Motorola 'Xtreme' coming to Verizon?

We wish we had more detail to give you, but we've gotten reliable word that Verizon will begin testing a new Android-powered device from Motorola next week called the "Xtreme." We don't have specs handy, but considering that Big Red's got the Devour and the Droid is well on its way to middle age, it would make sense for a new phone from Moto (particularly one with such an Xtreme-ly awesome name) to be more toward the high end of the spectrum -- possibly something along the lines of the rumored Shadow (pictured). Will give you more details just as soon as we have them.

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Kin available online starting tomorrow, in Verizon stores on May 13

Dearest members of the Upload Generation: the wait to buy the Kin of your dreams is a short one -- provided Mommy and Daddy are willing to pony up the $30 a month in data charges, of course. Verizon will be selling both the Kin One and Kin Two online starting tomorrow, May 6, for $49.99 and $99.99 respectively, after you agree to a two-year contract and come to terms with the fact that you'll be paying $100 more upfront while you wait for your rebate to be mailed to you on a debit card (par for the course these days). If you'd rather play with the devices first, your wait isn't much longer -- you'll be able to score both of them in Verizon retail locations starting a week later on the 13th.

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Confirmed: Droid Incredible's multitouch support is better than the Nexus One's

You might recall that fascinating video a while back showing the Nexus One's touch sensor getting all discombobulated when the tester's multitouch fingerwork started to get a little too fancy, and now, Android Central has confirmed that Verizon's Droid Incredible doesn't suffer the same fate -- but why is that, exactly? Android and Me is reporting that the Droid Incredible and EVO 4G both employ an Atmel maXTouch sensor with unlimited touch support -- a relatively new product launched in late '09 -- whereas the Nexus One is using Synaptics' older ClearPad 2000, which was designed to top out with simple two-finger gestures like pinch zoom. The upshot? Complicated multitouch games might end up being less playable (or downright unusable) on the Nexus One, but the silver lining is that HTC's gone ahead and rolled out better components for its latest round of devices that should prevent this from being a problem going forward. Follow the break for Android Central's video of the Droid Incredible multitouching circles around the Nexus One -- figuratively speaking, of course.


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HTC Incredible suffering random reboots for Tar Heel fans and Duke devotees?

Well now this is a bit of an odd story, but we've seen enough reports to think that it is fully legit. HTC Incredible owners in and around the great state of North Carolina, particularly those in north-central portion (the Triad) are reporting that their phones are rebooting all on their own with alarming regularity. Many have tried new phones, combinations of wireless settings, and other remediations only to find the problem still occurring just as frequently as before. Verizon Wireless is said to be aware of the issue and there has been talk that tower-switching in areas of low signal is to blame, but at this point it certainly sounds like anyone's guess. Have you been affected? Drop us a note in comments -- but try to keep the intra-college banter clean, yeah?

Update: We're being told there are far more Duke and Tar Heel fans per capita in the Triangle area of NC than in the Triad, which is where this issue seems to be centered, meaning it's really the Demon Deacons who should be concerned.

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Verizon Wireless: 'all' 4G WWAN devices will support 3G, too

Hear that, kids? Tony Melone -- Verizon Wireless' Senior VP and CTO -- confirmed to us during a one-on-one meeting after the company's CTIA roundtable discussion that every last one of its data-only LTE WWAN devices (aircards, MiFi-type products and USB data sticks, for example) would also support 3G. Not too surprising given the natural ties between the two technologies, but it's still refreshing to hear that every 4G data-only product that launches (at least initially) on VZW will also be able to hop onto the company's 3G network if you just so happen to break away from an LTE area. Can't say that for a smattering of existing WiMAX products. In related news, Tony also affirmed that Verizon would be "interested" in getting a smartphone on its LTE network that could double as a mobile hotspot, exactly how the Palm Pre Plus does now (but on 3G, obviously). As for pricing when it comes to LTE data rates? Tony wouldn't give us any indication of the carrier's plans, but if it's anything similar to whispers we've heard in the past (not to mention rates already seen through Clearwire), it'll probably be at least marginally more expensive than what you're paying today for third-generation access.

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