Verizon confirms Motorola RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD available October 18th

When Verizon said the RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD would be out before the holidays, it wasn't kidding. October the 18th is the big day if you're after some of the sharp-sounding Motorola action. The 8-megapixel, NFC-enabled RAZR HD , if you recall, sports a 4.7-inch 720p display, running ICS (Jelly Bean update in the works) on that dual-core S4 chip. If you cast your memory back once more, you'll remember that the RAZR MAXX HD has the same sized screen, but the real killer feature is that 3,300 mAh battery. The RAZR HD will set you back $200, in either black or white with 16GB storage, the MAXX, however will run you an extra $100, and has double the storage. So, which one gets your money?

[Source: Engadget]

Samsung announces Galaxy S III mini: 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 1GHz dual-core CPU, NFC

Samsung has just announced the Galaxy S III mini, a 4-inch David version of its Goliath big brother -- will it be worthy of its name? The rumor mill churned out that it might be a dumbed down version, but an oblique comment by mobile head JK Shin suggests otherwise -- either way, we're on the scene in Frankfurt, Germany to give you the long (and short) of it. According to the spec sheet we just received, this Android 4.1 phone features a dual-core 1GHz chip (which is good news for the 1,500mAh battery), 1GB RAM, 8 or 16GB of internal storage plus an extra 32GB maximum via microSD. The 4-inch Super AMOLED screen comes with a WVGA resolution, while the main camera takes five-megapixel photos plus 720p video, and there's a VGA front-facing camera as well for fans of video chats. There's obviously the usual bundle of radios as well, including 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, GPS, GLONASS, FM radio, Bluetooth 4.0 (LE) and even NFC, but for now, this 111.5-gram TouchWiz device will only support HSPA 900/1900/2100 networks along with EDGE 850/900/1800/1900.

[Source: Engadget]

Phones4U begins taking UK pre-orders for Samsung's Galaxy S III Mini

If good things come to those who wait and good things come in small packages, then the Galaxy S III Mini must be pretty special indeed. If you're in the market for the junior edition of the company'sblockbuster flagship, independent retailer Phones4U is now accepting pre-orders. The first 350 of you to register your interest will also get the added sweetener of one of the company's Pebble MP3 players, and the company promises it'll begin shipping on November 2nd, free on plans of £25 or more.

[Source: Engadget]

Quicksilver Goes Mobile

Quicksilver are drawing in customers old and new with their Mobile Casino application. The popular gaming website have teamed up with leading gaming developers, Play N’ Go to bring their online players a huge new selection of original and high quality slot machine games straight to their mobile and tablet devices. 

With mobile technology having developed at such a perpetual rate over the last decade, and people relying more and more on smartphones for gaming and entertainment, Quicksilver’s application launch could not have come at a better time. The wide selection of games available from the mobile website is set to not only please current customers, but to also draw in new crowds of players. 

“Many of our players have been asking when they’ll be able to play Quicksilver slots on a mobile or tablet device. I’m pleased to announce that... they’ll be able to play a range of exciting games where ever and with whatever device they have,” said Technology Director of Quicksilver.co.uk, Nick Pearson. 

Not only is the Mobile Casino set to bring a new format for Quicksilver players to indulge in a huge selection of slot machine games, but Mr. Pearson even believes that it could revolutionise the future of online gaming altogether. “We firmly believe that mobile has finally reached maturity, offering players the same playing experience as they do through our online slot games,” he said. “With Smartphone / Tablet penetration now hitting over 50% of the UK population we believe the mobile casino platform will continue to grow and in the coming years more players will play slots through a mobile device than through a PC.”

To access the Quicksilver Mobile Casino, all you need to do is click to www.quicksilver.co.uk on your mobile or tablet device and then sign in with your player account. From there you will gain access to slot machine and casino games, all playable from your phone or Ipad. It really is that simple. [ADVERTORIAL]

4G LTE to launch in UK on October 30

iPhone 5 owners in the UK have something to cheer about -- 4G LTE service will be available for the first time in the country starting on October 30th.

The ultra-fast LTE service will operate on the network of EE (formerly known as Everything Everywhere), a new joint venture of Orange UK and T-Mobile. Although Orange and T-Mobile customers will soon see their carrier change to EE, they'll need to have an EE data plan in order to take advantage of the faster speeds provided by 4G LTE.

At this point, the service is expected to roll out in 10 cities on October 30th. By the end of 2012, 16 cities -- which contain a third of the population of the UK -- will have 4G LTE, and EE expects 98 percent of the population to be covered by 2014.

[Source: TUAW]

HTC teases Windows Phone 8X in promo video, wants you to look no further

While we've already shown you our own detailed preview of HTC's upcoming Windows Phone 8X, now it's the company's turn to put its own spin into it -- and, well, what better way to do so than by posting a "first look" promo video. The short teaser itself doesn't reveal any details we weren't aware of, with the Taiwanese outfit placing focus on the device's variety of color assortments, seamless integration with Skype, the track selection from Xbox Music and, of course, that built-in Beats Audio technology. Unfortunately, there's no mention of an exact release date anywhere to be found in the video, although this shouldn't come as a surprise given the fact we're still waiting for Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 launch to become officially official. Regardless, head on past the break to see what HTC has in store for you.

[Source: Engadget]

Motorola's Razr i arrives in the UK at Phones4U

Motorola's Razr i has landed on British shores, and is available today from Phones4U. The handset, the first born of a union 'twixt Moto and Intel, skates pretty close to the competition in the performance stakes and promises vastly improved power efficiency. The handset is free to anyone grabbing a plan costing £21.50 or more, while the first 500 to snap up the phone will also get a complimentary pair of MOTOROKR headphones, too.

[Source: Engadget]

Sharp begins production of 1080p display for smartphones: 443 ppi crammed into a 5-inch LCD

Layoffs and loans may be dominating our Sharp coverage at the moment, but that just makes this type of news all the sweeter. The company has announced its LCD panel type 5 -- a 5-inch full HD (1,920 x 1,080) display packing a Retina-busting 443 ppi (just trumping LG's similar 440 ppi LCD). An outcome of its layer-reducing CG-Silicon technology, the smartphone-targeted screen goes into full-scale production this month and will be shown off at CEATEC Japan this very week. We'll try to give it eyes-on treatment at the show, but you can rub your hands together sinisterly in the meantime and just think about the glorious devices which will bear it.

[Source: Engadget]

Samsung asks us to witness 'The Next Big Thing' at an October 24th event in New York City

We're starting to suspect that Samsung has a thing for special events. The company just asked us to clear our calendars for an evening presentation in New York City on October 24th, teasing that the "Next Big Thing" has arrived. It's easy to make the connection to the Galaxy Note line with a stylus front and center in the teaser, although just what's entailed is left to the imagination: is it a more formal launch for American Galaxy Note II variants? A new tablet beyond the Galaxy Note 10.1? All we know is that we plan to be there to find out.

[Source: Engadget]

RIM: first BlackBerry 10 devices to focus on mid-range and up, entry-level may be ready in 2013

RIM's Q2 earnings details have had a common theme of a silver lining to darker clouds, and that edge may have grown a bit brighter with hints of the company's longer-term BlackBerry 10 roadmap. When asked about the release strategy, CEO Thorsten Heins said that the first BB10 devices would focus on both the mid-range and high-end of the market, a bit wider than the chiefly high-end approach that has been rumored so far. While shy on details, he confirmed that the full-touch smartphone would have a screen with an HD resolution -- that's higher than on the iPhone 5, the executive was eager to point out. More intriguingly, Heins teased the prospect of an entry-level BB10 device arriving as soon as 2013. Although development was in the early stages, the new starter phone just might be ready next year if all goes well. There's a lot of questions left to answer about RIM's strategy, so we won't get too excited yet; even so, the statements are signs that the BlackBerry designer doesn't want to leave any product gaps open for very long.

[Source: Engadget]

Facebook Messenger for BlackBerry reaches App World, sates compulsive chatters

If you own a BlackBerry, it might not have been immediately apparent that Facebook Messenger has been an option since October; unlike with Android or iOS, you had to track down the download on Facebook's website. We don't know why it's been kept out of a more accessible channel, but that ends today with Facebook's chat-focused app arriving on BlackBerry App World like most any other title. There don't appear to be any new tricks included with the expanded availability, although we'd say that the wider exposure is enough of a highlight for an audience that just needs to get by until BlackBerry 10. Those who don't use BBM for all their instant messaging can find what they need at the source link.

[Source: Engadget]

First official Jelly Bean OTA update for the Samsung Galaxy S III lands in Poland

The long-awaited roll-out appears to have commenced, with lucky GS III owners in Poland being among the first to get an early official taste of Android 4.1.1. If you hadn't heard, the update will bring a host of subtle yet powerful improvements, including Google Now for anticipating search queries, smooth UI improvements from Project Butter, as well as some Samsung extras already seen on the Galaxy Note II, such as a resizable Pop-up play screen. Hopefully this means the update will soon be sent on its merry way to GS IIIs in other parts of the Old World, and maybe at some point -- dare we suggest it -- those in the US too.

[Source: Engadget]