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HTC Desire, Apple back to school promo, Nokia Windows Phone: US Update
Nokia Windows Phone incoming: promises to blow your socks off!
HP Pre 3 set for July 8 UK release, now up for pre-order
Motorola Pro will replace Milestone 3 in the UK, launches in July
miScroll, the world’s cheapest Android 2.3 tablet: From Yorkshire?
Best tablet review: group test
Apple’s new back to school promo: Buy a Mac get £65 to spend on the Mac App Store
Samsung Smart TVs are selling like hot cakes, two million units sold in 90 days
Update: HTC Desire will receive Android Gingerbread, minus select apps
BlackBerry PlayBook binned by O2, Sony Android tablets dated and Facebook plots to take over the iPhone: Lunchtime Lowdown

HTC Desire, Apple back to school promo, Nokia Windows Phone: US Update

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 09:45 AM PDT

So much tech news, so little time. In today's US Update we cover the latest on the HTC Desire Gingerbread saga, look at Samsung Smart TV sales, unveil Apple's new back-to-school promo, confirm the Motorola Pro UK release date, track down HP Pre 3 pre-order news and wrap up with the latest on Nokia's first Windows Phone handset.

The HTC Desire will receive the highly-coveted Android Gingerbread update several months in the making. The catch: HTC will remove select apps from the release to meet the Desire's storage criteria. Could this mean the HTC Desire will run vanilla Android Gingerbread?

Samsung has reportedly sold more than two million of its Smart TVs in just 90 days. The manufacturer confirmed the startling figure via a press release this morning, citing North America and Europe as its two largest markets, accounting for more than 700,000 units sold.

Apple has revamped its back-to-school promo today. Unlike past years, now students who purchase a new Mac will receive a £65 gift card which can be used in the Mac App Store, App Store, iTunes or iBookStore. Where's the free iPod touch?

After announcing the Motorola Milestone 3 would not be coming to the UK, electronics retailer Clove confirmed the Motorola Pro would take its place. The site currently has the device up for pre-order and promises a release by mid-July.

The third generation Palm Pre, officially known as the HP Pre 3, will be released on July 8 in the UK. The smartphone is available for pre-order today, but like all things webOS, the date and price is subject to change. Let's hope we see the smartphone launch close to the TouchPad.

Last in this morning is news on the first Nokia Windows Phone handset. Dave Trevaskus, a senior training consultant for Nokia, has announced on Twitter it will "blow your socks off". For Nokia's sake, let's just hope he's right. That wraps up the latest and greatest in the world of tech news. As always I'm Nick Marshall and I'll see you again tomorrow.

Nokia Windows Phone incoming: promises to blow your socks off!

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 09:15 AM PDT

The first Windows Phone handset from Nokia, powered by Mango, will reportedly, "blow your socks off". At least according to Dave Trevaskus, a senior training consultant for Nokia, who announced his praise for the upcoming smartphone on Twitter this morning.

According to mobile-review's Eldar Murtazin, there's currently two Mango-powered Nokia prototypes make the rounds throughout the company. Which device Dave Trevaskus is referencing on Twitter, however, is anyone's guess.

Let's just assume the first Nokia Windows Phone device has the hardware to blow our socks off. With countless features coming to Windows Phone Mango, combined with Nokia's award winning optics and extensive distribution channels, is Nokia Microsoft alliance destined for success? The odds are certainly stacking in favor of Windows Phone and there's more than a couple analysts who would agree.

With Microsoft controlling Windows Phone hardware requirements how do you imagine Nokia's Windows Phone handset will raise the bar?

via PocketNow

HP Pre 3 set for July 8 UK release, now up for pre-order

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 08:30 AM PDT

Step right up for your chance to ride the next wave of webOS. You know webOS, that tasty and delightful mobile OS once created by Palm, but now owned by HP. The HP Pre 3 is rumored to be launching on July 8 in the UK and if you're ready to commit, Play.com has the device on pre-order for an asking price of £349.99.

As the next-generation of webOS 2.2 hardware, the Pre 3 enters a crowded smartphone market. Will its 3.58-inch WVGA display and 1.4 GHz Scorpion processor be enough to win over smartphone fans?

Certainly a lot can change between now and July 8, but with the TouchPad launching in July the dater seems probable. Also factor in the synergy between the TouchPad and the Pre 3 with HP's touch-to-share feature and we'd say odds favor the July 8 release.

July 8 | Pre-order Now | £349.99

Motorola Pro will replace Milestone 3 in the UK, launches in July

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT

Yesterday we told you Motorola had scrapped plans to bring the Droid 3, better known as the Milestone 3, to the UK. Following confirmation by Clove, the retailer came forward with a rather somber announcement: the Motorola Pro will be manufacturer's next hardware QWERTY solution for the UK.

An aging Milestone 2 is no laughing matter. While it might seem arcane for some, there are Android users who not only want, but rely on a physical keyboard. Unfortunately the landscape-oriented five-row QWERTY keyboard of the Motorola Droid 3 will not be it, at least not in the UK.

Instead, the Motorola Pro which was announced back at Mobile World Congress will have to make do. With its 3.1-inch 320 x 480 resolution display, 1 GHz processor, and 5-megapixel camera, the Motorola Pro hardly seems like a replacement to the Milestone 2, or heck even the original Milestone.

However, not all is lost with the Motorola Pro. The design favors speed, mixing together a BlackBerry-inspired keyboard with a highly-pocketable candy-bar shaped design. Not only will you be able to take the phone out of your pocket and start typing faster, but the phone should be more rigid since there's no sliding mechanism. For the business professional on the go, the added durability might be the Pro's greatest asset.

Pre-order | Clove | £420

miScroll, the world’s cheapest Android 2.3 tablet: From Yorkshire?

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 07:37 AM PDT

We honestly expected something like the miScroll coming out of a Shenzhen two-bit company, not a good ol’ Yorkshire firm. But here it is, and as far as we can tell, it’s the world’s cheapest Android Gingerbread tablet, undercutting the Samsung Galaxy Tab by half, and the HTC Flyer by 75 percent. Eee by gum, that’s a saving.

The miScroll, from Yorkshire based Storage Options, packs in a 7-inch 800×480 screen, along with a 1GHZ ARM11 processor, 256MB of RAM a microSD slot, Wi-Fi and even HDMI out, with claimed support for a variety of video formats including full 1080p MKV.

Best tablet review: group test

For £119.95, that doesn’t sound too bad, especially with the relatively recent Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board. As ever though there are catches: the screen is resistive, and best served with a stylus rather than your fingertip, and the software is missing those crucial Google apps, such as Gmail, Google Maps and the Android Market App Store. Oh well. You can’t have everything we guess.

PS We couldn’t resist:

Best tablet review: group test

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 07:11 AM PDT

The best tablet, at first glance, ought to be the iPad 2. It’s cheap, fast, and phenomenally easy to use. But don’t write off all the Android candidates we’ve been seeing lately….

Below, you’ll find all the tablets we’ve reviewed recently, with all the information you need at a glance. You can click through for each, and when we cast our opinion on a new one, you’ll find it here too.

HTC Flyer review

Price From £479.99
We love Stylus, HTC Sense overlay, smart bezel
We hate Slightly creaky, no Android 3.0 skills
Verdict The best 7″ tablet, but it would taste even better with Honeycomb

Acer Iconia Tab A500 review

Price £449.99
We love Great screen and sound
We hate The chunkiest slate yet
Verdict As fine as Android Honeycomb is, this is just too big and too expensive compared to rivals

Asus Eee Pad Transformer review

Price £379.98
We Love Fantastic screen for the price, Honeycomb has been sensibly tweaked
We Hate No more attractive, or thinner, than the Xoom
Verdict We didn’t know Asus had it in them. A cracking tablet with a few little caveats.

Motorola Xoom review

Price £479
We Love Android 3.0 has huge potential, speedy hardware
We Hate It’s a tad premature and crashy
Verdict Google will eventually gobble up a big chunk of the tablet market with Honeycomb, but the Xoom alone won’t manage it with its software quirks

Apple iPad 2 review

Price From £399
We Love Thinner and faster with the same battery life as before
We Hate Not quite worth the upgrade for iPad owners
Verdict The best tablet on the market, no question, but it’s evolution not revolution

Archos 101 Android tablet review

Price £298.99
We love Excellent multimedia support, slim and sturdy, kickstand
We hate Baffling TV out connection, no Google apps or Flash yet
Verdict The Advent Vega represents slightly better value for money – and the iPad definitely does

Advent Vega review

Price £249.99
We love Price, snappy web browsing
We hate Rough around the edges, screen ratio better suited for video than reading
Verdict Startlingly good value, but with Android minus Google support, you really need to know what you’re letting yourself in for

Samsung Galaxy Tab review

Price £259.73
We Love Nippy, convenient, Google apps
We Hate Android 2.2, rather than Honeycomb
Verdict A great little gadget that’s been massively reduced in price since launch

Apple’s new back to school promo: Buy a Mac get £65 to spend on the Mac App Store

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 07:02 AM PDT

Starting today and running until September 20, Apple will offer students a £65 gift card to use on the Mac App Store, the App Store, the iTunes Store or the iBookstore with the purchase of a new Mac. As usual, the £65 gift card is in combination to the instant savings offered to students ranging from £122 to £315, depending on model.

Unlike past years where Apple offered a free iPod touch (valued at £193) with the purchase of a new Mac, this year it's all about apps. Apple has seen the app gold rush phenomenon sweep the globe on iOS and more recently on the Mac. The switch from iPod to gift card is a smart play for Apple, but what about the students?

How do you feel about the switch from a free iPod touch to the £65 gift card? Do you think the gift card value should vary depending on the price of your Mac? On the plus side, with Final Cut X expected to launch in the App Store this month, £65 could certainly put a dent in the upgrade.

Out Now | Apple | £65 gift card

Samsung Smart TVs are selling like hot cakes, two million units sold in 90 days

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 06:15 AM PDT

It took Samsung nearly eight months to sell two million LED TVs. Today, the company smashed that record and announced it had sold more than two million of its Smart TVs in just 90 days. Leading sales was Europe and North America which accounted for more than 700,000 units sold.

Here's your Samsung Smart TV sales timeline: 500,000 sold in 25 days, 1,000,000 in 45 days and 2,000,0000 after 90. That breaks down to 22,000 TVs sold per day or 15.4 sold per minute, wow.

With Smart TVs ranging in size from 32 to 75 inches, there's a set for almost any budget. The combination of more than 600 Samsung apps and a simple UI makes a Smart TV a popular alternative to building a Home Theater PC, especially if your goal is bringing the web to your living room.

The real shocker in today's announcement is that Samsung believes "the second half of Smart TV sales are expect to be more resilient". Just how many Smart TVs can Samsung sell in 2011?

via Samsung

Update: HTC Desire will receive Android Gingerbread, minus select apps

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 05:39 AM PDT

In the past 48 hours HTC has sent Desire owners on a roller coaster of emotion. First the Android Gingerbread update is cancelled due to memory limitations and then a mere 24 hours later the company retracts the statement. In the latest development, HTC has clarified its position by saying, "to resolve the Desire's memory issue and enable the upgrade to Gingerbread, we will cut select apps from the release".

Which apps will be cut from the release? We're not sure yet, HTC promises to offer a status update on the situation "starting next week". So, on the plus side yes Gingerbread is coming to the HTC Desire in some shape or form, however, certain applications will not be included.

Here's one Desire owner's solution to the problem, "cut peep, friendstream, footprints, stocks, video player, and all the other junk not needed as part of the ‘sense experience’. Would rather have gingerbread and lose bundled apps."

In the company's initial statement, Gingerbread was cancelled because they were unable to release the update without "compromising the HTC Sense experience you've come to expect from our phones". Though HTC says they'll be cutting select apps, it makes us wonder if they really mean they'll be cutting Sense. What do you think: would you rather have vanilla Gingerbread on your HTC Desire or would you rather keep HTC Sense and skip the update?

via HTC

BlackBerry PlayBook binned by O2, Sony Android tablets dated and Facebook plots to take over the iPhone: Lunchtime Lowdown

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 04:52 AM PDT

Yo ho ho, it’s lunchtime already. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Stop what you’re doing and tuck into our veritable technological news feast, right here in the lunchtime lowdown.

First up, let’s talk tablets. We’ve got some good news for you in the shape of a UK release date for Sony’s PlayStation friendly Android tablets, and some bad news for you by way of O2 binning the BlackBerry PlayBook. Apparently, that user experience just isn’t up to snuff.

Over in gaming meanwhile, Nintendo revealed that the upcoming Wii U console won’t in fact play DVDs or Blu-rays – once again. Has it missed a trick?

Finally, a new report suggests Facebook is working on a revamped HTML5 web app for iPhone, one that’ll take Apple out of the equation completely. Be sure to read up on what it means for you.

Still want more news? Roll on over to the homepage and help yourself to it all as it breaks!