According to ET News, the new CX2 is 9.7mm thin, and has an IPS 3D display of unknown resolution (the rumored one is WVGA). Other rumored features include: 1.2GHz dual-core processor, HSPA (21 Mbps), NFC, Wi-Fi, DLNA, Bluetooth 3.0, and dual 5MP cameras.

Unfortunately, it’s said that the smartphone will not run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich at launch – however, it remains to be seen if this is true or not.

The LG CX2 Optimus 3D 2 should become available in South Korea before the end of this quarter, via SK Telecom. Most likely, a global launch will follow shortly.

Via Oled-display

• LG says it’s actually planning Android ICS updates for Optimus 2X and other phones
• Google Nexus Prime to bring Android Ice Cream Sandwich in October?
• LG’s upcoming Optimus 3D sequel, the CX2, could be sold as the 3D Max
• Android Ice Cream Sandwich not coming to the LG Optimus 2X
• Verizon’s Motorola Droid 4 gets its DLNA certification

Since the Optimus Vu has a 5 inch display and the Galaxy Note has a 5.3 inch one, the latter is obviously the taller device among the two. The wider one, however, is the Optimus Vu, because its screen has a 4:3 aspect ratio (with 1024 x 768 pixels).

The Galaxy Note is 83mm wide, hence the Optimus Vu is probably around 90mm wide. And unless you have really big hands, one-handed operation is likely difficult on the Vu.

(image via helloadam100.blog.me)

Like the Galaxy Note, the LG Optimus Vu should feature LTE connectivity, a 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and an 8MP rear camera. We expect to see the Optimus Vu at LG’s booth during MWC 2012 later this month, and hopefully we’ll find out when, where and for how much it’s going to be released.

• Samsung Galaxy Note to be launched by Bell in Canada
• #MWC11: Samsung Galaxy Mini, Fit and Gio hands-on (video)
• Canada: LG Optimus LTE on its way to Telus too
• Bell’s LG Optimus LTE to be released on November 22
• Samsung Galaxy Note to be launched in November in the UK

And not ‘on its way’, mind. For this is not an over-the-air affair, unfortunately, so you’ll have to use a computer (running Windows, no less) to perform the update. This was the case for all Optimus One variants, but it still sucks to be forced to tether to a computer in the age of wireless everything.

Anyway, full instructions alongside the downloads you’ll need are available on LG’s special website here. Be very careful as the update will wipe your phone’s internal memory. Completely. So back up, back up, back up.

The instructions are very detailed, so we gather you won’t need additional hand holding. Happy updating!

Via Android Community

• LG GT540 Optimus gets upgraded to Android 2.1
• LG Optimus Black Android 2.3 Gingerbread update finally on its way in Europe and India
• T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 4G Android 2.3 Gingerbread update now available
• Sprint LG Optimus S gets updated to Android Gingerbread too
• US Cellular Samsung Mesmerize gets a bug fixing update

While we don’t know when LG will officially announce the handset, new images of it have appeared on the web, alongside new details.

The model number of the Fantasy is indeed E740, as suggested by the Bluetooth SIG last month. Feature-wise, the device should bring a 4 inch WVGA Nova display, NFC (although this isn’t supported by WP Mango), Bluetooth 3.0, 1GHz single-core processor, 5MP rear camera with 720p video recording, VGA front-facing camera, and 8GB of internal memory.

PocketNow has a render of the Fantasy, claiming that it will be launched as LG Miracle:

LG will hold a press conference at MWC 2012 later this month, so we’ll probably see this new Windows Phone handset then (although the main attraction of the event should be some “revolutionary” smartphones – which I suppose will run Android).

• LG Fantasy with Windows Phone Mango caught in the wild
• HTC Runnymede press shot leaks – it’s like a Titan with Android
• HTC Eternity leaked, should come with Windows Phone Mango
• Samsung Omnia W priced in Europe: €385
• HTC Titan (Eternity) and Radar (Omega) with Windows Phone Mango announced

Although one is a tablet and the other one is a smartphone, both will have about the same price when bought outright: $649.99 for the Galaxy Tab 8.9, and $629.99 for the Optimus LTE.

The price for the Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE on contract is not known for now. But we know how much the LG Optimus LTE will be on contract: $99.99 (3-yr), $529.99 (2-yr), or $579.99 (1-yr).

Starting February 14, Telus will offer yet another LTE Android device – the Samsung Galaxy Note (which should cost $249.99 with a new 3-y contract agreement).

Via Mobile Syrup

• Samsung Galaxy Ace headed to Telus Canada. Koodo Mobile is already selling it
• Samsung Galaxy Note launches in Canada on February 14 for $249.99, pre-orders now available
• AT&T’s Samsung Galaxy Note available for pre-order at Best Buy tomorrow, free flip cover case included
• Canada: LG Optimus LTE on its way to Telus too
• Samsung Galaxy Note to be launched in Canada in mid February

Called LG Optimus Vu (no real connection with the LG Vu and Vu Plus released by AT&T in the past), the new handset has appeared in an official teaser video that allows us to admire its thinness, its 5 inch screen with 1024 x 768 pixels (for an interesting 4:3 aspect ratio), and… not much else.

It’s said that the Optimus Vu features LTE connectivity, NFC, 8MP rear camera, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal memory.

Reportedly, the LG Optimus Vu will be launched with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, thus it’s likely that it is going to be out pretty soon. We’ll let you know when (and where) exactly.

Via The Verge

• LG Optimus Vu pictured next to Samsung Galaxy Note
• Acer intros new 4.8 inch Android smartphone, new tablets
• New LG Optimus Pad LTE shows up in Korea
• Bell’s LG Optimus LTE to be released on November 22
• LG Optimus Sol E730 with Ultra AMOLED screen and Android Gingerbread launched in India

Despite carrying the Prada name on its front fascia, the new LG-made smartphone isn’t as expensive as you’d expect, instead being priced in line with all current high-end handsets.

Unlocked Mobiles will give you one if you pay £424.98, and Clove is asking £429.99 for the same device. Both prices naturally include VAT, but you’ll have to pay for transport on top of those. Just a heads up.

The Prada Phone by LG 3.0 has a 4.3-inch 480×800 touchscreen, an 8 MP autofocus rear camera with LED flash and 1080p HD video recording, a front-facing 1.3 MP camera, a dual-core 1 GHz processor, 8 GB of built-in storage, 1 GB of RAM, HSPA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, a 3.5 mm headset jack, and a 1,540 mAh battery. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, complete with a Prada UI custom skin.

• Prada Phone 3.0 by LG pre-orders start in the UK for £429.99, shipping in early February
• LG Prada 3.0 priced at £500 in the UK
• LG Prada 3.0 launching tomorrow, but only in Korea
• LG shows off its Prada 3.0 Android phone, launches red Optimus LTE in Japan
• LG Prada 3.0 to be out in the UK in February

Now the Canadian carrier has seemingly confirmed that it’s going to introduce the Optimus LTE, saying this is “coming soon.” Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly how soon, and neither for what price. But it’s worth mentioning that Bell is currently selling the handset for only $24.95 with a new 3-yr contract agreement.

The LG Optimus LTE features a 4.5 inch HD (1280 x 720) IPS display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth 3.0, TV out, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera, and an 8GB memory card pre-installed. It will be launched with Android Gingerbread, upgradeable to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

LG has already sold more than 1 million Optimus LTE units around the world. In the US, the Optimus LTE is offered by AT&T as the LG Nitro HD, and  by Verizon by as the LG Spectrum.

Via Mobile Syrup

• LG Nitro HD announced by AT&T – its first HD Android phone
• LG Optimus LTE launched by Bell – Canada’s first HD Android smartphone
• LG Spectrum for Verizon officially unveiled, will cost only $199.99 on contract
• Bell’s LG Optimus LTE to be released on November 22
• Verizon’s LG Spectrum (Revolution 2) and T-Mobile’s Nokia Lumia 710 pictured

We’ve already heard that Telus would launch the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE and the Samsung Galaxy Note with LTE, and the LG Optimus LTE seems to be the third LTE device that it will offer.

What you see above is a screenshot taken from LG’s Canadian site, clearly listing an Optimus LTE variant made for Telus. Its model number is P935, whereas Bell’s is P930. There’s no word on this from Telus yet, so we don’t know any other details. But it’s pretty clear that the Optimus LTE is on its way to Telus, which is good news for those of you who’d like an LTE smartphone a teeny tiny bit smaller than the positively gigantic Galaxy Note.

Via MobileSyrup

• Samsung Galaxy Note to be launched by Bell in Canada
• Telus to launch the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Friday for $99.99 with contract, Galaxy Note coming soon
• Telus will release the 4G Samsung Galaxy S II X on October 28
• LG Optimus Vu pictured next to Samsung Galaxy Note
• Samsung Galaxy Note launches in Canada on February 14 for $249.99, pre-orders now available

Both the LG P700 and the P880 are smartphones, that much is clear from the UPnP Forum’s notes. Also, the P700 will be running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The P880 might too, but we can’t know for sure at the moment.

According to user agent profiles found at LG’s website, the P880 will come with an HD 1280×720 touchscreen, while the P700 will have 640×480 resolution. From these numbers we can infer that the P880 will be a high-end device, while the P700 will most likely come with a physical QWERTY keyboard tucked in a candybar form factor (think BlackBerry).

And that concludes all the information we have about these phones right now. If we were to venture making a prediction, we’d say that they will both be officially announced during Mobile World Congress at the end of this month.

Via Juggly Via PocketDroid

• Sprint may soon unveil a Samsung Android-powered QWERTY candybar
• Nokia E6 now available in the US for $439 SIM-free, unlocked, sans contract
• Canada: BlackBerry Bold 9900 now available at Mobilicity, comes with three months free BIS
• New Android-powered Motorola portrait QWERTY on the way to Sprint
• BlackBerry Torch 2 live pictures surface

But what about triple-SIM phones? This is still a niche at the moment, but it’s one LG looks intent to cash in on right from the start. The Korean company is set to launch its first triple-SIM phone, the A290, soon. The first market to get it will be Russia, and the price being asked will be 2,990 rubles (which translates into approximately €75 or $99 at current exchange rates). That price is for an unsubsidized device obviously, and you may have judged from it that this isn’t a smartphone.

And indeed it isn’t. It has a 2.2-inch 176×220 display (not a touchscreen), a 1.3 MP camera, a LED flash, and a 1,500 mAh battery that’s absolutely huge for this form factor and should ensure that you have plenty of juice even with all three SIMs active. The phone’s dimensions are 113.5x51x12.95 mm.

The appeal of having three SIMs in one phone is obviously that you can chat intra-network with all your friends using minutes which are usually either free or very cheap compared to calling other networks. If the price models of mobile operators in the developing world were different, dual-SIM and triple-SIM phones would simply disappear. Alas, they’re here to stay it seems.

Oh, and the LG A290 isn’t only that company’s first triple-SIM phone, it’s the first to come out of any of the big phone makers. It should become available in Russia by late February.

Via Hi-Tech@Mail.ru

• Triple SIM phone makes an appearance
• Motorola XT882 dual-everything Android smartphone goes to China this month
• Akai Trio triple-SIM launches in India, yours for Rs.3295
• Dual SIM Samsung E2152 to be launched in August
• Triple SIM phone to be launched in India by Olive

After the update, your LG Optimus 3D will run Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread (software version V20). The update brings enhanced HSPA+ network speed (from 14 Mbps to 21 Mbps), improved video playback and video recording, better battery life during music playback, upgraded sound quality when using a headset (be it wired or Bluetooth), faster camera loading and switching time (now one second, compared to 2.5 in the past), and better 3D depth with 720p.

New in the update are a 3D video editor with the ability to create new projects, 2D to 3D and 3D to 2D conversion for both videos and images, 2D to 3D conversion for OpenGL-based games, and video stabilization support for both 2D and 3D. These new features obviously come alongside all that’s generally new in Gingerbread compared to Froyo, its predecessor.

Via MobileSyrup

• LG Optimus 3D Android 2.3 Gingerbread update detailed
• LG Optimus 3D Android 2.3 Gingerbread update will be available in the UK in October
• LG’s Optimus One line apparently won’t get Android Gingerbread
• LG Optimus 2X should get Android Gingerbread in June or July
• LG Optimus 2 shows up with CDMA support, already listed at CellCom

Last month, we saw the first purported pictures of the LG Fantasy, which supposedly is that Optimus 7 successor we’ve been waiting for. The Fantasy could be introduced during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month.

So as we’re nearing that event, an LG smartphone running Windows Phone has just received its Bluetooth certification. It only goes by model number over there, which is E740. We can’t conclusively say that the E740 and the Fantasy are one and the same device, yet the chances that LG is working on not one, but two new Windows Phones for the near future are pretty slim.

Despite the fact that the Bluetooth SIG doesn’t publish information about which operating system the phones which pass through there are running, we know that the E740 is a Windows Phone because it’s been spotted on LG’s user agent site having Internet Explorer as its Web browser.

Via WMPoweruser

• LG Fantasy / Miracle E740 with Windows Phone Mango appears in new photos
• LG Fantasy with Windows Phone Mango caught in the wild
• Mystery LG Windows Phone smiles for the camera, may be unveiled next week
• Samsung GT-N8000 gets Wi-Fi certification, may be the Galaxy Note’s successor
• Bluetooth SIG Shows Samsung Galaxy S May Come to AT&T

The phones that are nearing EOL status are the HTC Amaze 4G, Sensation 4G, LG DoublePlay, and the myTouch and myTouch Q.

These aren’t out just yet, but stores will only be clearing their existing stocks from now on. And that means that all of the aforementioned devices will not be available for long from now on. So if you’ve been holding off on buying one of them, this may be a great time to go and do just that.

Otherwise, you’ll have to wait and see what T-Mobile will replace them with. We’re also very interested in what the magenta carrier has up its sleeves, especially as replacements for the HTC Amaze 4G and Sensation 4G. We should see some really high-end stuff soon from TMo.

Via TmoNews

• LG-made T-Mobile myTouch and myTouch Q Android smartphones coming soon
• T-Mobile now selling the HTC Amaze 4G for $229.99, it’s $30 cheaper at Amazon
• T-Mobile HTC Amaze 4G – new official photos
• Samsung Galaxy S II and HTC Amaze 4G now available at T-Mobile
• T-Mobile myTouch 4G and Samsung Galaxy S 4G free with contract for limited time

The L3 isn’t a high-end device, and not even a mid-end one. It’s an entry-level offering, featuring a 3.2 inch QVGA display, 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm headset jack, 3MP rear camera, and MicroSD card support (up to 32GB).

The new handset has been priced at about €145 in Sweden, and should be out soon in two color versions – black and white.

Most probably, LG will bring the Optimus L3 E400 to MWC 2012 next month, alongside the CX2 Optimus 3D Max, and the Optimus X3 (which should feature a quad-core processor, becoming the company’s new Android flagship handset). We will be there to check them all out.

Via GSM Arena

• White LG Optimus Black available for pre-order in the UK
• LG Optimus Black officially headed to North America. Pink and white versions coming soon
• LG Optimus White Edition launched in the Netherlands
• White LG Optimus Black to be launched by Telus
• Orange Stockholm (with Android) and Orange Sydney coming soon to the UK

Thankfully, it now seems that it won’t be labelled the Optimus 3D 2. According to GSM-Israel, a very reliable source said it would be called 3D Max. It’s unclear if it will keep the Optimus branding that so far has been seen in every Android device to come out of LG – or not.

So it may be the LG 3D Max, or the LG Optimus 3D Max. Since it’s due to be announced in one month during MWC, we’re bound to find out which will be the final name soon enough.

In the meantime, here’s a refresher of the rumored specs of the 3D Max: 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, auto-stereoscopic (no glasses needed) 4.3-inch 480×800 Nova display, dual-5 MP cameras at the back (with 3D photo and video abilities), 8 GB of built-in storage space, DLNA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, 21 Mbps HSPA, and NFC.

Via PocketNow

• LG Optimus 3D will only arrive in the UK in late May
• LG CX2 (Optimus 3D 2) press photo shows up
• LG launches the Optimus 3D in India, will be available next month for Rs. 37,000
• LG Optimus 3D and Optimus Black will be launched in Australia
• Multiple LG Optimus 3Ds spotted on Ebay

The nice thing is that this isn’t limited to three-year contracts (as great deals usually are in Canada) – you can also get the 3D tablet for free with a two-year service agreement. That’s not something that happens often, and perhaps it may just convince some that free is the best price after all.

The LG Optimus Pad is in a class of its own in the Android tablet space with its dual cameras which enable 3D photo and video shooting. Aside from that (and its less-than-usual screen size of 8.9″) there’s nothing really spectacular about LG’s first Android tablet. That said, if you don’t mind the contract Rogers is imposing on you, this tablet is a lot more capable than the usual ‘budget’ offerings, so perhaps it could be your next gadget. The choice is yours.

Via MobileSyrup

• Rogers makes the LG Optimus Pad $150 cheaper, now $549.99 sans contract
• GSM HTC Evo 3D officially arriving in Europe next month
• HTC Evo 3D and LG Optimus 3D announced by Rogers
• LG Optimus Pad, Optimus 3D and Optimus One (Phoenix) coming to Rogers Canada
• Dell now sells the Streak for Rogers

Officially announced last summer, the Optimus Sol E730 is a mid-range handset that runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It features a 3.8 inch WVGA Ultra AMOLED display, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, 5MP rear camera with 720p video recording, VGA front-facing camera, 512MB of RAM, and a 1GHz single-core processor.

Indian customers can buy the Optimus Sol from Flipkart, which asks 16,990 INR (about $343) for it.

The Optimus Sol was included by LG in the list of smartphones that would get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – so users should expect and update to be rolled-out starting the second quarter of the year.

Via AndroidOS.in

• Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman launched in India
• LG Optimus 2X available now in India
• LG Optimus Net Dual Sim (P698) launched in India
• LG Optimus Hub launched in India
• LG Prada 3.0 launching tomorrow, but only in Korea

But now, six days later, you can get the LG Spectrum for less than half of what it’s still going for at Verizon. Amazon will let you have one for just $79.99. Again, you’ll need to sign a two-year contract obviously, but this is the pricing territory where nondescript midrange devices usually live. And for the same amount of cash, you could be getting a top of the line smartphone.

Needless to say, if you’ve been looking for a great handset with 4G LTE support built in, run, don’t walk to Amazon right now and order yourself an LG Spectrum. We have no idea how long this offer will last.

• Verizon Samsung Droid Charge and LG Revolution now also $0.01 at Amazon
• LG Spectrum with 4G LTE now available at Verizon for $199.99
• Verizon’s Motorola Droid Bionic now just $149.99, Droid X2 almost free at Amazon
• Verizon Motorola Droid 3 now just $69.99 with new contract
• Get Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus for just $99.99, Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX for $199.99

That said, shifting a million units in over three months isn’t all that impressive in the mobile world we live in today. Not when Apple sells 37 million iPhones in roughly the same time frame. Granted, those don’t have LTE connectivity, which is available only in a tiny portion of the world right now. But 37 times more is 37 times more.

Again not an entirely valid comparison because of the lack of LTE, but Samsung sold 3 million Galaxy S II units in 55 days.

Anyway, the LG Optimus LTE was highly successful (according to LG at least) in South Korea ever since it was launched, with 150,000 units being sold in just one month. That apparently made the Optimus LTE the fastest selling LG phone in Korea ever.

We’re anxious to find out how well the Optimus LTE will have done on the one year anniversary of its introduction in October.

Via Android Central

• More than 10% of South Koreans now own a Samsung Galaxy S II
• 200,000 Samsung Galaxy S Android phones sold in Korea within 10 days
• Samsung Galaxy S II LTE is Korea’s best selling 4G smartphone
• Samsung has sold 2 million Galaxy S smartphones in Korea, more than Apple’s iPhone
• LG sells more than 1 million Optimus One Android smartphones

So if you’re in Europe and have an unlocked Optimus Black the Gingerbread update (V20) should be on its way to you. It’s a similar situation in India. And the update is expected to make its way to other territories very soon.

To install the update, you need to use LG’s computer-based update tool which you can find over at your local LG support website (for example, for India it’s here).

The Optimus Black was announced about a year ago, when Gingerbread was already out – yet it launched with Froyo. Let’s hope LG has learned something from this experience, and will avoid pulling such a stunt again in the future.

Via AndroidOS.in, HDblog.it, and PocketNow

• LG Optimus 3D Android 2.3 Gingerbread update detailed
• US Cellular HTC Merge Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread update now available
• Rogers LG Optimus 3D Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread update will be out tomorrow
• AT&T LG Phoenix Android 2.3 Gingerbread update now available
• LG says it’s actually planning Android ICS updates for Optimus 2X and other phones

Currently codenamed LG CX2, the new handset is not a quad-core smartphone (like the LG X3 is).

According to PocketNow, the CX2 features a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4.3 inch WVGA Nova display (with “significant variation in brightness between the 2D and 3D modes”, HSPA, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, and 8GB of internal memory. The rear camera is a 5MP one, while the phone’s case should be less than 10mm thin.

Curiously (not in a good way), it’s said that the LG CX2 will be launched in early spring with Android Gingerbread on board. If that’s true, someone should inform LG that other manufacturers – like Huawei – are already releasing Android Ice Cream Sandwich phones.

Most likely, LG will officially announce the CX2 next month in Barcelona, during MWC 2012. We’ll be there to check it out.

• HTC Edge Android phone with quad core Nvidia Tegra 3 CPU coming next year?
• New LG Optimus L3 E400 with Android Gingerbread coming soon
• LG Optimus Black launching in the UK next week
• LG shows off its Prada 3.0 Android phone, launches red Optimus LTE in Japan
• Motorola Razr launched in Japan via KDDI, sadly without Android Ice Cream Sandwich

Both Flipkart and LetsBuy are offering the new smartphone to Indian customers, for 10,990 INR, and 10,499 INR, respectively (about $210 – $220).

Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the Optimus Net Dual is one of the few dual SIM smartphones to come from a major handset maker. The device features a 3.2 inch HVGA display, 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, 800MHz processor, 3.2MP camera with VGA video recording, and a 2GB memory card pre-installed.

The LG Optimus Ned Dual is also available in Brazil and Russia (where it’s called Optimus Link Dual), and it should be released in other markets pretty soon.

Via AndroidOS.in

• Dual SIM LG Optimus Net (Link) P698 officially announced
• LG Optimus Me P350 launched in India
• LG Optimus Hub launched in India
• LG Optimus LTE is the company’s first HD smartphone
• LG Optimus One with Froyo launched in India

So expect the LG Connect 4G to be added to Big Red’s already impressive lineup of smartphones that support its new high-speed data network sometime in the future. Since these FCC filings seldom reveal anything else, we’re unable to tell you just yet when the Connect 4G will land at Verizon or for how much. But do stay tuned, as these things are usually leaked sooner rather than later.

If you need a quick refresher of the Connect 4G’s specs, it comes with a 4-inch touchscreen, a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, a 5 MP camera, and it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It may become the Spectrum‘s ‘little brother’ at Verizon.

Via Wireless Goodness

• Upcoming Android Honeycomb tablet for Verizon leaks
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 is on its way to Verizon with 4G LTE on board
• Verizon LG Spectrum launches on January 19 with 4.5″ HD screen, 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU, and 4G LTE
• Verizon’s Samsung Illusion gets its specs leaked, may launch this month
• Verizon’s Samsung Stratosphere to arrive at RadioShack on October 6, HTC Vigor on October 20

Today LG’s first quad-core phone, codenamed X3, has leaked. The LG X3 may get unveiled next month during MWC. It will have a 4.7-inch 1280×720 HD touchscreen, a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, an 8 MP rear camera, a 1.3 MP front-facing camera, 16 GB of built-in storage, microSD card support, 21 Mbps HSPA support (with possible LTE versions for some markets), 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, and a hefty 2,000 mAh battery. Its thickness will be under 9 mm, which is quite a feat considering the specs.

It should run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich when it will hit the streets in late spring or early summer. As you can see from the render above though, it will still come with separate capacitive Android buttons. This seems like it’s still going to happen a lot this year, despite Ice Cream Sandwich supporting ‘soft’ or dynamic on-screen buttons a la the Galaxy Nexus.

Via PocketNow

• HTC Edge Android phone with quad core Nvidia Tegra 3 CPU coming next year?
• HTC Ville with Android Ice Cream Sandwich and Sense 4.0 UI coming at MWC 2012?
• Samsung still reviewing launch options for the new Galaxy S III
• Quad-core Samsung Galaxy S III to be announced at MWC 2012? Galaxy S 3D reportedly in the making
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 Wi-Fi headed to Canada

The LG Spectrum has 4G LTE support and may be labeled as the successor to the (not wildly successful) LG Revolution. The Spectrum can be yours for just $199.99 with a new two-year contract, which would have been great pricing just a few days ago – especially as Big Red’s LTE devices are usually at least $50 more expensive. However, the Droid RAZR is now also $199.99, and it certainly looks better. That said, the battery life issues plaguing that phone have given birth to the Droid RAZR MAXX, keep that in mind.

Anyway, back to the Spectrum. It comes with a 4.5-inch 1280×720 HD touchscreen (another plus compared to the RAZR), a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, an 8 MP camera with 1080p HD video recording, a 1.3 MP front-facing camera, 1 GB of RAM, and a 16 GB microSD card. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and is expected to be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in the first half of this year.

If you’re interested in picking one up from Verizon, hit this link now.

• Verizon Motorola Droid 4 available now
• Verizon’s Motorola Droid RAZR goes on pre-order tomorrow for $299
• Verizon Droid Razr Maxx will be launched on January 26 according to Motorola
• Verizon LG Spectrum press shots leak alongside full specs
• LG Spectrum for Verizon officially unveiled, will cost only $199.99 on contract

In the UK, it has so far been expected at the end of this month at some third-party retailers, and in early February at others. And today we know who the first operator in the UK to stock this phone will be: T-Mobile.

It has added the Prada 3.0 (the first device in the line to be a smartphone) to its ‘Coming Soon’ page. As you can see above, February is listed as the month of release, but unfortunately there aren’t any other concrete details about what date it’s going to happen on, or what the pricing will be. Though we can guess the latter, since the LG Prada 3.0 is already offered with Vodafone and Orange contracts, and it’s free with those plans starting at £31 per month. Expect T-Mobile’s offer to be quite similar. Anyway, we’ll keep you posted.

• UK: Prada Phone 3.0 by LG now up for pre-order on contract, free from £31/month, ships on January 30
• UK: Vodafone’s exlclusivity of the HTC Sensation is about to end
• Prada Phone 3.0 by LG pre-orders start in the UK for £429.99, shipping in early February
• Prada Phone by LG 3.0 now available in the UK for £424.98
• HTC Sensation and ChaCha coming to Three UK in June

The tablet is thinner and lighter than the original Optimus Pad, measuring 245 x 151.4 x 9.34 mm, and weighing 497 grams. It will be launched with Android 3.2 Honeycomb on board, and LG said nothing about a possible update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – which I find weird for a tablet that’s coming out in 2012.

Apart from LTE connectivity, the new Optimus Pad features an 8.9 inch IPS display with 1280 x 768 pixels, Wi-Fi, DLNA, 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, HDMI, Smart Movie Editor, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing camera, and a 6,800 mAh battery. The Optimus Pad LTE is the first tablet to support SD cards of up to 32GB.

The LG Optimus Pad LTE will be initially available in South Korea. There’s no word on when exactly, and neither for what price.

Via Press release (in Korean)

• New LG Optimus Pad LTE shows up in Korea
• LG Optimus LTE is the company’s first HD smartphone
• LG announces the Optimus Q2, confirms upcoming HD Android smartphone
• LG Optimus Mach LU3000 comes with original Ennio Morricone music
• LG Optimus 2X available now in India

That’s down from $99.99 (after a $50 mail-in rebate) for the Marquee, and $79.99 (also after a $50 mail-in rebate) for the Transform Ultra. So depending on which device you choose, you may save almost a hundred bucks if you take advantage of this promo.

And if you don’t mind having Sprint as your carrier and you need a decent midrange Android device, you won’t go wrong with either of these, although the LG Marquee is a bit higher-specced (and has the larger screen). That said, the Transform Ultra comes with a full physical side-sliding QWERTY keyboard, which may make up for its smaller screen in the eyes of some.

If you’re interested in these phones, keep in mind that we have no idea how long they’ll still be free, so it’s best to grab one as soon as possible. To do that, head over here for the LG Marquee and here for the Samsung Transform Ultra.

Via Phone Arena

• Samsung Transform Ultra coming to Sprint
• Samsung Transform Ultra now available at Boost Mobile for $229.99
• Sprint announces the Samsung Transform Ultra for Boost Mobile, available on October 7 for $229.99
• Sprint may soon unveil a Samsung Android-powered QWERTY candybar
• Sprint intros Android-based Samsung Transform, LG Optimus S and Sanyo Zio

Basically Microsoft is taking a different approach than Apple. While the latter is busy suing Android makers around the world, trying to get their products banned from sale, Microsoft is open to licensing the use of its patents. That, ironically, means that the more Android devices some companies sell (those who entered into agreements with Microsoft), the more money Microsoft makes.

Yes, it’s a twisted world, but that’s just the way it is. As for any details, they were, as they always are, secret. So we don’t know exactly how big that Microsoft Tax is. We can however estimate that it won’t have any visible effect on the pricing of high-end and midrange LG Android devices. However, when speaking about low-end offerings, the situation gets more complicated, for this patent fee may turn out to be a significant percentage of such a device’s cost. That could, in time, mean that similarly-specced Android smartphones won’t be sold as cheap as competing products.

However, again ironically, Microsoft isn’t taking advantage of this yet, for its Windows Phone mobile operating system only runs on upper-midrange handsets as of now. Perhaps in a few months we’ll see more affordable Windows Phones, running the rumored Tango release of the OS.

In the press release that announces Microsoft’s agreement with LG, the Redmond-based company boasts that over 70% of Android smartphones sold in the US are “receiving coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio”. Translation: over 70% of Android smartphones sold in the US are generating revenue for Microsoft. That’s an interesting situation to be in.

• HTC Android phones use Microsoft technologies, Microsoft licenses patents to HTC
• The Microsoft Tax is official: Samsung will pay royalties for each Android phone or tablet it sells
• Microsoft gets new Mobile head, sues Motorola over Android patent infringements
• Did Microsoft offer Nokia $1 billion to choose Windows Phone over Android?
• Nokia, Apple enter into patent licensing agreement, Apple has to pay up

Boost Mobile will have the Marquee in stores (and online) on January 23, so exactly one week after the Replenish. To get one, you’ll have to part with $279.99 (but there’s no long term contract signing required to get that price). The LG Marquee will be out at “additional national retailers” by the end of February.

The LG Marquee has a 4-inch 800×480 touchscreen, a 1 GHz processor, a 5 MP autofocus rear camera with 720p HD video capture, a 2 MP front-facing camera, 4 GB of built-in storage, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 3,5 mm headset jack.

It strikes a good balance between features and price, and should see quite a few sales over at Boost Mobile we reckon.

Via PhoneDog

• Boost Mobile will release the eco-friendly Samsung Replenish on January 16 for $99.99
• LG Optimus Black and Samsung Replenish for Boost Mobile pictured
• Sprint’s LG Marquee, BlackBerry Curve 9350, and Kyocera Duramax now available
• Sprint intros HTC Evo Design 4G and ZTE Warp (for Boost) Android phones
• Samsung Replenish announced as Sprint’s first green Android phone

Since the official unveiling was the first time we heard anything about the LG Viper 4G LTE, this is welcome news. We can now get to know this phone better before it arrives in the Now Network’s stores.

The LG Viper 4G LTE will have:

• 4-inch 800×480 touchscreen
• 1.2 GHz dual-core processor
• 4 GB of built-in storage space
• 512 MB of RAM
• 5 MP rear camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recording
• VGA front-facing camera
• DLNA, NFC (Google Wallet included), Sprint ID support
• 1,700 mAh battery
• Android 2.3 Gingerbread

This is going to be an eco-friendly device as well, being built from 35% recycled plastics. Unfortunately, no details about its pricing or release time frame have surfaced yet, so we’re still left wondering. That said, our bet is that the Viper won’t be out in the next few weeks, though, as Sprint still has some work to do on its LTE network. So if you crave this handset, hang in there.

• Sprint intros Samsung Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper LTE Android smartphones
• Sprint’s Motorola Photon 4G now $49.99 at Best Buy
• Google now lets you register for Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus
• HTC Hero 4G to be the final name of Sprint’s HTC Kingdom?
• Motorola launches MT870 in China, the first dual-core TD-SCDMA Android smartphone

That’s because Phones 4U has started taking pre-orders for the LG Prada 3.0 with contracts from either Vodafone or Orange. The phone is free with plans starting at £31 per month. Both operators have a contract of that amount on offer. While Vodafone’s offers you 900 minutes, 3,000 texts, and 500 MB of data each month, Orange gives you just 600 minutes and 250 MB of data alongside the same 3,000 texts.

There are other, differently-priced options though. You can even get the Prada 3.0 on a plan as low as £26 per month, but you’ll have to shell out £89 for the privilege upfront.

Whatever you choose, shipments are going to begin on January 30. Which is interesting, because every other UK retailer that lists the Prada Phone 3.0 says it will ship in February. So it looks like Phones 4U got itself a nice little exclusivity deal here, even if just for a few days.

Via Eurodroid

• UK: HP Pre 3 now up for pre-order with Orange and T-Mobile contracts, free from £20.42 per month
• HTC Sensation XE now available at Three UK, free from £30 per month
• Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini and Mini Pro up for pre-order in the UK on contract, free from £15/month
• UK: Samsung Galaxy S II now available at Virgin Mobile, free from £40.85 per month
• HTC Evo 3D pre-orders start in the UK, free from £33.5 per month, £499.99 unlocked

Both the Motorola Droid 4 and the LG Spectrum should be able to roam on any CDMA or GSM network worldwide. In fact, we’ve previously heard that the Spectrum would be a world phone, and were sad to see that gone unmentioned in the phone’s official announcement.

This feature of course is nothing new for Verizon, after all it’s been selling global roaming devices for a while now. But these are the first LTE-capable phones to feature that functionality.

Except it’s not turned on yet. So the hardware is there, and Verizon is apparently now working on a few network enhancements so it can actually enable this function. That’s according to Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney, who spoke to Phone Scoop.

The carrier expects the global roaming support to become available for the aforementioned two smartphones at some point this year, most likely before the end of June.

So there you go. Yet another reason to buy the LG Spectrum or Motorola Droid 4?

• Leaked Verizon roadmap: Motorola Droid Pro, Android 3.0 tablets and a focus on global roaming
• HTC Fireball and LG Spectrum may be Verizon’s first LTE-enabled ‘world phones’
• Verizon: don’t worry, we’ll likely have enough Droid X phones for everyone at launch
• Verizon announces the Motorola Droid 2 Global on Facebook, although it’s already available
• First pictures of the Motorola Droid 2 World Edition for Verizon surface

And sadly on January 6 it was time for the T-Mobile G2X to go down that path. It was the first dual-core smartphone to be launched in the US back in April of last year, and it’s certainly had a good run – in spite of some software glitches here and there.

What you see above is a screengrab of an internal T-Mobile system showing the recently EOL’d devices, and yes, the G2X is there in all its glory (or lack thereof). Now all that’s left is for us to find out what will succeed this device in the magenta carrier’s portfolio. Expect news of that soon.

Via TmoNews

• T-Mobile myTouch November 3 release date confirmed
• T-Mobile to launch the Nokia X2-01 affordable QWERTY candybar on February 16?
• Nokia C7 makes its way into T-Mobile’s inventory system, launch seems inevitable
• HTC Desire II (Desire S) and Wildfire S headed to US Cellular
• T-Mobile G2 nearing ‘end of life’

Already available at Verizon Wireless, the Galaxy Nexus is the world’s first smartphone to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It features – among others – a 4.65 inch HD (1280 x 720) Super AMOLED display, NFC, Google Wallet (only on Sprint), dual-core processor, and 16GB of internal memory.

The LG Viper will be launched with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, featuring a 4 inch WVGA Nova display, NFC, Google Wallet, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 5MP rear camera, and a VGA front-facing camera. The Viper is an eco-friendly handset – its “casing is made of 35 percent recycled plastics”, and there’s a “charger with a no-load consumption rating of .03W, which exceeds the EC Code of Conduct on energy efficiency.”

Sprint didn’t unveil when exactly the Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper would be released, but it should happen before mid-2012. At about the same time, customers will be able to buy the Sierra Wireless Tri-Network Hotspot, which provides access to 3G, 4G WiMax, 4G LTE and Wi-Fi networks. Sprint didn’t say anything regarding the prices of these new devices.

You can find out more here at Sprint’s LTE webpage.

Via Press release

• Google now lets you register for Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus
• Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE specs leaked by internal document
• Sprint Galaxy Nexus will have 32GB of internal memory, just like Verizon’s version
• Sprint’s Motorola Photon 4G now $49.99 at Best Buy
• Samsung Nexus S 4G for Sprint officially announced

Interestingly, unlike most of Verizon’s other high-end Android handsets, the LG Spectrum won’t cost $299 on contract, but only $199.

For that kind of money you get a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, LTE connectivity (of course), Wi-Fi, GPS, ESPN ScoreCenter app for “the most comprehensive sports coverage available on an Android device”, support for Dolby Digital Plus (you “can stream up to 7.1 channels of surround sound through home entertainment systems”), Netflix, SmartMovie HD app, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera, 1GB of RAM, and a 16GB memory card pre-installed.

The LG Spectrum will launch with Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board, but Verizon says an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is scheduled for “the first half of 2012.”

AT&T is already selling a slightly different version of the LG Spectrum in the US, namely the LG Nitro HD.

Via Press release

• HTC Titan (Eternity) and Radar (Omega) with Windows Phone Mango announced
• Verizon HTC Rezound officially presented, will be launched on November 14
• Verizon LG Spectrum launches on January 19 with 4.5″ HD screen, 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU, and 4G LTE
• LG Optimus LTE confirmed by Telus
• LG Spectrum with 4G LTE now available at Verizon for $199.99

Sure enough, Amazon is offering the Rezound for even less: $149.99. But Verizon’s deal is still a great one if you like to buy handsets directly from your carrier.

The HTC Rezound is the first smartphone launched in the US with Beats Audio. The device runs Android Gingerbread (upgradeable to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich), and features a 4.3 inch HD (1280 x 720) display, LTE connectivity, 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB of RAM, 2MP front-facing camera, and an 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording.

Via Droid-life

• Verizon Motorola Droid 4 available now
• Verizon HTC Rezound now costs only $79 at Amazon
• Verizon’s Motorola Droid 4 to be launched on February 9?
• Verizon HTC Rezound officially presented, will be launched on November 14
• Verizon’s HTC Rezound with Beats Audio available starting today

The LG Connect 4G is MetroPCS’ first smartphone to have a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. It also comes with a 4 inch WVGA Nova display covered with Gorilla Glass, Wi-Fi, GPS, Dolby Mobile sound, pre-loaded Rhapsody Unlimited Music service, 5MP rear camera, 720p video recording, and a front-facing camera.

MetroPCS says the LG Connect 4G will be available next month (no word on its price).

As for the Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G, this is just an LTE version of the Samsung Conquer 4G (available at Sprint since last year). The handset features a 3.5 inch HVGA display, Wi-Fi, GPS, 1GHz single-core processor, 3.2MP rear camera, and a 1.3 MP front-facing camera.

MetroPCS will sell the Galaxy Attain 4G starting the coming weeks for $199.99.

Via Press release and Press release

• Samsung Galaxy R (Z) with Android Gingerbread and Tegra CPU coming to the UK this month
• Dual SIM Samsung Galaxy Y Duos and Galaxy Y Pro Duos officially announced
• LG Esteem MS910 with Android Gingerbread and LTE launched by MetroPCS
• Samsung Galaxy W shows up at O2 UK, will be launched this month
• Samsung Galaxy S II i9100 shows up at O2 UK’s website

Usually, a DLNA certification means an announcement is about to follow – and, well, it really should, since we’ve heard that the new Droid would hit the market on February 2.

It’s quite possible that Verizon will unveil the Moto Droid 4 next week at CES. We’ll see.

Designed to look like a Droid Razr with sliding QWERTY keyboard, the Motorola Droid 4 features a 4 inch qHD display, LTE connectivity, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, and an HD front-facing camera. It remains to be seen if the handset will run Android Gingerbread or Android Ice Cream Sandwich at launch.

Via Blog of Mobile

• Verizon’s Motorola Droid 4 to be launched on February 9?
• Verizon Motorola Droid 4 available now
• Droid 3 now $99 at Verizon. Motorola Droid 4 could be out really soon
• Motorola Droid 4 shows up at Verizon’s DroidDoes website
• Verizon’s Motorola Droid 4 could be launched in February

If you’re in the UK and are craving this device, here’s some good news: you can already pre-order one. Clove is the retailer that has started accepting orders for the Prada 3.0, and the price it asks is £429.99, VAT included.

Shipping is expected to start in the week of February 6, so about one month from now. Yet if you’d like to be certain you have a shot at that first shipment, do go to Clove now and add a Prada Phone 3.0 to your cart.

The Prada Phone 3.0 by LG has a 4.3-inch 480×800 touchscreen, an 8 MP autofocus rear camera with LED flash and 1080p HD video recording, a front-facing 1.3 MP camera, a dual-core 1 GHz processor, 8 GB of built-in storage, 1 GB of RAM, HSPA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, a 3.5 mm headset jack, and a 1,540 mAh battery. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, complete with a Prada UI custom skin atop.

• Prada Phone by LG 3.0 now available in the UK for £424.98
• HP Pre 3 will be available in the UK tomorrow for £360
• It’s official: Verizon’s Motorola Droid 4 will be available on February 10 for $199.99
• Telstra HTC Sensation now out
• Dell smartphone roadmap leaks, powerful new Android and WP7 handsets on the way

The LG Spectrum will become available on January 19. Unfortunately we still don’t know exactly how much it will sell for, but expect this high-end Android smartphone to be priced at what has become the norm for similarly-specced 4G LTE devices on Verizon – $249.99 to $299.99 with a two-year contract.

Interestingly, even though for a long time it was thought to launch as the Revolution 2, LG Spectrum will be this device’s marketed name.

The Spectrum’s specs have been leaked once again, this time more complete than ever. In case you forgot them, here’s a quick refresher. The superphone will come with a 4.5-inch 1280×720 HD IPS touchscreen with Real Strip subpixel arrangement (read:not Pen-Tile), an 8 MP autofocus rear camera with 1080p HD video recording, a 1.3 MP front-facing camera, a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of built-in storage further expandable via microSD (a 16 GB card being preinstalled), 4G LTE, Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, and a 1,830 mAh battery. It will run Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Via Droid Life

• Verizon’s affordable Pantech Breakout with 4G LTE will be available on September 22
• LG Spectrum for Verizon officially unveiled, will cost only $199.99 on contract
• Verizon LG Spectrum press shots leak alongside full specs
• LG Spectrum with 4G LTE now available at Verizon for $199.99
• Verizon’s LG Spectrum (Revolution 2) and T-Mobile’s Nokia Lumia 710 pictured

But that will soon change, it seems. The Korean company may launch two new Windows Phones in the near future. One of them will be the Fantasy, leaked last month, and the other may be this little puppy over here:

What you see above is an image of an upcoming LG Windows Phone that clearly isn’t the Fantasy. The image originates in China, and that’s all we know for now unfortunately. No specs, no price, no release date, none of that yet.

Next week is CES, and MWC will be held at the end of February. So do expect this handset to be officially introduced at either of those events. Stay tuned.

Via wpcentral

• LG Fantasy with Windows Phone Mango caught in the wild
• Windows Phone Mango coming next week?
• LG E740 gets Bluetooth cert, may be the Fantasy with Windows Phone on board
• T-Mobile’s Nokia Lumia 710 can be pre-ordered for $0 at Wirefly
• Motorola A3300 is real, looks cool and is headed to China as A3300c

The 8107 update is a bug fixing release, which manages to squash an annoying one: the disappearing keyboard. Alongside that, it makes Gmail sync better, solves some location issues, revokes bad DigiCert certificates (a bit late, but anyway), fixes some Exchange Server 2003-related things, and finally voicemail notifications should now be more reliable.

Whether or not this update will make it to your particular Windows Phone basically depends on your carrier of choice. If you have bought your device unlocked, you’re pretty much guaranteed to receive it in the near future. If, however, you went through a carrier, it will decide when or if to push the 8107 build to you.

After all, there was another recent minor update to Mango (build 7740) which is still MIA in the USA. Thankfully (and naturally), 8107 includes all the fixes in 7740, so perhaps this one will get picked up by American carriers. One can hope.

Via Plaffo Via wpcentral

• AT&T HTC HD7S now receiving Mango Update
• Verizon rolling out Windows Phone 7.5 Mango update for HTC Trophy today
• LG E700 features IE9, might come with Windows Phone 7 Mango
• Windows Phone Mango coming next week?
• Three UK HTC Desire HD Android 2.3 Gingerbread update now rolling out

Don’t expect much, though. This isn’t that big of an update compared to its predecessor. It’s also got CDMA support, so at least for now it’s off limits for most of the world. However, that means it will probably be launched by a few CDMA carriers in the US (most well known of which are Verizon and Sprint). In fact, CellCom already lists the LG Optimus 2 for $0.95 with a new two-year contract.

The LG Optimus 2 was first spotted at LG’s website, sitting calmly and extolling its virtues – picture gallery included. As you can see, its design is nothing to write home about. And neither are the specs.

Speaking of which, the LG Optimus 2 has an 800 MHz processor, a 3.2-inch 320×480 touchscreen, a 3.2 MP autofocus camera with video capture support, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 1,500 mAh battery, 179 MB of built-in storage space, and microSD card support. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Via Phone Scoop

• LG Optimus 2X and Huawei U6150 now available from Wind in Canada
• Bell will launch the LG Optimus Chic Android smartphone on January 14
• UK: LG Optimus One now on Orange, white BlackBerry Bold 9780 on Vodafone
• T-Mobile announces the LG Optimus T, an affordable Android smartphone
• LG Optimus One arriving at Virgin Mobile USA as Optimus V

The Connect 4G hasn’t been officially announced, and we don’t know when it could hit the market, but photos of it have appeared over at PocketNow.

Reportedly, the new handset features a 4 inch WVGA Nova display, 5MP rear camera, VGA front-facing camera, dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory, and MicroSD card support.

Interestingly, the Connect may also be launched by Verizon (with the model number LG VS840), as well as by Sprint (as the LG LS840) – hence it could be one of Sprint’s first LTE devices. More on this as we get it.

• Sprint intros the HTC Evo 3D and HTC Evo View 4G
• Sprint’s Motorola Photon 4G now $49.99 at Best Buy
• Sprint intros Samsung Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper LTE Android smartphones
• Verizon Motorola Droid 4 available now
• LG Connect 4G and Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G announced by MetroPCS

According to Korea Times, which quotes Intel Korea chief Lee Hee-sung, the smartphone will be unveiled by Intel president Paul Otellini at CES 2012 (10 – 13 January), and should hit the market “in March at the earliest.” This is in line with a report on Intel’s mobile plans from May.

The features and design of the upcoming handset remain a mystery for now, but we should expect the device to use Intel’s new Medfield mobile processor, and run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

If you remember, LG and Intel have tried to launch a smartphone before, in early 2010: it was the MeeGo-based LG GW990, which had a 4.8 inch display with 1024 x 480 pixels. The GW990 was canceled, so it never reached end users. Let’s wait and see if the new Android device will.

• Motorola will launch Intel Atom based Android smartphones, tablets
• Otellini: No Intel-driven smartphones until at least 2012
• Samsung Galaxy S II now comes in pink (only in Korea for the moment)
• Intel brings Android to Atom-based smartphones
• Intel demos MeeGo 1.0 on a smartphone, a TV, and netbooks (video)

It’s not often that you see a phone’s price drop by that much in so little time, so I guess it’s safe to assume that this particular handset isn’t selling very well. But that shouldn’t stop you from purchasing one, especially now that it’s become dirt cheap.

But how cheap, you ask? £149.99. SIM-free and unlocked. Again, this same device was going for £299.99 in November.

Sure, it may not be the highest-end offering out there. It’s not even an entirely new phone per se, as it’s just basically a rehashed Optimus 7. But at this price, it may have the best price per features ratio of any Windows Phone.

The LG E906 Jil Sander Mobile has a 3.8-inch 480×800 touchscreen, a 1 GHz processor, a 5 MP autofocus camera, 16 GB of built-in storage, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, a 3.5 mm headset jack, and a preinstalled Jil Sander app.

To get one, just head over to Expansys.

• LG E906 Jil Sander Mobile with Windows Phone Mango now available in the UK for £299.99
• LG Jil Sander handset with Windows Phone Mango launched
• UK: T-Mobile Vivacity with Android 2.3, 3.5-inch screen, and 5 MP camera, now just £89.99 on PAYG
• LG 2011 smartphone roadmap leaked, many Androids and one WP7 inside
• LG Vortex to bring more Android (Froyo) to Verizon

Apparently, SK Telecom will be the first to offer the Prada 3.0 to Korean customers, followed by KT. The smartphone costs 899,800 KRW (about $776), but it will also be available subsidized on various contracts.

The Prada 3.0 features a 4.3 inch IPS WVGA display, 1GHz dual-core processor, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera, and 8GB of internal memory.

For the moment, the LG Prada 3.0 runs Android Gingerbread. It will be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich starting the second quarter of 2012 (alongside other LG smartphones, like the Optimus LTE, Optimus 2X, and Optimus Sol).

Via Press release (in Korean)

• LG shows off its Prada 3.0 Android phone, launches red Optimus LTE in Japan
• LG Optimus LTE is the company’s first HD smartphone
• LG Optimus Black officially headed to North America. Pink and white versions coming soon
• LG Optimus Sol E730 with Ultra AMOLED screen and Android Gingerbread launched in India
• LG Optimus Black launching in the UK next week

The first LG devices to get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will be the Optimus LTE, Optimus 2X, Optimus Sol, Prada Phone 3.0, T-Mobile’s LG myTouch Q, and LG Eclipse. Updates for them will start rolling-out in the second quarter of 2012.

In the third quarter, the following smartphones will get ICS: Optimus 3D, Optimus Black, Optimus Big, Optimus Q2, and Optimus EX.

Most likely, upgrades for other recent LG smartphones (like AT&T’s Nitro HD) will also be announced soon. Of course, in the meantime, some Optimus owners are still waiting for their devices to be updated from Android 2.2 Froyo to 2.3 Gingerbread.

Via The Verge

• LG Optimus 2X, Black, and 3D Android 2.3 Gingerbread updates finally coming in November
• LG Optimus Black Android 2.3 Gingerbread update finally on its way in Europe and India
• LG Optimus 3D Android 2.3 Gingerbread update will be available in the UK in October
• LG Optimus Black and Samsung Replenish for Boost Mobile pictured
• HTC Desire, Desire HD, Desire Z, and Incredible S will get Android Gingerbread in Q2