Let’s run down that list real quick.

HTC Rezound. HTC Vivid. HTC Amaze 4G. HTC EVO 3D. HTC EVO Design 4G. HTC Incredible S. HTC Desire S. HTC Desire HD.

There are quite a few devices missing from that list. Though, none more glaring then the absence of the HTC ThunderBolt, the first 4G LTE smartphone that was released on Verizon’s next-generation back in March.

If you’re an HTC ThunderBolt owner, you probably already know where I’m going with this.

For those that don’t own one, let’s make a long story short.

HTC and Verizon manage to completely screw up the launch of the HTC ThunderBolt back in March of 2011. After finally getting the phone out after the bungled launch, owners are immediately greeted with a ton of issues.

Battery life, freezing, random reboots, a broken mobile hotspot, amongst other issues.

Needless to say, people were frustrated. Especially because the issues took months to iron out. Smartphones aren’t toys. They are expensive pieces of hardware that require contracts and monthly payments. So oddly enough, people wanted what they paid for.

A working smartphone.

It wasn’t until HTC and Verizon rolled out Gingerbread in October that the problems seemed to simmer. Oh yeah. Did I mention HTC ThunderBolt owners had to wait seven months for Android 2.3 to arrive?

What I am getting at is that it took seven months for HTC and Verizon to make owning an HTC ThunderBolt a semi-enjoyable experience. They wasted seven whole months of the two years that many signed up for when they bought the darn thing.

And I think that the companies owe ThunderBolt owners something.

Something beyond a promise not to release bulky devices with terrible battery life in 2012.

How about breaking the silence about the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the HTC ThunderBolt? For better or for worse.

If this were any other device, I wouldn’t be opening my mouth. I know how hard it is to prepare a major Android update for a phone not called Nexus and I know that companies don’t want to throw dates around or say stuff that might end up haunting them.

But trust me on this, HTC and Verizon. HTC ThunderBolt owners have gone through smartphone hell and back and I am pretty sure they can handle anything you throw at them.

So throw something.

“No, the HTC ThunderBolt won’t be getting the update.”

“Yes, it will get it sometime in 2012.”

“Yes, it will get it sometime in 2013.”

But not silence, anything but silence.

If I had my way, HTC ThunderBolt owners would be first in line for the Android 4.0 update after all the garbage they put up with. Instead, they will be one of the last in line, put on the back burner once again.

Been wondering why HTC’s 4G LTE smartphone sales were terrible in the fourth quarter of 2011?

There’s your answer. Loyalty is a two way street.

So, how about it HTC?

Verizon?

How about letting ThunderBolt owners know if they should trade in their ThunderBolt for an Android 4.0 device or if they should endure?

The benefits of Android 4.0 are many and I think those who spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a phone that was on par with a paper weight for seven months deserve to know if they are going to see them.

Who else is frustrated?

HTC ThunderBolt Owners Deserve Some Android 4.0 Answers is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

The biggest change coming with these updates are that they are now “Global Roaming” ready. This means that owners will now have coverage in hundreds of countries around the world.

So if you’re a globe trotting Xyboard owner, you should be elated.

Thing is, Verizon has told Droid-Life that they aren’t global devices just yet. Within two weeks, there will be another update that will update the SIM card on the Droid Xyboard tablets at which point they will be ready to trot around the earth.

In addition to the new global roaming capabilities, the updates include:

• Enhanced browser performance to improve scrolling
• Improved touch response, including Stylus enhancements for the 10.1 model
• Maintain data connection when switching between Wi-Fi and Verizon’s 3G and 4G LTE networks

Those are just the main enhancements, you can check out the full list in the photos below.

The updates both 83.8MB in size which means that you should be able to update in no time at all.

While the update is nice, what Droid Xyboard owners really want is the upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. We know that the devices are upgradable, but Motorola hasn’t given an exact date for the software roll out.

Stay tuned.

Verizon’s Droid Xyboard Tablets Just Got Better is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

We’ve already taken a look at standard Nikon D800 sample photos, but those were shot at ISO 100 with ideal lighting situations. A lot of photographers need to shoot in the wild and don’t have the privilege of perfect light and stationary subjects. The Nikon D800 is getting some heat for not having the same sensor and ISO range as the Nikon D4, which is Nikon’s $6,000 flagship DSLR, but will it matter for most photographers?

Russian review site Ferra.ru got its hands on an early Nikon D800 review unit and tested how useful the Nikon D800 is at various ISOs. Unfortunately, they’ve only had a chance to shoot a few still life, but this is the first time we’ve seen what the Nikon D800 can do with ISO 800, ISO 3200, ISO 6400 and ISO 25,600.

(Read :Nikon D800 Sample Photos Are Mind Blowing)

Most photographers will rarely venture north of ISO 3200 or ISO 6400 and many question the need for something as high as ISO 25,600. There are a couple of reasons why potential Nikon D800 buyers are making a fuss over this. The Nikon D800 has the same ISO range as the Nikon D700, a camera that was released more than three years ago. The recently introduced Nikon D4 has a maximum ISO setting of 204,800.

The Nikon D800 packs a whopping 36.3 megapixels into it FX (35mm diagonal), which is more than double the resolution of the D4 and triple of the D700. More pixels spread over the same area equals a higher pixel density, which can be bad news when trying to shoot in dim conditions. Despite popular belief, more pixels isn’t necessarily better for all purposes.

(Read: Nikon D800: Amazing Sample Video)

So how does the Nikon D800 actually perform in low light and at high ISOs? Check out the below D800 sample photos.

Nikon D800 Sample Photo - ISO 800, 1/250 sec, f1.8, NIKKOR 50mm f1.8 G lens (click image for high res sample photo)

In this sample photo you can clearly see that Nikon D800 is up to the task for shooting still life scenes at ISO 800. Wedding and event photographers will likely be able to shoot in this range with natural light without any issue at all.

100% NIkon D800 Sample Image at ISO 800

Here’s a 100% crop of the flower petals. Here you can see how the Nikon D800 handles shadows at ISO 800. Not bad at all considering how small this part of the image will be on most prints and displays.

Nikon D800 Sample Photo ISO 3200, f2.2, 1/3200 sec. (Click for high res version)

Above is an example of shooting at ISO 3200 with the Nikon D800. Again, it’s a perfectly usable image for publishing online or printing at a reasonable size.

100% Crop Nikon D800 Sample Image ISO 3200

But when you zoom in to view this Nikon D800 sample at 100% on a computer you can see noise in both the shadows and the curtains. You can see that there’s noise in the shadows and on the brass and the lines don’t appear as crisp.

100% Crop Nikon D800 Sample Image ISO 3200

In the white curtains you can see significant noise at 100% crop. Keep in mind that the Nikon D800′s ridiculously large megapixel count means this noise will only be visible when printing massive prints or heavily cropping/zooming.

Nikon D800 Sample ISO 6400

Here’s a nice shot of a chandelier with the Nikon D800 set at ISO 6400. Nothing wrong with this ISO if you’re presenting your work online.

Nikon D800 Sample Photo ISO 6400

Stepping up to ISO 6400 you can see more noise when zoomed in, especially in the background behind the chandelier.

NIkon D800 Sample Photo ISO 100, f1.8, 1/160 sec. (Ciick for high-res image)

This Nikon D800 was shot at the minimum – ISO 100. As expected, there’s no noise at all and details are crisp and clear at 100% crop.

Nikon D800 Sample, 100% Crop ISO 100

Here’s what the camera on the table looks like up close and personal. Note that you can clearly read the text imprints and how clean the lines and edges appear on the focus ring. The white on the hot shoe mount is bright and the blacks are nice and clean.

Nikon D800 high ISO 25600 Sample Image

This is the same shot, but the Nikon D800 is set to 25,600 ISO. Even at this extremely reduced size you can see that there’s a ton of noise and the overall image quality is much lower.

Nikon D800 Sample at ISO 25,600

As you can see in this crop, there’s a ridiculous amount of noise and it’s difficult to make out individual lines. It might be ok to shoot at this kind of ISO if you’re willing to put in some serious time in post production or if you’re going for an artistic look of some kind, but you’ll want to avoid ISO 25,600 on the Nikon D800 in almost all cases. There may be the odd time that you will have to max out your ISO on the D800, but if you are that worried about shooting in low light you or at ultra-high ISOs you might want to save up some cash and buy the Nikon D4.

We still haven’t seen any sample action shots or event photography at high ISO from Nikon or other earlier reviews. If you’re holding off on buying the Nikon D800 due to concerns about low light and high ISO performance we recommend waiting until more samples are available or you get your hands on the camera next month.

One thing that won’t change in the next month is that the Nikon D800 maxes out at four frames per second, which is less than half the speed of the D4. You can add a vertical grip to bring performance up to six frames per second, but that still won’t be fast enough for some sports and wildlife photographers. The Nikon D800 is an amazing camera, but there are compromises to consider.

Nikon D800 Samples Photos: Low Light, High ISO Tested is a post by Xavier from Gotta Be Mobile.

The full product details remain extremely murky at this point. However, what has been gleaned is pretty interesting. The home entertainment center will evidently allow owners to stream music through Google-made speakers and other assorted devices.

It’s apparently going to be supported by Google’s Android software, not surprising considering the product has apparently be headed up by the Android team for a number of years.

If true, it would likely mean that it would feature some sort of connection/integration with Android phones and tablets. Specifically, those who own the entertainment system would be able to control music by using a tablet or smartphone.

There is also talk of expansion beyond music, possibly into the realm of streaming video.

So right now, it’s unclear if this is a full-blow successor to Google’s current TV platform, Google TV, or if they are going to be connected in some way.

The report offered no clear specifics on when we might see the product.

We’ve heard that Apple might release a new branded Apple TV at some point in the future so it makes sense that Google would want to keep pace with its fierce rival.

Might we find out more about this product at this year’s Google I/O?

Possibly.

Remember, we heard about something similar at Google I/O in Project Tungsten, but the company has been relatively silent about the project since then.

Google Working on Wireless Home Entertainment System for 2012? is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

The iPad 3 will be the third tablet that Apple releases. In 2010, Apple released the original iPad. And while there was some early skepticism, the company went on to sell 14.8 million iPad’s in 2010.

In March of 2011, Apple introduced the follow-up to the iPad in the form of the iPad 2. A slimmer, sleeker device with upgraded internals and dual-cameras. On launch day, Apple sold 300,000 iPad 2′s and in the fourth quarter of 2011 alone, it sold 15.4 million tablets.

Apple is of course hoping for a repeat of the same with its iPad 3 and while that’s impossible to predict at this point, these are the features that we think  that Apple thinks will help achieve that goal.

No Redesign

Today, we got our second look at what we think are components of  the upcoming iPad 3. And while these parts don’t confirm any of the iPad 3′s internal features like processor speed or display resolution, they do point to the iPad 3 as being a similar device, design-wise, to the iPad 2.

We had heard in the past that the iPad 3 might be a bit thicker in order to house some of the parts necessary for a higher-resolution display, but it seems like there won’t be much of a difference, if any, come launch day.

There is talk of a 1mm increase in thickness, but other than that, it appears that Apple will be using an iPhone 4S approach with the release of the iPad 3.

If you’re not familiar, the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4 shared a similar design. It was just the features like the processor and the camera that were different.

March Release Date

There had been some speculation about a possible launch on Steve Jobs’ birthday which falls on February 24th, but all signs are pointing to a launch event taking place sometime in March.

If true, it would mean that Apple is sticking to its usual cycle as the iPad 2 was both announced and released in March of 2011.

As for a specific release date, right now there isn’t much. However, we heard in the past that Apple’s iOS 5.1 update might coincide with the announcement of the iPad 3 and the software is currently pegged for a March 9th roll out.

Take that with a grain of salt, but it’s certainly a date to keep in mind.

Retina Display

One of the most heavily rumored features of the iPad 3 is the inclusion of a high-resolution Retina Display. This is something that has been rumored since shortly after the launch of the iPad 2 and there were even whispers about the iPad 2 as possibly coming with one.

As we now know, that didn’t pan out.

However, it appears that Apple is ready to bring a full on Retina Display, one that is rumored to feature 2048 x 1536 resolution.

Just for comparisons sake, the top of the line Android tablet that’s out right now, the quad-core powered Asus Eee Pad Transformer, employs a display that features 1280 x 800 resolution.

You can see the huge jump there.

If this is all true, the iPad 3′s display would offer better a richer, sharper, clearer experience over the iPad 2 and any other tablet device on the market. So, if you’re big on streaming movies or other content, you may just want to hold off on buying an iPad 2.

New Camera

The alleged iPad 3 parts that have leaked out indicate that Apple may be putting a better equipped camera (or two) inside of the iPad 3. If you have ever used an iPad 2, you would know that the camera isn’t all that great.

Apple took a huge leap with the amazing camera that it put inside the iPhone 4S. And while we don’t think the camera in the iPad 3 will be as good, it will likely be better than the one found in the previous iPad model.

Just how much better remains to be seen.

To give you a good idea about how poor the sensor is on the iPad 2, here’s a sample video:

Better Processor

The original iPad arrived with a single-core processor. Apple then introduced a dual-core A5 processor with the iPad 2 that brought better performance and battery life. And with the quad-core devices already announced and on the market, many have expected Apple to include an A6 quad-core processor inside of the iPad 3.

Up until last night, everything we had seen or heard pointed in that direction.

It now appears that Apple will be including a new processor inside of the iPad 3 and while it’s going to be the A6, it’s apparently only going to be dual-core in nature. The processor is said to be more powerful then the one found in the iPad 2 but there unfortunately was no elaboration on the subject.

One reason why Apple might not want to include a new processor in the iPad 3 is because of the effort it would take from developers to develop apps optimized for the new chip.

By releasing a more powerful dual-core processor, Apple not only keeps developers happy, but keeps consumers content as well.

4G LTE

Rumors have been swirling since the launch of Verizon’s 4G LTE network back in December of 2010 about 4G LTE enabled iPads and iPhones.And we can see why.

The 4G LTE networks of both AT&T and Verizon both offer data speeds that are up to 10 times faster than normal 3G data speeds. That’s a significant jump and one that iPhone and iPad fans across the United States would love to see.

You can see the speed difference between 3G and 4G LTE in the video below:

4G LTE Android smartphones and tablets dominated the mobile landscape for 2011. However, the devices were marred by poor battery life. And it’s that poor battery life that has probably convinced Apple to wait to release 4G LTE powered devices.

At the moment, there is no clear, hard-cut evidence suggesting that a 4G LTE radio will be on board the iPad 3, but there are rumors, and we don’t think Apple wants to release a 3G device in a 4G LTE world.

Improved Battery Life

Those purported images of iPad 3 parts also revealed something else. A narrower logic board. A narrower logic board would allow for Apple to put a larger battery inside the iPad 3 and thus, give it better battery life.

That would be pretty incredible given the battery life on the iPad 2 which is somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 hours.

This isn’t a given considering the fact that the iPad 2 and iPad 3 supposedly have similar designs, but it’s certainly a possibility and one that would be welcomed by consumers around the globe.

A New Name

As we put on our Captain Obvious hat, we’d like to point out that the next iPad will have a different name. Shocking ,we know. Yet, there is a bit of a debate as to what that name might be.

Right now, the front-runner is iPad 3. However, there are two other names that have popped up over the last several months that are just slightly different.

One is the iPad 2S which makes sense considering the fact that the iPad 3 is rumored to feature the same design as the iPad 2 but include different, more powerful specifications.

And the other is the iPad HD which would refer to the Retina Display that the iPad 3 is said to have on board.

Either way, expect a new name and new branding.

Siri

With the launch of the iPhone 4S came the personal assistant that everyone has been talking about, Siri. If you’re not familiar with Siri, check it out in the video below:

Many people take their iPad on the go, same as a smartphone, so it seems logical for Apple to include Siri on the iPad 3.

For more reasons, check out Why the iPad 3 Will Have Siri.

Lots of Accessories at Launch

If the design of the iPad 3 does in fact stay the same, we fully expect it to be compatible with the current iPad 2 accessories that are out on the market. Docks, stands, cases, you name it.

Apple introduced the iPad 2′s Smart Cover last year alongside the actual tablet and we assume that Apple is going to play nice and allow those upgrading from an iPad 2 to use their cover with the new iPad.

What to Expect from the iPad 3 is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

These new alleged photos of iPad 3 parts indicate a couple of things. First, it would appear that Apple isn’t going with a redesign with the iPad 3. This possibility has been broached a number of times and the leak yesterday and the one today all but confirm it.

Second, the parts seem to confirm that Apple will be using different internal components in the iPad 3. Again, this is something that we’ve seen rumored before and was seemingly confirmed by yesterday’s leak.

The components seen here don’t confirm any of the juicy rumors – Retina Display, A6 processor, 4G LTE, but they do seem to further what we’ve heard before and paint an even clearer picture of what we should expect from the new iPad.

So those of you expecting an overhauled iPad should probably start tempering your expectations as it looks like Apple is going to be releasing the new iPad in similar fashion to the release of the iPhone 4S.

What does that mean exactly?

It means that we should see a very similar looking device on the outside, but one that is vastly different on the inside.

Right now, the iPad 3 is rumored to be a dual-core device, not quad-core, and it supposedly will employ a Retina Display that offers 2048 x 1536 resolution. Its design is apparently going to be 1mm thicker than the iPad 2 but we have a feeling that won’t be a deal breaker for many of you.

As far as a release date is concerned, the iPad 3 will likely be announced in the first week of March with a release coming later on in the month.

Apple iPad 3: New Features, No Redesign is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Christy Wyatt, senior vice president and general manager of Motorola’s Enterprise Business Unit had some interesting things to say about Android 4.0 and the delays that handset owners have been facing.

Wyatt says that while her company realizes that Android owners would love to get their updates in a more timely fashion, companies like Motorola have been having a tough time writing code that supports hardware other than Google’s flagship Nexus devices.

More specifically, she says that:

When Google does a release of the software … they do a version of the software for whatever phone they just shipped.

The rest of the ecosystem doesn’t see it until you see it. Hardware is by far the long pole in the tent, with multiple chipsets and multiple radio bands for multiple countries. It’s a big machine to churn.

Motorola has already gone into detail about the process required to update its handsets to Android 4.0 and it’s not a simple process by any stretch of the imagination.

Wyatt also delves into why companies like Motorola don’t like to give out specific release dates for Android updates saying that:

I would have to know that every single operator I have is going to want to upgrade every single product, and sometimes they’ll want to control the timing … it’s just not easy to make that blanket statement.

Nice to see some candidness on a subject that is too often left in mystery.

As of right now, Motorola has a grand total of one device that has Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on board and that’s the Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi. Other devices like the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX and the Motorola Droid 4, two phones that were announced in January, are still running the previous version of Android, Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Still, the future is looking bright as Wyatt sounds pretty enthusiastic about the prospects of Android 4.0:

That has to be one of the promises of Ice Cream Sandwich. By bringing these UIs together, you solve the experience gaps and the ecosystem gaps between [phones and tablets].

Android owners around the world certainly hope that she’s right.

For more information on Android 4.0 and its benefits, you’ll want to check out our extensive guide.

Via: PCWorld

Motorola Blames Hardware for Slow Android Updates is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Since the rise of the new idea of the tablet there have been a few Tablet PCs trying for relevance in an iPad-ified world. The problems they face include the not quite touch-friendliness of Windows 7 and that the CPUs inside either didn’t have enough power to make the tablets usable or enough oomph but far too much heat for a handheld device.

Samsung’s Series 7 11.6-inch Slate want to solve both of these major problems. Inside the 0.51-inch chassis is an Intel Core i5 processor for the mainstream performance you’d expect from a laptop. The Slate keeps heat at bay by employing a fan (which can get loud at times).

Though you can’t make Windows 7 act like iOS or Android in every way, Samsung does provide a more mobile OS-esque interface for finding and launching programs. Plus, the touch input doesn’t always just turn your finger into a mouse pointer. I was able to scroll up and down web pages and move Windows around by just tapping and dragging, exactly as I’d expect.

Right now, the biggest drawback to the slate-only experience here is the on-screen keyboard. There are two on board — the one built in to Windows and Swype. I much preferred Swype because it utilizes screen space better and it provides the familiar trace to type functionality I enjoy on my phone and Galaxy Tab.

Neither of these keyboards quite knows when to get out of the way completely. In a mobile OS the keyboard doesn’t appear until you tap on a text field or call it up some other way on purpose. Once you’re out of that field, it disappears automatically. Not so one the Series 7. The keyboard hangs around, taking up half the screen, dutifully waiting for you to need it again, except what you need is to see what’s on the screen.

The Series 7 is also larger than most tablets with a 16:9 display that’s 11.6 inches wide. It’s not as easy to hold comfortably as a 10-inch slate thanks tot he size and weight. I’m not convinced that I’ll be able to stand long Angry Birds sessions with it — I’ll try, though. For science.

I’ll have a full review up for you soon. What would you like to know about the Series 7 Slate?

Samsung Series 7 Slate Review: First Impressions is a post by K. T. Bradford from Gotta Be Mobile.

The Droid 4 has an 8MP camera capable of recording in 1080P HD, but the device is set to take photos at 6MP by default and to record at 720P. To show you the capabilities of the Droid 4′s camera I took several photos and shot an HD video which are shown below.

I left the camera settings on default, as most users will, but Will include sample videos and photos at the higher settings in our full Droid 4 Review.

Watch Droid 4 Hardware Tour and Keyboard Performance Video

I’m not impressed with the camera on the Droid 4, especially indoors where colors suffer. In terms of video, it is also OK, but colors are drab and un-impressive. The Droid 4 is $199, the same price as the iPhone 4S, which has a better camera. I’ve included two samples taken with the iPhone 4S below to showcase the difference. All of these samples were uploaded straight from the Droid 4.

As you can see, Motorola needs to step up the camera quality on the Droid line.

Droid 4 Sample Video 720P

Droid 4 Sample Photos

As you can see in the image below, the colors indoors are not very impressive. I’ve included an iPhone 4S photo to the right for reference. Click the images for larger versions.

When you go outdoors, the images look nicer, such as this close up image of a fencepost, and the scenery shots in the gallery below.

Droid 4 Sample Photo Outdoors

Here’s the same shot taken with the iPhone 4S.

iPhone 4S Sample Outdoors

Here’s a photo of a nearby field and highway, which gives you a look at how the camera is for scenery shots.

Droid 4 Sample Photo - Scenery

The gallery below includes many more Droid 4 sample photos.

Droid 4 Camera Review: Photo and Video Samples is a post by Josh Smith from Gotta Be Mobile.

The commercial starts off with an iPad owner walking up to a woman lounging on a chair somewhere nicer then where you’re sitting right now. You might miss it the first time around but if you look closely, he’s having a hard time dealing with the glare from the sun which has hampered his ability to see the contents, presumably a book, on his iPad.

He then stops and asks if the device that the woman is holding is the new Kindle.

Of course it is.

Even though he’s an iPad user, the man knows his tech and exclaims that the device is a mere $79. The woman, obviously amused, says that the Kindle is the best way to read, even in sunlight.

He then gets snarky, just like an iPad owner in a commercial for a competitor would.

The man exclaims that the Kindle doesn’t allow owners to surf the web or watch movies at which point the woman points to her children who are using the Kindle Fire which allows for both web surfing and movie watching.

At this point the man suddenly suffers from apparent amnesia as he says that buying three Kindles must have been expensive. Wasn’t this the dude that just came right out with the $79 remark not 10 seconds before this?

Anyway, the woman rather excitedly shoots him down and says that all three devices are less than a single iPad. Totaling it all up, the $79 Kindle and two $199 Amazon Fire’s come to $477.

The cheapest iPad 2 that Apple sells is $499. Unless you decide to buy it refurbished.

Shortly thereafter, the man asks if anyone is sitting next to her as he is clearly intrigued by this lady’s prowess.

He is then immediately shot down, sent off to enjoy his expensive iPad 2 in the glaring sunlight.

Overall, I thought this ad was better than any of the Samsung advertisements. It points out the low price points. It talks about the features. It’s snarky. And it doesn’t insult Apple fans.

In other words, it’s classy.

I like classy.

Well done, Amazon.

If you’re thinking about picking up a Kindle Fire, you’ll want to read our review first. Then, you’ll want to check out 25 of the best Kindle Fire cases so that you can protect it from harm.

You can also read our extensive review of the iPad 2, which will soon be replaced by the iPad 3.

Amazon Takes on the iPad in New Kindle Ad is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Yes, there are quite a few HTC Sensation’s out there in the wilds.

As you can see, HTC didn’t leave out those of you who are still holding on to T-Mobile’s HTC Sensation 4G, a phone that used to be the carrier’s flagship Android smartphone. So that’s extremely nice.

Now, unfortunately, HTC didn’t provide a specific date which means that you’ll be walking around on pins and needles throughout February and likely, throughout most of March.

Lots of times, companies will wait until the very last day of a release month to roll out the software. Not such a bad thing if it means getting all of the bugs ironed out.

So, certainly exciting news for Sensation owners.

For those of you wondering about the benefits of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, you’ll want to check out our extensive guide that will take you through just about every new feature or upgrade that the software will bring.

It’s quite the change from the Android 2.3 Gingerbread that’s currently running on the HTC Sensation, so we advise you to take a look sometime before March rolls around.

Via: Facebook

Android 4.0 Rolling Out to First HTC Devices in March is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Siri is Apple’s assistant app that launched in October 2011 for the iPhone 4S. Siri allows users to ask the iPhone to do many things in the same way you would ask a real person.

So you can say, “Send a text to my wife,” or “Read me my text message.” If you want to find a place you can say “I’m hungry for Sushi.” You can also get conversions, create reminders, schedule meetings and look up information on the web. Watch the video below to see more about what Siri can do.

Why the iPad 3 Will Have Siri

Right now Siri is exclusive to the iPhone 4S, likely due to the special hardware that allows the iPhone 4S to “hear” better than the iPhone 4. This is built right into the iPhone 4S’ processor.

The iPad 3 is rumored to use an enhanced version of the Apple A5 processor, with more power. It would be very surprising to see Apple remove this enhanced functionality from the iPad, especially considering the increased usage of the iPad for video chat and rumored connectivity options.

In order for Siri to work, your device must be connected to the Internet. It’s easy for Apple to include Siri on the iPhone which will always be connected, but the iPad WiFi model wouldn’t be able to use Siri while you are out and about. In the end, this may not be that big of an issue.

4G LTE iPad

Apple has always offered an iPad with cellular connectivity, so far only with 3G like the iPhone 4S. Apple has not released numbers, but surveys suggest that the sales of 3G iPads and WiFi only iPads is split almost 50/50.

This time around we are hoping that Apple will introduce a 4G LTE iPad that can connect up to 10 rimes faster than 3G. This may increase the amount of users who purchase the connected option, even though it costs $130 more than the WiFi model. Personally I am more interested in a 4G LTE iPad because it would be better for streaming videos, one of my most common iPad activities.

This will mean that Apple would have a greater number of iPads that are always connected and able to use Siri while on the go.

iPads Most Often Used at Home

Of those users, who have a WiFi iPad, it is most often used at home. If I could pull up an activity log on my iPad it would rank the living room, bedroom and kitchen as the places I most often use my iPad. A survey from last december shows that many iPad users are like me.

If these users take a WiFi only iPad 3 out on the road they won’t have access to Siri unless they tether to an iPhone or Android, but I think most users will be ok with this trade off.

Siri Uses on the iPad 3

Given where we use our iPads, I think Siri will have an even higher use rate. Many people are still self conscious about talking to their phone in public; but at home, well that’s a different matter.

In the living room, you can use Siri to look up who that actor in The Big Bang Theory is, creating a reminder to switch laundry before bed and much more. You can even use it to send an iMessage to your friends asking if they saw the hilarious Siri relationship Raj just started, and use this trick to Tweet about your show with Siri on the iPad 3.

In the Kitchen, you can use Siri to set a timer, look up a recipe or find a conversion, much like Apple shows in this video demonstrating Siri’s abilities.

If you use the iPad at work, imagine using Siri to check your schedule for the day on the iPad, sending an email, setting up a meeting or checking stocks.

Why the iPad 3 Might Not Have Siri

While users will likely be OK with the limitations of not using Siri while away from WiFi on the cheapest iPad, I’m not entirely sure Apple will be OK with this compromise.

That said, I don’t see Apple limiting Siri to the 4G LTE iPad 3 and creating more disparity between the devices.

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We’ll soon know if the iPad 3 will have Siri, as Apple is expected to announce the iPad 3 in early March, with an iPad 3 release date following shortly after.

Why the iPad 3 Will Have Siri is a post by Josh Smith from Gotta Be Mobile.

For nearly a year I’ve struggled to keep my iPad in place on the road. I love the large screen for easy viewing on the road, but because it’s bulky I need a good mounting solution. Otherwise my iPad jostles about too easily as I take turns or if some jerk suddenly stops in front of me.

Read: Why I Bought the iPad 3G

The mount fits tablets from 7-10 inches or it will fit your smartphone with one of two included cradles. The base fits into your car’s cup holder and the shaft lifts the device high enough to make it easily visible as you’re driving and to allow you to put your big 32 ounce Slurpee in the other cup holder.

The company mentions the iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab and Kindle Fire in their press release, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work with almost any 7-10 inch tablet. The cradle designed to hold a smartphone will work with your phone inside its case, something many other car mounts won’t do. It will fit the iPhone and larger Android devices too.

You can rotate the mount 360-degrees so you or the passenger can easily read the screen. It also tilts 180-degrees on both vertical and horizontal axis. The base expands to secure itself in almost any sized cup holder.

Order yours for $29.99 at either Satechi.net or Amazon.

iPad Cup Holder Mount Is Your New Travel Companion, Great for GPS is a post by Kevin Purcell from Gotta Be Mobile.

Avid Studio for iPad has great potential as a mobile video editing solution, but it proved too unstable to be usful.

If the app didn’t crash so much, I would gladly replace iMovie with Avid for simple video editing on the go. The app crashed a lot rendering it nearly useless.

I shot all the video on my iPhone and transferred it via the iPad Camera Connection kit over a USB to Dock sync cable. The app lets you import any video in your camera roll or you can shoot video with the iPad 2 camera. Since it only works with video in your camera roll, you can’t use AVCHD video from your digital video camera.

After adding all of my video, I was able to organize the clips into a decent video and split segments or trim the front and back end of each video with the precision editing features. You can add simple dissolve or fade-to-black transitions, pictures and audio from iTunes. It doesn’t support voice over, unless you record the audio with an external video recording app.

Avid offers some decent title or credit animations, but that’s what seems to crash the app. Rendering the nice animations at the beginning or the end killed the app requiring multiple restarts.

Here’s the short video I created of my son’s basketball game in the local rec league. Daniel is #10.

When you finally finish the video, you can render it and save it to your iPad camera roll which allows you to off load it to a computer via iTunes. You can also email your video, post it on Facebook or YouTube, or export it for further editing in the PC version of Avid Studio.

If the app didn’t crash so much I’d love it. That kind of criticism is like saying, “If the car didn’t stall every ten minutes, it would be the fastest one you could buy!” That lone problem makes it nearly useless. Instead of rating it four or five stars I’d have to give it only one or two stars.

On the upside, the rendering finishes quickly. If you’ve used iMovie, you’ll be able to pick up the app and edit quickly. I like the animated montages for intros or credit animations, but you have to render them before you see them in their full splendor. That’s the case with many desktop editing tools.

Some might not like that it only offers two transition options – fade-to-black and cross-dissolve, but that’s actually a good thing. You can spot a beginning video editor’s work by counting the number of wild transitions they use in their videos. Limiting to these two keeps users from destroying their own work.

I had a couple of other minor complaints. Each time you open the app it asks if you want to rebuild the library of media, even if you haven’t added any new media since the last tie you opened the app. That’s a bit annoying.

When you choose to export your video to YouTube it automatically entered Avid as a keyword and the description automatically says that it’s made by Avid. Many apps do this, but I hate it.

The app only costs $4.99. If Avid fixes the stability issues, they have a big winner. I’m hopeful! Until then, Avid can’t replace iMovie for mobiel video editing.

The real question: can this app or any other video editor on the iPad drive me to replace my computer for video editing. With a stable Avid the answer is almost! It’s easier to use than iMovie, but only if it doesn’t crash.

Avid Studio for iPad: Great Potential, But Too Unstable is a post by Kevin Purcell from Gotta Be Mobile.

Apple announced the iPad 2 last year on March 2nd, and it looks like the company is planning to keep to the annual release cycle with a rumored iPad 3 announcement event for the first week of March.

The new rumor comes from AllThingsD, which cites un-named sources. According to these sources Apple will hold a special event in California to launch the new iPad, likely at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts where the iPad 2 was announced.

There is no specific date given for the iPad 3 announcement event, but Apple prefers to do product announcements on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so March 6th and March 7th look like good candidates.

The new iPad is likely the iPad 3, but we have heard from sources that Apple will call it the iPad 2HD or iPad 2S, because it won’t have a major change in looks.

The iPad 3 may have a Retina Display.

Based on what we know form an Apple Insider and other sources, we expect a number of changes to the iPad, but it’s not clear if they will offer the same incentive to upgrade fo current iPad 2 owners.

Rumored iPad 3 Features

• Retina Display with 2048 x 1536 resolution
• Dual Core A5 processor with more power
• Better graphics power
• Camera upgrade
• Bigger battery
• Same look and size
• Same price
• 4G LTE option

Apple has not confirmed the event, but the company is not known for commenting on rumors. We anticipate that Apple will send out invites to the press within the next few weeks.

Apple Announcing iPad 3, Release Date Week of March 5th is a post by Josh Smith from Gotta Be Mobile.

Several phone-makers are expected to launch quad-core phones at Mobile World Congress, including HTC. In fact, the press invitation has a graphics that shows a user holding a phone that appears at a glance to resemble the HTC Droid Incredible 2 on Verizon Wireless. HTC is rumored to be launching the HTC Edge/Endeavor Android phone with quad-core processing at MWC, migrating away from the exclusive use of Qualcomm chipset on the company’s smartphones.

Samsung, which was originally expected to either launch a powerful dual-core Galaxy S III or a quad-core phone, is now pulling the announcement of its third-generation flagship smartphone from the industry event.

2012 will see the emergence of quad-core smartphones and tablets, especially on Android and Windows 8, but there will still be a number of dual-core models in play. Most recent speculations surrounding Apple’s A6 processor that may be headed to the iPad 3 suggests that Apple may be releasing a more powerful dual-core chipset with much improved graphics rather than going to a quad-core model. For quad-core to really take off, applications developers and software must first be able to leverage the added processing power for users to really see the gains of upgrading to a more feature-rich processor. Additionally, with technologies like 4G LTE already vying with processing power for battery life, manufacturers will have to make compromises to deliver the best user experience.

Via: Android Central

NVIDIA’s MWC Invite Hints at Tegra 3 Phones is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Gotta Be Mobile.

While the phone is still waiting for Android 4.0, it has a collection of features that many consumers have clamored for. If you settled for the Samsung Stratosphere, you may want to look for someone to sell to because the Motorola Droid 4 is the must have 4G LTE smartphone with a physical keyboard.

While we work on our full Droid 4 review I wanted to give you a hardware tour and share my first impressions on the keyboard performance.

The Droid 4 Launches on February 10th at Verizon retail stores and online for $199 with a 2 year contract.

Droid 4 Hardware & Keyboard Tour Video

Droid 4 Build Quality

I’m a fan of phones that are built to last, and Motorola is good at building these phones. The first thing that strikes me about the Droid 4′s build quality is just how solid it feels. There is a noticeable heft that will turn off some users, but I appreciate the way the Droid 4 feels in your hand and in your pocket.

The Droid 4 has a solid feel and good build quality.

Motorola didn’t change a lot about the design, but you get a more mature device that has rounded off corners and edges similar to the RAZR MAXX and XYBOARD tablets. The back of the phone is made of plastic, but it doesn’t have a cheap feel to it. The battery is not removable, which is annoying.

The Droid 4′s keyboard slide is very smooth and solid. I found myself opening and closing it multiple times looking for a catch or a wobble while it is open, but the mechanism is just right. You do have to push the keyboard fully open and closed as there is no spring assist.

Droid 4 Keyboard Mini Review

The keyboard on the Droid 4 is one of the best physical keyboards I have used. There is good spacing and a nice tactile feel. You won’t be pounding out emails inconspicuously in a meeting, but the audible click, click, click is a nice way to know that you’ve pressed the key.

The key layout is very good, with plenty of thought put into the numbers, symbols and button placement. If you need to use the symbols, you can quickly hit the SYM button. I appreciate the large Enter and Space keys. One change I would make is to get rid of the caps lock key, which I found myself pressing instead of shift .

The Droid 4 has a well laid out and easy to use keyboard.

One drawback of the hard keyboard is that you can’t hit enter to choose an autocorrect option like you can with many software keyboards. Thankfully you can tap to select an autocorrected word, and you can also tap on-screen to choose a suggested word.

As for speed, I find that I can type at a brisk pace, slightly faster than on the stock Android software keyboard, but still slower than with SwiftKey.

Stay tuned for our full Droid 4 review later this week.

Droid 4 Review: Hardware Tour & Keyboard Performance (Video) is a post by Josh Smith from Gotta Be Mobile.

Dubbed For Lovers, For Less, Google is offering up 81 albums at a discount from varying artists and genres that should be sufficient for most people.

Google Music is available on Android smartphones and tablets as well as from computers and web browsers. Google Music allows users to download purchased songs as well as store them on the company’s servers in the cloud for later streaming. By streaming songs, users would be using data–be sure to be on WiFi or not burn through your data plan–but would be saving on-device storage space. Additionally, Google Music gives users access to their songs from anywhere.

In addition to Google Music, there’s also Amazon MP3, which offers a similar method for purchasing, storing, and streaming content from any Internet-connected device as well as through a native Android app, and iTunes Cloud for iOS devices.

Most recently, Google allowed users to download their entire purchased song collection in just one click from the desktop so your purchased content won’t be trapped in the cloud.

Google did not specify when the sale would end for Valentine’s Day.

Google Music Sale Offers Romantic Songs for Valentine’s is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Gotta Be Mobile.

The new iPhone cases designed by Schreer Delights will give your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S a feeling of nostalgia where colors and plastics were part of Apple’s design philosophy. Each case retails for just under $45, and it’s unclear how long these cases will last before Apple sends its lawyers knocking.

The cases protect the rear and sides of the iPhone, but not the front touchscreen; a simple screen protector can be applied if users are worried about scratches. Other than that, these cases are simple, playful, and fun.

There’s also a case that has a photo of an original click-wheel iPod for those who are fans of music.

Thanks to David G. for the tip.

Via: CNET

iPhone Case Brings Apple Nostalgia is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Gotta Be Mobile.

One speculated reason is that Nokia and wireless partner carrier AT&T may soon announce pricing and and a release date for the device, and perhaps Microsoft wants to gauge interest in consumers after pricing information is known. However, it still doesn’t really explain why the company would want to stop taking pre-orders in advance.

The Lumia 900 is a follow-up to the 3G Lumia 800. Nokia says it had designed the Lumia 900 with the U.S. market in mind, but kept all the positive points about the Lumia 800 in its design decisions, such as the now iconic design that was headlined by bothe the Windows Phone 7-powered Lumia 800 as well as the MeeGo-powered Nokia N9. Gone, however, is the curved glass display in favor of a flat glass panel, but the display also is bigger. With a 4.3-inch display, the Lumia 900 also offers a crisper screen as it doesn’t rely on the PenTile technology found on the screen of the Lumia 800.

In recent weeks, there are now also speculations that a variant of the Lumia 900 may be coming to T-Mobile. As AT&T is said to have a 45-day exclusivity period for the Lumia 900, the T-Mobile variant won’t be released before then. T-Mobile’s variant would be called the Lumia 910 and would be similar to AT&T’s model except that it will have a 12-megapixel camera.

Via: Phone Arena

Microsoft Retail Stores Stop Accepting Pre-Orders for Nokia Lumia 900 LTE is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Gotta Be Mobile.