As far as hardware goes, you get a combination of a decent screen and low power in the phone’s somewhat unique shell. a 4-inch 854×480 LCD display runs over an 800mHz processor and 512MB of RAM. That won’t be setting any benchmark records any time soon, but for Gingerbread 2.3.7 it’s fine; an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade seems unlikely at this point. A single gigabyte of user-accessible data isn’t much, but it can be supplemented with a MicroSD card. Sadly, the phone’s cellular radio is limited to HSDPA (aka basic 3G) speeds. Motorola’s standard 8MP camera hangs out on the back of the device.

More interesting than the numbers is the design itself. The MOTOLUXE uses the soft-touch plastic of previous Moto phones like the DROID X, but abandons the industrial look for a more rounded, beveled appearance. Most striking is the LED notification light hidden in a recessed horizontal dip just below the capacitive buttons. This makes alerts glow in a unique fashion – it probably won’t turn heads, but it should get a few interested glances at the very least.

The MOTOLUXE is the first phone to receive “MotoSwitch 2.0″ interface, which we suppose is what they’re calling the Blur UI this week. The reviewer wasn’t impressed, and we tend to agree – unlike TouchWiz and Sense, Motorola’s custom interfaces tend to be little more than an icon and palette swap which still manages to hamper performance. At least Moto’s added some lockscreen shortcuts.

All in all, the MOTOLUXE is a decent choice if you want a reliable mid-range phone and don’t want to spend the pounds to reach into the high end. For the UK’s unlocked networks, you could do worse – and if you’re willing to shell out more initial money, you could do a lot better, too. The MOTOLUXE will be on sale at online and retail locations within a few weeks.

Aside from an admittedly beautiful exterior, the AT200 has some fairly pedestrian specifications. A 1.2Ghz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor and 1GB of memory make it roughly the equal of the DROID XYBOARD (XOOM 2) models as far as power goes. A 10.1-inch LCD screen operates at the3 standard 1280×800 resolution, while the rear 5MP and front 1.2MP cameras handle shooting duties. Sadly, Honeycomb 3.2 is all you’re getting for software, and Toshiba hasn’t said anything about an Ice Cream Sandwich update just yet.

We got a look at some non-final AT200/Excite hardware at Toshiba’s CES press event, and make no mistake, it’s stunning. If you want to turn heads with brushed aluminum (sorry UK readers, I meant to say aluminium) style, this is certainly the tablet with which to do it. But at £399, over $630 USD, there are better both currently available and on the horizon. It’s a marked improvement over Toshiba’s first tablet, but the company seems to be making the same mistakes: pricing it to compete with the iPad instead of low cost off-brand Android tablets, where most of the growth in the tablet market is coming from.

[via The Verge]

The naming scheme is starting to get a bit out of control over there in the Galaxy S factories but at least they keep churning out awesome phones like the Galaxy S II and this new Advance. The folks from TechPinas have already received some hands-on photos and video of the new Samsung device before it’s even been released.

The phone is no Galaxy S II but it’s no slouch either. Complete with a 1GHz dual-core processor, 768MB of RAM, 4″ WVGA Super AMOLED display with curved glass (just like the Galaxy Nexus), and a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash. It also comes equipped with a 1.3 front camera, 8GB of internal storage and Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

We wont be seeing the device in the US anytime soon but UK retailer Clove already has outlined pre-orders starting at £295 ($467) plus tax. If the Galaxy S Advance looks like something you’re interested in it should be shipping late February, right around the 27th so stay tuned and get your own reserved today.

[via SlashGear]

ADzero got its start as a project by Middlesex University design student Kieron-Scott Woodhouse. When investors got a look at the concept device, they created a start-up to develop and market it, and Woodhouse and a team of engineers have been hard at work on the retail product ever sense. They’ve been making waves in the local tech and design communities. Initially planned for a release in China, AD now hopes to market it in boutique shops in the United Kingdom as well. Thanks to the UK’s mostly open mobile space, buyers will be able to purchase an ADzero phone and use them on almost any carrier.

As the device is still in the development stage, the specifications aren’t set in stone (or wood) yet; the engineers are still experimenting with different materials and components. But the basic outline suggests a large-screen Android phone (probably running Gingerbread) in the standard slate form factor. If the designs on display so far are any indication, they’re still months away from a final release, but we’d sure love to get our hands on it. For a similar aesthetic and design philosophy, check out our review of ThinkSound’s ms01 earbuds.

Unfortunately, the list of initial supported devices leaves something to be desired. HTC customers can use the Desire, Desire S, Desire HD, Incredible S and the Sensation, while Samsung owners only get the Galaxy S and Galaxy S II. Even limiting themselves to the top two Android OEMs, that’s a depressingly small number of phones, and Samsung’s family of Galaxy Tabs (where a video app would be most welcome) seem to be left out in the cold. Sky said nothing about expanding support to more phones or tablets, or adding more manufacturers.

That said, it’s encouraging to see more and more media producers awaken to the reality of the mobile landscape. Time Warner could take a lesson – their Android app is still limited to remote control functions, while iOS users get the full Monty of video channels. Limited device support will be a pain, and echoes the woes of Netflix’s early Android app, but rest assured someone out there will make a modded universal version sooner rather than later.

Just as before, the app allows readers to access all the portions of the BBC News website in a mobile form factor. A useful addition is the ability to customize your homescreen (a la Google Currents) to see only the news that you care about. Video links contained in each story will play without opening another app. Like any good reader app, you can customize the size of the displayed font to your liking. A few features from the smartphone version have yet to make it to the tablet app, including homescreen widgets and Flash support.

The app is a free download in the Android Market, though as mentioned before, it’s currently only approved for UK users. Early reviews of the tablet version indicate great success  - if only all news outlets suported tablets to this degree! (Cough.) We await the international version with bated breath.

Tech-savvy customers were understandably upset – according to a proof of concept site, any website with the right settings could harvest a significant amount of personal phone numbers without breaking any law, or even going to too much technical trouble. The blunder comes at a sensitive time for mobile carriers, as the privacy faux pas of Carrier IQ and its extreme data logging is still fresh in the minds of the public. Though there’s still no word from O2′s corporate arm, they did tweet a UK security researcher saying that the phone numbers embedded into the HTML code were designed to indicate that the browser was coming from a mobile device. There are many other ways of achieving this determination from a website owner’s perspective.

When questioned about the issue, the United Kingdom Information Commissioner’s Office said that the events did not constitute an official data breach, according to Paid Content. A phone number alone isn’t personal enough to meet the state’s requirements. Even so, a representative said that the organization would be speaking with O2 on the matter, since most people do not expect their cell phone number to be exposed simply by visiting a website.

UPDATE: O2 has shed some light on the issue in an official post on their blog. According to the published information, routine maintenance on the network caused a minor change that exposed some users’ phone numbers for approximately two weeks. the carrier apologized for the error and offered up a Q&A for concerned customers.

[via SlashGear]

There’s not much to say about the RAZR that you don’t already know: it’s the same skinny Gingerbread phone you fell in love with in black, now in an icy hue. The same 1.2Ghz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM power the phone, with 16GB of on-board storage and an 8 megapixel camera for good measure. The 4.3-inch AMOLED display is nice, even if we wish it were on the 720p bandwagon. £430.80 reserves your white RAZR with a free pair of portable speakers, normally £20.

The MOTOLUXE might be the most interesting of this little trio, thanks to some unique design decisions by Motorola. The mid-range Gingerbread phone is 9.8mm with a 4-inch 854×400 resolution. Just under the screen you’ll see a cavity in the body where a depressed LED notification light grants an interesting effect. An 8 megapixel camera, 800Mhz CPU and 512MB of RAM are paired to an unfortunately small 1400mAh battery. The MOTOLUXE is £258.00 from Clove, sans contract.

On the low end, the DEFY MINI is Motorola’s entry into the diminutive Android phone space. A 3.2-inch 480×320 screen is just enough to run Gingerbread on 512 MB of RAM. Gorilla Glass and a water-resistant frame, a 3 megapixel rear camera and a front-facing camera (not necessarily a given on entry-level Android phones) and a surprisingly large 1650mAh battery are crammed into a body 12.6mm thick. The DEFY MINI’s pre-order price is just £174.99.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : DROID RAZR

Manufactuer : Motorola

Carrier : Verizon

Announced Date : October 18, 2011

Release Date : November 03, 2011

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 4.3 Inch
• Resolution :
• Screen Type : Super AMOLED Advanced qHD

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 5.15 Inch
• Width : 2.71 Inch
• Depth : 0.27 Inch
• Weight : 127 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1780 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : 8.9 hours

Software

Android OS:
• 2.3.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

Video Playback:
• MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS

Hardware

CPU : OMAP 4430

CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 16.384 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 8 MP

External Storage:
• MicroSD
• MicroSDHC

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• CDMA

CDMA Band:
• 800
• 850
• 900
• 1700
• 1900
• 2100

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

[via Phandroid]

PRADA and LG announced the phone back in December at a London event, showing off the sexy slate design to tech and fashion press alike. The 4.3-inch 800×480 screen is the largest yet on an official PRADA device, and surprisingly, the internals don’t dissapoint either. A 1Ghz dual-core OMAP processor is paired to a full gigabyte of memory, which should let Android 2.3 run quickly and smoothly on the device. An 8 megapixel 1080p camera and 1.3 megapixel front shooter covers the shutterbugs, while 8GB of internal memory and a microSD card slot covers the media consumers out there. Perhaps the most interesting part of the PRADA phone is its user interface, a heavily customized version of Gingerbread that looks pretty fantastic from a visual perspective.

The PRADA 3.0 is already on sale in LG’s native South Korea, and a wider European release is scheduled for later this year. We haven’t heard anything about the phone coming to North America. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, but the protracted process of carrier approval and subsidy means that it’ll probably be months before it makes its way here, if ever. At least there’s an FCC filing to keep up the hopes of western fashionistas.

Other than a spiffy new coat of paint, there isn’t any difference between the white Galaxy Nexus and the original grey one: the same 4.65-inch 720p Super AMOLED screen, the same curved, button-free design, the same 16GB capacity, and of course unlocked Ice Cream Sandwich for your operating system pleasure. The white version still lacks a MicroSD card slot, which will concern some, since that limits the phone to its internal memory.

On that note, a double-capacity 32GB model will be coming out just after the new white version, at least in the UK. (In the United States, Verizon only offers a 32GB model of the CDMA Galaxy Nexus.) That’s a big boon to those who want to carry every photo, song and video they’ve ever owned in their pocket. At present, there’s no information on when or if the white and/or 32GB Galaxy Nexus models will make their way to other worldwide markets, but it’s a pretty strong possibility. So, does the new color scheme tip the scales for any of our UK readers?

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : GALAXY Nexus

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : Verizon

Announced Date : October 18, 2011

Release Date : December 15, 2011

Also Known As : Nexus Prime

Display

• Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x720
• Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 5.33 Inch
• Width : 2.67 Inch
• Depth : 0.35 Inch
• Weight : 135 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS:
• 4.0.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MID
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS

Hardware

CPU : OMAP 4460

CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 32 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 5 MP

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light
• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• GSM
• CDMA

GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

[via SlashGear]

Americans have been able to buy the 32GB version from Verizon since December, where it’s the only model on sale. The US LTE version is so far the only one in the world that’s been equipped with 32GB of stage space, double the base GSM/HSPA+ version. Since Google made the controversial choice to omit a MicroSD card slot in the Galaxy Nexus, on-board storage is a prime concern for many buyers. At least a few UK customers have been very vocal in that particular complaint, so double storage may go a long way to ease their concerns. The white version is only listed at 16GB so far.

Other than a new color or the extra internal storage (which adds no wight or extra space) the HSPA+ versions of the Galaxy Nexus should be identical to their forebears. That means a gigantic 4.65-inch 720p Super AMOLED screen, a curved glass design on a plastic body, a 5 megapixel rear camera, and of course, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with an unlocked bootloader. Naturally the phones on sale in the UK are unlocked, and there’s no plans for carrier subsidies as of yet. The white version should have the same ~500 GBP price tag, while the 32GB version is listed at 599 pounds on Handtec. There’s no word of white or 32GB versions coming to any other markets just yet.

[via SlashGear]

The Archos 70b Internet Tablet will sell for just £179.99, about which works out to about $340 after taxes. Considering that tablets are primarily media consumption devices (which is a polite way of saying “toys”), a lower price is always preferable. For that price, you get a WiFi Honeycomb 3.2 tablet with a 7-inch 1024 x 600 screen, a 1.2Ghz processor and access to the Android Market and Google’s other proprietary apps. 512Mb of RAM means that it should perform much better than the older Archos 70, though that’s still a little pokey for Honeycomb. Storage space isn’t mentioned, so it will probably be available in multiple capacities. Archos’ press release did not mention an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade, but industrious modders will probably have a version ready soon enough. The 70b Internet Tablet is not to be confused with the previous Archos 70b eReader.

There’s no news on the tablet making its way stateside just yet. Archos has a history of delays in getting its low-priced hardware out of Europe, but it usually does get here eventually. At this price for the UK version, you can probably expect a $200-250 price. That’s hard to beat as far as Honeycomb tablets go, and might be worth considering if you’re a fan of Archos’ rich media format support and generally minimal changes to Android. As an upgrade to the popular Archos 70 Froyo tablet, the 70b Internet Tablet looks promising.

UPDATE: It looks like the Archos 70b is scheduled for a US release next month at $199.99. The company’s US branch just sent out its own press release. Who called it?

Prices vary from €529- €629 (about $713-$847), but it’s not clear if that’s simply retailer variation or a different price for the 16GB and 32GB models. None of the local carriers in Germany are offering subsidized versions, but if you live in the UK you’ve got an embarrassment of riches in that area. Vodafone is now offering the Galaxy Nexus on contract, being the fourth carrier to do so, behind O2, Orange and T-Mobile. In the UK you can now purchase the phone from all major carriers or “unlocked”.

Meanwhile in Google’s home country, Android fans continue to stew over Verizon’s total lack of communication concerning the first Ice Cream Sandwich phone. Though leaks and rumors are rampant (lately December 8th and 11th is favored) there’s still been no official word on a release or even a pre-order. Livid customers are beginning to flood Verizon with Twitter and Facebook messages, demanding a release and expressing their frustration every time the company sends out a marketing message. Observe:

If you’re sick of waiting, have about eight hundred dollars and want to use AT&T or T-Mobile, you could always order an import model from Expansys. Because at this point, Verizon clearly does not want your business.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : GALAXY Nexus

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : Verizon

Announced Date : October 18, 2011

Release Date : December 15, 2011

Also Known As : Nexus Prime

Display

• Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x720
• Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 5.33 Inch
• Width : 2.67 Inch
• Depth : 0.35 Inch
• Weight : 135 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS:
• 4.0.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MID
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS

Hardware

CPU : OMAP 4460

CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 32 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 5 MP

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light
• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• GSM
• CDMA

GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

The Liquid Express runs on an 800Mhz Qualcomm processor and an as-yet unannounced amount of RAM. That’s not the fastest thing on the block, but it should be more than enough to run Android 2.3 Gingerbread comfortably. A 3.5-inch screen with a 480 x 320 resolution will have to suffice, while a respectable 5-megapixel camera handles shutterbug duties. It’s hard to tell without physically touching the device, but it looks like Acer has some minimal customizations to the Android launcher running in the software.

The price is right: free on-contract for both T-Mobile and Orange. That’s a pretty good deal for those just getting their first smartphone – though if recent studies are to be believed, there aren’t that many left in the UK who fit that description. You can check out a second press shot of the budget smartphone below. In the US, AT&T might be preparing something similar with the Acer Liquid Mini, though it’s been so long since we’ve seen it that it would need a significant upgrade to be relevant.

Samsung showed off the Galaxy Note’s artistic prowess just after it was officially announced in Berlin. you can catch a video of an amateur artist putting his skills to use with the styuls in this video. For the current promotion, Sammy has enlisted the help of UK illustrators Steven Wilson, Rose Stallard, Danny Sangra and Natasha Law. You can see them in action below:

In case you’re wondering, there’s still no official indication that the Galaxy Note is coming to North America. Britons have been playing with it for the better part of a month (man, the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Nexus – anyone else getting some serious Anglo envy?). While an AT&T HSPA+ version made it through the FCC earlier this year, there hasn’t been a peep from any major U.S. carrier about selling the 5.3-inch device.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Galaxy Note

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : NA

Announced Date : September 01, 2011

Release Date : TBA

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 5.30 Inch
• Resolution : 800x1280
• Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 5.78 Inch
• Width : 3.27 Inch
• Depth : 0.38 Inch
• Weight : 178 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 2500 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : 390 hours

Software

Android OS:
• 2.3.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AMR
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)
• WMV

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS

Hardware

CPU :

CPU Clock Speed : 1400 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1024 MB

Internal Storage : 32.768 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 8 MP

External Storage:
• MicroSD
• MicroSDHC

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light
• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• GSM

GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features:
• Compass

FM Radio :

NFC :

The Getting Started video is of particular interest. As the hand model swivels the phone around you get a quick look at the same Verizon 4G LTE logo that VZW handsets have been sporting for months. At this point there isn’t much the instructional videos can tell us that we don’t already know, but if you’re in the mood to drool you can watch a dozen or so sedate introductory videos walking new owners through the hardware and software. Do you see what you’ve reduced us to, Verizon? Shame. Us Yanks will just have to console ourselves with FCC filings in the meantime.

Things aren’t all sunshine and roses across the pond, however. Apparently there have been a series of launch day blunders for exclusive retail launch partner Phones 4U. Confusion about the phone’s price and unlocked status abounds, with apparently clueless retail employees running around. The very first customer to buy the Galaxy Nexus at one Phones 4U location was actually given a pre-production model, and had to return it for one with the final Ice Cream Sandwich software installed.

Check out our hands-on looks at the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich below:

Galaxy Nexus Hands-on

Ice Cream Sandwich Hands-on

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : GALAXY Nexus

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : Verizon

Announced Date : October 18, 2011

Release Date : December 15, 2011

Also Known As : Nexus Prime

Display

• Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x720
• Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 5.33 Inch
• Width : 2.67 Inch
• Depth : 0.35 Inch
• Weight : 135 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS:
• 4.0.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MID
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS

Hardware

CPU : OMAP 4460

CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 32 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 5 MP

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light
• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• GSM
• CDMA

GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

[via Slashgear]

The Vision (not to be confused with HTC’s Vision) is an interesting mid-range device, mostly on the merits of its curved glass screen. The 3.7-inch panel uses some unique manufacturing processes that Huwei claims “up to 17 hours to craft”, using some of the same techniques used to manufacture Swiss watches. The Vision isn’t a world-beater, but its unibody aluminum chassis, 1Ghz processor and 720p camera make it worth a look for those who are considering a similar phone from Samsung or HTC.

The Mediapad is one of only a few 7-inch Honeycomb tablets on the market, earning itself distinction with an all-metal housing and a 720p screen. The Android 3.2 tablet is showing up in the States as T-Mobile’s Springboard, which we reviewed earlier this week. The Springboard’s hardware is great, but the software lags behind, mostly on the additions made by T-Mobile – it’ll be interesting to see how a WiFi-only version fares.

UK citizens won’t have long to wait: the company is planning to bring both the Vision and the Mediapad to market soon. The smartphone lands before Christmas for around £25 on-contract, and the tablet is currently slated for a spring 2012 release at £275 ($440). Aside from the lack of an HSPA+ radio, the Mediapad will keep the Springboard’s impressive specs: a 1.2Ghz dual-core processor, Honeycomb 3.2 and 16GB of on-bard memory, plus a MicroSD card slot.

[via Engadget]

In the event that Amazon’s date change doesn’t extend to the entire country, the shift is a pretty big loss for the online retailer. With the UK and the rest of Europe currently scheduled to get some pure Nexus goodness of the 17th, early adopters aren’t likely to wait around for Amazon to sort out some apparent supply chain issues. Of course, if the official date is soon to change, that would be a major let-down for Android fans across the UK and EU – a six-week gap between announcement and launch isn’t exactly stellar.

If UK customers are frustrated, US Android fans are starting to get downright irate. There still is no official word on a price or date for the Galaxy Nexus from Verizon, which has an exclusive on the Google phone for at least some time after its release. Current leaks point to November 17th, or November 21st, or November 28th, or later – your guess is as good as ours. At least the $299 on-contract price seems pretty stable. Google has historically kept a pretty tight grip on the Nexus line of phones, and it would be a good move for them to start telling their retail and carrier partners to stop messing around, before hungry developers start invading the Google campus in search of Nexii.

Check out our hands-on looks at the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich below:

Galaxy Nexus Hands-on

Ice Cream Sandwich Hands-on

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : GALAXY Nexus

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : Verizon

Announced Date : October 18, 2011

Release Date : December 15, 2011

Also Known As : Nexus Prime

Display

• Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x720
• Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 5.33 Inch
• Width : 2.67 Inch
• Depth : 0.35 Inch
• Weight : 135 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS:
• 4.0.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MID
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS

Hardware

CPU : OMAP 4460

CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 32 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 5 MP

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light
• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• GSM
• CDMA

GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

49.9 percent of all the smartphones sold in the territory over the 12 week period were running Android, compared to just an 18.5 percent share for the iPhone. The Blackberry platform hasn’t fallen from grace so dramatically in the UK, and has 22.5 percent of the market. According to Kantar Worldpanel Comtech’s estimate, 43.8 percent of the UK population owns a smartphone, meaning that almost a full quarter of the population owns an Android phone.

Caveats: this data doesn’t include the iPhone 4S, which will certainly spike the numbers in iOS’s favor for a few weeks. It also doesn’t represent an accurate picture of the mobile OS market as a whole ,as it doesn’t include iPods or iPads, or the small number of Android tablets out there. Apple is still kicking backside when it comes to mobile browsing – Safari has captured an impressive 62.2% of all mobile browsing, incorporating all iPhone, iPod and iPad models in the UK and elsewhere. Also, Android manufacturers typically report in terms of units shipped, not sold – Apple has an advantage there since a lot of their sales are direct to consumers.

Still, any way you slice it, Android is continuing to dominate in the smartphone arena. Here’s hoping that Ice Cream Sandwich will continue the trend when the Galaxy Nexus lands at the White Cliffs of Dover on November 17th.

The Sensation XL is available from UK online retailer Clove for £486 after taxes (about $770 USD). Three UK customers can buy it for £449 free and clear, or pick it up for a song if they sign a two year agreement. So far HTC has not announced any plans to bring the Sensation XL to the United States, though the HTC Rezound (with a paltry 4.5-inch screen) will soon be coming to Verizon, and may include those nifty Beats earbuds. HTC will probably announce the Rezound at the NYC event on November 3rd.

HTC subsidiary Beats has branding all over the Sensation XL, with the prominent circular logo on the back, Beats audio software on the inside and a “free” pair of uBeats headphones in the retail package. Certain bundles (currently unspecified) will include the full-sized white Beats headphones seen above. Inside the phone you’ll find a 1.5GHz single-core processor, 768MB of RAM and 16GB of on-board storage crammed into a 9.9mm frame. On the downside, there’s no MicroSD slot to be found, and the huge screen has a relatively pedestrian 800 x 480 resolution.

Check out our hands-on of the Sensation XL, live from London.