LG has announced the successor to its low-end messaging phone – KS360, which we also know as Tribe or Neon. The new device keeps the side-sliding QWERTY form factor, while priding itself with social networking features, that include integration with Facebook and Twitter.

In addition, there’s a 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen (there were no touchscreen on the KS360) as well as four-line QWERTY keypad (versus KS360’s three lines) with dedicated buttons for accessing push e-mail, the web browser and instant messaging client.

Availability wise, the LG GT350 ill go on sale in Europe from this April and will then launch in other markets around the world. It will come in four color combinations including Aqua Blue, Purple, Light Silver, and Black, some of which will be exclusive to specific carriers.

Samsung has announced a new handset, the Monte, that seems packed with social networking software. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Bebo, instant messaging, and even Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Latitude all have dedicated widgets, accessible through a Touch Wiz 2.0 Plus interface. For the more serious users, there’s also Exchange and Google Sync support.

The hard specs are a little ho-hum: 3” WQVGA LCD display and a 3.2 megapixel camera. Still, if you’re digging the sound of the device, the good man Eldar Murtazin has had some hands-on time with the Monte already. My Russian’s a bit rusty, but I think we all get the gist of it. Yeah, we’ll see this at Mobile World Congress next week, but I think Samsung’s biggest focus will be on their own operating system, Bada.

[via Korea Newswire]

LG also wants a piece of the “all-touchscreen music phone” action, after seeing the strategy works like a charm for Samsung. For that purpose, the company has unveiled the KM555e Clubby, which prides itself with a 3-megapixel camera, Dolby Mobile tech, WQVGA touchscreen, and the ability to sing along LG’s Music Club service. The device is available in Russia for 9,990 rubles (about $329) in three different colors – black, purple and silver.

We’ve no doubts LG will push the Clubby to other markets as well and in that sense we’ve already talked about the KM555 which should be launched by Canada’s Rogers Wireless at some point this year…

[Via: Engadget]

The next few months are going to see quite a few new touchscreen devices appearing on Rogers (NYSE: RCI). Among them are the Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) XPERIA X10, the LG Pop, Samsung CorbyPRO and LG KM555.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 boasts a 4″ capacitive touchscreen display, 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, 8MP camera, GPS, WiFi, micro SD and more. The last I heard, a custom Sony Ericsson Timescape UI was integrated into Android, and I have no reason to believe this won’t be on the Rogers model.

The LG Pop features a 3″ WQVGA touchscreen (240×400), a 3MP camera with video, and holds up to 16GB via microSD expansion.

Next is the Samsung CorbyPRO, which features a 2.8″ WVGA touchscreen, side-slider QWERTY keyboard, 3MP camera with video, 3.5mm headset jack, WiFi, and expansion to 16GB via microSD.

Finally, the LG KM555 is the last touchscreen slated to hit Rogers over the next little while, and this one comes complete with a 3″ touchscreen (at 240×400), 3MP camera with video, FM Radio, Bluetooth, WiFi, HSDPA support, and expansion to 16GB via microSD.

No pricing or release dates have been made available for any of these devices, but expect to hear more real soon.

Note: Check our hands-on (pics and video) of the Sony XPERIA X10 shot at CES 2010 >

[Via: MobileSyrup]

LG’s presence at CES was largely overshadowed by their TV announcements, but there were a few bones thrown to us mobile fans. First up is the Lotus Elite (top), available in red and black, which builds on the original Lotus in a couple of ways. The external  screen is now touch-sensitive. It’s still only a 2 megapixel camera and QVGA display, but it’s neat the way that the camera built into the hinge allows you to take forward-facing pictures when open, and outward-facing ones when closed. The customizable touch-sensitive external display and signature square style was nothing to sneeze at either. I was pleasantly surprised how smart this thing was for a dumbphone – the home screen had quick access to a browser, e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, and various Yahoo! services. You’ll be able to nab the red version on January 10 from Sprint (NYSE: S) for $99.99 on contract, with the black version arriving in February.  Greg wins the bonus round for speculating that the next Lotus would be coming out at CES.

Next up is Rumor Touch, upgrading from the Rumor 2 with (you guessed it) a touch display. The overall layout makes it feel a hell of a lot sleeker than its predecessor, which felt a lot more blocky and feature-phoney. The 3″ WQVGA display and 2 megapixel camera make the Rumor Touch a marked improvement over the original, though maybe not much of one. It’ll be out sometime in the first quarter – sign up for updates here.

LG has launched a new mid-range device in its domestic market – LG Pastel SU410. SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) is LG’s “partner in crime” which is asking 400,000 KRW (about $338) for the clamshell device. Available in white and pink, the SU410 seems designed as a “perfect Christmas gift for her.”

Feature wise, LG’s baby comes with a 2.8-inch WQVGA internal display, external LED screen for notifications, DMB mobile TV receiver, 2-megapixel camera, 900 mAh battery, 2GB of internal memory that is further expandable with microSD cards (up to 16GB).

Finally, it’s also worth adding that the LG Pastel SU410 is also available via Japan’s NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM) as LG L-02B.

[Via: Unwired View]

Samsung has just announced more information about their custom operating system called “Bada“. It will be based on Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface that we see today deployed across their wide portfolio of feature phones, Windows Mobile devices, and the Symbian powered i8910 HD. Samsung is also announcing a $2.7 million prize fund that will shell out prizes for up to 300 developers who create applications that fit into one of nine different categories; the largest prize is $300,000. Twitter, Blockbuster, CAPCOM, EA Mobile, and Gameloft are at the event and pledging their support to the Bada platform.

There will be a live video stream of the event starting at 12:15 GMT which you can follow here. As more information is released, this blog post will be updated. Stay tuned!

[Photo above live tweeted by @recombu]

Some quotes from the press release:

• “To enhance creativity and user interactivity, Samsung bada provides flash control, web control, motion sensing, fine-tuned vibration control, and face detection. Also, it supports sensor-based, context-aware applications. By using various sensors such as accelerometers, tilt, weather, proximity, and activity sensors, application developers can easily implement context-aware interactive applications.”
• “Samsung bada differentiates its position by supporting various service-centric features such as social networking, device synchronization, content management, location-based services, and commerce services – all supported by back-end bada servers. These ground-breaking developer-friendly features support developers to implement various services without additional effort.”
• “Applications can use device functions to make phone calls, send messages, or access the contact list. Also, various service applications can share information such as personal profiles, social relations, schedules, or contents with a simple user confirmation in order to provide services with greater personal relevance and cooperative service extension.”

Stream started. Here are some of the things Bada will be capable of:

click for full size

Bada partners:

click for full size

Samsung has just stated that in 2009 they estimate that they’ve sold 40 million touch screen mobile phones.

All Bada devices will have 3G, WiFi, GPS, motion sensors and either a WQVGA or WVGA display, both multi touch enabled.

Stream ended and in my 3 years of covering mobile devices, I have to say that was one of the worst presentations I’ve ever had the displeasure of watching. In case you’re wondering, yes they showed off the UI, no I don’t have any images or videos to share with you. It was, quite literally, a 15 second clip of video the size of a postage stamp on my screen. Eric from Phone Scoop is at the event, here is hoping he can get some sort of demo on video to share with the world.

Update: Don’t get your hopes up for a demo. This tweet just came in from Eric: “They don’t have any demo Bada phones at the Bada launch event. None. Nada for Bada. #Bada”

Part of HTC’s 2010 roadmap has been leaked by “B3ler3fonte”, member of the xda-developers fourm. The 8 new devices fall into 4 new segments that HTC will be targeting, in much the same way that Nokia (NYSE: NOK) or Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) target different audiences depending on the product being marketed. In the “Design/Lifestyle” category we have “Legend”, the successor to the HTC Hero that we heard about over the weekend, and “Salsa”. Legend, pictured below, will have a 3.2 inch capacitive OLED screen, measure 111 mm long, 57 mm wide, and only 11.4 mm thick. It will have quadband GSM/EDGE, dualband (900/2100 MHz) 7.2 Mbps HSPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, a 5 megapixel camera, optical mouse, 3.5 mm headphone jack, 1300 mAh battery, and run on Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM)’s MSM 7227 which was announced earlier this year as a budget chipset for delivering sub $150 smartphones to market. That doesn’t mean the Legend will cost under $150 of course, especially with that OLED screen. Expect it to his the market in March 2010.

The Salsa is a budget QWERTY device. Due in June 2010, it will be crazy thin, only 8.6 mm. At 65 mm wide, it’s wider than the iPhone 3GS, and it’s also 115 mm tall. It will have quadband GSM/EDGE, dualband (900/2100 MHz) 7.2 Mbps HSPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, a 3.2 megapixel camera, 3.5 mm headphone jack, 1100 mAh battery, and run on Qualcomm’s MSM 7225 processor, the same one that powers the low end HTC Tattoo. It will have a 2.6 inch QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) screen, so this is definitely going to be priced to move.

Next in HTC’s roadmap leak we have the “Social” segment. This contains the “Tide” and the “Buzz”. The Tide, pictured below, is the first Android device with a standard T9 keypad. It has roughly the exact same specifications as the Salsa. Quadband GSM/EDGE, dualband (900/2100 MHz) 7.2 Mbps HSPA, 3.5 mm headphone jack, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3.2 megapixel camera, 2.68 inch QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) screen, 1130 mAh battery, Qualcomm MSM 7225 processor, all in a 114 mm tall, 53 mm wide, 13 mm thick package. Expect it to hit the market in April 2010.

Buzz looks like the HTC HD2, but it’s far, far slower and less impressive. It has a 3.2 inch QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) screen, 5 megapixel camera, 3.5 mm headphone jack, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, quadband GSM/EDGE, dualband (900/2100 MHz) 7.2 Mbps HSPA, all in a package that is 11 mm thick, 105 mm tall, and 60 mm wide. Again, like the Salsa, it will have the Qualcomm MSM 7225.

Now we’ve reached the “Performance” segment. This is the one all of you guys care about. The “Bravo” will be the only device in the segment in the first half of 2010 and it will be the first Qualcomm Snapdragon Android device offered by HTC. It will run at 1 GHz, have a massive 3.7 inch WVGA (800×480 pixel) OLED display, quadband GSM/EDGE, dualband (900/2100 MHz) 7.2 Mbps HSPA, 5 megapixel camera, 720p video recording, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, 1400 mAh battery, 3.5 mm headphone jack, and the same optical joystick as seen in Legend. When will this come out? April 2010.

The next 3 devices (“Photon”, “Trophy”, and “Terra”) belong to the “Productivity” segment, and they run Windows Mobile 6.5. The “Photon”, as seen below, looks like the successor to the Touch Diamond 2. It has Qualcomm’s new MSM 7227 processor, quadband GSM/EDGE, dualband (900/2100 MHz) 7.2 Mbps HSPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3.5 mm headphone jack, 5 megapixel camera, 3.2 inch HVGA (480 x 320 pixel) screen, and a 1300 mAh battery. It’s only going to be 10.9 mm thick, 104 mm tall and 57 mm wide. Expect to see it on store shelves in April 2010.

“Trophy” is the monoblock QWERTY form factor that BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) owners all know and love. Under the hood we have a 3 inch VGA (640 x 480 pixel) screen, 5 megapixel camera, huge 1400 mAh battery, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, quadband GSM/EDGE, dualband (900/2100 MHz) 7.2 Mbps HSPA, Qualcomm’s new MSM 7227 processor, all in a package that is 11 mm thick, 119 mm tall, and 58.4 mm wide. It will start shipping in May 2010.

Last we have “Terra”, which looks exactly like the Touch Pro 2, except it’s all black and has a 3 WQVGA (480 X 272 pixel) inch screen versus the 3.6 inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) screen in the Touch Pro 2. You get WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, quadband GSM/EDGE, dualband (900/2100 MHz) 7.2 Mbps HSPA, Qualcomm’s new MSM 7227 processor, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and a 1300 mAh battery.

Conclusion: What we’re seeing here is HTC getting into the low to mid end. They’re recycling old designs, and building them on top of new low cost, low end processors, and will predictably price these things to gain market share and build brand loyalty. It’s a bit disappointing that HTC isn’t going to be releasing more high end devices, but it makes sense since seasonally speaking the first half of 2010 usually doesn’t get a lot of sales. The second half of 2010 is a whole other story, or at least I hope it is a different story, because if it isn’t then 2010 will be known as the year that the industry took the smartphones of 2009, slapped on a new coat of paint, and priced them at half the cost in an attempt to get the smartphone sector to grow.

Mobile World Congress will be interesting.

What’s better than a touchscreen? Two touchscreens! Or at least Samsung seems to think Chinese mobile users like the idea. The company’s W799 embraces the idea making it look kinda weird. The “weird” part comes from the fact that its external screen is identical to the internal one — both measure 3 inches and both run TouchWIZ in WQVGA resolution. Or that’s just me being too conservative.

Rest of the specs include CDMA2000 3G, tri-band GSM, 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash, secondary video camera for video calls, Bluetooth, TV-out, FM radio, GPS, and a microSD memory card slot.

Finally, it’s fair to add that we’ve no clue whether Samsung plans to export its dual-screen baby to the Western hemisphere. Pricing is unknown as well…

[Via: SamsungHub]

Samsung Canada’s site is showing off a handset we haven’t really seen before: the A886 Forever. It’s running the all-too-familiar TouchWiz user interface, and proudly sports the Rogers (NYSE: RCI) (NYSE: RCI) branding. Here’s a quick run-down of the specs:

• Quad band GSM (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900) and dual band HSDPA (850 / 1900)
• 3.0″, 240 x 400 WQVGA TFT touchscreen
• 1000 mAh battery, 3 hour talk time, 250 hour standby
• 2 megapixel camera with autofocus (no flash)
• AGPS, Stereo Bluetooth

They’re pitching the A886 as a web-capable phone that you don’t necessarily need a data plan to enjoy; bizarre contradiction, especially without Wi-Fi in there. It’s pretty mid-range, so it’s entirely possible that this will fit into Rogers’ sub-$99 “webphones” family.

[via MobileSyrup]

UPDATE: Oh, hey, there it is on Rogers for $79.99 with a three-year contract.