The LG Mini features a stunning design, with the front dominated by the 3.2-inch touchscreen. With brushed aluminium touches, the LG Mini also looks like having the quality to back up the design. Despite the claim that it’s the thinnest touchscreen handset the company has produced, LG hasn’t released any dimensions. It’ll have to be slimline if it’s going to beat the equally stunning LG BL40 Chocolate, however.

Internally, you’ll find HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity for fast web browsing and downloads, letting you get the best out of that big display, and a GPS adapter means you’ll be able to use the LG Mini as a satellite navigation device.

Social networking play a part when it comes to software, with LG’s Social Network Connect pre-installed on the LG Mini. This means you’ll be able to access your Facebook and Twitter accounts on the move with ease. As yet, we don’t know what operating system the LG Mini will use, but it’s a good bet that it’ll feature the same S-Class interface found on its other touchscreen handsets.

A stunning, compact and utterly desirably phone, we look forward to getting our hands on the LG Mini in the next couple of months.

Via Electric Pig

Unfortunately, the image we have of the Vodafone Compass is currently only a rendering by nr21 Design, but if the final design does look anything like the pictures, it’s a refreshing, cohesive and attractive design. That’s no mean feat, considering  most handsets with sliding QWERTY keypads go perfectly hand-in-hand with the corporate world.

At present, details on the Vodafone Compass are sketchy, but tech site Mobile Review points out that functions may be controlled using the large Vodafone button on the rear of the device – supporting gesture control, for instance. With an accelerometer also expected to be built-in, menus could be navigated by rotating the device.

While there’s no guarantee that the Vodafone Compass will definitely go on sale, or be a part of the Vodafone 360 brand, with a stylish and contemporary look, we hope it does.

Via Mobile Review

The Dell Inspiron Mini 1011 is a 10.1-inch netbook with standard 1024 x 600-pixel resolution that comes with a boost button allowing you to upscale the screen to 1366 x 76 pixels for watching movies. The screen is big enough to fit a comfortable-sized keyboard that is 92 per cent full size. In many respects it takes it styling from the Inspiron Mini 10, which was one of the hit netbooks of last year.

Check out our Dell Inspiron Mini 10v review

With an overall weight of 1.3kg, this is a lightweight option perfect for carrying around. It comes with Windows 7 Starter Edition and along with the Intel Atom N450 processor you’ll find 1024MB of memory and 160GB hard drive.

With a starting price of £279.99 (inc. VAT), the Dell Inspiron Mini 1011 is now available as part of a range of Mobile Broadband contracts. Right now you can get the Dell Inspiron Mini 1011 for free with the Vodafone K3520 USB Mobile Broadband Modem bundle. This 24-month contract is just £30 a month and offers a good 3GB data allowance and 200 free texts a month.

Alternatively, you can save £260 and get the Dell Inspiron Mini 1011 for just £19.99 when you sign up to the Three USB Mobile Broadband Modem deal. This gives you an even better 5GB data allowance a month as well as 150 free texts.

Check out the best Mobile Broadband deals

The Samsung NB30 features a very distinctive ribbed design, and is a complete departure from existing Samsung netbooks such as the Samsung N150. As soon as you get it out of the box, the overall feel is very plasticy, but there’s no doubt it’s tough enough in a utilitarian kind of way.

The Samsung NB30 is a regular machine when it comes to the screen size, which measures in at 10.1 inches. As with most other netbooks of this size, it features a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, which is fine for basic use. Images are sharp, and it’s also bright enough for use in most conditions. With a matt finish to the TFT panel, it’s perfect for hiding grimy fingerprints, and also suppresses reflections well. Despite rumours of there being a touchscreen option for the Samsung NB30, our review sample proveded a regular non-touch display.

The keyboard on the Samsung NB30 offers impressive usability, but it’s not quite up to Samsung’s usual excellent standards. The keys are big enough to strike up a quick and comfortable typing rhythm, but as with the chassis itself the plastics don’t feel of a particularly high quality.

The reason for this soon becomes clear, however, as because it’s a rugged machine, the Samsung NB30 is spill resistant. This means you’ll be able to simply wipe it clean again if you spill a drink on it – making it the perfect netbook for your kids – and the no-nonsense anti-scratch plastic approach is very easy to keep clean without hiding germs.

Other rugged features include a hard drive that can detach the spindle from the disk itself, preventing the loss of your files should you drop the machine. Other features are pretty good at the Samsung NB30’s £250 price point, including Bluetooth and 802.11n Wi-Fi.

Processing power for the Samsung NB30 comes from an Intel Atom N450 solution, which is the chip finding its way into all the latest netbooks. With an integrated graphics chip on board, it promises impressive battery life, although we’ve yet to put that to the test.

Verdict
The Samsung NB30 won’t appeal to all users – the plastics feel slightly cheap, and it lacks any real design flair. If you’re looking for something a little tougher than usual, however, a machine you can throw in your bag and not have to be quite so protective over, then it could well be worth a look.

Check out the Samsung NB3o gallery:

Best features
Spill proof keyboard
Does exactly what it sets out to
Affordable

Not so good
Slightly cheap feeling
Unexciting design
Low screen resolution

Closest rivals

Asus Eee PC 1001HA Seashell
One of the thinnest and post portable netbooks around, the Asus Eee PC 1001HA is also one of the most stylish.

Dell Mini 1011
This compact mini netbook features a 10.1-inch screen, an impressive design and the latest Intel Atom N450 processor.

Packard Bell Dot Red
With a weight of just 1.3kg and a compact, colourful casing, this highly portable netbook is a great choice for frequent travellers.

The HTC Bravo has been reported online as coming to Orange in March. It seems that one keen-eyed reader over on the coolsmartphone website has posted what looks like a pre-order for the handset.

Check out our Google Nexus One review

The HTC Bravo is pretty much the same device as the Google Nexus One but with the addition of the HTC Sense interface. With this in mind, you’ll find the handset has a 3.7-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 480 x 800-pixel resolution. The Google Android 2.1 handset will be powered by the 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and 5-Megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS and HSDPA all come as standard.

Now, this could well be a mockup of what we’re hoping to see happen in March but until there is official confirmation from Orange, we won’t know pricing or regional availability.

Via: coolsmartphone

With a 5-inch screen, the Dell Mini 5 is larger than any smartphone we’ve seen of late, but the fact it boasts 3G technology and can make phone calls still means it can technically be classified as a smartphone.

However, the large screen also means it will inevitably be used as an e-Reader, putting it close to tablet territory. The big screen also looks perfect for browsing the web, and with Wi-Fi also built-in it’s possible that the Dell Mini 5 could be categorised as an internet device.

It’s this confusion over what the Dell Mini 5 actually is that caused the trouble. The FCC – the Federal Communications Commission, an independent US government agency in charge of regulating communication and electronic devices – didn’t know how to classify the Dell Mini 5.

Now it’s received approval, however, the Dell Mini 5 is set to go on sale, with Dell confident the device will be available to order in the next couple of months.

Is the Dell Mini 5 a smartphone, tablet or internet device? Let us know what you think.

Via Coated

The first time you pick up the LG GW620 InTouch Max you’ll realise that the Korean manufacturer clearly has the entry-level market in mind. The feel is solid in the hand but the use of the materials used lack the feel of devices like the Apple iPhone or Palm Pre.

It’s a compact handset, largely due to the inclusion of a 3-inch screen that has a rather standard 320 x 48-pixel resolution, which is starting to look a little small and compact compared to the likes of the Google Nexus One and similar 3.7-inch devices. It uses resistive technology, which helps to keep the price down, and we found navigation to be pretty smooth considering the size restraints.

Given the limited size of the LG GW620 InTouch Max, we were impressed to find a slide-out QWERTY keyboard attached as it doesn’t add to the bulk of the device too noticeably. The five-line QWERTY keyboard slides out from the back of the device and is rather reminiscent of the LG Etna. It makes messaging and social networking a whole lot easier.

The LG GW620 InTouch Max may be running the Google Android OS but you’ll find it’s Version 1.5, which is fine but once again, it’s not exactly the most up-to-date, the Nexus One comes with Version 2.1 for instance. This is because it’s also running a variation of LG’s own interface, which can only be updated by them. Still, we found it worked well and you can personalise the Homescreen with your favourite apps with ease.

Features include a 5-Megapixel camera, Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio jack and a microSD slot that can support up to 16GB of memory. The battery proved to be effective for a god day’s usage out and about, so if you’re heavy on the messaging you may find yourself recharging on a daily basis.

Verdict
The LG GW620 InTouch Max may lack the performance chops to go up against some of the more high-end Android smartphones on the market but if you’re a first-time user, or simply looking for a cost-effective Android handset, there is plenty to find appealing here.

Best features
Good keyboard
Appealing price

Not so good
Small screen
Not latest OS version

RIM is best known for its Blackberry devices with QWERTY keypads, offering better usability than most other handsets on the market. Touchscreen devices such as the RIM Blackberry Storm and Blackberry Storm 2 haven’t been so well received, as it’s simply not as easy to type emails at the same sort of speed. A cross between the two seems like a good idea, then, offering the best of worlds depending on your needs at any given time.

According to a TD Newcrest analyst, the hybrid device could be on its way towards the end of this year. If it’s anything like existing smartphones with touchscreen displays and hardware keypads, this means there could be a sliding QWERTY or alphanumeric keypad, offering more space for a bigger screen.

As with the RIM Blackberry Storm, the touchscreen on the RIM Blackberry hybrid is expected to be clickable, with the whole thing moving when you press it. It should be fine for basic texting or calling – and great for browsing the internet – but still leaving you with a proper keyboard and the fabled Blackberry usability when you’re emailing and need it most.

Would you like to see a Blackberry with both a touchscreen and a proper keyboard, or would you prefer to have one or the other? Let us know what you think.

Via: Reuters

The HTC Incredible is the latest 3.7-inch touchscreen to get the Google Android 2.1 treatment. It comes with HTC Sense UI and a Snapdragon CPU and according to the pocketnow site, the smartphone promises to be ‘fast, really fast’.

Check out our Google Nexus One review

It’s not known yet whether the screen is AMOLED or not but from what’s known, it’s an incredibly bright display that also comes with a mouse pointer below the screen to make navigation a little easier.

Little else is known about the HTC Incredible at this point and we’re not likely to see a full release until the specs have been firmed up. However, we may get to see the first official glimpses at this year’s Mobile World Congress.

Check out how to choose the right Android phone

Check out the HTC Incredible image gallery:

Via: pocketnow

Asus

The Asus Eee PC 1005PE-H is a standard 10.1-inch netbook with 1024 x 600 pixel resolution and has an overall weight of 1.3kg. Asus is finally moving away from the standard tech spec by offering the Asus Eee PC 1005PE-H with 2048MB of memory, instead of 1024MB, as well as a hard drive upgrade to 320GB (rather than 250GB).

Check out our Asus Eee PC ‘Seashell’ 1005PE review

It’s also been reported the OS has been beefed up to a full Windows 7 Home Premium. That said, the processor remains the Intel Atom N450, so we can still expect a battery life of around 11 hours. At the moment, the Asus Eee PC 1005PE-H has only appeared for order in France with a list price of 349 Euros (£300), which is a slight price bump from the normal price of the Asus Eee PC 1005PE.

The memory boost is great news as it means you’ll be able to run multiple apps a little easier, such as powering Mobile Broadband while running other apps. We’re waiting for official UK pricing and availability on this model but would you be willing to opt for a higher performing Asus Eee PC even if it costs a little more? Let us know what you think in the Comments below.

Check out the latest Asus Eee PC netbooks

Via: Blogee