Apple shows off iPhone 3G guided tour

C'mon, you knew this was coming. Apple just posted a video walkthrough of it's brand new wonder-device, replete with the familiar (yet somewhat creepy) iPhone dude. You know the score, so hop on over to Apple's site and see it all in a glorious, sprawling internet video.

AT&T announces iPhone 3G pricing plans

Finally, a piece of news we can actually do something with. AT&T today announced its pricing structure for the next iteration of Apple's iPhone -- which you can plunk down money for come 8 am, July 11th. There's not much that's surprising here -- new customers and those eligible for an upgrade will be able to nab the phone for $199 (8GB) or $299 (16GB), while "early upgraders" will have to fork over $399 or $499, all with a two year contract and $18 upgrade fee, of course. The telco says a no-commitment version of the phone will be available for $599 and $699, though it looks like that will come after the initial launch. AT&T appears to be leaning pretty heavily towards the all-in unlimited plans, but there are options if you don't want to go that route. We've sorted out the basics after the break, and included AT&T's "iReady" video -- certainly good for a few chuckles.

Verizon May Be Picking Up New Smartphones from Palm and HTC

Verizon Wireless will soon be picking up the latest Windows Mobile smartphones from Palm and HTC, if an unconfirmed report is correct.

phoneArena was told by an unnamed source that Verizon will be offering two models from HTC, the Touch Diamond and the Touch Pro. Naturally, these will be the CDMA versions of these smartphones, and support for EV-DO can be assumed.

HTC has officially announced both models, but this same report says Verizon will also be introducing one that hasn't yet been unveiled, the Palm Treo 800w, which is expected to debut later this month on Sprint's network.

The source of this unconfirmed information didn't indicate when any of these products will be released by this wireless carrier.

More about the HTC Touch Diamond and Touch Pro

HTC's latest models have a great deal in common, but the Touch Diamond is a consumer-oriented smartphone, while the Touch Pro will have more of a focus on business users.

Both these Windows Mobile 6.1 devices will have a 2.8-inch VGA touchscreen, 3G, and Wi-Fi, but the Touch Pro will add a sliding keyboard and larger battery.

And while the Diamond has 4 GB of built-in storage, the Pro will have a microSD/SDHC card slot instead.

Each will include TouchFLO 3D, HTC's new alternate user interface that makes Windows Mobile devices easier to use with a fingertip.

The GSM version of the Diamond is available in Europe now, while the Pro has yet to be released.

More about the Palm Treo 800w

According to leaked information, Palm's next Treo will run Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro, and have a number of firsts.

This is expected to be one of the first devices running Microsoft's mobile operating system to have a 320-by-320-pixel touchscreen, and Palm's first smartphone with Wi-Fi, GPS, and a Micro-USB 2.0 connector.

Like all Treos, this model will reportedly have QWERTY keyboard. In addition, the 800w will have a microSD/SDHC memory card slot, a 2 MPx camera, Bluetooth, and an infrared port.

Verizon's LG Dare Full Review (Verdict: Best iClone Yet)

"Dare to be different," the saying goes, but the LG Dare is really Verizon Wireless's attempt to fit in, to offer a phone that's more like the AT&T LG Vu and Sprint Samsung Instinct, not to mention Apple's similarly priced iPhone 3G. The truth is, the Dare may not be as glamorous or well-priced as the Instinct, but it has a better browser, a motion sensor and some cool software tricks that make it a fine phone for people who choose to remain in Verizon's walled garden. And it puts Verizon's previous iClone attempts, the LG Voyager and the Samsung Glyde, to lowdown dirty shame.

As I think we've firmly established, we call these iPhone clones because they are made superficially with the look and feel of the iPhone in mind. They are not direct competitors to the iPhone, as they don't run on a smart, open platform like iPhones—or Blackberry and Windows Mobile phones—do. The Dare, like the Instinct, is closed and proprietary, geared to customers who like much of what the carrier has to offer, and would just like a better way to make use of it. And after spending some time with the Dare, I can safely say that, much like the Instinct, it really does let you do that.

Easier Access
For starters, Verizon has done away with its dependence on unchangeable, annoyingly deep menus. With the Dare, you can drag any app or function directly to the desktop for one-click access. You can add key people to the Favorites launcher, where you simply drag their face to the phone or message icons to call or launch a new SMS.

Even those cryptic notification icons always seen at tops of phones are clickable on the Dare.

Read More...

Verizon and Sprint Both Getting Blessed With HTC Touch Pro and Diamond

If you're craving HTC's Diamond or Touch Pro (aka Raphael) it looks you're going be satisfied no matter what carrier you're on. Phone Arena says the CDMA flavors of both will hit Sprint AND Verizon, so there's no need to bounce to another carrier to get your hands on one. No word on the dates. In a side note, Moto's Blaze is due on Big Red by Sept. 22, if you're interested in a meh touchscreen phone.