but if parlor tricks are your thing, we'd imagine it'll still easily pass under doorways. [Thanks, Aditya]
iCade arcade cabinet for iPad starts selling at $100, already on backorder
Humans, they just love mixing the old with the new. To wit, the iCade gaming cabinet for the iPad, an April Fools' joke that was just a fun idea this time last year, has gone and turned very real, replete with FCC certification and now a pre-order page. The Bluetooth-communicating iPad enclosure seems to have originally been on sale for immediate delivery, but ThinkGeek has burned through its first shipment of units faster than you can say "Atari's Greatest Hits." The second batch of $100 iCades is expected by May 20th at the very latest, although orders are being taken only from the US for now. The rest of the world needn't despair, however -- we hear building one of your own is a pleasurable and rewarding experience.
Samsung Galaxy S II to arrive in UK on April 27th, but only through Phones 4u
UK phone retailer Phones 4u has scooped itself a short-term but enviable exclusive -- it'll be the only place in the UK where you'll be able to buy Samsung's Galaxy S II in April. The 1.2GHz dual-core Android superphone has already been announced for wide availability in the Queen's Kingdom on May 1st, but Phones 4u will get you one as early as April 27th, plus it'll throw in a free 8GB microSD card if you pre-order one now. The Galaxy S II will be available for free on two-year contracts costing £35 per month and above and there'll be a choice of carriers. Only Orange's tariffs are listed at the moment, but we imagine the others will be showing up soon as well. Jump past the break for the press release.
Samsung's 11.6-inch Series 9 lands an Amazon pre-order at $1,149
Samsung may have priced its slinky new laptop at a buck under $1,200, but you know Amazon likes to dance to its own tune. The online retailer is now listing the 11.6-inch Series 9 at $1,149, saving you a nice bit of change, though it hasn't yet been willing to disclose a release date. The specs should be familiar by now, an Intel Core i3-380UM takes center stage, surrounded by 2GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD, 802.11b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth 3.0, a 5680mAh battery, and a 1366 x 768 display with 400 nits of brightness. Amazon's just the latest of a growing batch of online stores now offering this laptop for pre-order, so check out Samsung's retailer listing below if you're looking for alternatives. [Thanks, Imtiaz]
Acer's Windows-powered Iconia W500 up for pre-order for $549, ships April 15th
Acer already announced UK pricing for the Windows 7 and Android Honeycomb versions of its Iconia Tab, and now it's ready to take both stateside. Days after Best Buy started taking pre-orders for the Android 3.0-powered Iconia Tab A500, the Windows-based W500 has shown up on B&H's site for $549. Like its cousin, the W500 has a 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) display, HDMI-out and dual cameras, though it steps up to 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, AMD Radeon HD 6250 graphics, and a 1GHz Ontario (C-50) AMD Fusion APU. It also comes with a keyboard dock, putting it in the same price range as ASUS's Android-based Eee Transformer, which costs less but doesn't include its similar-looking keyboard. Acer rates the W500's three-cell battery at up to six hours -- a far cry from the iPad's promised 10-hours and, perhaps, a good reason to wait for slates featuring that lower-power Fusion APU AMD's been shopping around to tablet makers. B&H says it'll ship starting April 15th, but head on over to its website if you're psyched enough to place an order now. Or you can keep saving your pennies for Acer's other Iconia.
HTC Flyer hits UK pre-order status at £600, comes with 3G and 32GB of storage
The one Android tablet that isn't riding NVIDIA's Tegra 2 dual-core chip and Google's Honeycomb iteration (but might still be worth buying) has this weekend become available to pre-order in the UK. The Carphone Warehouse is listing a £600 ($983) fee for owning the HTC Flyer, which is more or less a match for the €669 price Amazon.de is offering to German slate lovers. In exchange for a dozen rose-tinted notes with the Queen's face on them, you'll get a 7-inch, 1024 x 600 display, encased in an aluminum unibody case and powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm chip. HTC's Sense UI has undergone some tablet-friendly tweaks and there is of course that Scribe stylus to flex your artistic muscles with. 3G connectivity and 32GB of storage flesh out the Flyer's hardware offering, while the underlying Android Gingerbread OS is promised to get a Honeycomb-flavored update, most likely some time this summer.
