Verizon recently announced the HTC Rezound, the first phone from the Taiwanese company to hit the US with Beats Audio technology in tow.

Heavy on audio and multimedia talents, the premium smartphone is the company’s first to get a true 720p display, allowing you to watch videos in HD right from the small screen.  Mobile High Definition Link (MHL) comes onboard, allowing you to watch movies on your home theater setup, complete with 720p videos on the HDTV and digitally-processed audio over your surround sound system.

Details of the HTC Rezound include a 4.3-inch Super LCD capacitive touchscreen, an 8.0 megapixel camera module (with dual LED flash, 1080p video recording with stereo sound), a 2.0 megapixel front-facing video cam, aGPS, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi, 4G, 3G, DLNA, 16GB onboard storage, a 1,620 mAh battery, and microSD card expansion (16GB preinstalled, 32GB maximum).  Processing is handled by a dual core 1.5GHz CPU, paired with 1GB of DDR2 RAM.

It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, along with Google Mobile Services and HTC Sense running on top.  According to HTC, the phone will get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich when it becomes available in 2012.

The HTC Rezound will be available beginning November 14, priced at $299.99 with a new two-year agreement under Verizon.

[via Verizon]

The high-end of smartphones is now bigger and more powerful than ever.  Does it mean they're better, too?  We checked out the HTC Amaze 4G to get an answer.

Physically, it's undeniably premium.  The metal shell, sturdy build and soft touch finishes make for a phone you'll never mistake for a dodgy rush job.  It's notably heavy, though, tipping the scales at 6.1 ounces (and, yes,  you'll feel the heft).   The 4.3-inch Super LCD touchscreen (960 x 540 resolution) definitely steals attention, though, with its large size, crisp images and bright display.  We'd say it's a half-step below the Super AMOLED Plus in terms of overall quality, though.

As a phone, the HTC Amaze 4G makes for good calls on both ends.  Voices sounded natural, although we did detect a slight background noise during lulls.  Speakerphone, on the other hand, performed admirably.  In fact, I think I like making calls using the loudspeaker/mic better with this phone better.  Battery is rated at 6 hours of talk time.

Heavy on the features, it comes with quad-band world support, the usual voice and video call options, all the wireless connectivity you can ask for (3G, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, NFC -- well, no LTE, but it has HSPA+), heavy messaging talents and the usual bundle of Google Mobile Services.  It runs Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, with HTC Sense 3.0 on top.  Notable alterations include the customizable lock screen (which you can fill up with scrolling user content) and the 3D carousel homescreen.

The screen size makes the phone ideal for browsing web sites and watching movies, especially with the dual-core 1.5GHz processor muscling through every video thrown its way.  The 8.0 megapixel camera performed wonderfully in well-lit environments for both stills and 1080p videos.  Indoor shots aren't great, but are still a lot better than many phones I've seen.  The camera app actually bundles a lot of extra features and options, which you'll love if you enjoy playing around with the optics. Built-in storage is 16GB, with expansion slot for a 32GB microSD card.

Priced at $249.99 on a new two year agreement with T-Mobile, the HTC Amaze 4G is, undeniably, more expensive than a lot of phones in the market.  For the price, though, you get a gorgeous 4.3-inch screen, a powerful camera and blazing processor speed.  Plus, the heft will make for excellent paperweight when you need one.

Cubicle dwellers know the drill.  Get a PDF in your email, print it, sign it, scan it, convert it and send it back.  Yep, that much time off your life just to sign a memo.  SignMyPad for Android can spare you from the sorrow.

There are two versions of the app: Basic ($3.99) and Pro ($19.99).  This review is for the Basic edition, which strips out features like GPS tagging, but should cover most normal people's needs well enough.

With SignMyPad, you skip all the previous steps and just sign your PDF documents right on your phone.  Simple open it from your email or file list, choose Signature as the element to add, and doodle your best longhand using your chubby finger.  Granted, signing a valid signature (one that can be verified as yours) will probably take some practice, but it's worth the trouble, especially if you work in one of those huge multinationals where everyone's always trying to cover their own ass (hence, the never-ending cycle of signatures required).  Personally, it took me about five minutes of signing my name over and over to get the hang of things.

Oh yeah, pinch to zoom works inside the app, which is most welcome.  You can also add other elements, aside from signatures, including checkboxes, dates, radio buttons and long texts, allowing you to fill out forms right on your touchscreen device.  When you add an element, you can resize it automatically using a slider that appears on top of the screen.

SignMyPad Basic fills a definite gap in the market.  While the slider can probably use more flexibility in sizing, everything about the app works great. Highly recommended.

[Android Market]

Here’s something I never imagined the iPhone turning into: a multi-tool for performing a variety real-world measuring tasks.  That's why I'm pretty stoked to see an app like the PocketTools: All-In-One Utilities.

A literal digital multi-tool, it turns your iPhone into a flashlight, a plumb bob, a bubble level, a ruler, a protractor or a unit conversion calculator at the tap of an icon.  Just launch the app and choose which tool you want to use from the main menu.  While a flashlight and a conversion calculator are common enough on the App Store, the rest of the tools are quite amusing.

The plumb bob, for instance, gives you a digital plumb bob using crossed red lines for lining your target.  Tap the camera icon and you can see exactly what's behind the phone, allowing you to line up the bob with the real word item you'd like to straighten up.

Both the protractor and the ruler don't work with the camera, although you should be able to get what you're measuring with a little imagination.  The ruler, by the way, includes a caliper feature which you can use for even more precise measurements (if the new iPhone had edge-to-edge screen as previously rumored, this app would be perfect).

The bubble level is also fun, making use of the iPhone's various sensors to detect whether a surface is even.  It can be used both flat on its back and standing against a vertical surface.

While there's no way I'd trade in an actual plumb bob or a ruler if I was working a job for the PocketTools app, it is quite handy for those unexpected moments that you need one.  At 99 cents, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than a ruler you'd use once and forget where you left after a month, too.

[iTunes]

The successor to last year's LG Ally, the LG Enlighten is the latest entry-level Android smartphone to join Verizon's roster.  If you'd like an affordable handset with a physical keyboard, this phone could prove an ideal pick.

Physically, it's a compact device, much like a lot of the entry-level phones out there.  Design is blocky, with curved edges, rounded corners and a slightly bulky profile.  Display is a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen with 320 x 480 resolution.  While the sharpness is definitely lacking, the screen is notably bright and colorful.  It's also usable even under direct sunlight.  The slide-out landscape keyboard is roomy, with good travel between keys and a snappy tactile feel.

As a phone, the LG Enlighten made for great calls, with little to no distortion throughout our tests.  There was plenty of volume to go around, with clear audio and natural-sounding voices.  Speakerphone performed in a similarly positive manner.  Battery is rated at 6 hours of talk time.

Considering this is an entry level device, we're stoked that LG decided to throw in Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread into the thing.  It runs a custom interface, which we actually found to be easier to get into for first-time smartphone users.

It's got all the usual Android smartphone fare -- robust messaging, wireless connectivity (GPS,3G, WiFi with mobile hotspot, Bluetooth), Google's Mobile Services and  a number of preloaded apps.  The Verizon apps can't be removed, though, so you're stuck with the bloatware.

An 800MHz processor powers the thing, which makes for decent-enough performance.  Some lags occur once you've got a lot of apps open, although things are usually smooth.  Heck, it even runs Flash on the browser pretty well, so I can't complain.   The 3.2 megapixel camera actually takes good pictures with rich colors for outdoor snaps.  Multimedia experience is standard Android.

Available for free on a new two-year agreement with Verizon, the LG Enlighten is one of the best entry-level Android handsets in the market today.  If you can live with the smaller, low-res display, it's an excellent choice.

In many countries where prepaid contracts are common, dual SIM phones are also widely available.   We're not sure how prevalent pay-as-you-go is in Australia, but we're guessing it's got its fans, since Huawei just released a new dual SIM smartphone down under.  Called the Huawei Deuce, it's reportedly the first Android smartphone to hit the country with available docks for two SIMs.

During use, both SIMs stay active and on standby, allowing you to receive calls and messages from either network concurrently.  As with many entry-level devices, it's compact, measuring 112 x 57 x 12.7mm and weighing 113gms.

Details of the Huawei Deuce include a 3.2 inch HVGA touchscreen display (320 x 480 resolution), a 3.2 megapixel camera module (with LED flash), aGPS, 3G with HSPA (3G signal will only be active for one account at a time), Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, 2GB of internal memory and MicroSD card support (up to 32GB).   A 1500mAh Li-ion battery juices the hardware, which runs what looks like a slightly altered Android 2.2 Froyo.

We're not sure of worldwide availability, but the Huawei Deuce now sells unlocked in Australia for  $249.   Chances are, this will be showing up at numerous Asian and European markets as well.

[via AusDroid]

When was the last time you saw a Blackberry and just stood amazed at the gorgeous design aesthetic?  Yeah, we can't remember, either.  The next time somebody asks that question, I'll be looking back to that point when I first saw this phone: the Blackberry Porsche Design P'9981.

Yes, the sexiest Blackberry to come out in a while wasn't thought up inside RIM's studios.  Instead, it's a luxury smartphone that puts one of RIM's handsets inside a Porsche-designed shell.

Notable physical elements include a forged stainless steel frame, a sculpted QWERTY keyboard and a hand-wrapped leather back cover.  It runs Blackberry OS 7, with an exclusive Porsche Design UI and a custom Wikitude World Browser for getting your augmented reality fix in tow.  According to the press release, it comes with "exclusive PINs" (and, yes, I'm not sure what that means) that allow users to identify when they're communicating with another P'9981 user (i.e. you're rich and enjoy mediocre smartphones).

Hardware specs are pretty run of the mill.  You get a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen display (640 x 480 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module (with LED flash and 720p video recording), aGPS, 2G with HSPA, WiFi, NFC, Bluetooth, 8GB of internal storage and microSD card expansion (up to 32GB).  A single core 1.2GHz processor brings the muscle, paired with 768MB of RAM.

The BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981 will be available in Porsche Design stores worldwide  at some point before the end of the year.  Price, being a luxury handset, is being pegged at $2,000.

[Blackberry]

A while ago, Acer officially revealed a new attractively-priced Windows Phone handset.  Other than the name, however, no details about the device were released.  Well, we finally got the specs on that, as the Acer Allegro finally gets an official announcement out in France.

Aimed at budget users interested in a Windows Phone device, the handset packs the bare minimum hardware required to run Microsoft's mobile platform.   While that doesn't really make for an exciting release, it does allow for the most affordable Windows Phone smartphone in the market.

Details of the Acer Allegro include a 3.6-inch capacitive touchscreen (800 × 480 resolution), a 1GHz single-core processor, a 5.0 megapixel autofocus camera (with LED flash), Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, aGPS, 8 GB of built-in storage and a 1,300 mAh battery (rated at up to 6 hours of talk time).  Phone dimensions are 11.6 x 5.9 x 13 mm, with a weight of 126g.

The Acer Allegro will be running the latest Windows Phone Mango, so users can enjoy the latest Microsoft's mobile OS has to offer.  It will come out in France mid-November, then roll out to the rest of Europe before the end of the year.  Two colors, dark blue and white, will be available, priced at €299 before taxes and subsidies.

[via Mon Windows Phone]

There's no denying the influence of Castlevania and Metroid in Dark Incursion.  Everything from the gameplay to the classically-inspired pixel graphics to the music suggests it.  Good thing, too, since it's a sub-genre that's sorely lacking in the App Store.

At its core, the game is a 2D side scrolling semi-platformer that follow the "explore, find gear, backtrack, use gear, rinse, repeat" mechanics of Metroidvania.  You follow Anya, an underground resistance fighter working to infiltrate a secret military facility that produces super soldiers.  And she'll need to crush an entire army of enemies to make it happen.

Dark Incursion's main deviation from the classic formula is the "fuse" system, which gives Anya four different slots to be filled with enhancement fuses.  These fuses run a wide range: there's one to strengthen your defense, one to let you jumpstart electric devices, one to speed up your movement, and so on.   Each fuse can only be used a finite amount of time, so you need to exercise good management to make them last.  Not doing so can leave you frustrated, looking for new fuses once you realize you still need them to advance.

I've seen a lot of reviews that derided the game's control system.  Fortunately, developers Big Blue Bubble have released an update that brings a major overhaul to the control system.  It's actually playable now, removing the lag between pressing a button and having Anya perform the action, as well as fixing most of the accuracy problems.  Chances are, we'll see more fine-tuning down the line, but the new control tweaks are definitely most welcome.

With the updated controls, I have no qualms recommending Dark Incursion.  It's about time iOS got a Metroidvania formula game and this title does an enjoyable job at it.  You can download it from the App Store for $1.99.

[iTunes]

RIM has already announced BBX, the next-gen operating system set to appear in the company's upcoming phones and tablets.   According to rumors, the first phone running the updated platform will show up early 2012 in the form of the Blackberry Colt.

Pictured above, the phone will supposedly be RIM's new flagship device.  The image is only a render based on rumors, though, so don’t fret if you don't find it fitting of the premium status (because, the appearance really isn't).

Construction is supposedly unibody aluminum, with no physical buttons anywhere on the front panel.  Leaked specs of the Blackberry Colt include a dual-core processor, a large capacitive touchscreen display (minimum 4 inches, according to the source) with over 900 pixels vertical resolution, a pair of cameras and a battery module similar to the Playbook.

Other than the buttonless design, it doesn't sound like anything special.  Hopefully, RIM sees fit to load this heavily on the hardware end, while making great strides on the software end of the deal.  And an early 2012 release should definitely be in order, since the specs might end up being just downright low-end again if they sit on this too long.  You can hit the link below for the original report.

[N4BB]