LG's much-awaited competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Note has been revealed well before its official MWC debut.  Called the LG Optimus Vu, it's another obnoxiously large smartphone that further blurs the line between the mobile categories.

Measuring 5.5 x 3.56 x 0.33 inches, it's one unapologetically large phone.  Aside from the size, it's the design that actually makes it a likely no-go for holding on most pockets: it takes on a screen-style that's more square than rectangular.   We guess the extra width does make it more palatable for tablet-style uses, which I like, although you'll need to make room for it in a jacket pocket or a bag.

Details of the LG Optimus Vu include a 5-inch IPS display (1,024 x 768 resolution; 4:3 aspect ratio), an 8.0 megapixel camera module with AF LED flash, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing video cam, 4G LTE, 3G, aGPS, WiFi, 32GB of internal storage, microSD card expansion and a large 2,080mAh battery.  Muscle is provided by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, which is paired with 1GB of DDR2 RAM.

Like the Galaxy Note, it can handle working with a stylus, making it a genuinely viable tablet replacement, especially for work- and school-related uses.  It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, with an Ice Cream Sandwich update promised within the three months after it first hits shelves.

The LG Optimus Vu will likely launch first in Korea this March, under carriers SK Telecom and LG+.  Expect it to roll out across other markets shortly after, though.  No word yet on pricing.

[LG Newsroom]

Still waiting for your smartphone or tablet to be upgraded to a manufacturer-provided version of Ice Cream Sandwich? Here's something to piss you off even more: Google is reportedly prepping the latest Android 5.0 Jelly Bean for a second quarter release.

The rumor was broken in by DigiTimes, who's been known to get their information direction from Taiwan-based hardware providers. While it's accuracy may or may not be on point, it's still interesting to hear some of the features that are supposed to come with the new version of the mobile platform.

Android 5.0 Jelly Bean will supposedly have the ability to dual boot between Android and Chrome OS, finally bringing Google's browser-based platform to mobile devices. If this is true, then it also makes the next version of Android more viable for installing in a notebook form factor, finally bridging the gap between mobile tablets and pseudo-mobile netbooks (or whatever the next generation of cheap, low-power computing will be called). Additionally, the OS will reportedly bring further optimizations for larger-screened machines.

When exactly in quarter two? There's no exact word, but the most likely date will be June 27th -- the start of the Google I/O Developer Conference. Could still be earlier, though, so we'll have to wait and see.

[DigiTimes]

When the original Droid came out, the combination of a solid keyboard, excellent feature set and attractive price point turned the handset into a huge hit. While the QWERTY-packing line's success has tapered down with the next two iterations, the latest release, the Motorola Droid 4, should set it squarely back on track.

Physically, the handset takes on a black obelisk design, with beveled edges and slightly rounded corners. The result is an elegant style, without being overly formal. Sporting a beefy hardware set, a QWERTY keyboard and a large 4-inch touchscreen, it's both thicker and heavier than most of the razor-thin smartphones currently hitting the market. The qHD display has excellent color and crisp details, although it lacks that extra kick that Super AMOLED panels bring to the table.

As a phone, the Motorola Droid 4 makes for superb call quality on both ends of the conversation. There was no distortion whatsoever, with voices sounding very natural even when calling from a busy street. Battery is rated at up to 12.5 hours of talk time.

You get all of Android's standard smartphone niceties, of course, from the robust messaging to the wealth of preloaded apps. We're a little disappointed that it comes with Gingerbread out of the box, instead of the latest Ice Cream Sandwich. As with Motorola's newer phones, it ditches MotoBlur for a less-intrusive UI.

Since this runs on Verizon's LTE network, expect very fast download and upload speeds, unless Big Red's 4G is spotty in your area. You can also share the connection via Mobile Hotspot with up to 8 users. The 1.2Ghz dual-core CPU breezed through, pretty much, all tasks we did like a boss, so expect superior performance for whatever apps you want to run and reasonably-encoded movies you want to play.

While it doesn't come with the same business and security talents as the Razor Maxx, it does provide some, including built-in support for FIPS 140-2 encryption and various remote capabilities. The 8.0 megapixel camera takes excellent photos, though, especially with good light. Indoors, it's not quite as stunning, but is definitely passable.

Overall, the Motorola Droid 4 has positioned the brand back as one of the best smartphones out there with its dual-core CPU, 8 megapixel camera, 4G connectivity and superior keyboard experience. It's available now from Verizon, priced at $199.99 on a two-year agreement.

The Motorola Droid Razr Maxx is, essentially, the exact same phone as the Droid Razr, except with a large battery for extended runtime. Everything is retained, from the stylish design to the powerful media chops to the beefed-up security.

Physically, it maintains the same svelte and lightweight qualities of the Droid Razr, despite the added thickness. Large and sporting a wide bezel, it should prove a little tough to use for those with smaller grips, though. The aluminum chassis, sculpted glass in the front panel and the Kevlar-coated back all combine for a really premium feel. Display is a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED panel (960 x 540 pixels), making for one gorgeous viewing screen with excellent touch response.

As a phone, the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx makes for great calls with plenty of volume and zero distortion. Those on the other line even noted how it sounded very natural, as if I wasn't on a cellphone. Battery is a generous 3,300 mAh, which is rated at an impressive 21.5 hours of talk time.

It has all the usual connectivity features, including aGPS, 4G, WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 (yep, 4.0). Mobile hotspot is supported for up to eight connecting devices. Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, it comes with all the usual Google apps, along with a heaping of free and paid software preloaded. Motorola's proprietary apps, including Motocast and SmartActions, are plenty useful.

We love the security features here, which throws in government-grade FIPS 140-2 encryption for e-mail, calendar, and contacts. There's also remote wipe, SD card and device encryption, PIN lock, remote enable/disable of the camera, and remote enable/disable of the WiFi. Rounding out the business-friendly feature set are a bunch of apps like QuickOffice, Citrix GoToMeeting and Webtop portable PC.

Multimedia is another area of strength for this phone, with its stunning display, robust music app, DLNA support and microHDMI port. The 8.0 megapixel camera is probably the fastest I've used in a phone, all while managing really clear and detailed images in well-lit shots. It records very good 720p videos, too.

Overall, I feel like Motorola could have skipped the Droid Razr and just put out the Droid Razr Maxx instead. While that release allowed them to reclaim the "thinnest phone in the market" accolade, its thicker brother actually has a more balanced appearance, apart from having superior battery power. It's available from Verizon now, priced at $299.99 on a two-year agreement.

If you like baseball games, you've probably tried Baseball Superstars on your iPhone.  And you probably loved it.  The latest iteration of the franchise, Baseball Superstars 2012, takes the game's quality even higher, bringing excellent multiplayer, highly-improved graphics and new mechanics that make a great game even better.

To the uninitiated, the game is a baseball simulation with cute character graphics and colorful game world backgrounds.  Equal parts absurd and in-depth, it's the perfect mix of entertaining and challenging that make simulation games quite the addictive pastime.

Baseball Superstars 2012 brings an engaging experience that's easy to learn, but difficult to master.  There's a healthy amount of player modes, giving you plenty of room to play the game you want: there's Exhibition (a quick pickup game), My Batter (play through a batter's 10-year career), My Pitcher (if you'd rather slot into a pitcher's shoes), My Team (management sim), Pitching Duels, Homerun Derby, multiplayer battle royals and more.  There's a hefty amount of content (some, bordering on the ridiculous, like gaining hitting points after talking with your busty girlfriend) to enjoy, even if you stick with the free version.

Controls have been improved from previous iterations of the game, although they can  still use a little refinement (especially the batting).  Graphics are arguably the best among baseball games on the iPhone, although the anime style could put you off if you're not into that (admittedly, the baseball plus anime combination is wacky).

[iTunes]

Still haven't found the ideal accessory to turn your iPhone into a universal remote? Try the VooMote Zapper, an affordable and good-looking add-on that lets you work your iOS device for managing your home electronics.

Instead of plugging into your headphone jack like other remote accessories, this one goes straight to the 30-pin connector.  That allows it to deliver more power to its infrared transceiver, giving it better range during use.

The VooMote Zapper packs four mini-IR blasters inside its shell, guaranteeing it works with your devices even all the way across the room.  Like other iOS remotes, it comes with a free downloadable app that turns your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch into a full-fledged universal controller.

The app separates devices by room, so you can define settings for the different TVs in the kitchen, the living room and the bedroom, among other things.  While the database of devices isn't comprehensive (which is the real problem among current iOS remote apps), the app is easy enough to train, although you will have to spend some time configuring if a lot of your home gear is older (most of the prefilled entries are newer models).  Features include one-touch macros (for doing multiple actions with a single gesture), Room Control (to manage multiple devices in different rooms) and a single-view interface.

The Apple Store now has the VooMote Zapper on sale, priced at $69.95.

[Apple]

Despite smartphones gaining more market share than ever, Nokia remains a strong entity in the feature phone department.  And their latest, the Nokia X2-02, likely makes that position stronger.

Coming under the music-minded X series, the handset comes with dedicated music keys, special sound processing that boasts "the clearest sound you’ll find at this price" and Play via Radio.  If you're not familiar with that last one, it's a feature that lets users record songs directly from the radio, as well as share playlists with your home system, car stereo or other phones.

A dual SIM phone, the X2-02 supports two active networks at any time.  Even better, it  allows you to swap SIMs without having to turn off your phone, with the handset switching to the new SIM's stored profiles automatically (it can store up to five profiles).  Hardware details include a 2.2-inch display (320 x 240 resolution), a 2.0 megapixel camera module, an FM tuner and microSD card support (up to 32GB).  Onboard battery is rated at up to 9.7 hours of talk time.

The traditional candybar handset measures 113 x 50 x 15 mm and weighs 93g.  It runs the familiar Nokia feature phone OS, so don't expect much in terms of software niceties.  There's also no 3G or WiFi support.

The Nokia X2-02 will be released in five colorways: Bright Red, Orange, Violet, Ocean Blue and Dark Silver.  Likely headed to emerging markets, there are no exact dates for release, but pricing is set at €60 before taxes and subsidies.

[Nokia]

The Gangstar series has gained a good following among iOS-using sandbox action gaming fans.  And the latest in the series, Gangstar Rio: City of Saints, doesn't disappoint, easily positioning itself as the best game of the lot.

While it still isn't perfect, the game is a definite step-up compared to its two predecessors.   The graphics are cleaner, the character system is fuller, and the overall world feels very vibrant.  On the downside, the voice overs remain weak, the story isn't the most compelling and cloud saving still isn't supported.  But those are things you should be able to look past, given how fun the rest of the game is.

Gangstar Rio's gameplay and controls remains similar to the previous incarnations, which means it's a heck of a fun action game. Plus, it's a meaty game with over 60 missions thrown into a pile with random events as sandbox games go, dozens of vehicles to run around in (including helicopters and tanks), and tons of weapons. The addition of a new clothing system based on experience and respect levels, which can enhance some attributes (e.g. some clothes make you luckier when it comes to looting enemies), is much welcome, as it adds an extra level of incentive for actually advancing your character.

The visuals still aren't on the same level as the best graphics in iOS, but it's a marked improvement.  Plus, they fixed a lot of issues with physics and building pop-ups, making games feel much smoother.   If you're using an iPhone 4S, by the way, this thing loads and play fast (not sure about older iPhones, though).

While I'm still waiting for Gangstar to truly live up to its potential, Gangstar Rio is a definite leap in the right direction.  It's a heck of a fun game, too, and is well worth the $6.99 price.

[iTunes]

AT&T just announced a version of the Optimus LTE for their network.  Called the LG Nitro HD, it's the first smartphone in the carrier's roster to feature a screen capable of showing displays in full 720p.

Measuring 5.27 x 2.67 x 0.41 inches, it's long and slender, just like a lot of the bigger premium phones coming out these days.  It features a huge 4.5-inch IPS display with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution and 500-nit luminance.   According to the press release, the screen offers "unrivaled color accuracy," " true-to-life color rendering" and "clear viewing in direct sunlight."

Details of the Nitro HD include an 8.0 megapixel camera module, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing webcam, aGPS, 4G LTE, HSPA+, WiFi, Bluetooth, DLNA, 4GB of onboard storage and microSD card expansion (up to 32GB).  No word on what version of Android runs, but we're assuming Gingerbread, instead of Ice Cream Sandwich.

Billed as "the ultimate high-performance super phone," the handset comes with more than just a high-res display and LTE broadband speeds.  It also runs a powerful dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm processor that allows it to run HD games and movies with relative ease.

The LG Nitro HD will hit AT&T retail stores December 4th, priced at $249.99 with a new two-year agreement.

[via Engadget]

While the touchscreen slate form factor has emerged as the standard for today's smartphones, the Blackberry-style QWERTY candy bar remains a preferred design among a big segment of mobile workers.  And the Motorola Admiral offers one of the better devices for that specific crowd.

Physically, it looks very industrial, despite the rounded corners and curved edges.  It's not a looker, but it does mirror what it's supposed to be -- a workhorse phone.  Construction feels tough, the way phones in this category were always meant to be,  Display is a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen (480 x 640 resolution), with a physical QWERTY keyboard right below it.  The screen is good enough, although we wish it held up better under sunlight (as it is, it remains usable, but colors are washed out).   The keyboard is very responsive with a comfortable design.

As a phone, the Admiral makes for good calls.  Everything is clear, although I could have used more volume (in crowded places, you'll need to cover up to hear).  Being a push-to-talk phone, the speaker is very loud, making for great hands-free conversations and, of course, PTT calls.  Battery is great and will likely last moderate users up to two days.

You get all the usual smartphone favors (it runs Android 2.3.5 with Motoblur on top), including a full messaging suite, full set of wireless connectivity (3G, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, DLNA), and a good selection of apps.  We particularly like those targeted for business use (there are plenty), since this is a business phone.

With that said, it's a decent media phone, too, and offered good performance with its 1.2GHz Snapdragon S2 processor.  The 5.0 megapixel camera takes great outdoor shots.  Indoors, however, pictures look washed out even with the LED flash in play.  It manages decent 720p videos, as well.

We love the Motorola Admiral for the excellent construction and overall responsiveness.  It serves its workhorse purpose well.  Price is $99.99 with a new two-year agreement from Sprint.