Dell Aero first hands-on!

Here she is, folks -- Dell's first-ever Android device destined for a Stateside release, and AT&T's second overall handset (the first being the Backflip) with a Google-based operating system. At CTIA's MobileFocus event, we were able to brush up against a fully functional Aero (shown beside a Mini 3, just for your information), but we left without seeing the actual home screen. The closest we came to witnessing Android 1.5 boot up was the typical AT&T intro screen, and once that popped up, our presenter promptly popped the battery out in order to stop what would've otherwise been a truly momentous occasion. We begged and pleaded for a few interface shots, but Dell insisted that AT&T was holding an invisible gun to its head in order to keep the screen dimmed. We were told that the interface was still being tweaked, and the carrier simply wasn't ready for the world at large to take a peek.

Outside of that, we learned that this will indeed be the planet's lightest Android phone ever when it ships (believe us, it was light), and while v1.5 will be onboard, Dell seemed confident that 2.1 (and beyond) would be made available shortly after launch. We were also told that it would ship with a 5 megapixel camera (a step up from the Mini 3's 3 megapixel shooter), an undisclosed amount of internal storage, a new color / design scheme (the one you see here will be the only shade available at launch) and a 2GB microSD card bundled in at purchase. You'll also find a good deal of AT&T baked into the OS, but it's not like you should be surprised to hear of carrier meddling. Finally, we were informed that pricing would be set by AT&T, and that it would be shipping "soon" -- far sooner than "six months from now" -- from both AT&T and Dell channels (though not available unlocked from the latter). There's also the possibility that Dell could arrange some sort of Aero / Mini 10 combo deal for those looking to really sink their teeth into a hefty AT&T contract, but there's nothing substantial to go on just yet in that department. Enough chit-chat -- give the gallery below a look to see what's coming your way.

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Samsung Galaxy S hands-on with video

Samsung dragged the Galaxy S out for us to gawk at this morning at CTIA and after the 30 minute video presentation, we were itching to actually check it out in our hands. Let's just get this out of the way right off: the 4-inch WVGA 800 X 480 Super Amoled display on the Galaxy S is nothing short of stunning. Put side by side with an iPhone under some very harsh lighting, the difference between them -- feel free to have a peek at the video after the break -- is pretty astounding. Everything is bright and crisp, text legible, and the colors are jaw-droppingly beautiful. Touchscreen performance? This is another standout on this Android 2.1 device and coupled with Samsung's 1GHz Application Processor, not only is it responsive but the UI is smooth and fast. The Galaxy S can shoot HD video at 720p using its 5 megapixel cam, plays it back with aplomb, and did we mention the display? The spec sheet lists this as triple-band HSPA device living in the 900 / 1800 / 1900 realm -- and while US availability was announced for this year, no word on what carrier -- so we hope to see that 900 swapped out with 850. This is one for the wish list friends, and we're seriously hoping that wish gets filled long before this year's holiday season.



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Verizon vs. AT&T: Pre Plus edition

Sure, Verizon and AT&T shout at each other across our TV airwaves all the time, but how often do we get to see two exactly same phones running on both carriers? The Pre Plus and Pixi Plus have just such a distinction, and we stopped back by the Palm booth with our Verizon Pre Plus in hand just to prove to ourselves we weren't dreaming. Naturally we couldn't keep ourselves from a little browser battle (check out the video after the break, the winner may or may not surprise you!), and we even caught the two phones commiserating about that dismal plastic USB jack flap of infamy. Sure, we're longing for a new webOS device, and have a hard time thinking AT&T will reverse Palm's fortunes alone, but there's something special about this new era we're entering with the likes of Palm and Google where you can (almost) choose your device and then your carrier, not the other way around.



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Dell Aero first hands-on!

Here she is, folks -- Dell's first-ever Android device destined for a Stateside release, and AT&T's second overall handset (the first being the Backflip) with a Google-based operating system. At CTIA's MobileFocus event, we were able to brush up against a fully functional Aero (shown beside a Mini 3, just for your information), but we left without seeing the actual home screen. The closest we came to witnessing Android 1.5 boot up was the typical AT&T intro screen, and once that popped up, our presenter promptly popped the battery out in order to stop what would've otherwise been a truly momentous occasion. We begged and pleaded for a few interface shots, but Dell insisted that AT&T was holding an invisible gun to its head in order to keep the screen dimmed. We were told that the interface was still being tweaked, and the carrier simply wasn't ready for the world at large to take a peek.

Outside of that, we learned that this will indeed be the planet's lightest Android phone ever when it ships (believe us, it was light), and while v1.5 will be onboard, Dell seemed confident that 2.1 (and beyond) would be made available shortly after launch. We were also told that it would ship with a 5 megapixel camera (a step up from the Mini 3's 3 megapixel shooter), an undisclosed amount of internal storage, a new color / design scheme (the one you see here will be the only shade available at launch) and a 2GB microSD card bundled in at purchase. You'll also find a good deal of AT&T baked into the OS, but it's not like you should be surprised to hear of carrier meddling. Finally, we were informed that pricing would be set by AT&T, and that it would be shipping "soon" -- far sooner than "six months from now" -- from both AT&T and Dell channels (though not available unlocked from the latter). There's also the possibility that Dell could arrange some sort of Aero / Mini 10 combo deal for those looking to really sink their teeth into a hefty AT&T contract, but there's nothing substantial to go on just yet in that department.

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AT&T 3G MicroCell starting nationwide roll-out in mid-April

Unless you've been in one of a few key test markets, you've been pretty much out of luck boosting your AT&T signal in the comfortable confines of your home since the 3G MicroCell first launched -- until now. Starting in the middle of next month in a deployment that spans "several" months, customers across the country should expect to see MicroCells pop up in their local regions. The device itself will run a one-time fee of $149.99 before a $100 mail-in rebate (when purchased with a "3G MicroCell calling plan," though we don't yet know what that constitutes). Separately, there'll be a $19.99 plan bolt-on that offers unlimited calling when connected to the device -- and anyone tacking on a new U-verse or DSL line of 1.5Mbps or higher will get another $50 rebate. It's not the end of AT&T's spectrum or backhaul concerns, we're sure, but it's a start.

Update: We've just clarified -- the $19.99 bolt-on is the only one that's relevant for the $100 rebate; there are no other dedicated MicroCell calling plans, so that should make it a little easier to bring down the net cost of the unit since you don't have to change into another base plan.

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Verizon 'wrapping up' Boston and Seattle trials, 'friendly user' ones coming this summer

Remember those LTE trials that Verizon Wireless started up in Boston and Seattle back in August of last year? Good news, mobile surfers -- the operator has today confirmed in a roundtable at CTIA that they're both nearing their end, giving us hope that they're gleaned the necessary information from them to start moving onto bigger and better things. Namely, more elaborate trials in more locales around the nation. As you might expect, Verizon Wireless is indeed gearing up to move into its next phase of commercial LTE testing, with Tony Melone (Senior VP / CTO) stating that 'friendly user trials' were slated to begin this summer. He declined to elaborate on the whos, whats and (most importantly) wheres, but there's no doubt that these are likely the last hurdles before we see its 4G network go live in "one third" of the country. We're told that those tests will be used to kick the tires on "commercial" gear, which is starkly different than the non-commercial kit that has been used in Beantown and the Emerald City. So far, the company's seeing peak rates of around 40Mbps and 50Mbps (down), with average download rates hovering in the 5Mbps to 12Mbps range and upload speeds falling between 2Mbps and 5Mbps. Be sure to let us know if any undercover VZW engineers start installing weird antennas near your abode in the coming months, cool?

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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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Samsung debuts U820 QWERTY slider at CTIA, no one notices

Not everything can be an Android smartphone, fellas... sometimes you just need an unobtrusive design, maybe some social networking connectivity, and a modest price point. That's what the Samsung U820 says to the world. Barely a blip on our radar when we came across the FCC filing at the beginning of the year, this QWERTY slider features a 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel still camera with video capture, headset jack, MicroSD card slot, browser, the Communities social networking widget, and for your UI (dis)satisfaction, TouchWiz 2.0. Available at the end of April 30 in the $80 - $100 range on Verizon.

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LG Remarq hands-on

LG launched the eco-friendly Remarq this week at CTIA, and this tiny -- well, when shut -- device at least points those interested in green mobility in the right direction. The packaging that the Remarq ships in is made from 87 % post-consumer materials and the device itself is crafted from 19% recovered plastic. Sound fun? Yeah, course, but LG has also thrown in an admittedly kitschy but fun app that helps you keep track of your carbon footprint by rewarding you shrubs and trees based on the walking you do instead of the driving. Of the two sets launched by LG this week, this one definitely stands out as the winner. The screen, display, and look and feel of this squarish device are very well done. Follow the fold to see a gallery and a video tour by none other than Martin Valdez.



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Qualcomm MSM7x30 development unit hands-on

While we heard this was floating about at MWC this year, we didn't get a chance to have to get our mitts on it or film it so consider that sorted. The MSM7x30 platform is fast -- running between 800MHz and 1GHz -- and smooth, but the attractive interface demo (aptly named Fluid) is ultimately frustrating to use as the icons are being washed around by the ocean currents. The Qualcomm rep we spoke to did mention that the interface won't make it to retail but is rather meant to demo the animation capabilities of the device. While we didn't look at every corner of the demo platform, we did see an example of its pretty impressive gaming abilities, checked out some sample 720p output both on screen and on an HDTV, and peeped the Scalado demo that lets you browse a thousand photos at once. Top shelf stuff, and we're really looking forward to seeing devices based on this chipset landing in our hands this year. Quick video tour and a few more pictures follow the fold.



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Bitbop hands-on: is this the Hulu of mobile?

Fox Mobile unveiled its Bitbop venture this week that promises to provide a wealth of TV and movie entertainment from a variety of top-tier studios, and if you can get past the fact that you're actually going to have to pay for this content, it's shaping up to be a pretty promising system when it launches later this year. There's no live programming -- just a database of show episodes and movies that you have your choice of either streaming or downloading for later consumption over 3G or WiFi -- which makes it a little bit like using an on-demand service from your cable company. Bitbop was only demoing the BlackBerry version of its app at CTIA this week, but it looks like there'll be iPhone and Android versions on the way; at any rate, video quality looked plenty good on the Bold's 480 x 320 display. Initially, there'll be just one plan -- $9.99 a month for access to shows, while movies will be pay-per-view exclusively -- but we got the impression that the company is leaving the door open for other payment models down the road. Great, just what we needed: another really cool way to kill productivity. At least we'll be able to catch up on Gossip Girl in the process, we suppose!

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OpenPeak's OpenTablet 7 hands-on: Moorestown has found a friend

We've been hearing of OpenPeak devices for years, but the company is a little camera shy -- particularly because most of their products, like the Verizon Hub and O2 Joggler, are re-branded by carriers. However, the company seems to be getting behind its recently announced OpenTablet 7 in a big way, recently announcing a partnership with AT&T for data plans in the US. Neither party will confirm exact plan pricing, but we're getting the vibe that it will be "familiar" to folks who've seen iPad data pricing. The device itself is surprisingly well built -- not at all one of these dime-a-tablet jobs -- and the software is rather mature as well. OpenPeak claims to have "thousands of apps" for its platform that stretches across devices including phones, frames, and now a tablet, with a Linux-based platform with a Flash layer on top.

Refreshingly for the tablet space, the UI isn't a bit laggy, and seems pretty far along, though we're promised even more polish as this thing nears market. We didn't check out a browser, and some elements like the touchscreen keyboard are pretty dismal, but for home automation or video conferencing (the device packs a 1080p front-facing camera and a 5 megapixel shooter around back), it seems like OpenPeak can carve a niche for itself on the market. Most of all, we're impressed with the 1.9GHz Moorestown chip under the hood, which offers huge power savings over Atom; plenty of juice for some media rich apps, UI elements, and video; and even runs cool to the touch. An included docking station offers charging and port replication, but there's also an HDMI plug built right into the bottom of the tablet, along with removable microSD up top. No word on when exactly this will hit the market this year, how much it'll cost, or if it'll be rebranded by AT&T. Check out a video hands-on after the break, and a quick note on the press shots below: apps are subject to change based on the rebadger's own partnerships.



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Netcomm MyZone hands-on

Netcomm was at CTIA showing off its 3G pocket router, and while they admit it apes the MiFi, it builds on it in some pretty useful ways. Battery life purportedly outdoes its rival, with four hours use, even with multiple devices connected -- and when your batteries finally do tank, connecting it to your laptop will let it recharge and still allow wireless connectivity. The MyZone ships in both US and global 3G variants with both also packing quad-band EDGE, and 802.11g WiFi. Another handy feature -- at least for those that travel -- is the MyZone's ability to sort out the APN details for whatever carrier's SIM you happen to put in it, so using it is as simple as popping in your SIM and connecting. We didn't have an opportunity to get connected to it and give it a proper test drive, but we're waiting for one to arrive and as soon as we do we'll let you know how we get on. Few more pics right after the break.

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Kobo eReader is Kobo's $149 E Ink play for Borders, we thumb through its virtual pages

We've seen so many e-book readers of late that it's difficult to get excited about another, but Kobo's angle here might just make the Kobo eReader worth a look. Kobo's game is ecosystem, and in fact it doesn't plan on making a big splash in the actual e-reader market, since it's primarily about building branded software and delivering branded e-book stores for others, including manufacturers (like Plastic Logic), and booksellers (like Borders). Still, the 6-inch E Ink reader is fine hardware in its own right, with quality plastics throughout, a nice patterned rubber back, and a big friendly d-pad for paging through books. The device is actually laid out to mitigate accidental button presses -- even the menu buttons labelled on the front are actually located on the side of the device. As far as software and capabilities, the device is utterly barebones, but at least it keeps its aesthetics throughout, and everything seems responsive and intuitive. There's no 3G onboard (you sync your e-pub titles with a desktop app over USB), no specific word on storage (our guess is in the 1GB to 4GB range), and there don't seem to be any other activities available to reading books. Hopefully you're into that sort of thing, and Kobo at least pre-loaded 100 public domain titles to get you started. The unit will be sold at Borders this summer for $149, preceded by Indigo Books & Music in Canada in May.

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AT&T 3G MicroCell startingnationwide roll-out in mid-April

Unless you've been in one of a few
key test markets, you've been pretty
much out of luck boosting your AT&T
signal in the comfortable confines of
your home since the 3G MicroCell first
launched -- until now. Starting in the
middle of next month in a
deployment that spans "several"
months, customers across the country
should expect to see MicroCells pop up
in their local regions. The device itself
will run a one-time fee of $149.99
before a $100 mail-in rebate (when
purchased with a "3G MicroCell calling
plan," though we don't yet know what
that constitutes). Separately, there'll
be a $19.99 plan bolt-on that offers
unlimited calling when connected to
the device -- and anyone tacking on a
new U-verse or DSL line of 1.5Mbps
or higher will get another $50 rebate.
It's not the end of AT&T's spectrum or
backhaul concerns, we're sure, but it's
a start.
Update: We've just clarified -- the
$19.99 bolt-on is the only one that's
relevant for the $100 rebate; there
are no other dedicated MicroCell
calling plans, so that should make it a
little easier to bring down the net cost
of the unit since you don't have to
change into another base plan.

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Samsung announces Galaxy S Android smartphone

That's right, the Galaxy S is officially official, as are its 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 1GHz processor, and "Smart Life" ecosystem integration, and more. It'll be available worldwide -- including the US -- this year, and as we type this our hard-working team on the ground is rushing off to get a hands-on with the device. In the meantime, check out the image gallery below and PR after the break.

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AT&T's Palm Pixi Plus and Pre Plus hands-on

We just spent a few fleeting moments with AT&T's just-announced Pre Plus and Pixi Plus from Palm, and they're pretty much exactly what you'd expect: GSM remixes of the models available on Verizon (we weren't allowed to take a peek at the SIM slots, but rest assured, there's an AT&T carrier logo up there at the top left). Both devices seemed relatively zippy -- yes, even the Pixi -- though that can naturally change pretty quickly once you've got a few cards chugging away. We were delighted to see that Palm loaded our very own Engadget app on their demo devices -- a good way for booth stoppers-by to catch up on show news, eh? Check out the gallery below, and keep an eye out for more coverage throughout the day!

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Dell Inspiron Mini 10 with T-Mobile webConnect launches tomorrow, $199.99 on contract

T-Mobile's selected CTIA 2010 this week as the venue to launch its customized version of Dell's Mini 10 netbook that's been infused with -- you guessed it -- T-Mobile-compatible 3G service. It's got a 10.1-inch WSVGA display, 1.3 megapixel webcam, three USB ports, VGA port, Windows 7 Starter Edition, and an Atom N450 core humming along at 1.66GHz with a claimed battery life of "up to" eight hours using a six-cell 56WHr pack. In terms of frequencies, you've got quadband EDGE alongside quadband (yes, quadband) 3G with support for Bands I, II, IV, and V, which means you'll be able to roam in 850 / 1900MHz markets and internationally. It's available starting tomorrow in "select T-Mobile retail locations" in Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and Los Angeles as well as through the carrier's site and sales hotline for $199.99 on a two-year deal.

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Dell Inspiron Mini 10 shipping April 1st with integrated Clear WiMAX

Dell's vanilla Atom N450-based Mini 10 just started shipping a couple of months ago, and if you'll recall, we spotted one slip through the FCC's oh-so-vulnerable database with WiMAX built-in. Today at CTIA, Clearwire spilled the news that it'll be providing the service for a 4G-infused version of the netbook come April 1st. What's interesting is that Clearwire only mentions it being for sale "through select Clear retail locations, telesales and Clear.com," so it's still unknown if it'll be offered up through the Round Rock powerhouse itself (as the Studio 17, Studio XPS 1640 and Latitude E4300, etc. are). The machine will be sold for $249.99 after an instant rebate, though no specifics were mentioned concerning a per-month data plan price. If we were the betting type, we'd say it'll probably run you 40 bones for every 30 days based on existing rates.

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WiMAX-enabled HTC Supersonic rumored to debut on Sprint at CTIA

There's hardly anything here that we didn't already know, but an unveiling date of "next week" sure catches our eye. A new report over at The Wall Street Journal confirms earlier details that were fed to us over Sprint's first-ever WiMAX smartphone, and now we're learning that the HTC Supersonic will be officially revealed to the world at CTIA next week. We've heard before that the carrier anticipates selling a 4G phone "this summer," but you can bet we'll be digging for a hard ship date and price tag when we hit the scene in Las Vegas in just five short days.

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