Vodafone confirms HTC Sensation: 1.2GHz dual-core and qHD display

Vodafone UK has prematurely announced the HTC Sensation, the device formerly known by its codename of HTC Pyramid, and not expected to make its official debut until HTC’s event later on today. Confirmed is the 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch 540 x 960 touchscreen and 8-megapixel camera with autofocus and dual-LED flash.

There’s also a front-facing webcam, 3G, WiFi b/g/n and GPS, along with a unibody-style chassis. We can spy a microUSB port too, and Vodafone says there’ll be 4GB of internal storage and an 8GB microSD card bundled in the box.

No word on pricing or availability – all Vodafone say on that point is that the HTC Sensation is “coming soon” – but we expect to hear more later on today at the event-proper.

continue reading…

Tablet-Toting Mercedes Concept Car Bristles With Future Tech [GALLERY]

The Mercedes A-Class was once a stubby mini-MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), but now it’s the hatchback of the future. Behold, the Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class.

This is one cool car. What really caught our eyes is that dash-mounted tablet, along with those red-backlit gauges and swooping controls inside.

The exterior is forward-looking, too, with an aircraft-like skin that its designers say takes its “cues from aviation.” No longer looking like the current A-Class‘s resemblance to a chopped-off AMC Gremlin from the ’70s, now it’s spruced up with LED headlights, an aggressive grill that looks like a cross between a hungry shark and an angry bird, and angular cuts that vaguely suggest shiny muscles.

Take a look at the video below for more details about this upcoming pocket rocket, which Mercedes says is “on the road now.” We beg to differ – concept cars might be on the road, but usually not in any discernible volume, and remember this caveat: a lot can change between concept and reality.

However, we’re hoping Mercedes keeps most of these details — especially that high-tech interior — and we’re holding out for an electric version, and maybe even a 17-inch touchscreen on board like that Tesla Model S Sedan will have.

• Graphics courtesy Autoblog, Mercedes

continue reading…

Motorola Cliq 2 – A Worthy Successor?

I’ve never been a big fan of sequels. The very first version of something comes out and turns out to be so popular that a second version must be released to further milk the cash cow. At least, that’s the way I feel about movie sequels in general.

But do phone sequels work the same way, or are they truly what they should be in the first place: improvements to the first piece of work?

The original Motorola CLIQ was a run-of-the-mill Android 1.5 handset launched in late 2009 that didn’t really make any ripples in the market. Fast forward to 2011 and Motorola has decided to release the Cliq 2. Will the Cliq 2 be a revelation like the Samsung Galaxy S2 or will it suffer the same fate as a bad movie sequel – crash and burn?

Basic Specifications: Motorola Cliq 2:

• Dimensions: 116 x 59.6 x 14.5mm
• Display: 3.7 inch capacitive touchscreen
• Weight: 175 grams
• Processor: 1 GHz TI OMAP 3620
• Memory: 512MB RAM, 1GB internal storage with pre-installed 2GB microSD
• Operating System:  Android 2.2
• Camera: 5MP, autofocus with dual LED flash
• Battery: Talk time up to 7.9 hr

Weighing at 175g does indeed make it heavier than the average Android smartphone but that is attributed to the in-built QWERTY keyboard. It also comes in at 14.5 mm which is thicker than your average Android smartphone, once again courtesy of the in-built QWERTY keyboard, but feels about right for a smartphone with full QWERTY keyboard attached.

The 3.7 inch LCD screen is smaller than some, but this phone is not intended to be a high end model and the 3.7 inch display screen does provide good screen real estate. Overall, for those who were frustrated by some of the less than durable aspects of the original Cliq, the Cliq 2 is certainly an improvement in terms of solid construction.

One of the unique selling points of the Cliq 2, in my opinion, is the slider keyboard’s ergonomic design which reminds me of a honeycomb and this is a very nice feature if you do a lot of texting. It might take a bit of getting used to but once you are broken in, you should find it much easier to text with the additional contact surface. On the back of the phone, the battery cover has a few ridges built into it which allows for extra grip – always a good thing – but which might affects the overall polished finishing of the phone.

Motorola has also installed its proprietary CrystalTalk Plus technology into the CLIQ 2. This is Motorola’s patented noise cancellation tech that allows you to talk in a loud room at normal volume. With that, it gave the user the ability to hear and be heard perfectly fine over the phone, even if you are in a loud environment.

Summary: Motorola Cliq 2:

The added screen real estate and screen resolution go a long way to making the overall Cliq 2 experience much better as compared to the original Cliq. The hardware is bigger and heavier, but much more sturdily designed and constructed. The call quality is good and loud, testament to Motorola’s proprietary CrystalTalk Plus technology, and is an additional bonus.

The Motorola team definitely deserves additional brownie points for coming up with an innovative design for the slider keyboard and hopefully, we can look forward to more unique designs in future.

Overall, the Motorola CLIQ 2 is a great buy for a midrange Android handset and is a reasonable successor to the original Cliq.

continue reading…

HTC Incredible S blushes on Danish site

There’s a listing of a sexy HTC Incredible S in Red trim on the site of a Danish electronics retailer. Aside from it’s Fire Engine red paint scheme, there’s nothing different from it’s official variant. That also means it will have to be purchased unsubsidized, although there’s no mention of price or availability on the site listing. The unsubsidized price hovers around $550 here in the US. And chances are, though, that users in Europe will be using the Euro-friendly GSM version we reported on last month.

The hallmark feature of the Incredible is is it’s four-inch screen which seems to really pop in the red trim. It has a 1GHz single-core Qualcomm MSM8225 chip under the hood which runs Android 2.2 (Froyo), although HTC promises an update to Gingerbread sometime soon. There’s also an eight-megapixel camera for some snappy 720 HD video and hi-res stills, along with what looks like 2 LED flash bulbs for bright coverage in low light. And there’s a a front-facing webcam as well.
The Incredible S represents a “dot upgrade” over the previous Incredible, but it still runs on 3G via HSPA instead of taking the leap to 4G/LTE. And with it’s larger size screen, we’re betting users will look more towards other phone options that provide faster performance via LTE. But then again, they won’t have that red trim, will they? Check out SlashGear’s Hands On here.

continue reading…