Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless is currently testing Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPads on its CDMA networks, according to reports from the Boy Genius Report.

This report is light on details but there’s confirmation that the device is CDMA, although there may also be some Long-Term Evolution components as well. Verizon is in the middle of an aggressive LTE rollout as part of its push for 4G services. Big Red’s 4G services should be live in up to 40 markets by the end of the year and we know it will be offering tiered-pricing plans for the next generation of mobile broadband.

Testing iPads makes a lot of sense, as rumors have suggested that Verizon and Apple have been flirting with iProducts for years. When it was first introduced, there was still some question about how well the iPad would be received because tablets have done nothing but fail in the past. Apple seems to have bottled lightning with its “magical” device as it has shipped more than 2 million units in less than 60 days, which is even more impressive when you consider it hadn’t been shipping to most international markets.

Does this mean that an iPad on Verizon is imminent? It’s still way too early to tell, as it’s plausible that Big Red is just doing its due diligence. Besides, some analysts have said the no-contract data plans with the 3G iPad have extended Apple’s exclusivity deal with AT&T (NYSE: T).

Another interesting wrinkle in this story is that our spies have told us Google (NSDQ: GOOG) and Verizon are working together to create an iPad-killer based on Android. Not much is known about this device but it is supposed to be coming directly from Google and Big Red will naturally be providing the mobile connectivity. I’d imagine it to be an iPad-like device with Android, a USB port or two and a decent camera.

We know there’s going to be a plethora of Android tablets out soon but many of these will lack the strong marketing machine behind the iPad. The Google tablet should receive the full might of Verizon’s marketing team, which can be formidable. The nation’s largest wireless carrier reportedly pumped nearly $100 million into campaigns for the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid and I wind up seeing that handset around town almost as much as the iPhone.

Depending on how good the Google tablet turns out to be, Verizon may not even need Apple’s tablet.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Some heavy data users thinking of signing up with AT&T (NYSE: T) may be crying foul at new data plans just announced today. DataPlus is the basic service, offering 200 MB for $15, while DataPro is $25 monthly for 2 GB. Aaaand that’s about it. Yep, no more unlimited data. If you want to be able to use that 2 GB for tethering, that’ll be another $20/month. Voice/data bundles are now $54.99 and up. Those prices are actually pretty good, considering up here in Canada we pay $30 for 500 MB and $50 for 2 GB of data on Rogers (NYSE: RCI).

It’s a bit of a double-edged sword, as now AT&T subscribers can finally use an iPhone to provide internet access to their laptop, which is a feature that has been a long time coming. iPhone OS 4.0 will for sure be offering the capability, but will the data cap just mean AT&T will be able to squeeze overage charges out of the app-happy customers that have brought their network to its knees? The network upgrades made to meet these demands don’t come cheap, so maybe these added charges are justified, and it does say something about AT&T’s confidence in their capacity that they’re even offering the option for tethering. On the other hand, if AT&T can’t handle an army of iPhone and iPad tethererererers despite the 2 GB cap, and everything just buckles under the weight again, AT&T will be in bad shape for the June launch of the next gen iPhone. I can’t even imagine how such a tight situation would be compounded with the sudden and magical proliferation of video calling on the iPhone 4. If things do go south, there’s a good chance that Verizon (NYSE: VZ) could step in and offer a viable alternative.

The new plans go live June 7, but those currently on the $29.99 unlimited plan can keep it, or if they’re rather save five bucks a month or desperately need an official tethering plan because they can’t jailbreak for some crazy reason, can switch over to the new offer. Be sure to grandfather the old unlimited plan onto your new handsets if you’re completely in love with it, because odds are it won’t be coming back.

[via AT&T]

Late last night I could have sworn I heard a commercial for the Motorola FLIPOUT on TV. I was tired, slipping in and out of consciousness (I was just tired, nothing more, I promise you!), but I remember thinking to myself, ‘hey, is that Moto’s strange looking swivel device?’… and then I fell asleep.

This morning, it looks like what I ‘thought’ I saw is confirmed, as Motorola (NYSE: MOT) has officially launched the FLIPOUT. If ‘awkward’ and ’square’ are two terms you like to use to describe your mobile device of choice, the FLIPOUT will be the device for you. Packing Android 2.1, the FLIPOUT also features an enhanced version of MOTOBLUR. Key functionality and feature updates on this include:

• Happenings and Messages widgets – filter by social networking account, by contact(s) or by contact group to only see the information you want
• Screen customization – move and resize preloaded widgets on up to seven home screens
• Battery Manager – manage battery consumption by operating in one of three performance modes
• Data Manager – monitor data usage from the home screen to better manage pay-as-you-go and limited data plans
• Personal and Corporate e-mail – pushed directly to the device
• Re-tweet capabilities

The FLIPOUT is definitely something new for consumers to consider. I’m honestly not a huge fan of the swivel design, but, that said the design makes the device extremely ‘pocketable’. Just swivel the darn thing closed, toss it in your pocket, and you’re good to go. The Motorola FLIPOUT also features WiFi, GPS, a 2.8″ QVGA disaplay, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, 512MB of internal memory and a 3 megapixel camera.

While pricing on the Motorola FLIPOUT is still up in the air, we do know at this point that it will hit European shores sometime this quarter. Make the jump for the full press release and some teaser video goodness.

Motorola FLIPOUT™ with MOTOBLUR™: Stylishly Square & Pocket Perfect

Multi-touch screen pivots to reveal QWERTY keypad on Motorola’s latest Android-based smartphone

BASINGSTOKE, UK – June 2, 2010 – Motorola (NYSE: MOT) today announced Motorola FLIPOUT with MOTOBLUR™, a stylishly square and compact smartphone that’s as individual as its users.

Launching in Europe from Q2 2010, FLIPOUT runs on Android™ 2.1 and features an innovative square pivot design that opens to reveal a five-row QWERTY keypad with a separate row for numeric keys. FLIPOUT features up to seven customizable home screens, live wallpapers and added security for exchange server users. It also offers enhanced MOTOBLUR features making it easier to follow who and what really matters to you.

“FLIPOUT merges Motorola’s design heritage with Android to deliver a new take on the typical smartphone form. In an incredibly compact square, FLIPOUT fits neatly in your palm (NSDQ: PALM), purse or small pocket, making it fun and easy to stay connected while on the go,” said Ralf Gerbershagen, vice president and GM, Mobile Devices, Western Europe, Motorola. “For fans of social networking, FLIPOUT also features enhancements to MOTOBLUR, allowing users to connect with their networks however they want.”

FLIPOUT’s array of colors will be country-specific and could include Licorice, Fairway Green, Raspberry Crush, Brilliant Blue, Poppy Red, Saffron or White.
Enhanced MOTOBLUR?MOTOBLUR is Motorola’s exclusive Android experience that syncs contacts, posts, messages, photos and much more — from sources such as Facebook®, MySpace, Twitter™, Gmail™, work and personal e-mail, and last.fm — and automatically delivers them to the home screen.  MOTOBLUR automatically backs up contacts, log-in information, home screen customizations and e-mail to a secure server and provides remote data wipe for lost or stolen devices.  One username and password restores contacts, messages and connectivity to prior networks and email providers.

FLIPOUT offers enhanced MOTOBLUR functionality and features, including:

• Happenings and Messages widgets – filter by social networking account, by contact(s) or by contact group to only see the information you want
• Screen customization – move and resize preloaded widgets on up to seven home screens
• Battery Manager – manage battery consumption by operating in one of three performance modes
• Data Manager – monitor data usage from the home screen to better manage pay-as-you-go and limited data plans
• Personal and Corporate e-mail – pushed directly to the device
• Re-tweet capabilities

Hear and be heard
FLIPOUT includes CrystalTalk PLUS which improves a caller’s voice quality while filtering out background noise for better conversations. Building on Motorola’s proprietary microphone and speaker configuration, CrystalTalk PLUS adds a second microphone to provide even clearer voice quality, while cutting down background noise.

Web & Multimedia
FLIPOUT brings optimal web and photo browsing to the palm of your hand with multi-touch pinch to zoom, and is Adobe® Flash® enabled which provides access to most content-rich websites.

For music fans, FLIPOUT’s connected media player offers full screen lyric support, integrated song ID and a social solution for knowing what people around you are listening to.

Additional multimedia features include a 3MP camera with digital zoom and KODAK PERFECT TOUCH technology for better, brighter pictures and gallery mode for tagging and labeling of photos. One-touch uploads to Facebook, MySpace, Picasa and Photobucket make sharing your images quick and easy.  Also included are video capture, playback and streaming options along with Bluetooth®1 capabilities for wireless calls and music.

FLIPOUT features full Google (NSDQ: GOOG)™ services including Google Search™, Google Maps™, Gmail™ and access to thousands of apps on the Android Market.
Availability?Motorola FLIPOUT with MOTOBLUR will be introduced to Europe from Q2 2010. For more information about availability, please contact your local Motorola representative. To learn more about the device visit YouTube™ or here.  To experience MOTOBLUR, please visit www.motorola.com/motoblur.

Evernote is out with an updated Android client. The main thing of the new version is that the nasty java.lang.IllegalStateException error which prevented users from accessing certain notes has been fixed.

In addition, there are three other important enhancements:

• Search bar has been dramatically improved – not only can you use it do the usual keyword and image searching, it can also help filter tags, notebooks and saved searches. As you type, the search bar displays suggestions along with helpful icons that show you what the item is.
• Snapshot Notes now support the phone’s native camera capabilities – giving you a much better control over the quality of your photo notes. You can zoom, adjust brightness, focus, and do just about anything else.
• More languages – Evernote for Android now supports English, German, Spanish, French, Finnish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Swedish.

At the end of its blog post, Evernote wowed to bring the local storage facility to the Android. As you may know, it [local storage] already works on the iPhone and I assume Android smartphone users want it, too.

India-based 1-800-Justdial is going States-wide with a launch of its free, personalized directory assistance and category search services. To access the service, users simply dial 1-800-Justdial (1-800-587-8342) from anywhere in the country.

Here’s how Justdial works (from the press release):

Justdial offers more than simple local business search, making it quick and easy for people at home, at work, or on-the-go to receive information like listings and local recommendations, or even nearby hotels in a certain price range. Callers simply dial 1-800-Justdial (1-800-587-8342), reach a live operator that picks up within one ring and state what listing or category of product or service they are looking for by neighborhood, zip code or even intersection. Justdial sends callers relevant listings via e-mail or text message and also connects callers to the listing of their choice, all free of charge. Users can register their phone number and address for maximum speed and personalization when using Justdial, enabling the operator to recognize the user and provide recommendations and listings near their home, work, or any other registered address or location.

In other words, you can use Justdial to search for nearby restaurants, movies, events, florists, plumbers, dentists, car rentals, or almost “any other product or service under the sun.”

Justdial was founded in 1994, where last year it handled 72 million calls. The company is backed by top investors including Sequoia Capital, Tiger Venture and SAIF, which have invested over $46 million to date.

We’ve already seen the Super Nintendo emulator running on the iPad. Now we have additional (and awesome) detail to add to the picture. Not only can you use Wii Remote to play Mario (and other SNES games for that matter) but you can also rely on your existing iPhone or iPod Touch for controls. Isn’t that awesome?

Of course, your iPad must be jailbroken in order for this to work, but if you ever wondered “what’s in it for me” to join the “dark side” – now you know. All those SNES games are available at your disposal!

However, I must warn you that jailbreaking may cripple your warranty. If you’re willing to take that risk, proceed and search for “snes” in Cydia, which will emerge once your iPad gets liberated out of Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s ecosystem.

‘nough said. We have an additional video to share, demoing SNES HD in action. It follows after the jump, of course.

[Via: PocketGamer.co.uk]

Sprint HTC EVO 4G! There, do we have your attention? Of course we do, it’s hard to ignore the phone that has proven to be the hottest Android kit for the foreseeable future. Following our official, comprehensive review of the EVO 4G earlier today, we thought we’d show you what kind of videos the EVO can produce. With the 8-megapixel rear-facing camera crunching out multi-megabyte images with aplomb, we wanted to know how the video camera measured up.

Turns out, you won’t get the same multi-megapixel quality that you get from the sill camera when shooting video. What you get from the EVO 4G’s video camera is high-quality video that should put all but the best mobile phone camcorders to shame. EVO is capable of filming your surroundings in 480p 720p HD, which is about half three quarters the resolution that all current-generation flat-panel TVs can muster these days. That’s going to be make for a noticeable difference on the big screen, but keep in mind that making smartphone that is able to record HD video is no small feat.

You can record the video and share it through email, Bluetooth, social networks, or even post it to your WordPress blog or YouTube account. The sharing options are incredibly well integrated and upload times shouldn’t take too long with a 30-second video and a strong 3G or 4G data connection (or WiFi, if available). Don’t expect to post these videos in real-time, though, as upload times for longer videos and shakier wireless connections aren’t going to be all that short.

Above all, though, keep in mind that this is a smartphone first and video camera second third. Dont’ expect too much and you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised!

Check out our video recording test using the Sprint (NYSE: S) HTC EVO 4G’s video camera after the jump and see for yourself!

Daylight recording:

No-light recording:

[Update]
Excuse the mis-type. Evo does full 720p HD video recording. It’s impressive, as long as you don’t expect the same quality that you’d get from a dedicated HD camcorder.

Flash is coming to the iPad and iPhone (and anything else that runs the iPhone OS), but it’s not what you think – a new technology called Smokescreen has entered the fray, with its sights set on making Flash accessible to iPads around the world through the magic of JavaScript (and HTML5). The tech is intended for displaying Flash ads on the iPad and iPhone OS, but the project has deeper ramifications for viewing Flash-based websites on an iDevice.

When it comes to Adobe Flash technology, there’s an ongoing battle between Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) and Adobe over how to best serve up right media – like embedded videos and interactive websites – on mobile devices like the iPhone or Android smartphones. In one corner, we have Apple and the iPhone OS getting cozy with HTML5. In the other corner, we have Adobe Flash getting cozy with Android (and just about every other smartphone platform out there). That’s how things have been for what seems like ages. Today, Smokescreen becomes the newest player in this Flash-for-mobile-devices soap opera. Smokescreen is a brand new open-source JavaScript project that is essentially a “a Flash player written in JavaScript.”

What does that mean for you? Well, despite mobile ad firm RevShock’s stated goal of using Smokescreen to enable Flash-based ads on the iPad, it has ability to convert all kinds of Flash content to a format that’s compatible with an iPad or iPhone. That means Flash videos and interactive menus might soon be viewable on any of your iPhone OS-powered devices.

How does it work? We’re not too sure, but we think there’s probably some pixie dust and black magic involved. As far as we can tell, Smokescreen is a 175KB piece of JavaScript that weighs in at 8,000 lines of code. It uses JavaScript to deconstruct Flash and then pieces it back together in an iPhone OS-compatible format. Then, it displays the compatible code using HTML5. We think.

Regardless of whether or not we understand the tech, the video demo of a Flash ad running on an iPad is simply inspiring. Today, Flash ads on iPad. Tomorrow? All kinds of Flash-based websites on iPad (cough, porn, cough… and Hulu)!

Watch Smokescreen demo video after the break!

[Via: Gizmodo, Smokescreen, Simon Willison]

Awesome, there’s yet another iPad contender that we have no launch window for. The Viliv X10 (no, not that X10) is another Android tablet that boasts all kinds of features that bests the iPad. But, will that appeal to the masses, other than the nerds who are actually looking for great specs?

The X10 comes with a 10-inch 1366×768 capacitive touchscreen, an SD card reader, USB port,  HDMI port, front-facing camera, (expected) built-in accelerometer, 1080p video playback, and a battery that should serve up about 10 hours of usage. The is also said to really perform when it comes to intensive graphics consumption. The best thing about the tablet, in my opinion, is that by the time it’s released it will be running Android 2.2, and that means Flash support. There’s also a Windows 7 version of the tablet as well, but really, who cares about that?

While the tablet was displayed at Computex, we still have no idea when to expect its availability. This is really what’s somewhat irritating about these upcoming Android tablets. The only device we are expected to see in the near future is Dell’s Streak, and it’s really not much more than a slightly bigger smartphone. There have been tons and tons of Android tablets shown off at shows, but none have materialized yet. Let’s hope this changes with the X10.

If I were to make my dream tablet, the specs would read quite similar to the Viliv, but with the Pixel QI transflective screen that we’ve seen on Notion Ink’s Adam. I know it sounds crazy, but I’d definitely size down the screen as well. With a 10 inch screen, I wouldn’t mind an extra pound or two to hold a keyboard, that’s why I think a 7 inch tablet is perfect. Not too big, not too small, and definitely somewhere in between the screen size of a smartphone and netbook.

So what would be your perfect tablet if you had the chance to make one?

[Via: LaptopMag]

If you’re like us, you’re probably hoping for a quick resolution to the Gulf Oil Spill and want to use your iPhone or Android smartphone to help track  BP’s incompetent handling of their Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Well, you’re in luck – there’s an app for that! The iPhone AppStore and Android Market now house a handful of apps that let you track the extent of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig’s crude leak, as well as allowing you to report oil contamination in your area. With the tens of millions of gallons of raw crude that have so far leaked out into the Gulf of Mexico, recovery efforts are going to need all the help they can get.

On the iPhone, you can download Oil Spill Response, or Oil Reporter for free. The first app is a simple reporting tool that allows you to log your exact position along with reports of oil contamination. The second app does essentially the same thing, but uses a sliding scale to indicate oil contamination and posts your report to Twitter. There’s also a premium (paid) iPhone app called BP Oil Spill that will give you a visual representation of what the Gulf Oil Spill looks like when compared to other oil leak disasters in recent times.  You can track the total amount of oil that has leaked into the Gulf of Mexico in real-time, using estimates from Purdue University, SkyTruth.org and NOAA (which is the official estimate, but increasingly viewed as under-reporting the leak numbers).

For Android, you can get Oil Reporter or Deepwater 2010 to help you keep track of the oil spill. As with the iPhone, Oil Reporter provides a simple way to report oil spill conditions in your area and its impact on wildlife. Deepwater 2010 will keep you informed about oil spill news, the oil spill’s wiki page and serves up photos of the disaster.

Whatever platform you use, we just hope it’s more stable than BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil platform. Let’s hope BP doesn’t get into the smartphone business.

For context, check out the image above. It’s a NASA satellite image showing what the Gulf Oil Spill looks like from space. Not good.

– Oil Spill Response (FREE) [iTunes link]
– Oil Reporter (FREE) [iTunes link]
– BP Oil Spill ($0.99) [iTunes link]

- Oil Reporter (FREE) [Android Market]

Deepwater 2010 (FREE) [Android Market]

It’s not much of a surprise, but Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) has officially shut down the streaming-music service Lala. Is a streaming version of iTunes just around the corner?

If you never had the pleasure of using Lala, it allowed you to upload your tracks to its servers and stream these from any Internet-connected computer. You could also purchase songs directly from them or you could buy web access to them. For a discounted price (like 10 cents or a quarter), you would have unlimited streaming access to a certain song, as long as Lala was in business.

Apple purchased the company late last year and many dedicated Lala fans dreaded the day the service would shut down. Sure, they’ll get iTunes credit but there’s no immediate replacement for the type of service that was provided. But, we all expect Apple to roll out some form of streaming iTunes service and this may debut as soon as next week at WWDC.

Early reports indicate this will be more of an online storage locker: your purchased songs and media will be accessible from the cloud on Apple’s devices. That way, you wouldn’t have to worry about the amount of storage on your iPhone or iPad because all your media content is just a few clicks away. There’s no word if this would work over 3G networks, or how good the quality would be, but this could be a really good value-add to Apple’s products.

It only seems natural for Apple to get into the streaming music business, as competitors are already offering multiple streaming services for Apple products and rivals. Rhapsody’s app gives iPhone users streaming music, as well as the ability to cache tracks for offline access. Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)’s Kin phones can get access to millions of streaming tracks via Zune Pass and future versions of Android will let you stream your home music collection.

The guys over at Engadget either have it out for the Dell Streak, or just testing out the device’s Gorilla Glass screen. We’re going with the latter, but the video is just not easy to watch for nerds like myself. No matter how tough a glass display claims to be, there’s nothing more cringe-inducing than seeing someone use pointy objects to assault a glass screen.

As you can see from the video, Gorilla Glass is damn sturdy, which is itself an understatement. The test left the Dell Streak unscathed,  besides maybe some ink from the pen. Still, that’s a good move on Dell’s part to add a sturdy screen to their device, as it’s aimed to be more than a smartphone. Not to mention that the sheer size of the display opens it up to more potential damage (sitting on it, keys scratching it, dropping it on the floor, etc.).

Gorilla Glass is a type of glass that’s used in some mobile phone displays. Gorilla Glass is what was used to make the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid display, and will be featured in the upcoming rugged Motorola i1 iDEN phone as well. We had a chance to put the Gorilla Glass display on the Sonim Spirit ruggedized mobile phone earlier this year, and we can say with confidence that the glass is capable of withstanding almost anything you throw at it. We used the glass display on the Spirit to hammer a nail into a piece of wood. That’s crazy!

Check out the video after the jump!

Well, there’s some confusion about how many Nokia N900 units the world’s largest handset maker has sold, as a report from Gartner indicated the company’s flagship device has only sold 100,000 units in the first five months.

If true, this could be a disaster for Nokia (NYSE: NOK) as it tries to battle Apple (NSDQ: AAPL), Research In Motion (NSDQ: RIMM) and a variety of Android handsets for the hearts, minds and dollars of high-end users. The N900 certainly has the features to compete against these smartphones as it rocks an ARM Cortex-A8 processor at 600 MHz (or at 1 GHz if you’re adventurous), a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, the Maemo operating system, a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeis optics, 32 GB of built-in storage and all the connectivity you’d expect.

The good folks at Engadget have their debunking shovels out though, as they heard that Nokia sold 100,000 units in the first five weeks worldwide. While it’s not quite the staggering numbers that the iPhone racks up routinely, it’s a much different story than the Gartner report and it indicates the handset is having healthy sales. What does Nokia say about the confusion?

“Sales have substantially exceeded expectations,” Alberto Torres, head of Nokia’s solutions business, said.

The sales figures of the device itself may not matter much in the long run, as the overall goal of Nokia is to get more developers using and creating programs for the handset’s operating system. Nokia and Intel have merged the Maemo and Moblin to create the MeeGo platform (awful name, I know) and it could eventually power all of the handset giant’s top-shelf products in the future.

Nokia’s platform strategy is still kind of muddled though, as we’re already seeing smartphones hit with Symbian^3 and Symbian^4 should be coming by next year. If the company were bold, it would pull a page out of Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)’s mobile strategy and scrap Symbian quickly to just focus on MeeGo, at least for the high-end devices. I’m pretty sure that won’t be happening for a long time, though.

[Via Reuters, Engadget]

The Super AMOLED power-house Android phone, known as the Samsung Galaxy S is said to be launching in 110 different countries at the same time. That’s quite the wide release, but if anyone has the logistical know-how to pull off a massive global launch of this scale, Samsung can surely do it.

We’d heard rumors that the Galaxy S would be coming to every major wireless carrier here in the US, but never did we think we’d see the device launch in so many more countries so soon. Although Samsung’s UI may be questionable on the Galaxy S (it’s a little too iPhone-esque for my taste), the stand-out feature of the device is it’s display. The Galaxy S sports a 4 inch Super AMOLED screen, which isn’t available on too many devices as of right now, but there are some major benefits to it. The Samsung Super AMOLED display is 20% brighter than an regular AMOLED display, 80% less reflective in direct sunlight, and uses 20% less power. That means you’ll get get a brighter display that doesn’t wash out in direct sunlight, as is the case with most AMOLED displays today. If that isn’t enough to get you interested, then maybe the class-leading GPU will change your mind.

The Galaxy S sports one of the best graphics processors around, dubbed Hummingbird. When compared to the competition today, the Galaxy S absolutely floors them all. The Galaxy S can push out 90 million triangles per second with the it’s dedicated GPU. For some comparison, the iPhone 3GS can hit about 28 million, and a PS3 pushes out about 250 million. A wide range for sure, but it’s good to help you get your head wrapped around how great this device performs in the 3D graphics department.

With the Galaxy S expected to be officially announced any day now at this point, we may not have much longer until it’s saturating a ton of markets. Only time will tell, but there’s a good chance you may be able to get one of these bad boys sometime this month.

[Via: Phandroid]

MTV now has a dedicated app for their wide variety of blogs, spanning more than just music and celebrities, but including gaming, movies, and every corner of pop culture. Beyond blogs, MTV News for iPhone also includes video clips (live streams will be available on the night of the MTV Movie Awards) and image galleries for the particular personalities you’re interested in. Blogs are busted up into different categories, and you can view the content either through a plain-jane list view, or a significantly snazzier grid/picture layout.

Bitbop’s recent app has access to MTV for those who want the full TV experience, if you’re into that kind of thing. In any case, MTV News for iPhone is free in the iTunes app store – link below.

Download MTV News for iPhone (Free) [iTunes Link]

T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) has rolled out a new prepaid plan and it offers unlimited voice, text and picture messages for $50 a month.

The new plan can be used with nearly any device but if you want to get the most out of something like the Nexus One or the myTouch Slide, you’ll still need a monthly data plan.

The move comes as the prepaid market is booming in the United States. Long a staple in European companies, these no-contract services are gaining traction in the U.S. market and many players are trying to capitalize on this growth. T-Mobile has been losing long-term contract customers in droves but it has been able to stay afloat thanks to the growth in the prepaid market.

T-Mobile isn’t the only one eying this segment of the market, as Sprint (NYSE: S) Nextel is going after this market in an aggressive manner. The third-largest U.S. carrier owns Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile and it has also rolled out Assurance Wireless and Common Cents Mobile plans. Each of these services can target the different segments of the prepaid market.

It’s not just the big boys, as MetroPCS (NYSE: PCS) is gaining traction with its no-contract plans and it is quickly approaching major carrier status. Leap Wireless, which owns the Cricket brand, is also making strides, and the regional carrier SouthernLINC has also just introduced an unlimited plan that costs about $50.

We’re still not going to see a European-style system – where you can swap your carriers at ease – in the United States anytime soon though, as there are still too many technological challenges to overcome. T-Mobile uses GSM, while Sprint uses CDMA technology for its services and these are incompatible. MetroPCS will let you bring most of your Verizon (NYSE: VZ) or Sprint CDMA devices to its network but my experience has shown me you can’t really get proper data service with these types of devices.

[Via T-Mobile]

In a recent interview with Mercury News, Andy Rubin, Godfather of Android, talks about why Google (NSDQ: GOOG) is investing in the platform and where it is headed. The highlight of the interview is that the Android platform update cycle will go from multiple software updates a year, to just one major release per year.

When Rubin was asked why Google was investing in Android to begin with, the answer is simple. Advertising.  That’s where Google gets all its green. But Rubin explains that about five years ago, Google needed to make its mobile applications for specific phones, only to have a new device come out every three to six months. With Android, the company provides a base platform with Google products already baked in, virtually eliminating the need to develop mobile applications for specific cell phones. With Android as a free platform to manufacturers, Google services can be “distributed equally.”

In a little over a year and a half, Android has seen many releases of the platform, but that may change in the future. Rubin explains,

“We’ve gone through a lot of product iterations because we had to bring the product up to market spec. Quite honestly, the product when we launched it, it didn’t really feel like a 1.0, it felt like kind of an 0.8, but it was a window of opportunity and the market needed an entrant at the holiday season.So we launched it, and from our internal 0.8, we got to 1.0 pretty quickly, and we went through this iteration cycle. You’ve noticed, probably, that that’s slowed down a little bit. Our product cycle is now, basically twice a year, and it will probably end up being once a year when things start settling down, because a platform that’s moving — it’s hard for developers to keep up. I want developers to basically leverage the innovation. I don’t want developers to have to predict the innovation.”

Well said. When the G1 debuted, it was hardly a heavy contender in the smartphone market, but it did show a lot of potential. Android 1.0 had many holes and idiosyncrasies, and many of them have been addressed in the updates that followed. With

Android 2.2 (Froyo) coming down the pipes, the platform has grown up, and is a major contender that has really taken off and has (and will be) adopted by manufacturers to make great products with the platform, and not limited to just smartphones.  With only one major release of the Android platform a year, this would make it easier for manufacturers to implement Android into their products. By doing this, the platform’s fragmentation issues would wane, and the inconsistencies that a customer sees when looking at different Android devices would be less dramatic.

Android is above, or at least on, par with other major smartphone platform currently out there, so the slow down of software updates should be expected. With one update per year, Google can focus on bringing even more features to the platform, and allow manufacturers to update their own devices without having to worry if another update is right around the corner.

So what do you think about one Android update per year?

[Via: MercuryNews]

FMyLife’s most excellent anonymous confession site has already created custom readers for Android and iPhone, and today it’s available on BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) too. There was an unofficial app available last year, but unlike the earlier version, this one is free and offers all the same functions, like browsing FMLs from a variety of categories, read and post comments, moderate submissions, all while logged into your existing account.

Haven’t heard of FMyLife? Take a look at the front page, and you’ll start to get an idea. Basically, people submit short stories of their bad day, open to all the commentary, ridicule, and/or sympathy the internet has to offer. Some of them seem too outlandish to be real, especially in the racy Intimacy category, but if nothing else, they make for great entertainment. Here are a few of the choiciest BlackBerry-related FMLs:

Today, I learned that my silicon blackberry cover only makes the phone bounce when dropped. It bounces high enough to land in my cat’s water dish. FML

Today, I discovered my boyfriend has been spying on me. He installed an app on my Blackberry that sends all texts I send and receive to a password protected account attached to his email. FML

Today, I thought it’d be cool and trendy to buy a Blackberry Storm. FML

To get downloading FML for BlackBerry, get downloading from your mobile browser at this link. For a few more screenshots and a look at FML’s other mobile apps, check out their dedicated applications page.

[via BerryReview]

It looks like fans of shooters are in for a double treat as Chillingo has recently released two shooters, “Assault Squadron” & “Pirate’s Treasure” for the iPhone.

Assault Squadron is a top-down AND side-scrolling shooter in one game. You are a member of the Global Defense Force (GDF) and it’s up to you to save the world from a hostile, alien attack. Assault Squadron has four unique ships to play with across both a Campaign and Arcade mode. Four different control types ensures you’ll be able to find a control configuration to your liking as you take down hundreds of aliens at a time.  The game runs at 60fps thanks to its custom-built graphics engine and it looks amazing!

Pirate Treasure is a twin-stick shooter similar to Guerrilla Bob. Instead of being am ex-marine bent on revenge, Pirate Treasure has you playing as a Pirate who is on an adventure to recover his gold from various creatures on Treasure Island. The game has 3D graphics, survival and RPG elements, and endless replayability in campaign and survival modes. With over 50 levels across a number of exotic locales, Pirate Treasure will be sure to please fans of twin-stick shooters.

Both games are available now on the App Store.  Assault Squadron is available for $2.99, while Pirate’s Treasure is currently selling for an introductory price of $1.99.

Assault Squadron ($2.99) – [iTunes Link]

Pirate’s Treasure ($1.99 Introductory Price) – [iTunes Link]

Those mad tinkerers at iFixit have torn apart the drool-worthy EVO 4G for Sprint (NYSE: S) and, while there’s nothing shocking about what’s inside, it’s good to know what you’re getting.

A few of the interesting takeaways are:

* Removing the glass is not terribly difficult. This is great news for those unfortunate enough to drop their shiny phone and crack the glass.

* Like most reasonable phones, changing the Evo’s battery is a snap. All you have to do is remove the back cover and unplug the battery.

* The 3.7 V, 1500 mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery contains 23% more capacity than an iPhone 3GS, 15% more than a Droid Incredible, and 7% more than a Nexus One.

* Look out! There’s a liquid damage indicator on the battery’s top edge — a first that we’ve seen. Of course, you can just replace the battery if you douse the EVO in water. There are other liquid damage indicators on the phone, however, so you can’t fool the manufacturer that easily.

During the Google I/O conference a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to snag an EVO and it was perfect timing because my Droid met an untimely end. I’ve been playing with it for a while now and will give you my initial impressions but be on the lookout for a thorough review shortly.

The screen is obviously the star of the show here, as the 4.3-inch display is massive and gorgeous. Browsing is a dream on this bigger screen and I’ve probably watched more videos with the EVO 4G in a week than I did in six months with the Droid. It’s responsive to touch but I find HTC’s keyboard to be quite ugly. It definitely works but it’s not a pretty sight.

Like the Droid Incredible on Verizon (NYSE: VZ), the EVO 4G uses HTC’s Sense UI and rocks a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor. These two make actions silky smooth on the device and the custom UI layer adds visual panache without sacrificing performance. Sprint’s 4G isn’t lit up in my neck of the woods, so I didn’t get a chance to test one of the coolest features on this smartphone, sadly.

Unfortunately, the battery life on this thing is absolute garbage. The EVO 4G can barely get through 9 hours near my desk without dying and this is with very light usage. I can’t rely on it for a full day (or even a 9-5 day) on a single charge and that could be a deal breaker. One thing’s for sure: the EVO 4G is a great smartphone but be sure to invest in extra chargers.