As compared to other special smartphones, the Motorola Droid R2-D2 has more than just a white battery cover painted to look like Artoo Detoo. Motorola and Verizon certainly have spent some time tailoring the handset with subtle touches. The hardware is similar to that of Droid 2: Android 2.1, a 1GHz processor, a 5-megapixel camera, 8GB preinstalled memory card and a 3.7-inch display. In the box, you will find a Star Wars themed media dock and a wired stereo headset. Yet, it is the content and software, which really makes this model special. There are R2-D2 live wallpaper, ringtones and notifications, a few other goodies and a clock widget, all in the name of Star Wars.

Standard features on Motorola Droid R2-D2 include CDMA: 800, 1900 MHz; OS: Android (2.3, 2.2); Full keyboard; 3.70 inch TFT Capacitive Touchscreen display with 480 x 854 pixel resolution, 265 ppi of Pixel density, 16 777 216 colors, Multi-touch, Light sensor, Proximity sensor and Scratch resistant glass; Single core, 1000 MHz, TI OMAP processor; 512 MB RAM; 5.0-megapixel camera with Dual LED Flash, Auto focus and Geotagging; Music player Supported formats: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WAV, MIDI; Video playback Supported formats: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WM.

The Motorola Droid R2-D2 also offers Phonebook: Unlimited entries, Caller groups, Multiple numbers per contact, Search by both first and last name, Picture ID, Ring ID; Organizer: Calendar, Alarm, Document viewer, Calculator, World clock; Messaging: SMS, MMS, Predictive text input; Email: IMAP, POP3, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange; Notifications: Haptic feedback, Music ringtones (MP3), Polyphonic ringtones, Vibration, Flight mode, Silent mode, Speakerphone; Additional microphone for Noise cancellation.

Also standard on Motorola Droid R2-D2 include Sensors: Accelerometer and Compass; Hearing aid compatibility: M3, T3, Voice dialing, Voice commands, Voice recording, TTY/TDD; Bluetooth 2.1 Profiles: Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol (AVCTP), Advanced Audio Distribution (A2DP), Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile (AVRCP), Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol (AVDTP), Dial-up networking (DUN), Bluetooth Network Encapsulation Protocol (BNEP), Generic Audio/Video Distribution (GAVDP), Generic Access (GAP), Headset (HSP), Handsfree (HFP), Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol, Human Interface Device (HID), Object Push (OPP), Message Access Profile (MAP), Phone Book Access (PBAP), Personal Area Networking Profile (PAN), Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) and Serial Port (SPP).

Alongside NVIDIA Tegra Zone, Google Play and Tablified Market, the company will be adding one its own application, the App Place that will point to tablet oriented applications in Google Play Market. As with all tablet PCs of the company, the Toshiba Excite 13 has a full compliment of ports with MicroUSB jack supporting USB host mode, a full-sized SD card slot, 3.5-mm headset jack, a special Toshiba docking port and MicroHDMI output. It will be having 64 or 32GB of built-in storage. According to Toshiba, the Excite 13 will be available for the price of around $700 range this June.

Toshiba Excite 13 Specifications

• 2G Network: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
• 3G Network: HSDPA
• Type: LED-backlit LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
• Size: 1600 x 900 pixels, 13.3 inches (~120 ppi pixel density)
• Multitouch: Yes, up to 10 fingers
• Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass
• SRS sound enhancement
• SD/microSD, up to 32 GB
• 32/64 GB storage, 1 GB RAM
• Speed: HSDPA, HSUPA
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot
• 5.0-megapixel camera with 2592 õ 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash and Geotagging
• Android OS, v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• NVIDIA Tegra 3
• Quad-core 1.5 GHz
• Phonebook: Unlimited entries
• Organizer: Calendar, Alarm, Calculator
• Messaging: Threaded view, Predictive text input
• Email: IMAP, POP3, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
• Instant Messaging: Google Talk
• Notifications: Flight mode, Speakerphone
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Voice commands, Voice recording

The 10.1-inch widescreen high definition display is bright and packed with stunning colors so everything you see pops. In the meantime, its tough aluminum housing is feather light and super thin so you won’t be weighed down. The pre-loaded Dijit application allows you to obliterate multiple remotes and stay in your favorite chair. Doubling as a universal remote control, your tablet can command your machines with an integrated IR blaster.

Standard features on Motorola XYBOARD 10.1 include 2G Network: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 and CDMA 800 / 1900; 3G Network: HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 and CDMA2000 1xEV-DO; 4G Network: LTE 700 MHz Class 13 – for Verizon; 10.1 inch High Definition IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors, 800 x 1280 pixels, ~149 ppi pixel density, Multitouch and Corning Gorilla Glass; 3D virtual surround sound; 16/32/64 GB storage, 1 GB RAM; Rev. B, LTE, HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot; 5.0-megapixel camera with 2592 õ 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash and Geotagging; Android OS, v3.2 (Honeycomb), upgradeable to v4.0; Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9; GPS with A-GPS support; Splash resistant; HDMI port; MP3/WAV/WMA/AAC+ player; MP4/WMV/H.263/H.264 player; Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk; Document viewer; Photo viewer/editor; Voice memo.

The Motorola XYBOARD 10.1 also adds Phonebook: Unlimited entries; Organizer: Calendar, Alarm, Document viewer and Calculator; Messaging: Predictive text input; Email: IMAP, POP3, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange; Instant Messaging: Google Talk; Notifications: Service lights, Flight mode, Silent mode, Speakerphone; Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Barometer, Voice commands, Voice recording; Bluetooth 2.1, EDR Profiles: Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol (AVCTP), Advanced Audio Distribution (A2DP), Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile (AVRCP), Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol (AVDTP), Headset (HSP), Generic Audio/Video Distribution (GAVDP), Object Push (OPP), Human Interface Device (HID), Serial Port (SPP) and Public Area Network (PAN).

Never worry about losing a number or name again with Backup Assistant, a complimentary service, which automatically back up your mobile contacts to your online address book. You can delete, add, print and edit your contacts online and send the changes to your mobile phone. If your phone is stolen, damaged or lost, or you decide to update, you can now easily restore your saved address book to your new phone. With its ultra slim, easy to use design, the Pantech Hotshot brings a reasonably priced touchscreen experience to mobile phone users. With popular must-have features like downloadable games and apps, an incorporated 3.2 megapixel digital camera and a music player, it can keep you entertained all the time. The virtual QWERTY keyboard makes emailing and messaging a breeze, while its full color screen improves web browsing.

With its sluggish processor and delayed touchscreen, the smartphone-esque of Pantech Hotshot is a detriment. It is better to commit to a full-on feature handset or a smartphone rather than a device, while overlaps the two. The Hotshot from Verizon Wireless looks like a low entry handset that has three customizable home screen pages, touchscreen and you can transition and quit between applications in a way, which is reminiscent of iOS. It is available for the price of $100 with a two-year agreement. Those who aren’t technologically savvy might find this smartphone unintuitive; while those who are keen to present phone technology will find it too elementary. The Hotshot measures 2.35 inches wide, 4.67 inches high and 0.35 inch thick. With its plastic build and petite frame, it is incredibly lightweight, weighing 3.2 ounces. The 3.5mm headphone and volume rocker button are located on the left hand side of the smartphone, while the power/sleep button on top. The microUSB charging port is situated on the right hand side of the device, which is covered by small plastic attached door.

Underneath it, you will find 2 shortcut buttons; one that opens camera functions, while the other accesses its voice command features, which is motivated by Nuance Communications. At the back, there is a camera on the top right corner, while on the left top corner; you will find 3 open grid lines for the output speaker. You can see the 1000mAh battery that covers the 2GB microSD memory card. The 3.2 inch touchscreen display on Pantech Hotshot boasts 240 x 400 pixel resolution along with 262,000 colors. Images appear streaky and grainy, colors captured on video aren’t as vibrant as their real life counterparts and icons and wallpapers are pixelated. It comes with bare minimum amount of task management features, which include standard calculators, a notepad, a calendar, a unit converter, a phonebook which can hold up to 1000 contacts, a world clock and a stop watch.

The Pantech Hotshot also offers Bluetooth, voice, text, video and picture messaging. It has a mobile email client, where you can add your AOL, Microsoft Exchange, Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail accounts. The 3.2-megapixel camera gets exposure meter along with settings menu where you can tailor your image options; six white balance modes (auto, darkness, sunny, fluorescent, cloudy and tungsten), self timer, four color options (normal, negative, antique and black and white), multishot option and five resolution settings, which appear from 1600 x 1200 to 160 x 120 pixels.

Standard features on Pantech Hotshot include 2G Network: CDMA 800 / 1900; 3G Network: CDMA2000 1x; 3.2 inch TFT capacitive touchscreen with 256K colors, 240 x 400 pixels and ~146 ppi pixel density; microSD, up to 32GB, 2 GB included; Vibration; Polyphonic(64), MP3 ringtones; 3.15 MP, 2048×1536 pixels; GPS with A-GPS support, VZ Navigator; MP3/WAV/WMA/eAAC+ player; MP4/H.264/H.263 player; Voice memo; Phonebook: 1000 entries, Caller groups, Multiple numbers per contact, Picture ID, Ring ID; Organizer: Calendar, Alarm, Calculator, Unit converter, World clock, Stopwatch, Notepad; Messaging: SMS, MMS and Predictive text input; Notifications: Music ringtones (MP3), Polyphonic ringtones, Vibration, Silent mode, Speakerphone; Hearing aid compatibility: M4, T4, Voice dialing, Voice commands, Voice recording, TTY/TDD; Bluetooth 3.0 Profiles: Basic Imaging (BIP), Advanced Audio Distribution (A2DP), Dial-up networking (DUN), Basic Printing (BPP), Handsfree (HFP), File Transfer (FTP), Object Push (OPP), Headset (HSP) and Phone Book Access (PBAP). Overall, the dual identity of Pantech Hotshot doesn’t work well in its favor.

The Kyocera DuraPlus measures 5.28 inches high, 0.93 inch thick and 2.17 inches wide and weighs 6.67 ounces. Indeed it feels quite heavy in the hand and could barely fit inside the jeans pocket. It is designed for satisfying military specifications that results in a few aesthetic limitations. The microUSB charging port is located on the bottom left side of the handset, which can be covered by thick plastic door, while the pimple-like Direct Connect Button is outlined in yellow. Above that you will find a bulbous volume rocker. The speaker button and call list button is situated on top of the handset, while the LED flashlight in between. The 2.5mm headphone jack is covered by attached plastic door. At the back, you will find two screens, sealing in remote speaker microphone.

The Kyocera DuraPlus sports a 2.0-inch QVGA touchscreen display boasting few colors and 240 x 320 pixel resolution. Above the screen are an LED indicator to the right and earpiece in the center. Underneath the display, there are a circular navigation control with menu/OK button and two soft keys. The Kyocera DuraPlus is built to military grade specifications, meaning it is dust, splash and shock proof. It can operate under humidity, solar radiation and extreme temperatures. What’s more, you can submerge it in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. However, it does include some bare-bones task management features, including a calendar, T9 text messaging, a stopwatch, an alarm clock, a world clock feature, a calculator, a phone book which can store a maximum of 600 contacts and Bluetooth capabilities. The handset can hold up to 256MB of internal storage, but doesn’t have a microSD slot.

One of the unique features on Kyocera DuraPlus is the MyAccount, which tells you your plan minutes and balance. The My Stuff folder keeps track of all your purchased screensavers, games and ringtones. Additionally, the map is equipped with Family Locator of Sprint, which allows you to pinpoint your kids or other family members on map. You can also check traffic, look up your current location, choose a contact to go to or search for airports and local businesses locations. The device comes loaded with a WAP 2.0 Web browser, which is a very elementary browser, reminiscent of what we saw on phones 10 years ago. You can also check your e-mail, as long as it is a Yahoo, Hotmail or AOL address.

The table of contents for Kyocera DuraPlus manual/user guide such as:

• Phone Basics
• Get Started
• Sprint Direct Connect
• Phone Calls & Settings
• History
• Settings
• Messaging
• Contacts
• Web and Data
• Calendar & Tools
• Copyrights
• GPS Navigation
• Index

While for the Kyocera DuraPlus specification and features include:

• Dimensions + weight: 5.30 x 2.20 x 0.93 (135 x 56 x 24 mm) + 6.67 oz (189 g)
• Support CDMA network (800, 1900 MHz)
• Powered by 1650 mAh battery capacity (talk time: 9.50 hours)
• 2.0-inch display screen, 240 x 320 pixels resolution
• Other features and specs: Flashlight, GPS, MMS, SMS, 2.5mm headset jack, WAP 2.0 and microUSB jack
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0, EDR

The LG Connect 4G is a snappy dual core smartphone with vibrantly bright and beautiful screen and great-in-ear audio playback. At 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, MetroPCS revealed two new handsets, which will run on 4G LTE network. One was more spec-robust LG Connect 4G and the other was Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G. It is the first dual core smartphone of MetroPCS and features one of the brightest displays in the market. It is available for the price of $319 and next to LG Esteem; it is one of the pricier current MetroPCS handsets. The Connect 4G measures 2.45 inches wide, 0.46 inch thick and 4.59 inches high and pulls off looking sleek, without feeling too fragile. It weighs 4.8 ounces and fits comfortably between shoulder and ear. The Connect 4G comes packed with LCD Nova capacitive 4.0-inch touchscreen that offers 242ppi pixel density and 480 x 840 pixel resolution. The screen is made out of Corning Gorilla Glass and offers extremely rich and vibrant colors.

Above the LG Connect 4G’s display on the right, you will find a VGA front facing camera for all your vanity shot needs and video chatting. While beneath, you will find 4 typical illuminated navigation buttons for search, menu, back and home. The standard sleep/power button is situated on top of the smartphone and the 3.5mm headphone jack on the top. At the back, you will find a camera with LED flash. MetroPCS is pushing the Connect 4G as a flagship handset mainly because it is the first dual core handset. It is powered by an Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system and is packed with all the goodies from Google such as Play Store, Places, Google Maps with Navigation, Plus, Search, YouTube, Books, Talk, Gmail and Messenger.

MetroPCS has also added some of its own applications on LG Connect 4G, which include maps, web browsing, mail and app market along with Wi-Fi hotspot known as Easy Wi-Fi, M Studio that stores media files like ringtones, entertainment and media application known as MyExtras, Metro411 that locates and searches nearby restaurants and businesses and myMetro. Essentials include alarm, calculator, calendar, weather application, text messaging and voice recorder. The 5.0-megapixel rear facing camera complete with LED flash comes packed with zoom, autofocus, face tracking, an exposure meter, six scene modes (portrait, normal, sports, landscape, night and sunset), six image size options, five white balance choices (incandescent, auto, fluorescent, cloudy and sunny), an ISO meter, a timer, four color effects (mono, none, negative and sepia), four different shutter sounds, continuous or panorama shooting and geo tagging. The video recorder has similar offerings like an exposure meter, digital zooming, the same white balance and color effect choices, a continuous flash, audio muting and 5 different recording options which include high definition video in 720p with 1,280×720-pixel resolution.

Standard features on LG Connect 4G include 2G Network: CDMA 800 / 1900; 3G Network: CDMA2000 1xEV-DO; 4G Network: LTE 1700 / 2100; 4.0 inch LCD capacitive touchscreen with Touch-sensitive controls, 16M colors, 480 x 840 pixels and ~242 ppi pixel density; Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones; Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot; 5.0-megapixel camera with 2592 ? 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash and Geo-tagging; Android OS, v2.3 (Gingerbread); Dual-core 1.2 GHz; GPS with A-GPS support; SNS integration; MP4/H.264/H.263 player; MP3/WAV/eAAC+ player; Image/video editor; Document viewer; Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk and Picasa integration; Voice memo/dial/commands; Phonebook: Unlimited entries, Caller groups, Multiple numbers per contact, Search by both first and last name, Picture ID, Ring ID; Organizer: Calendar, Alarm, Calculator, Notes; Messaging: SMS, MMS, Threaded view, Predictive text input.

The LG Connect 4G also offers Email: IMAP, POP3, SMTP; Notifications: Music ringtones (MP3), Polyphonic ringtones, Vibration, Flight mode, Silent mode, Speakerphone; Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity, compass; Bluetooth 3.0 Profiles: Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol (AVCTP), Advanced Audio Distribution (A2DP), Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile (AVRCP), Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol (AVDTP), Generic Access (GAP), File Transfer (FTP), Handsfree (HFP), Generic Audio/Video Distribution (GAVDP), Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol, Headset (HSP), Object Push (OPP), Message Access Profile (MAP), Serial Port (SPP), Phone Book Access (PBAP), Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) and Service Discovery Application (SDAP). With its 4G network and dual-core CPU, the LG Connect 4G is a snappy smartphone from MetroPCS.

The Samsung Rugby Smart is even sturdier enough to meet demanding military specifications, is rated IP67 for resistance to water and dust, and keeps working even after being dropped from 6.6 feet. You need not worry about extreme temperatures from weather or leaving it in a hot car; your Rugby Smart can withstand temperatures from -60°F to +160°F. To pass rigorous MIL-STD 810F military standard specifications, it successfully survived blowing dust, rain, high humidity, sand, salt, solar radiation, thermal shock and fog. Users gain the ultimate versatility with sealed physical keys for frustration free navigation and touchscreen for easy interaction, even while wearing gloves. The sophisticated earSmart by Audience voice processor suppresses background noise and improves sound quality for clear audio even in less than optimal conditions.

The Samsung Rugby Smart provides vibrant brilliant clarity and color, making it easy to read outdoors and indoors. The screen is protected by strengthened glass which resists damage from drops, scratches and bumps. 4G HSPA+ network of AT&T provides lightning fast web browsing, which means you can load online videos, images and web pages in a fraction of the time it takes on older networks. You can even upload a photo and download the entire song in just seconds. For multi-tasking, you can upload and download photos and files while taking a call. The Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS provides simple navigation, easy-to-use features including battery life monitoring, copy-and-paste support, built-in task manager and more and a streamlined interface. It incorporates perfectly with full range of Google Mobile services, providing you the tools for enjoying entertainment on-the-go and communicating instantly with friends. Google Maps provides you with turn-by-turn GPS navigation, whereas Google Places and Google Latitude connect you with local businesses and friends. YouTube application brings you greatest viral videos anytime and Gmail brings you latest emails. While you are driving, you can use spoken commands for sending a message, finding an address or searching the internet.

The Samsung Rugby Smart can take plethora of punches without skimping on the handset features. It is available for the price of $99.99 and comes loaded with impressive Super AMOLED screen and Android Gingerbread. In addition, it is pretty sleek looking, which means it can’t be any more unattractive unlike cumbersome Otterbox phone cases. The Rugby Smart measures 4.82 inches high, 0.48 inch thick and 2.2 inches wide and weighs 4.4 ounces. Running all along the smartphone is a soft coated, matte black plastic edge, which has extra grooves on right and left sides for additional grip. The 3.5mm headphone jack on the top is protected by attached door, while the sleep/power button on the right; the microUSB port is at the bottom.

The Samsung Rugby Smart’s volume rocker button is on the spine, while the camera is perfect for anyone who needs to find keys, which on car floor or works in low light situations. One of the exclusive features found on this model is the 3.7 inch Super AMOLED display that boasts 480 x 800 pixel resolution with bright graphics games and crisp colors. Above the screen, you will find a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera, while the four standard navigation buttons beneath it: search, menu, back and home. The 5.0-megapixel camera with LED flash and output speaker is at the back. Basic management tasks and functions include calculator, calendar, clock, memo pad, music player, voice recorder and movie player. Some of the Google services include Google Books, Google Play Store, Gmail YouTube, Search, Talk and Maps with Navigation.

The Samsung Rugby Smart also has applications, which customized tailored to AT&T customers such as FamilyMap that helps you physically find family members on AT&T account; Code Scanner that enables your smartphone to read QR, Data Matrix and UPC bar codes; myAT&T that allows you to manage your Internet and home phone accounts and a map and a messaging application which is of carrier’s own brand. Other features include Amazon Kindle, AllShare, Facebook, a media streaming service known as Live TV and file-sharing app Kies air. You will also find a photo editor, a diary app, a news and weather app, an app known as Qik LTE, which allows you to share and upload videos, the Yellow Pages, Social Hub that consolidates all your social networking portals and a Microsoft Office suite for mobile devices called Quickoffice.

The 5.0-megapixel camera of Samsung Rugby Smart can digitally zoom up to 4x and abundance of options. Besides autoflash, it has five shooting modes (smile, single, action, cartoon and panorama), auto and macro focusing, an exposure meter and a whopping 14 different scene modes (portrait, none, night, landscape, party/indoor, sports, sunset, beach/snow, fall color, dawn, text, firework, backlight and candlelight). You will also find four color effects modes (negative, none, sepia and grayscale), a timer, five white-balance choices (daylight, auto, incandescent, cloudy and fluorescent), eight resolution options, three metering options (spot, matrix or center-weighted), an ISO meter which ranges from 100 to 400, a GPS tagging feature and auto contrast. The camcorder can playback and record HD video, and includes white-balance and exposure meters, same color effects, five resolution options, three recording modes: one for sending over MMS, one for self-recording and one for regular recordings and a timer.

Standard features on Samsung Rugby Smart include Quadband: 850/900/1800/1900MHz; Triband: 850/1900/2100MHz HSPA+ 14.4 MBps; Data Speed: EDGE/GPRS/HSPA+; 3.7 inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with touch sensitive controls, Water resistant, Shock and dust resistant, 16M colors, 480 x 800 pixels, ~252 ppi pixel density, Multitouch and TouchWiz UI v4.0; microSD, up to 32 GB; 4 GB storage, 512 MB RAM; HSDPA, HSUPA; Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Wi-Fi hotspot; Rear-facing Camera: 5.0 Megapixel; Front-facing Camera:1.3 Megapixel; Camera Features: Shot Modes, Action, Auto Focus; Panorama, Cartoon, Smile; Single, Geo-tagging; Smile Shot; Camcorder; Editing Modes; HD Playback and HD Recording; Music Player; Compatible Music Files, 3GP, AAC, M4A, MP3, MP4, OGG, WAV, WMA; Audio, Streaming.

The Samsung Rugby Smart also offers Ringtones, Polyphonic 40-note; MP3/Music Tones; Video Player; Compatible Video Files, 3GP, AAC, AAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, AVI, e-AAC+, H.263, H.264, MP4, MPEG4, QCIF, WMV; Video, Streaming; Email; Corporate Email; Picture Messaging; Text Messaging; Threaded / Chat-style Messages; Swype; Predictive Text (T9/XT9); Bluetooth Profiles: AVRCP, A2DP, HFP, OPP, PBAP; Wi-Fi; Wi-Fi Hotspot; HTML Browser; GPS; Android OS, v2.3.6 (Gingerbread); Phonebook: Unlimited entries, Caller groups, Multiple numbers per contact, Search by both first and last name, Picture ID, Ring ID; Notifications: Music ringtones (MP3), Polyphonic ringtones, Vibration, Flight mode, Silent mode, Speakerphone; Sensors: Accelerometer, Voice dialing, Voice commands, Voice recording.

Overall, those who are in the market looking for a rugged smartphone, Samsung Rugby Smart by AT&T is a good choice.

Intel announced that Orange will be shipping its 1st mass market handset, while ZTE and Motorola are also known to be involved in making Intel devices. The Santa Clara device of Orange is very close to original smartphone which Intel demonstrated at 2012 CES. Intel Corporation is a multinational American semiconductor chip manufacturing company situated in Santa Clara, California, United States and the largest and highest valued semiconductor chip makers of the world based on revenue. It was established in the year 1968 and is a portmanteau of Integrated Electronics.

Honestly, the owners of HTC Vivid should not  be surprised that their smartphone is now supposed as yesterday’s thing, particularly now the HTC One X is all official. However, there is some thrilling news headed to the owners of Vivid that are locked into a device for next few years. AT&T claims that it is the first smartphone from HTC to offer 4G LTE connectivity and will get quite a few software update (Beats Audio profiles) in coming weeks, which will improve the audio experience. This forthcoming upgrade will certainly transform Gingerbread smartphone into snazzy Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich powered one.

Standard features on HTC Vivid include 3G Network: HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100; LTE 700 / 1700; 2G Network: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900; Vibration, MP3, WAV ringtones; 4.5 inch Super LCD capacitive touchscreen with 540 x 960 pixel resolution, 262,000 colors, Multitouch input method, Accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate, HTC Sense UI, Touch sensitive controls and Proximity sensor for auto turn-off; 16GB/32GB storage, Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall; microSD, up to 32GB; 1 GB RAM; 8-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, 3264 x 2448 pixels, face detection, autofocus, video: 1080p at 60 frames per second and Geo-tagging and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot.

The HTC Vivid also gains Text Messaging: Insert pictures, video clips and sound clips easily; Voice dialing, Voice commands, TTY/TDD; Microsoft Direct Push; Mobile Email: Yahoo, Gmail(TM), Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and POP3/IMAP4; Cool Tools: Android(TM) Market, Street View, Voice Search, Google Maps(TM), Sync, Search, YouTube(TM), Block Caller, Facebook for HTC Sense, Flash Light, FriendStream, HTC Hub, HTC Likes, Amazon Kindle and Twitter for HTC Sense; Good(TM) Mobile Messaging; Preloaded Apps from AT&T: myAT&T, AT&T Navigator, YPmobile, AT&T FamilyMap, AT&T U-Verse Live TV and Themes: background, Wallpaper, icons, custom menus/popups and more.

In December 2011, the company announced that 1 million Samsung Galaxy Note smartphones were marketed in less than 2 months, and will be offered in USA from 19th February 2012 from AT&T. The Galaxy Note is a primary device, which will minimize the need to switch to other peripherals while on the go and open up the potential of your mobile experience. Its 5.3-inch screen is one of the largest displays size with smartphone portability that enables you to do more and see more, while on the go. It is the first 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display of the world, which offers you with expansive high-resolution screen for immersive viewing experience.

The Samsung Galaxy Note offers you with the capability to freely create and capture ideas everywhere and anywhere. The S Pen is fused with full touch screen for creating class-leading mobile input experience and is the most sophisticated pen input technology equipped with collection of functions such as preciseness, pressure sensitivity, speed and more. With S Pen, you can easily write notes or sketch drawings with ease and increased accuracy. Its functionality is deeply incorporated into the device’s native apps for providing a richer interactive experience. The Galaxy Note allows mobile access from anywhere, while the VPN solution offers easy-to-deploy and reliable encrypted network connectivity. Business users can update reports, review and open documents, join webinars and approve expenses using its virtualization solutions.

With its throwback stylus and large display, the Samsung Galaxy Note is a polarizing handset, which winks at tablet territory. Those who like their displays XL will find a high quality smartphone, which allows multimedia shine; on the other hand the S Pen adds quite a few artistic potential. The company started marketing its Galaxy Note for AT&T on wrong foot. Meanwhile, phablet has become catchphrase for the product for which the manufacturing companies can’t seem to decide, which spin will net most sales. So, don’t worry about the Galaxy Note as tablet, and think of it as a smartphone. Nevertheless, if 5.3 inches screen seems too ungainly for your hand, then check out other options – Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy S II Skyrocket.

The Samsung Galaxy Note measures 5.8 inches high, 0.37 inch thick and 3.3 inches wide with curved edges. One of the exquisite features found on this device is the 5.3 inch HD Super AMOLED display that boasts 1280 x 800 pixel resolution and colors looking saturated, bright and vivid. Images look alive and crisp, while videos playback smoothly on huge, high definition display. The front facing 2.0-megapixel camera is situated above the display, and underneath it you will find four customary touch sensitive navigation buttons for search, menu, back and home. The power button is located on the right hand side of the device, while the volume rocker button on the left. The microUSB charging port is at the bottom, while the 3.5mm headphone jack on the top. Its eight-megapixel rear facing camera is at the back, while microSD memory card slot beneath the battery cover that holds up to 32GB.

Motivation for the Samsung Galaxy Note comes from Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, featuring TouchWiz interface of Samsung. With this interface, you can cycle through crazy-fast applications by swiping or holding down along row of pixels, pull down notifications menu for accessing system settings and pinch screen to see an overview of 7 customizable home screens. Some of the most significant features of Galaxy Note include 4G LTE radio that makes it one of the fastest phones of AT&T for downloading and uploading data. Also onboard are Wi-Fi, penchant of Android to integrate social networking into virtually limitless address book, Bluetooth, GPS and multimedia and text messaging. Some of the Google services include YouTube, Google Maps with turn by turn voice directions, Google Music, Search and Gmail.

The company has added its own application package to Samsung Galaxy Note, such as its usual AllShare and Kies Air applications to share multimedia (videos, photos and doodles) with your DLNA-compatible devices and desktop respectively. There are also Music Hub and Social Hub to organize tools around Twitter and Facebook social networking, and listening to tunes and podcasts. AT&T has bequeathed Note its typical complement of applications, including code scanner, the app to keep tabs on your account, AT&T Live TV through U-verse subscription and family tracker. There is also AT&T Ready2Go setup wizard. Qik Lite for video chats, Amazon Kindle for e-books, Pulse, Polaris Office, Yellow Pages Mobile and Mini Diary are other applications, which have been preloaded onto the Note.

Standard features on Samsung Galaxy Note include 2G Network: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900; 3G Network: HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100; 4G Network: LTE 700 (region specific); 5.3 inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with Touch sensitive controls, 16 million colors, 800 x 1280 pixels and ~285 ppi pixel density; Corning Gorilla Glass; TouchWiz UI v4.0; microSD, up to 32GB, 2 GB included; 16GB/32GB storage, 1 GB RAM; HSDPA speeds up to 21 Mbps and HSUPA speeds up to 5.76 Mbps; LTE; Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot; 8.0-megapixel camera with 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, Geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection and image stabilization; OS: Android OS, v2.3.5 (Gingerbread); Dual-core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A9.

The Samsung Galaxy Note is also equipped with HTML, Adobe Flash; Stereo FM radio with RDS; GPS with A-GPS support and GLONASS; S Pen stylus; Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic; NFC support; TV-out through MHL A/V link; SNS integration; MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264/H.263 player; MP3/WAV/eAAC+/AC3/FLAC player; Image/video editor; Document editor (Excel, Word, PDF and PowerPoint); Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa integration; Voice memo/dial/commands; Predictive text input; Phonebook: Caller groups, Unlimited entries, Search by both first and last name, Multiple numbers per contact, Picture ID and Ring ID; Organizer: Calendar, Alarm, Document viewer, Calculator, Notes; Messaging: SMS, MMS, Threaded view, Predictive text input; E-mail: IMAP, POP3, SMTP and Microsoft Exchange; Notifications: Polyphonic ringtones, Music ringtones (MP3), Flight mode, Vibration, Speakerphone and Silent mode.

Also standard on Samsung Galaxy Note include Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass and barometer; Bluetooth 3.0 Profiles: AMP Manager Protocol (A2MP), Advanced Audio Distribution (A2DP), Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol (AVDTP), Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol (AVCTP), Generic Access (GAP), Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile (AVRCP), Handsfree (HFP), Generic Audio/Video Distribution (GAVDP), Human Interface Device (HID), Headset (HSP), Message Access Profile (MAP), Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol, Phone Book Access (PBAP), Object Push (OPP), Service Discovery Protocol (SDP), Serial Port (SPP) and SIM Access (SAP).

The estimated battery life of Samsung Galaxy Note is 26 hours in talktime mode and 40 days in standby mode. So as long as you are all for supersizing, Galaxy Note is a good choice, because it comes with all those features found on original Galaxy S II Skyrocket and Galaxy S II, but even larger, HD Super AMOLED screen.