A new phone under the Motorola Ming line has appeared on the company's developer site.  Instead of the usual Linux flavor like other devices in the range, though, the Motorola Ming A1680 gets its smartphone jollies running Android OS.

Clad as a clamshell with a transparent flip cover, the handset offers a departure from the usual form factors of Android phones.  Naturally, handwriting recognition for Chinese characters remain an important capability and it comes with a stylus specifically for the feature.

Details of the Ming A1680 include a 3.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen display (480 x 800 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module with autofocus, aGPS, 3G with HSPA, WiFi, WAPI, Bluetooth 2.1, FM radio and microSD card expansion (up to 32GB).  Core hardware consists of a 624MHz PAX935 CPU, 256MB of RAM and 512MB of ROM, which sets it around the lower range of the Android spectrum.

All in all, it doesn't sound that bad, especially if you like your phones with a protective flip cover.  It only comes with Android 1.6, though (with no likely OTA update), which means users will be stuck with one of the platform's older versions.

No pricing was listed for the Motorola Ming A1680, since it wasn't an official announcement.  Since full specs are up on the developer site, however, expect it to hit Chinese stores very soon.

[MotoDev via  Tech 163]

Motorola has announced their third exclusive Android phone for T-Mobile USA.  Called the Motorola Charm, it brings an unusual form factor rarely seen with the OS into the mix: a QWERTY candybar.

Like most of Motorola's Android releases, the squarish handset comes with the social networking-friendly MotoBlur (first phone in the US with the enhanced version of the UI), as well as Backtrack, a touch-sensitive pad along the rear that lets you perform navigational actions  without having to put your fingers to the display.  It will ship with Android 2.1 at the helm, with no word on whether a 2.2 Froyo update is forthcoming.

The Motorola Charm features a 2.8-inch touchscreen with 320 x 240 resolution, sitting above a four-row QWERTY keypad.  Slim with curved corners, it measures 98.4 x 67 x 11.4 mm and weighs 110 grams.

Details include a 3.2 megapixel fixed focus camera module (with Kodak Perfect Touch), aGPS, 3G with HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, an FM tuner, a 3.5mm audio port, 512MB of onboard storage and microSD card expansion (2GB card included).  Like other Android-powered releases, it boasts  the full suite of Google services (Search, Maps, Navigation and more), multi-touch web browsing and Flash support.  Extra features include CrystalTalk Plus (which adds a second mic for improved voice calls), one-touch social media uploads and Moto Phone Portal (for accessing phone data from any web-enabled browser).

No word on pricing for the Motorola Charm, but it is expected for release during the summer.  The model will come in two colors, bronze and cabernet.

[Motorola Media Center]

AT&T will finally get its own high-end Android smartphone.  It will come in the form of Samsung Captivate i897, a heavily-customized version of the Samsung Galaxy S that boasts best-of-class entertainment, messaging and social networking features.

As you can tell from the picture, AT&T's version has a harder-edged design than the original Galaxy S, which is expected to be released in the US by T-Mobile.   It's powered by the same 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird Application Processor  and features the company's Super AMOLED technology, which boasts thinner display panels, heightened touch sensitivity and improved visibility under sunlight.

Details of the Captivate include a 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen, a 5.0 megapixel camera module, aGPS, WiFi, quad-band GSM, tri-band 3G with 7.2Mbps HSDPA, Bluetooth 3.0, 16GB of internal storage and microSD card expansion (up to 32GB).   It will run Android 2.1, packing the usual Google services, along with several custom apps, such as the social networking address book, Samsung Hub.

For a better gaming experience, it pairs the usual accelerometer and gyroscope with a six-axis sensor for more fluid motion controls, along with a range of multi-touch gestures. Entertainment features include 3D sound capabilities (whatever that actually means), 720p video recording, DLNA support and compatibility with Samsung's upcoming Media Hub (the company's exclusive content storefront).  It will also get access to AT&T's numerous services, including AT&T Address Book, Family Locator and more.

No pricing nor exact release date for the Samsung Captivate i897 has been given.  With the iPhone 4 on the way and a slew of high-end Android smartphones arriving soon, expect not to wait too long to catch this in stores.

[AT&T]

Three new phones apparently showed up over at LG's website. The trio of handsets consist of the LG Bali GM360, LG GX300 And LG Pure GD550, each of them packing a varied range of features.

The LG Bali GM360 is a feature touchscreen phone with connectivity limited to GSM/GPRS/EDGE. It does include WiFi for faster data downloads, though, provided you luck out with a hotspot in the vicinity. Dimensions are 108.9 x 52.9 x 11.95 mm, with a weight of 95g. Details include a 3-inch TFT touchscreen display (400 x 240 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module (with 2x digital zoom), Bluetooth 2.1, FM radio and microSD card expansion. Bordering the mid-range, it comes with push email, a full HTML browser, LG's SNS for social networking and the company's proprietary UI.

Frequent travelers should find the next handset, the LG GX300, an interesting choice. Clad in a candybar form factor, it comes equipped with dual SIM card slots for easy communication while you're jetsetting on a budget. Details include a 2.2-inch TFT display (176 x 220 resolution) , a 2.0 megapixel fixed-focus camera, stereo Bluetooth, FM radio and a 1500 mAh battery.

The last of the bunch is the LG Pure GD550, a non-touch slider with a few mid-range capabilities. It supports 3G with HSPA and runs a non-touchscreen optimized interface based on the Korean manufacturer's S-Class UI. Specs include a 2.4-inch TFT display (320 x 240 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module (with 4x digital zoom), Bluetooth 2.1, FM radio and microSD card expansion.

All three are expected to arrive in different markets beginning next month.

[via Unwired View]

AT&T announced a new rugged phone in its roster. The successor to the original Rugby from two years ago, the Samsung Rugby II is billed as a "next-generation push-to-talk device."

Certified to military standard MIL-STD-810G, the durable phone can withstand dust, shock, vibration, humidity, rain and solar radiation. It comes in a clamshell form factor, with a design that looks like it's been armored for a truly rough day of use.

The Samsung Rugby II packs more than durable talents. Details include two screens (1.3-inch external and 2.2-inch internal), a 2.0 megapixel camera module (with video recording), aGPS (with AT&T Navigator), stereo Bluetooth, 3G with HSPA (7.2Mbps downloads), large external speakers, a full HTML browser and microSD card support. Business users and field workers should find features like PTT, TeleNav Tracker, Xora GPS Timetrack, extensive email support and YP Mobile immensely useful.

It comes with a slew of preloaded apps, mostly for entertainment (e.g. AT&T Radio, MobiTV, etc), business and outdoor use (e.g. Trimble Outdoors, WHERE, etc). Phone dimensions are 4.01 x 2.05 x 0.86 inches, with a weight of 3.52 ounces.

Slated for availability starting June 6, the Samsung Rugby II will retail for $129.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a two-year agreement with AT&T.

[AT&T]

Nokia just announced a new phone today under the music-centric Xseries line-up. Called the Nokia X2, it boasts some nice-sounding mid-range features, coupled with an affordable price tag.

Since it's an Xseries device, it comes with dedicated music keys along both sides to go with the 3.5mm headphone jack and onboard dual speakers. It features a conventional but stylish compact body, complete with a T9-style keypad and slim 13mm lines. Build appears to be heavily plastic, but it's an attractive design.

Details of the X2 include a 2.2-inch TFT display (320 x 240 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module (with video), Bluetooth 2.1, FM tuner and microSD card expansion (up to 16GB). Other notable features include various useful homescreen widgets (e.g. Facebook) and a full messaging suite.

Nokia announced the phone for release in India, with pricing set at an affordable €85 (around $110). No word on release elsewhere, but I can imagine this as a nice alternative for a music phone in plenty of markets.

[Nokia Conversations]

Nokia is finally debuting its new OS, Symbian^3, and the lucky handset to get it will be the long-rumored Nokia N8. That's just the start for this feature-heavy phone, which also owns the honor of being the manufacturer's first 12 megapixel phone and the first one to integrate the company's Qt development platform.

What changes can we expect from Symbian^3? According to Nokia, their new smartphone OS will introduce touch gestures, such as multi-touch, pinch-to-zoom and flick scrolling, as well as offer multiple, customizable homescreens. It will also have a new 2D and 3D graphics architecture, which has been designed to take advantage of built-in hardware-based acceleration bound to show up in their upcoming releases, starting with the N8, of course. Other notable OS features include better memory management and improved parallel processing.

Details of the Nokia N8 include a 3.5-inch capacitive OLED touchscreen (640 x 360 resolution), a powerful 12.0 megapixel camera (with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and 720p video recording), aGPS (with Ovi Maps Navigation), 16GB of onboard storage, Bluetooth 2.1, FM radio, microSD card support (up to 32GB) and a 1,200 mAh battery. Connectivity is well-supported, with both HSPA and WiFi. It will come running a full HTML browser, with Flash Lite 4.0 and Flash video. Nokia claims it can process 720p video, as well, along with Dolby Digital Plus surround sound processing, which you can watch on TV via the HDMI out.

As for Qt, it's supposed to be the company's new software platform, seeking to entice the army of mobile developers to finally take their expertise to Nokia's legions of users. The SDK is currently only in beta, though, so expect to wait a while before seeing what this turns up.

Quite possibly the most powerful Nokia phone to hit the market (well, so far), the Nokia N8 is slated for a third quarter release. It will be available in five colors (black, silver, blue, orange and lime), priced at €370 ($495) before taxes and subsidies.

[Nokia]

LG just announced two new smartphones for the South Korean market, the LG LU2300 and the LG KU9500. Both handsets carry similar specs, although the former is rocking a sliding QWERTY keyboard (well, whatever the Korean version of that is) and a trackpad, while the latter goes without either.

The most notable feature here should be LG's Scan Search, an augmented reality application that the company has previously talked about in brief. From what we can tell, it will add icons for nearby establishments and services as seen through the onboard camera's viewfinder. Another custom app coming with the phones is the LG Air Sync, which allows sharing of contacts, calendars, mail, photos, music and video wirelessly both with a PC or a web server.

Major details of both the LG LU2300 and LG KU9500 will be similar: 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 3.5-inch AMOLED touchscreen (800 x 480 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module, aGPS, WiFi, Dolby Mobile sound processing and DMB TV. Since they're running Android, they'll come with the usual set of Google apps, too, including Mail, YouTube and Maps.

The LG LU2300 will have Android 1.6 when it first hits stores in May, with a promised August update to Android 2.1. On the other hand, the LG KU9500 will ship with Android 2.1 by default when it comes to the market in June.

Both phones will be initially available through KT and SK Telecoms in Korea. No word on pricing for either one, nor a release date for other parts of the world.

[via Unwired View]

RIM just announced their newest Blackberry and it's the smallest one yet. Called the Blackberry Pearl 3G, the ultra-compact smartphone packs everything in a 1.96-inch wide body, weighing a light 3.3 oz.

Aside from the size, the most notable feature here is the inclusion of 802.11n wireless support, a first for Blackberry phones. It will also come in two models: 1900 (which uses the space-saving, pseudo-QWERTY SureType keys) and 1905 (which uses a surprising T9-style keypad). Yes, Blackberry appears to be finally embracing the lower-end of the market too, with a release that looks to have more in common with Nokia's designs that the ones RIM has popularized.

Core hardware for the handset consist of a 624 Mhz processor, aided by 256MB of RAM. It runs Blackberry OS 5, complete with all of its familiar features, including the Blackberry Messenger, Media Sync and App World. Key details include a 360 x 400 resolution display, a 3.2 megapixel camera module, aGPS (with Blackberry Maps), 3G, WiFi, microSD expansion (up to 32GB) and a 1,150 mAh battery (rated at 4.4 hours of talk time).

Definitely a unique phone for Blackberry, the Pearl 3G packs in a solid slew of features in a pocketable candybar frame. No word on either release date or pricing, though.

[Blackberry via Gizmodo]

With Earth Day coming, it's as good a time as any to debut a new eco-friendly phone. That's certainly what Sprint had in mind with their announcement of the Samsung Restore, the third device from the carrier's roster to show off its green credentials.

Combining both environmental responsibility and a sleek form factor, it features a messaging-friendly design with both regular alphanumeric keys and a full, slide-out QWERTY keyboard. A generous 84-percent of the phone is completely recyclable, including the outer casing, which is made from 27-percent post-consumer recycled plastic. It also meets the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) guidelines, which limits the use of potentially toxic materials, and ships with an energy-efficient charger that qualifies for the Energy Star Version 2.0 label. Other "green" features include a 100-percent recyclable cardboard box, eco-themed media (wallpapers and ringers) and a greener lifestyle guide (Best of Green Tile).

Details of the Restore include a 2.4-inch TFT LCD with 320 x 240 resolution, a 2.0 megapixel camera module (with video), aGPS (with Sprint Navigation), stereo Bluetooth, microSD expansion (up to 32GB) and a 1,160 mAh battery (up to six hours of talk time). Phone dimensions are 4.6 x 2.1 x 0.6 inches, with a weight of 4.3 ounces.

A full-featured messaging device, it comes with SMS, MMS, IM and email (POP3 and corporate support). It features widgets for one-click access to various social networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube, along with support for Sprint's range of streaming services, including Sprint TV and Sprint Music Store.

The Samsung Restore is available in two colors, Midnight or Limeade, for $49.99 with a two-year contract. No release date has been specified.

[Sprint via Cnet]