Nokia PureView 808 likely to be announced in the US on Monday

More than a month ago, Nokia USA's president said the company was planning to release the 808 PureView smartphone Stateside. And it looks like an official announcement related to this will be made on Monday, June 18.

Over at its US Facebook page, Nokia has shared three images which promise something for Monday. The PureView smartphone isn't mentioned, but all images are related to the 808 number. The first one is satellite photo of Hawaii, which has the 808 telephone area code. The second one shows the Roland TR-808 drum machine. And the third one matches the cover of an album released by a band called 808 State. And if that's not enough, All Things D reports that unnamed sources say the upcoming announcement indeed "has to do with the U.S. availability of the" PureView 808 - which, with its 41MP Carl Zeiss rear camera, seems to be the best cameraphone ever made.

As previously rumored, the 808 PureView might be sold in the US only unlocked, hence we will probably not see any mobile carrier offering it.

Mysterious Motorola slider spotted, heading for Sprint, not Verizon

Still in love with a hardware keyboard, and looking for something new on Sprint? You might be in luck, as this little guy (and it does seem little by today's standards) was spotted in the Android Central forums.

Not much can be said about the device, other than the buttonless approach from Motorola (thank you, Moto, somebody's got to follow Google's Android 4.0 guidelines). Android Central is guessing a qHD screen, possibly LTE. However, I have to reiterate again: nothing other than the 5-row keyboard, running ICS, being a Motorola device and heading for Sprint (there's a Sprint Music app) can be determined with certainty.

T-Mobile LTE, HSPA+ expansion update

 T-Mobile has put out a press release to give an update regarding the work on establishing their 4G LTE network and introducing their HSPA+ services on the 1900 MHz spectrum. The entire release is posted below, but the main points are:

1. LTE trials are underway, and the network should launch next year.

2. HSPA+ on the 1900 MHz bandwidth is currently being tested, and was spotted by a few people in San Francisco near the Moscone Center.

3. New equipment has been installed at “modernized GSM/HSPA+” sites, and the aim is to reach 2,500 sites by the end of July.

  Press Release

Fast Progress on 4G Network Modernization

June 14, 2012

We’re making great progress in just three short months since we first announced T-Mobile’s $4 billion 4G network evolution plan, including network modernization and deployment of long term evolution (LTE) service in 2013. Here are some of the highlights:

Just last month, T-Mobile announced multi-year agreements with Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks to support our $4 billion 4G network evolution plan, which will include a modernization of 37,000 cell sites and a move to the latest, state-of-the-art, LTE release 10 capable equipment.

Initially, this effort will improve existing voice and data coverage, make our 4G network compatible with a broader range of devices (including the iPhone), and pave the way for long term evolution (LTE) service next year.

With contracts in place, we’re making excellent headway on our network infrastructure transformation. By the end of this month we expect new equipment to be installed at our first 400 modernized GSM / HSPA+ sites and we plan to grow this to over 2,500 sites by the end of July.

We’ve also secured zoning approval or do not require zoning for over 19,500 sites and have completed necessary entitlement work, including obtaining building permits for over 4,000 sites.

As new equipment is in place, we’re turning up some small scale tests of 4G HSPA+ service in our 1900 MHz spectrum. Some customers with unlocked iPhones recently saw evidence of those tests; clocking much faster data speeds at the Moscone West conference center in San Francisco. More of these speed sightings will occur as we work toward introducing 4G HSPA+ service in our 1900 MHz spectrum in a large number of markets later this year.

Finally, LTE trials are underway and this summer we’ll begin using Release-10 equipment in these trials. The ability to launch with this next version of LTE technology is one advantage of launching next year.

Microsoft's mystery announcement happens Monday at 6:30pm EST, get your liveblog here!

What to do when Microsoft schedules two major announcements in one week? Plan a liveblog and cue the speculation, of course. With a sneak peek of Windows Phone Apollo coming in just two days, we're pretty confident tomorrow's press conference won't have anything to do with mobile phone software. But Win8 tablets? Perhaps a Kindle Fire competitor running Windows RT? Now we're talking. Or maybe there's a piddly chance we'll actually hear more about Xbox Music? With no hints coming out of Redmond, your guess is as good as ours until the event kicks off. Be sure to bookmark this link and join us tomorrow at 6:30pm EST as we give you up-to-the-minute coverage, live from Microsoft's press room in Los Angeles.

AOC Aire iPlay is the First LCD Monitor with Built-in iPod/iPhone Docking Station

The AOC Aire iPlay (e2343Fi) is a 23″ inch monitor that is only 12.9 mm-thin and offers full HD 1080p resolution, a 50,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio and 2 ms response time. The feature that sets this particular monitor apart from all the others on the market is that it has a built-in 30-pin docking station that allows video, audio and photo playback from iPhones and iPods. Built-in speakers offer SRS Sound and special Screen+ software allows the user to divide the screen into four self-contained work areas. The 23-inch AOC Aire iPlay (e2343Fi) would make a great gaming monitor for your Xbox or other console, or a second monitor for your PC. It is available for $279.99 MSRP at Amazon.com and other online retailers. AOC has a facebook contest going on right now to win one of these monitors just by liking their page.

Leaked document sheds light on next-generation Xbox, Kinect 2

Even though Microsoft confirmed that we wouldn't see it, some fans were still disappointed the company didn't reveal details regarding its next-generation Xbox gaming console at this year's Electronics Entertainment Expo. A newly leaked 56-page document detailing the “Xbox 720” may ease those frustrations, however. The document, which appears to be from mid-2010, presents a road map for the future of the Xbox platform through 2015. Microsoft will reportedly release the next-generation system during the 2013 holiday season as previously reported, as part of a $299 bundle with new Kinect hardware. The software giant is looking to sell more than 100 million units during the console's 10-year life cycle. The Xbox 720 will include support for Blu-ray, true 1080p and native 3D output, and will be six times more powerful than the current Xbox. At the time this document was created, the company was planning to use six to eight 2GHz ARM/x86 cores, with two additional ARM/x86 cores that would power the console's operating system and three PowerPC cores for backward-compatibility. The documents suggest that Microsoft is currently working on a new Kinect accessory as well that will be more accurate, with dedicated hardware processing and support for four-player tracking. Other improvements include a higher quality RGB camera, stereo imaging and improved voice recognition. Microsoft is also apparently planning to offer a head-mounted display device similar to Google's Project Glass. The hands-free glasses will be able to connect to Xbox Live and deliver real-time information on people, places and objects. The product is referred to as both “Kinect Glasses” and “Fortaleza Glasses,” and is scheduled for a 2014 release according to the leak. The information was originally posted on Scribed, and while there is no way to prove its authenticity, it has since been removed at the request of Covington & Burling, a law firm that represents Microsoft.

Samsung Galaxy S III Enterprise Version Coming to US

 
When Samsung launches its Galaxy S III in the United States, it will also unveil its boardroom-worthy version. The Android 4.0-powered smartphone will be Samsung's first American phone to be stamped with its SAFE (Samsung Approved for Enterprise) seal of approval.

The Samsung Galaxy S III enterprise edition will handle 256-bit AES encryption–regardless of the carrier–as well as upgraded support for Exchange, remote management, and VPNs you always find on any Android device.

Samsung also introduces the SAFE2SWITCH program that offers trade-in discounts for prosumers and corporate customers who are willing to swap their older devices in exchange for secured Galaxy S III, even if it is not part of any corporate deal.

The SAFE-ready Samsung Galaxy S III is expected to be available by July.

Boostcase Hybrid iPhone Case And Battery

 
No matter how new your portable device may be or how good its battery performs, that need for some back up power still remains. And with a device like the iPhone, having some back up power ready is somewhat like a necessity, given that people are really fond of using their iPhones all of the time. The Boostcase Hybrid will be quite handy in such cases.

The Boostcase Hybrid is a two-piece iPhone case and back up battery. This unique design to a common iPhone accessory would look quite appealing to most iPhone users. Boostcase Hybrid comes with a snap-on iPhone casing that can provide some added level of protection to your device. There is also a separate snap-on external battery that provides extra power to the iPhone, thanks to its 1900mAh lithium polymer battery. The external battery attaches to the Boostcase Hybrid casing with its 30-pin connector and a special locking mechanism. It is a unique design that gives your iPhone some ready back up power and yet also maintain a slim design with its casing. The Boostcase Hybrid is available at Amazon for US$80.

Pioneer Computers DreamBook Power W27CR 17.3-inch Notebook

Pioneer Computers Australia hits back with a new 17.3-inch notebook, the DreamBook Power W27CR. Specs-wise, the system sports a 17.3-inch 1600 x 900 or 1920 x 1080 display, a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-3820QM quad-core processor, a GeForce GT 630M 1GB graphics card, up to 8GB RAM, a 1TB hard drive (hybrid drive with 500GB HDD or up to 240GB SSD), a Blu-ray drive, a 9-in-1 media card reader, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, built-in stereo speakers and runs on Windows 7 OS. Price itself starts at $599. [Product Page]

Microsoft announces Surface for Windows 8 Pro: Intel inside, optional pen input

Microsoft didn't just announce one Surface tablet today — it's announced one for each of the main varieties of Windows. That includes the Surface for Windows 8 Pro, which is slightly larger and decidedly more Intel-based than its ARM-fueled counterpart for Windows RT.

In addition to the more full-fledged OS, it packs a larger 42 W-h battery, an Ivy Bridge Core i5 processor (at least in the model on display today), USB 3.0 ports instead of 2.0, and your choice of 64GB or 128GB of storage (double the standard offerings of the RT Surface). You'll also get a higher 1080p resolution from the 10.6-inch ClearType display, but it comes wrapped in a package that's 13.5 mm thin and weighs 903 grams (compared to just 9.3 mm and 676 grams for the RT).

That's apparently not big enough to disqualify it from Microsoft's new keyboard-laden covers, though, and it even gets another accessory of its own: a pen with a “Palm Block.” As for pricing and availability, Microsoft is only going as far to say that it will be “on par with Ultrabook-class PCs” and available about three months after the Windows 8 launch (when the RT model will be available).

Barnes & Noble confirms they are NOT part of Microsoft's announcement today

 
We know that Microsoft has a major announcement coming up in a few hours' time, and according to our earlier report, the rumors are saying that this might be a Microsoft tablet that would be an effort between Microsoft and Barnes & Noble. If you thought that this spoilt the surprise for the upcoming announcement, you might be pleased to learn that this is not the case. According to the Business Insider, a Barnes & Noble spokesperson has confirmed that they will not have anything to do with today's announcement, which means at this point in time the announcement could be just about anything, although a Microsoft tablet does seem like the consensus at the moment. Either way we have several hours to go until the announcement, so be sure to check back with us then for the details!