Worlds First Intel Powered Smartphone The Lava Xolo X900 Arriving April 23rd

Intel and Lava, one of India’s fastest-growing mobile handset companies, have this week announced that their new Lava Xolo X900, the worlds first smartphone powered by an Intel processor will be arriving in India on April 23rd.

The Lava Xolo X900 smartphone is powered by a 1.6 GHz Atom processor with Hyper Threading Technology, together with a 400 MHz graphics clock and the full HD 1080p video recording and playback capabilities.

The Lava Xolo X900 is also fitted with a 4.03-inch high-resolution LCD touch screen and 8-megapixel camera, with a burst mode feature allowing 10 pictures to be captured in under a second.

Its internal battery has been designed to provide up to 5 hours of 3G browsing, 45 hours of audio and 8 hours of talk time. Mike Bell, Intel corporate vice president and general manager of the Mobile and Communications Group explains:

“The first smartphone with Intel inside is now available to Indian consumers,”-“The boundaries of personal computing are expanding. As we enter the India market with our first smartphone from Lava, the device not only showcases the rich capabilities and user benefits of Intel computing, but also highlights the exciting possibilities of what’s still to come.”

No information on pricing or worldwide availability has been released as yet.

Samsung Galaxy S 4G Blaze is a solid choice at $120 price

Summary: T-Mobile has an extremely fast 42+ Mbps HSPA+ data network and is offering more and more Android devices that support these network speeds. The latest device is the rather inexpensive Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G.

Without the Apple iPhone, T-Mobile has focused on providing customers a wide selection of Android phones. With their current HSPA+ network speeds topping out at a theoretical 42 Mbps, T-Mobile wants to provide phones that allow you to take advantage of these speeds and the new Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G (someone needs to tell Samsung to shorten up these names) slides in at the very affordable $119.99 price. You can check out a few photos of this new Android smartphone in my image gallery.

I understand that T-Mobile wants have devices along the entire price spectrum, but does saving $50 to $100 on the initial price of a phone really matter that much? Consumers should understand the phone they buy will likely be with them for one to two years so they might as well spend a bit more for a better device. The Samsung Galaxy S II is available for $229.99 ($110 more) and supports the fast 42 Mbps network. It is getting the Ice Cream Sandwich update soon and is a much better device than the Galaxy S Blaze 4G. In any case, if you only want to spend $120 for an Android phone, the Blaze 4G is a good choice.

The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G comes in the same kind of solid box T-Mobile has been using for some time with the glossy image of the phone on the front and main features listed on the back. You will find the Blaze 4G, battery, charger, USB cable, SIM card, Start Guide, and preinstalled 4GB microSD card.

The SGSBlaze 4G feels a lot like one of the new BlackBerry Torch 9800 series devices and is really quite solid. Most Android devices today seem to be sporting 4?+ sized screens, but the Blaze 4G comes in a bit smaller and feels nice in the hand. The display resolution is a bit of a disappointment to those of us who have HD displays, but it’s not bad for a lower cost device.

Specifications for the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G include the following:
3.97 inch Super AMOLED display at 800×480 pixels resolution1.5GHz dual core Snapdragon S3 processorAndroid 2.3.6 GingerbreadHSPA+ 42Mbps4GB internal memory, 4GB microSD card in the slot1GB RAM5 megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p video recording capability1.3 megapixel front facing cameraBluetooth 3.0, WiFi, GPS, NFC, and compass1750mAh batteryDimensions: 4.79 x 2.48 x 0.44 inches and 4.5 ouncesWiFi Calling is supported on this phone and as you can see above it has all the latest wireless radios and capabilities. The display is a bit dated compared to high end devices and I am not a fan of new Android devices in 2012 launching without Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Galaxy S Blaze 4G looks like a BlackBerry device from the back and appears to be built as tough as one of them. Like all touchscreen devices today, the front is dominated by the display. The 3.97 inch size is just about perfect for a pocketable device and Samsung’s Super AMOLED technology makes the screen bright and vibrant. However, the 800×480 pixels resolution can’t compare to devices like the Galaxy Nexus or iPhone 4S. There are four capacitive buttons below the display and a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera on the upper left front.

The traditional Samsung power/lock button is on the upper right with a microSD card slot down below this button. The volume button is on the left, the microUSB port is on the bottom, and the 3.5mm headphone jack is on the top.
A 5 megapixel camera, flash light, and mono speaker are found on the upper back of the Galaxy S Blaze 4G. Below the soft touch, textured back cover you will find a large 1750 mAh battery with NFC capability.

The Blaze 4G comes with Gingerbread and Samsung TouchWIZ UI. There are a TON of preloaded apps and utilities, much more than I am used to seeing on T-Mobile devices. After using the Galaxy Nexus with Ice Cream Sandwich I cannot go back to using a Gingerbread smartphone. I have not seen any information that this device will be getting the ICS update and thus this is really not a device for the smartphone enthusiast.

I ran some speed tests and even at my house I measured download speeds in excess of 14 Mbps, which is something I have never seen before. I have read reviews that state the Blaze 4G is the fastest T-Mobile phone people have tried and I believe it. In Seattle I measured download speeds in excess of 25 Mbps, which is simply screaming on a mobile phone.

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HTC unveils the One series in three flavors, two bound for U.S. carriers

Summary: There will be lots of phone news from Spain this week and to kick things off HTC announced their new HTC One series. Thankfully, two of the three new devices are coming to the U.S.

HTC has been focusing on improving their cameras and audio quality, but has done so in pieces. Today at Mobile World Congress HTC announced their new HTC One series Android smartphones with two models coming to the U.S. You can check out this image gallery of all press photos.

The camera and audio experience is a focus on all devices in the HTC One series that launches with a range of three devices that vary in size and specifications.
The HTC One X is coming to AT&T and is the highest end device in the new HTC One series. The HTC One X specs include:

Qualcomm 1.5 GHz Snapdragon dual-core processorAT&T LTE data supportAndroid Ice Cream Sandwich OS4.7 inch HD Super LCD display8 megapixel camera with new HTC ImageChipFront facing VGA cameraBeats Audio available universally in the device16GB integrated storage with no expansion capabilityIntegrated 1800 mAh battery that is non-removableThere is of course no pricing information and availability is simply stated as “the coming months”.

The HTC One S will be coming to T-Mobile USA this spring for an undisclosed price. The HTC One S specs include:

Qualcomm 1.5 GHz Snapdragon dual-core processorT-Mobile HSPA+ (42 Mbps network) data supportAndroid Ice Cream Sandwich OS4.3 inch qHD Super AMOLED display8 megapixel camera with new HTC ImageChipFront facing VGA cameraBeats Audio available universally in the device16GB integrated storage with no expansion capabilityIntegrated 1650 mAh battery that is non-removable.
As a T-Mobile customer, I will definitely have to consider this device when it launches.

The smallest of the new HTC One series is the HTC One V. Specs for this phone include:

Qualcomm 1.5 GHz Snapdragon dual-core processorAndroid Ice Cream Sandwich OS3.7 inch 480×800 display5 megapixel camera with new HTC ImageChipFront facing VGA cameraBeats Audio available universally in the device4GB integrated storage with microSD expansion capabilityIntegrated 1500 mAh battery that is non-removable.
All of these phones have advanced camera optics with F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens, 1080p HD video recording, along with a dedicated image chip. Beats Audio is also included in all of them so they should be great for the audio experience.

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Samsung moving up on Nokia as Apple passes LG for 3rd place in global phone share

Summary: Samsung cut Nokia’s worldwide lead from 10% to just 4% in 2011 and Apple passed up LG. 2012 will likely see continued rise of Samsung and Apple in the global phone market.

I wrote about Nokia’s continued feature phone focus a couple of days ago and today we see that the IDC 4th quarter 2011 report confirms Nokia is still the worldwide leader in mobile phone shipments and market share. Samsung closed the gap with Nokia from 10% to just 4% though and we may soon see them take the lead. Apple moved up, actually doubled their market share in a year, and passed up LG in 2011.


These figures obviously include all mobile phones, including feature phones where Nokia is shipping its greatest volumes, so the data is actually a bit shocking when you look at Apple’s continued rise. Apple only makes iPhone devices and is still able to garner 3rd place in global phone shipments.

Samsung is HOT right now with Windows Phone, Android, Bada and feature phone devices flooding the market and this diversity is why I think they will pass up Nokia in 2012. I am LOVING my Galaxy Nexus from Samsung and think it is the best Android device currently available for a number of reasons.

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Nokia N9 1.2 update makes MeeGo even better

Summary: The Nokia N9 is one of the best smartphones available, but the general public knows little about this MeeGo sporting device. This latest update improves an already great operating system.

I saw Tweets that the PR 1.2 update for the Nokia N9 was rolling out yesterday and as soon as I connected with my home WiFi signal I saw it appear on my cyan N9. I think the “too little too late” headlines for this update are silly since the entire N9 is too late given that Nokia’s leadership essentially killed it right after launch. One reason I purchased my Nokia N9 at Nokia World last fall was because I saw that Nokia was showing off the 1.1 update and I had confidence they would continue to update and support this unique operating system and device. You can check out several screenshots of this update in action on my Nokia N9 in this image gallery.

The PR 1.2 update, version 30.2012.07-1 on my N9, comes in at 283.1 MB and can be downloaded and installed wirelessly with no connection to a PC. Nokia states it could take up to 40 minutes to install, but mine only took about 15. The release notes and some experiences included in this update are:

Support for folders on the center/home screen: You need to manually create a folder, but then can drag and drop shortcuts into the folder and the first four appear on the folder thumbnail image.New features for the Camera and Gallery apps: Camera updates include enable/disable flash icon with red eye, flash on for video recording, and new video filters. Gallery updates include face tagging and face recognition, along with video editing similar to what you see on the iPhone.Bigger keys on Swype keyboard (MUCH appreciated)Integrated account support for Dropbox: You can now share files to Dropbox, similar to how you see share used in Android.Music player supports playlist creationThreaded email option (another MAJOR improvement for me): This is toggled in the settings and not from within the email application.Browser improvements: History appears below the top sites section, copy and paste is now supported within the browser, and you can save passwords.DLNA support: Sorry, I don’t have anything to test it.Compass support in MapsCalendar icon shows real day of the month now Slightly larger fonts.

 

 There is talk in the forums that support for video calling with the front facing camera was also added, but it seems you need a 3rd party client that supports this as Skype video calling is still not yet supported.
There are many, many more improvements and the most comprehensive list I could find is on the Maemo.org website so check it out for all the details. So far, my favorite aspects of this update are the folders, larger SWYPE keyboard, and improved camera functions.

I am very tempted to pick up a white Nokia N9 in 64GB since I really do like the device and think my 16GB will not be adequate over the long run.

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CES 2012: T-Mobile expands 4G network and services, announces Galaxy S Blaze 4G

Summary: T-Mobile announced expanded network coverage, improvements in Bobsled, and a new Android smartphone.

As a long time T-Mobile customer I have a lot of interest in their future and services so I spent some time with them at the CES. I was encouraged by their expanding 4G network, Bobsled Messaging and Calling expansion, free service practices, and the new Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G.

T-Mobile announced that they rolled out the 42 Mbps (double the previous speed) in 12 additional markets so that 184 million Americans in 175 markets are covered. Their 21 Mbps network has also expanded into nine additional markets. They also announced they will be able to expand their AWS coverage when they get the concessions from AT&T after the failed purchase.

I wrote about the Bobsled mobile client release last October, but have not had the chance to try it out and experience the service. Yesterday, T-Mobile announced the new Bobsled Messaging app for Android devices that lets you send and receive messages, through data and not through SMS, for free. The slick thing is that you can create a message from a PC browser and it gets synced to your phone so you can have a consolidated messaging experience across a number of devices and platforms. An iOS version of Bobsled Messaging is under development.

T-Mobile also announced the enhancement of Bobsled Calling so that you can now make free phone calls from your mobile phone to your Facebook friends and any mobile or landline in the U.S., Canada, or Puerto Rico. Previously you could only call Facebook friends. There are Android and iOS apps for Calling.
I highly recommend you read through the FAQ section on the Bobsled website since there are some great questions answered that should help explain the service in detail. I loaded both up on my Samsung Galaxy Nexus and will be testing it out over the next week or two.

T-Mobile is the best carrier when it comes to controlling how many apps and services are preloaded on their devices and as I confirmed yesterday many of those services can be quite valuable. For example, T-Mobile TV is loaded on many smartphones and you get 16 channels completely free. The MobileLife Album lets you back up your photos to the cloud, T-Mobile has been doing this way before cloud computing was popular. You get five free magazines with Zinio that you can even read on multiple devices.

T-Mobile revealed that 50% of the data consumed on their network is due to streaming video content and that data consumption is doubling every nine months.
Customers today can purchase the Nokia Lumia 710 for just $50 and as I mentioned in my initial hands-on this device is a great deal at $50 and should satisfy many customers and hopefully encourage more people to try out Windows Phone. This is only a 14.4 Mbps smartphone and while T-Mobile labels it 4G, it doesn’t compare in download speeds with their 21 and 42 Mbps devices.

T-Mobile also announced the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G that will support their 42 Mbps network, but most details were not revealed and the release date was simply given as “coming later this year”. It looks to be similar to a Galaxy Nexus and an upgraded Galaxy S 2 with Super AMOLED display, Android OS, and 1.5 GHz dual-core processor.

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Preorder the Nokia Lumia 900 on Amazon for just a penny

Summary: The Lumia 900 is priced aggressively at $99.99 on AT&T, but you can find better deals online. I just preordered a cyan one for just a penny over at Amazon.

I put together my Top 10 Smartphones to Kick Off 2012 article last week and after 665 votes, the Lumia 900 is leading with 217 votes or 33%. I admit I was a bit surprised since Windows Phone isn’t really selling like hotcakes, even though it is my personal preferred platform. I then heard the Lumia 900 was available for preorder and couldn’t help myself when I found it on Amazon for just 1 penny. It is already at a compelling price of $99.99 on AT&T, but for a penny I just couldn’t help myself.

I regularly pay $700+ for SIM unlocked phones and getting the Lumia 900 for a penny with a monthly service plan of about $80 (minimum voice and 3GB data) means I can use the Lumia for 9 months for essentially the same price I would have paid just for a phone without any service. This looks to be the best Windows Phone device available and as a fan of the platform I figured it would be a good idea to finally have the best device. I will now have the Lumia 900 on AT&T, the iPhone 4S on Verizon, and the Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile so you can’t say I am not giving the top platforms a fair chance.
We regularly see smartphones drop to a penny on Amazon, but it usually takes a few months. The Lumia 900 isn’t even available yet and it is already just a penny. I know the initial cost of the phone isn’t the major cost to think about when you have a new 2-year contract, but when you see other LTE phones coming out at $250 to $350 this is a heck of a deal. Did any other readers pre-order a Nokia Lumia 900?

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Top 10 smartphones to kick off 2012

Summary: It was a bit easier to pick my top 10 smartphones to start 2012 and I ended up with four of them being Windows Phone devices. Which is your current favorite?

As we head into April, I think it is appropriate to once again look at the current smartphone market and see what I consider the top smartphones available or coming soon to the U.S. market. CES and MWC is behind us with CTIA coming in May so the majority of new smartphones for the first half of 2012 have been revealed. This post includes phones that have been announced, but does not include any rumored devices in the top 10 list. Some do not have exact release dates or pricing, but they should all be here within the next couple of months. You can check out several product photos of these top 10 devices in my image gallery, but I also highly recommend you visit your carrier store or local electronics retailer to get some hands-on time with a device before you make your purchase decision.

Just so you know where my personal perspective is coming from I am a long time (over 10 years) T-Mobile subscriber with five phones on a family plan and also have a Verizon account with the Apple iPhone 4S. I had an AT&T account (mainly used only with data) for a couple of years and was a Sprint subscriber for about a year with devices like the HTC EVO 4G. I do have some experiences with each of the four major US wireless carriers and have also been purchasing SIM-unlocked smartphones for over 7 years. I personally will switch and pay the ETF to get a new device and jump to a carrier that offers me more for my money, but like most of you the quality and reliability of the carrier is more important than the device itself.

IMHO, smartphones today are all very good at helping you stay connected and get a lot done on the go and while I have some preferences I also switch around a lot and enjoy every mobile platform. So, without further rambling, here are my Top 10 Smartphones to Kick Off 2012.

The Apple iPhone is an extremely popular smartphone and after using my iPhone 4S on Verizon for several months I have to say it is one of my favorite phones ever. It may not give you all the customizability you want and the fastest data connection available, but the camera is fantastic, Siri is very useful, applications are outstanding, battery life is decent, signal strength is better than I have seen on any other Verizon phone, and the display is still better than anything else in the smartphone market.

You can now purchase an iPhone 4S on Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T so the majority of mobile phone customers can choose this device and stick with their existing carrier. I’m not sure what Apple can do to make the iPhone better, other than supporting LTE data, and imagine the next update will be focused on that aspect since everything else is already excellent.

HTC announced that the One X will be coming to AT&T this spring and the device looks to take the lead as the top Android smartphone with amazing hardware, camera features that blow away nearly every other device, and audio enhancements that are sure to impress the audiophile. The HTC One X sports a Snapdragon S4 duel-core 1.5 GHz processor, 4.7-inch, 720p HD screen crafted from contoured Corning Gorilla Glass, HTC Sense 4.0 with Ice Cream Sandwich, Bluetooth 4.0, 8 megapixel camera with f/2.0 lens, and Beats Audio. Dropbox is integrated too so integrated storage isn’t much of a limitation.

The HTC One X on AT&T will support their LTE data network so should be one of the fastest Android devices around. We don’t know the price yet, but looking at other LTE devices I imagine it will be around $299 with a 2-year contract.
Regular readers know I am a major fan of Windows Phone and as we saw at CES this year, the Nokia Lumia 900 looks to be one of the best Windows Phone devices of 2012. AT&T just revealed the Lumia 900 will be launching for just $99.99 on 8 April and I am seriously considering adding an AT&T account and making this my Windows Phone device.

The Nokia Lumia 900 has that lovely form factor we saw on the N9 and Lumia 800 with a larger 4.3 inch AMOLED ClearBlack display. You can also find an 8 megapixel camera, 1 megapixel front facing camera, LTE, 1.4 GHz processor, and more.

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Reviewers Overwhelmingly Like The Nokia Lumia 900, Consumers Will Too

Some of the reviews online certainly aren't flattering ("mediocre hardware" - Tech Republic, for example). But that's not the real problem. After all, if you want an iPhone or Android phone, you probably already have one. If you really find Windows Phone better for you, the Nokia 900 is a sound choice.

The big problem is the future. It's easy to say that Windows 7 Phone isn't as "heavy" as the other options. But iOS and Android didn't start out as large are they are, either. They've had years to evolve AND improve. As well, most of the Windows Phone apps are stripped down, compared to their iOS and/or Android equivalents. This makes them run faster in some cases, uses less memory for certain, but it may well be those more CPU-bound, extra features that make the difference for a given user.

And the 900's GPU doesn't even match the power of the iPhone 3GS... it's very weird for the Windows Phone flagship to not support games in a 2012-class fashion. Particularly given that this is a pure consumer push, and that Apple's primary upgrades for the iPhone 4/4S and iPad 2/3 have been better chops in gaming... which has made iOS the top mobile gaming platform, despite Sony and Nintendo's best efforts.

And here's the other thing: upgrades. Microsoft threw all their business customers under the bus, not supporting any sort of upgrade for Windows Mobile... and if you think that doesn't matter, consider than WinMo outsold WinPhone by more than 2:1 in 2011. These are current customers. So MS has to upgrade all the Win7Phone folks to Win8Phone... which is supposed to just be the ARM version of Windows 8... Microsoft's one-size-fits-all future. This is going to support multiprocessing just dandy (one current development target for the ARM version of Windows 8 is the 4+1 core nVidia Tegra 3), but it's also going to be a much heavier footprint, more complete OS than Win7Phone. And since there really is no functional difference between "smartphone" and "tablet" (eg, it's just a marketing designation), it's hard to imagine the "phone" version being all that different from the tablet. And apps will run on tablet, phone, and desktop, or that's the claim. That OS ships in 5-6 months by most accounts... and these models are going to be a problem for Microsoft and the users then. They're either not getting the upgrade, or they're going to be overpowered by it.

And that's needless...there are a wide variety of much higher-end Android devices shipping at the $100 and below mark. At least half a dozen with qHD screens and dual core processors. Yeah, competition helps on price, but that doesn't mean Windows Phone is immune to price competition. Today, buying a new Android phone, you may have to question if you get an update to ICS (because it's up to the weird matrix of your carrier and your HW company), but all the devices will run it fine. And people complain about Android's update cycle. Microsoft MUST do better than that -- that's one advantage they have with their tighter control of HW and SW. If not, they're going to be seen as the worst of both worlds (eg, Android and iOS).

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Seven Reasons I Chose The HTC Radar 4G Over The Nokia Lumia 710

Summary: The Radar 4G and Lumia 710 are both excellent low cost Windows Phone devices on T-Mobile USA. After spending time with both, I am using the Radar 4G as my primary device for several reasons.

Unfortunately, there are very few Windows Phone choices on T-Mobile USA and thus I have stuck with my HTC HD7 and Dell Venue Pro for over a year. They are still solid WP devices, but I have been looking for something different and have now settled on one device while I wait for a rumored high end Nokia Lumia 900 that may be coming sometime this year.

A couple of months ago I took a look at the HTC Radar 4G and recently wrote up some first impressions of the Nokia Lumia 710. I recently paid over $750 for a Samsung Galaxy Nexus (yes, that is a bit crazy but part of my job to get the latest and greatest), but I have now pretty much given up on it and am back to Windows Phone nearly full time on T-Mobile. I personally find the Windows Phone platform to be much more efficient for daily usage and have decided this is my personal platform of choice.

After using the Nokia Lumia 710 and HTC Radar 4G off and on over the last week or two I have decided that the HTC Radar 4G is the Windows Phone for me and am sticking with it until something better comes along. I have removed devices and now have the Radar 4G setup as one of the phones supported by my Zune Pass too. I really though the Lumia 710 would have been my phone of choice and if T-Mobile and Nokia would have just released the Nokia Lumia 800 with T-Mobile USA support then that would likely have been my phone of choice.

Here are the reasons I chose the HTC Radar 4G over the Nokia Lumia 710:

Display size: The Radar 4G has a slightly bigger display, 3.8 vs 3.7 inches, but even that small of a difference has an impact and I like 3.8 to 4 inches on Windows Phone at 800×480 pixels resolution.Form factor and quality: The Radar aluminum shell is much nicer than the plastic and soft touch of the Lumia 710. The 710 display is the worst I have ever seen at collecting fingerprints and face grease and it does not clean off easily. The Radar looks great in white and feels like a very expensive phone.Larger capacity battery: The Radar has an integrated 1520 mAh battery while the Lumia 710 has a removable 1300 mAh one. I get better battery life on the Radar, but you can have spares for the Lumia too.Capacitive buttons: I am used to capacitive buttons and cannot get used to the weird move Nokia made with a physical button bar on the Lumia 710. I keep tapping it with no actions being taken.HTC utilities: The HTC Attentive Phone utilities let you enable options to reduce the ringer volume when you pick it up, increase ring volume when in your pocket, flip over to turn on the speaker, and flip to mute the ringer. These are very useful utilities for a phone.WiFi hotspot: The HTC Radar 4G supports the WiFi hotspot functionality found in the Mango WP software. The Lumia 710 may eventually get this in an update, but the Radar has it now.Front facing camera: I know this is not the most important feature, but it does work with Tango on the Radar right now and with Skype eventually coming out it could be a big deal.

 

The Lumia 710 is a decent device, especially at only $50, and it does have an advantage over the Radar 4G. The Nokia Lumia 710 comes with Nokia Maps so you can get full offline GPS navigation with the device. There are 3rd party programs for Windows Phone so you can get this on the Radar 4G too, but if navigation with your phone is important then the Lumia 710 may be the one to consider.
Both of these are generally consider low to mid range Windows Phone devices due to their slower processor speeds, slower data limit (14.4 Mbps HSPA+ radios instead of 21 or 42) smaller internal memory capacity (8GB only), and low price. However, I am finding the 25 GB of Skydrive available for free to make up for the lack of storage capability and even with 25+ apps loaded on the Radar 4G I still have over 1.5 GB left (out of about 6.5 GB available). I also stream music through Zune or Slacker Radio and am starting to feel that 8GB may be just fine on Windows Phone.

Why am I even considering one of these instead of sticking with my HD7 or Dell Venue Pro? The HD7 camera is horrible, battery life is limited, and these two devices have better displays too. The DVP is a big device and the camera is barely usable.

I hope that the Lumia 710 and Radar 4G low prices and excellent performance encourage people to try out Windows Phone since I find the platform to be my personal favorite and believe it is a system someone needs to try to believe in. The customer reviews for both of these devices are outstanding with both currently earning 5 star ratings on the T-Mobile site. I look forward to more Windows Phone news at Mobile World Congress and CTIA over the next few months and am hopeful we will see even more compelling hardware for T-Mobile USA.

UPDATE: I was just informed that Mark Guim from The Nokia Blog posted the video below that offers a very nice video comparison of these two devices. In addition to the HTC Hub, I think the HTC utilities I mentioned above are even more compelling.


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Careful with custom Android ROMs, you could be the problem

Summary: One of the reasons many smartphone enthusiasts pick up an Android smartphone is to tweak it with custom ROMs. However, you should also be careful or you could make things worse like I did.

I purchased a GSM Galaxy Nexus back in December and quickly decided it was the best Android smartphone I have ever owned. A couple weeks after owning it I decided to root it and install custom ROMs so I could use Google Wallet and optimize the phone for my particular needs. Over the past month I went back to using Windows Phone as my primary mainly because the Galaxy Nexus just wasn’t able to perform reliably as a mobile phone with call not going through or dropping constantly. It turns out that it was MY fault for this and the Galaxy Nexus is back in my pocket.
 

In our last MobileTechRoundup podcast I mentioned to Kevin that my Galaxy Nexus kept dropping the cellular connection so I had to take my SIM out to make some critical calls in January. He has been extremely pleased with his Nexus and also using it on T-Mobile, but he is using a data only SIM and making calls via VoIP. He questioned me on what version of the radio software I was running and it turns out I had an older version loaded with the ROM I was running. I never paid attention to the radio version of the ROM and did not select the updated version (the number scheme is not obvious) when I had the ROM baked with Paul O’Brien’s MoDaCo Custom ROM. After our podcast this weekend, I went back in and selected a later version of the radio software and installed the new ROM to my Galaxy Nexus. I am pleased to say this updated radio did indeed solve my flaky cellular connection and I am now very satisfied with my $740+ purchase. I actually almost sold off my Galaxy Nexus in pure frustration and feel a bit like an idiot for not thinking about the radio version in the ROM. Using custom ROMs is a great benefit of the Android platform for those who like to tweak their devices, but it turns out you also should pay attention to the details and use caution when messing around with the software and firmware of your devices. 

 

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Nokia Announces The Lumia 900 With AT&T LTE And Carl Zeiss Optics

Summary: It was only a matter of time before we saw the release of a Windows Phone with Carl Zeiss optics and the Lumia 900 has it and LTE support for AT&T.

Dang, with devices like the upcoming HTC Titan II and just announced Nokia Lumia 900 I may just have to add an AT&T account to my collection as they rule the Windows Phone market in the U.S. The new Nokia Lumia 900 was leaked for a while now, but it is still great to get official word from Nokia and Microsoft and I can’t wait to get some hands on time with the device.

The Nokia Lumia 900 includes the following:

Support for AT&T’s LTE 4G network with up to 50 Mbps downloads4.3 inch AMOLED ClearBlack screen at 800×480 pixels8 megapixel with Carl Zeiss optics (YES, finally a great camera for Windows Phone)1 megapixel front facing camera1.4 GHz Snapdragon processorCyan and Black colors (I love cyan on my Nokia N9)Huge 1840 mAh battery.

Don’t forget that with a Nokia Windows Phone you also get their Nokia Drive voice-guided navigation service and Nokia Maps. There is no pricing or availability information yet. Anyone else excited about the Nokia Lumia 900?


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Sprint announces LTE version of Galaxy Nexus Coming This Year

Summary: Sprint will be joining Verizon with a LTE version of the Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Samsung Galaxy Nexus in 2012. Sprint is rolling out LTE with over 15 handsets coming in 2012.

Sprint was the premier carrier for the Samsung Nexus S and then Verizon ended up getting the new Galaxy Nexus first. It turns out though that Sprint will also get a LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus as they announced today at CES. LTE is new for Sprint and will launch before the middle of this year in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

The Sprint version of the Galaxy Nexus from Samsung will likely be the same as the Verizon version, but Sprint did announce it will also have support for Google Wallet like their Nexus S 4G does right now. I actually used Google Wallet on my GSM Galaxy Nexus today in Vegas to buy a sports drink in the hotel vending machine because I had no cash on me, but my phone is always with me.

A benefit of waiting for the Sprint LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus is that you will get to take advantage of their unlimited Everything services. The one issue will be that you will have to wait for their upcoming LTE service to roll out to your locality.

The more I use the pure Google experience on my Galaxy Nexus the more I become a fan of the Ice Cream Sandwich interface with no customized manufacturer skins.

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