Nokia Lumia 800 review

UPDATED: We've now updated the software on our review device to match that available at release for consumers, so take a look at our updated findings, complete with star rating.
The Nokia Lumia 800 is the first Windows Phone handset to spring from the Microsoft / Nokia tie-up announced in February, and we've got our hands on an early sample to check it out.
The Nokia Lumia 800 shares its exterior styling with the previously substantially less hyped Nokia N9, a Meego-based smartphone, although the screen size is reduced from 3.9" (854x480 pixels) to 3.7" (800x480 pixels) to conform to the Windows Phone spec list.
The CPU, however, increases from the 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 to the 1.4GHz MSM8255 Snapdragon/Scorpion which certainly helps add snap to the Windows Phone Mango OS.

The Nokia Lumia 800, although being the more expensive of the two Nokia Windows Phone offerings (the other being the budget Nokia Lumia 710) shares the Nokia N9's 16-bit AMOLED ClearBlack display whereas the Nokia Lumia 710 sports a 24-bit ClearBlack TFT.

This being said, even though the colour depth is theoretically deeper than in the Nokia Lumia 710, AMOLED screens are seen as better than the older TFT technology due to the more vivid colours and better contrast ratios.

Moving away from Nokia comparisons, the Lumia 800 also has to compete with the likes of the HTC Titan and HTC Radar Windows Mango phones. When we compare screen size we find the Nokia Lumia 800 feeling a little small with the HTC Radar and HTC Titan entering the fray with 3.8" and 4.7" screens respectively although all competitors are limited to the same 800x480 pixel resolution.
Obviously the iPhone has managed to be a success with a smaller screen at 3.5-inches, but the trend towards bigger displays is increasing all the time, and we have to say we're fans of those over four inches thanks to the improved internet and media experience.

This means that the pixel density on the Lumia 800 is a little sharper, but in our side by side comparisons we noted very little difference between the three, and even the Lumia 800 displaying text with a little less clarity.
When it comes to internal storage the Nokia Lumia 800 and HTC Titan are equal with 16GB of fixed internal storage, with the Nokia Lumia 710 and HTC Radar weighing in with 8GB a piece.
Based on the two manufacturer's product specs it soon becomes apparent that the Nokia Lumia 800 is intended to compete against the HTC Titan and the Nokia Lumia 710 with the HTC Radar.
When compared dimensionally with the HTC Titan (131.5mm x 70.7mm x 9.9mm and 160g) we note that the Nokia Lumia 800 (116.5mm x 61.2mm x 12.1mm and 142g) cuts a very slim profile, with a lighter yet reassuring weight.
The physical appearance of the Nokia Lumia 800 is a dream to observe and handle, with its smooth curves fitting snugly to the hand both with and without the protective case provided in the purchase packaging.
First impressions of the phone are mixed. If you're used to handling the current crop of super slim handsets doing the rounds in today's phone shops, you can't help but feel the Lumia 800 is a little on the chunky side, even compared to the iPhone 4S thanks to it being around 10% thicker.

However, that's not to say it isn't an attractive device, with its large 3.7-inch OLED screen pushed to the sides of the chassis and a cool curved polycarbonate shell gives the phone a very premium feel indeed.
Nokia has worked very hard on the unibody design here, making the battery inaccessible and using top-mounted flaps to cover the charging port and SIM slot - intriguingly, we're seeing a microSIM here, which seems to be the fashion for the next wave of smartphones.

It's a slightly odd system, and one that some will find a little bit difficult to get used to - but it does lend a certain sleekness to the design.
One area we can see getting consumers annoyed is on the back panel - as you can see the demo sample we tried was already scratched up, and the same thing has already begun happening on our review model.

The Nokia Lumia 800 is quite reasonably priced, costing nothing on as little as a £26 Orange or Vodafone contract with Carphone Warehouse compared with HTC Titan starting at £31 pm with Vodafone and £36 pm with Orange.

Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich review

We've finally got our hands on the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus, so we've taken an in-depth look at Google's latest OS: Android 4.0, or Ice Cream Sandwich to its friends.
Google has told us that this is one of the biggest overhauls of the operating systems since it unleashed the Android project three years ago - and there's certainly a lot to plough through.
From enhanced contact menus to improved keyboards and NFC capabilities, even the most ardent Android users will have to spend some time getting used to the new OS - so let's dive in.

Interface

The most noticeable change with Ice Cream Sandwich is the interface - it might follow the same principles as the Android of old, but the way it's used is radically different in a number of ways.
Firstly, Android 4.0 is designed to work without buttons. That's not to say your Galaxy S2's keys won't work when the update happens, but going forward, it's going to be pristine bezels all the way.

Now to navigate around, you're offered three softkeys: Back, Home and Multi-tasking (or Recent Apps). The latter is particularly new for phones, and comes from the Honeycomb UI - basically a set of thumbnails that show recently opened apps.
Here's the new part: swipe sideways to shut down an application, which will greatly help reduce the battery consumption of your phone if there's something silently updating in the background.
The Home and Back buttons are the same as they've always been, but no longer have a 'long press' function attached... so you can't automatically call up the keyboard, for instance.
If you move into something media-ish, such as watching a movie or browsing the web like a pro, these three buttons shrink down to tiny dots, so you've got more of the screen to look at. However, remember what each dot does, as pressing it will take you home/open the recent apps etc and you might not want to.

For Android fans, this presents something of an issue: with the menu button gone, you'll have to hunt around the screen for three vertical dots which have taken its place. However, these can be anywhere, so sometimes you'll get distracted trying to work out how on earth to alter settings.
The multi-tasking pane also seems an odd choice for one of three buttons - it used to be you could access this functionality by long-pressing the home key, and it makes more sense to keep this and then have the multi-tasking slot taken up by a menu key.

However, despite the odd placement, the multi-tasking pane is cool - simply swipe horizontally on any open app to shut it down, in a similar way to the Cards system on webOS - it certainly helps keep open applications under control.
The home screens are once again limited to five, but this time there's no option to get rid of those you don't want. It's not a huge issue to some people, but with the expandable widgets and loads of apps you'll be looking to download, we'd have expected more.
However, we wouldn't worry too much about that - the Nexus S only had a limited number of homescreens, but as soon as the rest of the industry got its hands on the OS there were millions of the things flying around.
There's a plethora of tiny tweaks and changes to the Android OS that we were impressed with, ranging from the Tron-like blue theme that pervades throughout the OS to the ability to unlock the phone simply by using your face.

The latter security option is more novelty than anything else, with Google outlining at the start that it's not meant to be 100% secure.
We also found a few issues with getting it to recognise our face in varying light levels, or even working out which bit of the picture was a face - not the most effective for unlocking your handset, but when it works it's a great party trick.
The notifications bar has been given a functionality overhaul to now include larger information slots - if it's a contact that's sending you a message or a missed call, their contact photo will now appear too, which is a nice touch.

And sometimes you want to get rid of some notifications, but not others - this has been taken care of by allowing you to swipe away the updates about apps and messages you don't care about, making it easy to maintain your info bar.
Settings has also been given a spot in the notifications pane, meaning no matter where you are in the OS you can always duck out and tinker with the phone - this is excellent news for some applications that need GPS or Wi-Fi enabled swiftly.
However, we would have though Google would have copied the likes of Samsung or HTC here and offered one-tap switching to these elements - it works really well on most phones, so we're surprised by its omission.
The other new addition is the dock at the bottom of the screen - this stays on every home screen, and like iOS can be altered to contain the applications you like to tap away at the most.

Folders are more iOS-like too, with users given the ability to drag and drop icons on top of one another from the home screen to create bundles of apps which you can simply rename. Given Apple's ire about Google 'stealing' certain elements of its UI, we can't help but think this will create a little more angst down on Infinite Loop.

Google is clearly also thinking about giving users more ability to enjoy apps than ever before by putting a link to the Market in the top right hand corner of the menu screen, which we really liked as it meant we always knew we could quickly update our app catalogue when needed.
The other big change is widgets have been brought to the fore: you can now look at each one on the menu screen without having to actually select it - this really helps when a new application you've downloaded has an associated widget and you're wondering whether to waste time popping it on the home screen.

Overall, we love what Google has done with the Ice Cream Sandwich UI. It's nothing mind-blowing, but the little touches here and there will add to user delight, and that's what's needed to chip away at those that are dyed-in-the-wool iPhone users.

GadgetReview 0diggsdigg LG DoublePlay: Dual Touchscreens

The general philosophy of most smartphone manufacturers is that a larger screen makes for a better phone.  However, there are some drawbacks, such as that awkward lump in your pocket and hence why Apple didn’t bump the screen size of the iPhone for their latest iteration, the 4s.  And we think LG might agree with this philosophy as the company just introduced the LG DoublePlay. This particular smartphone incorporates two touchscreens; a 3.5-inch main display and a 2.0-inch display just below.  The larger of the two serves up your usual array of info such as text messages, web browsers, videos and so forth, while the 2-inch display presumably caters to more ancillary apps, such as calendar, Facebook status updates and music controls.  The displays can work independently or in a tandem mode, though we have yet to see how this will play out.   The smaller 2-inch display sits in between a full QWERTY keyboard, which means that the keys are smaller than your standard smartphone QWERTY keyboard, so typing could prove difficult for those of you with large thumbs.
Other features for the DoublePlay include a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, a 5 megapixel camera that can capture 720p video and Android 2.3.
The LG DoublePlay will be the featured smartphone in the fifth annual LG U.S. National Texting Championship in New York City on October 26.  Unfortunately, no word on a price or a launch date but it will be coming to T-Mobile.
We should point out that this isn’t the first dual touchscreen phone in the US market.  In fact, we reviewed one, the Kyocera Echo.
NEW LG DOUBLEPLAY, EXCLUSIVELY OFFERED BY T-MOBILE, RAISES THE STAKES AT THE 2011 LG U.S. NATIONAL TEXTING CHAMPIONSHIP
LG and T-Mobile USA Announce the LG DoublePlay™, with Unique Dual Touch Screens, Delivering Twice the Texting and Social Networking Capabilities
Thirteen Contestants Compete for Chance to Become Part of Texting History, a $50,000 Grand Prize and Named the Fastest Texter in the U.S.
SAN DIEGO and BELLEVUE, Wash. ¾ October 17, 2011 ¾ LG Mobile is once again challenging the fastest thumbs in the nation to the ultimate text messaging challenge ¾ the fifth annual LG U.S. National Texting Championship, featuring the new LG DoublePlayTM. Announced today, the LG DoublePlay is the ultimate multitasking handset, featuring a split QWERTY keyboard and dual capacitive touch screens, making simultaneous mobile activities easier than ever. During this year’s competition, 13 contestants will use the LG DoublePlay, which is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon® processor, to compete in the ultimate texting showdown for the chance to win a $50,000 cash prize and a once-in-a-lifetime spot in texting history.
Equipped with dual customizable touch screens ¾ a 3.5-inch main display and 2.0-inch sub display ¾ that operate independently or in tandem, as well as a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard and Swype® for easy text input, the LG DoublePlay allows users to perform multiple tasks at once such as updating their Facebook pages while simultaneously surfing the Web, texting or checking email.
“The evolving nature of texting trends and mobile technology has brought LG and T-Mobile together to create a device that celebrates multi-tasking beyond a powerful processor,” said Carl Brown, director of trade marketing for LG Mobile. “With its split keyboard and dual screens, LG DoublePlay’s impressive hardware made it the obvious choice for the official mobile phone of the 2011 National Texting Championship. LG is proud to be leading the charge in the next generation of mobile messaging devices while continuing its legacy as a leading manufacturer in QWERTY keyboard devices.”
“Whether sending texts or emails, checking in on social media sites, or browsing the Web, consumers are looking for fun and easy ways to stay connected to the people and things that matter most to them,” said Kim Swanson, director, product management, T-Mobile USA. “With the introduction of the LG DoublePlay and its unique dual-screen design, we are bringing the ultimate multitasking tool to our customers.”
The LG DoublePlay comes with a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recorder, allowing users to capture and share pictures and videos via messaging, email or Facebook. The device also offers multiple messaging options, including Cloud Text™ and Group Text™, giving users the ability to send and receive texts from a PC or tablet or create group chats on-the-go for faster, more efficient content sharing. LG DoublePlay features Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) with access to Android Market™ and delivers complete user customization with seven home screens and up to nine touchscreen shortcuts for one-touch navigation.
2011 LG U.S. National Texting Championship
The fifth annual LG U.S. National Texting Championship will bring the fastest, most talented thumbs in America to the historic Altman Building in New York City to face-off for the chance to be named the winner of the 2011 LG U.S. National Texting Championship. Reigning champion Brianna Hendrickson, who took home the 2010 title at just 13 years-old, is the contestant to beat. This year’s competition will push contestants to dig deep and flex their texting muscles as they race through challenges designed to test texting speed, accuracy and dexterity. Competitors will need to type phrases on their LG DoublePlay exactly as they appear on LG plasma screens, while distracted by blind folds, complex phrases and marathon game play.
LG first set out to crown the fastest thumbs in America in 2007 when more than 500 contestants battled it out for the U.S. texting title. Now a national phenomenon, last year’s Championship featured a record 500,000 competition entries and became the subject of a MTV documentary called “Thumbs” by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Bill Couturié. Providing an exclusive look at the growing phenomenon of texting among today’s youth, the film provided a first-hand look at player preparations during the marathon race to the 2010 LG National Texting Championship. Moreover, “Thumbs” underscored the increasing importance of texting as one of today’s preferred methods of mainstream communication. For more information on the LG U.S. National Texting Championship

oday, Motorola delivered a response to Apple regarding the iPhone 4s.  It’s called the DROID RAZR.  Yup, the RAZR, the same phone that rejuivnated the company’s handset division, is back.  But this time, based on specs alone, it doesn’t seem to have any shortcomings. Despite boasting a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen with a qHD resolution (960×540), the DROID RAZR measures just 7.1mm thick and has been reinforced with KEVLAR fiber and Corning Gorilla glass for added durability.  Motorola has also adorned it with some sort of new fangled nano coating that helps repel the inside and outside of the phone from “every day spills”.   This ain’t official, but this has to make the RAZR the toughest and thinnest 4G smartphone on the market today.
Complementing the jaw dropping exterior is a dual core 1.2Ghz processor, though Motorola hasn’t said of which type.  Unlike Apple’s iPhone 4s, which is capped at 512mb of RAM, the RAZR sports 1GB of memory.  It ships with 16GB of built-in storage and a 16GB microSD card slot, though you should be able to update the latter to 32GB.   An 8 megapixel shooter sits on the back enabling photogs to capture 1080p HD video, or use the front facing HD camera for video chats.  Bluetooth 4.0 and a 1780mAh battery round out the spec set, at least in terms of hardware.
The DROID RAZR will ship with Android 2.3.5 and include two apps from Motorola.  The first, MotoCast, allows you to stream media directly from your computer, or download it, however you see fit, right your handset.  They’re also tossing in an app called Smart Actions, which automates everyday actions, such as screen dimming or switching to silent mode at select times throughout the day.  And let’s not forget about Motorola’s webtop action, enabling the handset to play nicely with their Lapdock 100 or HD station.  Lastly, the RAZR boasts a HotSpot function that can support up to 8 WiFi devices.
The DROID RAZR will cost $299.99 on contract and arrive this November from Verizon Wireless.

Verizon Wireless and Motorola Announce DROID RAZR™ by Motorola: DROID Strong. RAZR Sharp.
Impossibly thin with unstoppable power on America’s fastest and most reliable 4G network
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Today, Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) and Verizon Wireless announced DROID RAZR™ by Motorola, the world’s thinnest 4G LTE smartphone. A true marvel of design, this smartphone packs strength and smarts into a stylish package offered exclusively from Verizon Wireless.
Measuring 7.1 mm thin, made with KEVLAR® fiber for strength and Corning® Gorilla® Glass for scratch resistance, the DROID RAZR is ready to face the elements. Speed limits are just an illusion with a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and Verizon Wireless 4G LTE. DROID RAZR customers can expect to rip through the Web with speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.
“DROID RAZR by Motorola combines style, performance and the power of Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network into one innovative device,” said Marni Walden, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “These are two iconic brands that separately symbolize the best technology available today. The combination will provide an unsurpassed wireless experience for customers.”
“DROID RAZR by Motorola is a testament to the innovation and design possibilities that stem from a strong partnership between Motorola Mobility and Verizon Wireless,” said Sanjay Jha, Chairman and CEO, Motorola Mobility. “We set out to design the best smartphone on the planet and delivered DROID RAZR which is thinner, smarter, stronger than any device on the market.”
Not only does DROID RAZR by Motorola deliver heart-pounding speed, but it has a mind-bending 4.3-inch hyper-vibrant display with more colors than most LCD HDTVs. The Super AMOLED™ Advanced display with qHD resolution dishes out beautiful images and smooth action so on-the-go movies and TV shows aren’t a blur, whether customers stream from Netflix™ or rent from Android Market™. It’s the first smartphone capable of streaming movies and TV shows through Netflix with up to HD resolution.
DROID RAZR customers can take advantage of the Super AMOLED Advanced display and 4G LTE speeds to stream videos with NFL Mobile, only from Verizon. Fans can stay up to date on news, schedules and scores from their favorite teams on the go. NFL Mobile is included at no additional charge for 4G LTE customers for the remainder of the 2011 season.
If cutting-edge visuals are its beauty, apps on DROID RAZR are its brains. Enter MotoCast™, the free Motorola app that lets you stream or download your music, pictures and more from your PC to your phone. The Smart Actions app helps automate everyday tasks and optimizes battery efficiency by letting customers create rules, such as automatically setting the phone to vibrate during work hours or dimming the display at a specific battery level. The revolutionary webtop application allows customers to combine the device with separately sold accessories, like the Lapdock™ 100 or HD Station, unleashing the power to edit documents and browse the Web with a full Firefox® browser on a larger screen – all while charging the device.
Additional features:
Powered by Android™ 2.3.5, Gingerbread
1GB RAM for a fast user interface and multi-tasking
8-megapixel rear camera with 1080p HD video capture and image stabilization technology for crisp and clear videos
Front-facing HD camera for video chat over 4G LTE, 3G or Wi-Fi
4G LTE Mobile Hotspot capable so customers can share 4G LTE speed with up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices
Water repellent nanocoating protects the phone, and even the inside components, against everyday spills
Remote wipe, pin lock and government-grade encryption for email, calendar and contacts as well as voice and video chat conferencing
Use Quickoffice® to view, create and edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on your mobile device from anywhere at anytime
Bluetooth 4.0 low energy
32 GB memory: 16 GB on board and 16 GB microSD™ card pre-installed (actual formatted capacity is less)
Powerful 1780 mAh battery
The DROID RAZR will be available in early November for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement at all Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at: www.verizonwireless.com; as well as at authorized retailers. Customers can visit www.droiddoes.com/droidrazr to pre-order DROID RAZR beginning on October 27. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

HTC EVO Design 4G Price and Launch Date Announced

Still mulling over that smartphone purchase?  Well, not to confuse you all the more, but Sprint just dropped the HTV EVO Design 4G into the mix.  Design 4G what?  Okay, naming convention aside, this handset actually is looking pretty tasty considering the price. At the center is a 4-inch qHD (960540) touchscreen, supported by HTC Sense UI, which is laid on top of Android 2.3.  The phone’s processing is powered by a 1.2Ghz Qualcomm MSM8655 CPU and while there is no mention of on board storage or RAM, we do know it sports two cameras (a 5-megapixel for capturing HD video and another for video chats), 4G connectivity, world phone support and mobile Hotspot functionality.  All this is wrapped inside of an aluminum unibody, though HTC hasn’t made mention of the slimness in the press release and rightfully so, since the DROID RAZR has set a new bar.
The HTC EVO Design 4G hits Sprint retails outlets (web and stores) on October 23rd for $99.99 after a 2-year contract and $50 mail-in-rebate.

Sprint Expands Award-Winning HTC EVO Family with HTC EVO Design 4G, First EVO with World Phone Capabilities

HTC EVO Design 4G debuts Oct. 23 for less than $100 – offering high-end 4G capabilities at an easily affordable price

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., & SEATTLE (BUSINESS WIRE), October 19, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) continues the award-winning HTC EVO™ family legacy with the addition of HTC EVO Design 4G™, the first EVO family member touting World Phone capabilities. HTC EVO Design 4G boasts many of the “must-have” features of its predecessors, including Sprint 4G and a large touchscreen display, while sporting a slim, pocket-friendly aluminum unibody design at an easily affordable price.

HTC EVO Design 4G goes on sale Oct. 23 for just $99.99 (excluding taxes) with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade and after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1. It will be available in all Sprint sales channels, including Sprint Stores, Web Sales (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1).

“Priced at under $100, HTC EVO Design 4G is the perfect device for consumers looking for both the benefits of 4G and the latest in device style,” said Fared Adib, Sprint vice president-Product Development. “When matched with one of the Sprint Everything Data plans, our customers will unlock the value of unlimited without worrying about the cost or surprises on their monthly bill.”

Designed for customers who want to stay connected and be entertained, HTC EVO Design 4G combines the acclaimed HTC Sense™ experience with a stylish and robust feature set to make the 4G experience more accessible than ever. Other key features include:

* Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread

* HTC Sense – Award-winning user experience taking social networking, navigation and customization to new levels

* Aluminum unibody design gives HTC EVO Design 4G a slim, streamlined profile –guaranteed to get attention and is nicely compact in your hand, pocket or bag

* 1.2GHz processor

* 4-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen display

* Dual cameras: 5MP rear-facing camera/camcorder with flash and HD video recording and 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chat

* World Phone capabilities to make and receive calls and texts, and to access email and news from locations around the globe

* 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, supporting up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices on the Sprint 3G or 4G network

* Wi-Fi® b/g/n capable

“With HTC and Sprint working together, the smash-hit HTC EVO 4G introduced the world to the possibilities of 4G,” said Martin Fichter, vice president, product management, HTC America. “With the introduction of the fifth addition to the EVO family – HTC EVO Design 4G – HTC is expanding its diverse portfolio of 4G smartphones on Sprint’s powerful 4G network.”

Sprint Expands Award-Winning HTC EVO Family with HTC EVO Design 4G, First EVO with World Phone Capabilities
HTC EVO Design 4G debuts Oct. 23 for less than $100 – offering high-end 4G capabilities at an easily affordable price
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., & SEATTLE (BUSINESS WIRE), October 19, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) continues the award-winning HTC EVO™ family legacy with the addition of HTC EVO Design 4G™, the first EVO family member touting World Phone capabilities. HTC EVO Design 4G boasts many of the “must-have” features of its predecessors, including Sprint 4G and a large touchscreen display, while sporting a slim, pocket-friendly aluminum unibody design at an easily affordable price.
HTC EVO Design 4G goes on sale Oct. 23 for just $99.99 (excluding taxes) with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade and after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1. It will be available in all Sprint sales channels, including Sprint Stores, Web Sales (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1).
“Priced at under $100, HTC EVO Design 4G is the perfect device for consumers looking for both the benefits of 4G and the latest in device style,” said Fared Adib, Sprint vice president-Product Development. “When matched with one of the Sprint Everything Data plans, our customers will unlock the value of unlimited without worrying about the cost or surprises on their monthly bill.”
Designed for customers who want to stay connected and be entertained, HTC EVO Design 4G combines the acclaimed HTC Sense™ experience with a stylish and robust feature set to make the 4G experience more accessible than ever. Other key features include:
* Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread* HTC Sense – Award-winning user experience taking social networking, navigation and customization to new levels* Aluminum unibody design gives HTC EVO Design 4G a slim, streamlined profile –guaranteed to get attention and is nicely compact in your hand, pocket or bag* 1.2GHz processor* 4-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen display* Dual cameras: 5MP rear-facing camera/camcorder with flash and HD video recording and 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chat* World Phone capabilities to make and receive calls and texts, and to access email and news from locations around the globe* 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, supporting up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices on the Sprint 3G or 4G network* Wi-Fi® b/g/n capable
“With HTC and Sprint working together, the smash-hit HTC EVO 4G introduced the world to the possibilities of 4G,” said Martin Fichter, vice president, product management, HTC America. “With the introduction of the fifth addition to the EVO family – HTC EVO Design 4G – HTC is expanding its diverse portfolio of 4G smartphones on Sprint’s powerful 4G network.”

Motorola Xoom Android 3.0 Tablet:

The Motorola XOOM, as the first Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet to hit the market, has all eyes on it. People want to know if this device, and others like it that will follow, will truly be able to pose a threat to the Apple and its popular iPad tablet - the device that created the market that the Motorola XOOM is now trying to compete in.
The short answer is yes, it can compete. But it does things in a very different way and will likely appeal to a very different type of consumer. Just as Android smartphones appeal to a different type of user than Apple's iPhone, so do Android tablets appeal to different people than might be drawn to the iPad.
That's fine, of course. But for now, at least, Android 3.0 Honeycomb is not quite ready for prime time. While Motorola's XOOM hardware is very nice, the OS that powers it is not particularly intuitive, and has so far proven itself to be not particularly stable, either.
But with that said, I really like the device and will continue to use it. In fact, I typed the Motorola XOOM review that you are reading on a Motorola XOOM. How meta.
But for the mass market, Android Honeycomb just isn't ready. There are too few apps that take advantage of it properly, and too many apps in general just don't run well on it. The UI inconsistencies and such also will prove to be a large hurdle for Android powered tablets for the time being

The Specifications of  Motorola Xoom Android 3.0 Tablet:

• 1Ghz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor
• 10.1 ” 1280X800 gorilla touch screen display
• 1080p video and HDMI output
• 32 GB internal storage (will need software update for SD support)
• 1 GB DDR2 RAM
• 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, 720p Video capture
• 2 megapixel front-facing camera
• Gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer
• 3G and Wifi  connectivity
• HDMI 2.0,USB 2.0,3.5mm Audio Jack

Nintendo 3DS review

The UK release of the Nintendo 3DS on 25 March 2011 saw Europe welcome the latest offering from arguably the most innovative company in the gaming world.
Nintendo is responsible for iconic household names like Super Mario, SNES and Gameboy all of which have made a massive contribution to how we play today.
But the Japanese company has also been busy redefining the modern medium with its most recognised bit of kit - the Wii, dragging everyone from nine year old girls to 79-year-old grandaddys around the TV to wave a white remote in the air.
Nintendo's current handheld line – the Nintendo DS – has had a similar amount of pull on the public, creating a world where everyone's a gamer. You might be Brain Training on the bus or leaping over spike pits at lunch, either way you're a part of a video game boom (at least in terms of awareness) that's never been seen before, and that's largely thanks to Nintendo.
After such success you might forgive Nintendo for resting on its laurels and, indeed, since the UK release of the first DS back in 2004, the progression of the portable has been something of a slow evolution.
Sticking a couple of extra letters on the end of each edition, with devices like the DS Lite, the DSi and the DSi XL Nintendo made the common alterations; making things bigger/smaller/lighter, adding a camera here and a bit more power there.

The core of the DS remained the same though; a book-like, dual-screen handheld with the touch functionality that augments the gaming experience with an extra dimension of interactivity that spawned the DS success in the beginning.
But now, with the release of the Nintendo 3DS, Ninty is having a punt at revolutionising video games for a third time and 'extra dimension' is the key phrase again.
The 3DS originally launched for well over £200 - closing in on £300 in many stores. But after poor sales, Nintendo has slashed the price drastically, and the console can now be picked up for a little over £110.

At first glance it looks like a shinier, sleeker version of its brothers and it still has the same dual-screen, touch sensitive set up. This time, however, the top screen boasts the ability to beam your gaming experience in full auto-stereoscopic 3D - that's 3D without the need for a pair of 3D specs

ok, so the likes of Avatar have already reignited the 3D interest for cinema and Sony's pushing 3D gaming on the PS3 – pricey TVs and cumbersome glasses included - but unassisted, palm of your hand 3D is a completely different and massively exciting prospect.