Hasta La Gadget!

So we just got a second batch of T-Mobile G2 shots dropped in our mailbox — and this time, you can get a much better look at the inner workings of the carrier’s version of the upcoming HTC Vision. Looks like this bad boy slides and tilts, which eliminates the need for a kickstand and is very likely causing you to breathe an audible sigh of relief right about now. Meanwhile, the backside reveals that HTC looks ready to really get into this asymmetrical design concept — something we’ve definitely seen on the Schubert / Mozart — and realistically, it’s probably going to polarize some buyers. Check out the gallery for a few more shots!

Update: We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we’ve just been told that the G2 doesn’t have a tilting screen, despite what you see up there — it’s just the inner workings of the slide being pulled up. Our hearts have been ripped from our chests on this one, rest assured.

T-Mobile G2 again, this time with less Mr. Blurrycam originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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These shots of a real, live G2 confirm what we’d already suspected from renders: this is basically an Americanized version of the upcoming HTC Vision. What does that mean? Well, it means you can expect a 3.7-inch display paired with Android and a sliding QWERTY keyboard — higher-end than the myTouch 3G Slide and a fitting successor to the trailblazing G1, if you ask us (though admittedly not quite as geeky as the model it replaces). Follow the break for another shot!

Continue reading Exclusive: T-Mobile G2 in the wild!

Exclusive: T-Mobile G2 in the wild! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve learned from a source close to the situation that the rumored global version of the Droid 2 with GSM and CDMA radios is actually the same phone as the also-rumored Droid Pro — although Verizon apparently has a tendency to fiddle with branding right up until the last minute, so the retail name could still change. It’s identical to the current Droid 2 in every way except for the fact that it houses a GSM / HSPA radio for global roaming, though we’re not able to confirm previous rumors that it’ll be available in a white version; presumably, you’ll pay a bit more than the Droid 2’s $200 on contract for the privilege of being able to take your buddy overseas. Barring any last-minute delays, we should see it launch within weeks.

If you’re sick and tired of Motorolas, let’s switch gears a bit and talk about the follow-up to LG’s enV Touch. Interestingly, LG will be switching from a proprietary featurephone platform to Android for this one — called the enV Touch 2 — and will give it dual touchscreens: one on the outside, and another on the inside for when you flip open the clamshell. As you might expect for an enV-branded device, there’s also a full QWERTY keyboard. It’s currently running Android 2.1, though it’s not clear whether that’ll be upgraded to 2.2 by the time we see a release toward the holidays. It’s said to be pretty big and heavy, which could be a disadvantage for some — but on the flipside, it’s apparently a global device, so that’s a plus. enVs historically haven’t been the most exciting things in Verizon’s stable, but we’ll admit, we’re curious to see this one get fleshed out.

Update: A tipster has written in to point out that the Droid 2 and Droid Pro are showing as two different devices in Verizon’s inventory system, model numbers A956 and A957, respectively; our original source is adamant, though, that they’re the same device, so we’ll need to wait to see how this pans out. As we mentioned, Droid Pro isn’t necessarily the go-to-market name for the phone, but it is the name being tossed around internally right now for the device that we know as the Droid 2 with global roaming.

Exclusive: Droid Pro is the global version of the Droid 2, LG enV Touch 2 will be Android-powered originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s no secret that one of our major gripes with some of today’s laptops are their wonky and uncomfortable touchpads, and well, apparently Swiftpoint understands the pain. No, that tiny, oddly shaped optical mouse that your eyes keep gravitating towards up there isn’t just any minuscule mouse — it’s designed to be used in place of a laptop’s touchpad… on the palmrest itself. Wait, what? Yep, the idea is that you can still use your laptop anywhere — on your lap while sitting on a couch or train — but unlike other mobile or desktop mice, you don’t need to find another surface to rest it on. It’s certainly a creative and very futuristic-looking gadget, but more than that the $69.95 Swiftpoint has some other neat tricks up its sleeve – it latches onto a tiny USB stick to charge, can last for over an hour on a 30-second charge and you can tilt it to scroll. It all sounds extremely promising, and even took two years to finally make it to market, but is it at all comfortable to use? And more importantly, accurate enough to effectively navigate within Windows or Mac OS X? We’ve been using the Swiftpoint to push around the cursor on a number of laptops over the last week, so you’ll want to hit the jump for those answers and more.

Continue reading Swiftpoint mouse review

Swiftpoint mouse review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s no question that gaming on the Android platform has heretofore been relatively underwhelming, but that looks like it’s all about to change. It seems that Sony Ericsson — a company that has yet to even introduce an Android 2.0 device — is at work on a project to redefine gaming on Google’s mobile platform. We now know (via a trusted source) that the company is actively and heavily developing a brand new gaming platform, ecosystem, and device (possibly alongside Google) which are already in the late stages of planning. And we’ve got the goods on it.

Continue reading Exclusive: Sony Ericsson to introduce Android 3.0 gaming platform and PSP Go-like smartphone

Exclusive: Sony Ericsson to introduce Android 3.0 gaming platform and PSP Go-like smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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