HTC Elegant Windows Phone Concept Design

Before you start getting excited about buying a device like this, these are just concept designs from freelance industrial designer, Kevin Zhou. These aren't leaked images of a new WindowsPhone 7 from HTC and the designer does not work for HTC so they probably won't ever be produced. That said, we think this device looks pretty cool. The 3D renderings certainly look very realistic and the design aesthetics even go along with HTC's current creative direction. Would you buy an HTCWindows Phone that looked like that? 

 

Sprint Getting iPhone 5 In October, iPhone 4 As Well?

It's a bit of an open secret that the next iPhone willsee greatly expanded carrier support, in the US at least. Most recently, we've heard a rumor that we wouldn't even need multiple models to handle the task, as we see now with separate GSM andCDMA iPhones, but would be getting an all-in-one CDMA/GSM world phone. Another rumor from earlier this summer had the next iPhone coming to both T-Mobile and Sprint – the first (official) time for each. This afternoon, a new Wall Street Journal report revisits the idea of Sprint carrying the smartphone, claiming it will be selling the iPhone 5 starting in October.

This is just the latest of many recent rumors saying we're looking at an October start to iPhone 5 sales, rather than sometime in September. We're also told that Sprint would take the opportunity to also start selling the iPhone 4; we don't know if that refers to the CDMA iPhone 4 that exists now on Verizon, or if we're talking about the rumored iPhone 4 refresh, possibly with a plastic screen face and positioned at a budget price point.

There's been no suggestion that we could see a WiMAX-equipped iPhone 5, but evidence continues to point to the possibility of an LTE-enabled model. Sprint's been slow to get involved with LTE, and though it has plans to get a network up-and-running with LightSquared, it likely won't be here during the iPhone 5's commercial lifespan.

So far, Sprint has been locked-out of iPhone profits. As it struggles to compete against the larger carriers, sales from iPhones could really help out. The carrier even has the position of being the only one able to offer the iPhone with unlimited data. Let's just hope its network is up to the influx of users. 

Google Android Market Getting +1 Button, PIN Lockout Controls

Even if you couldn't care less about social networking, it's hard to ignore one of the more ubiquitous signs of the new Google+ network, its version of "liking" a topic, the +1 button. In addition to giving you a way to share with your buddies what you're finding interesting lately, use of the feature can help shape search results, hopefully delivering content more relevant to you. Now +1 is making its way to the Android Market, providing a new tool for tracking your favorite apps.

Google hasn't officially announced the new Market, which is reportedly slowly on its way to phones now. It could be a while before you're prompted for an OTA update, but an APK is available for download if you're impatient.

In addition to +1ing apps you like, the new Market will let you setup a PIN through which to restrict access. It's not a feature that every user will need, but if your smartphone often ends up in the hands of your kids, you might want to take a step like this to prevent them from ringing-up hundreds of dollars in unauthorized app purchases.

There are also some organizational changes to how information is displayed in the Market, like putting app sizes and the date of last revision in a more prominent position, and a slight change to the app's icon. 

AT&T Roadmap: Samsung, HTC, BlackBerry, & More

Obviously the most anticipated addition to AT&T's lineup this fall will be the next iPhone (iPhone-s plural?), but that doesn't mean the carrier has forsaken other popular platforms. In fact, the company's second-half lineup -- or most of it, anyway -- seems to hold something for everyone.

Not surprisingly, the next few months will see Android devices in heavy rotation, with Samsungbringing the Galaxy S II Attain (i777) and i927 QWERTY slider. Then there's the Motorola MB865 "Fuath," which has already been pictured as anAtrix-refesh-type device, along with a pair of Pantechs and a Huawei. Not on the map, but also expected, are devices like the HTC Holiday andSamsung i857 "Habrok" -- along with the already-announced Xperia Play.

For Windows Phone fans, there will be at least one handset each from Samsung and HTC: the i937, which we've already seen on video, as well as the HTC Bunyip. It was not made clear which unreleased model Bunyip represents, although it was suspected to be either Omega or Eternity.

Finally, BlackBerry devotees can look forward to both a refreshed Curve as well as the full-touchscreenTorch 9860, meaning that AT&T will be offering at least two Torches, a Bold, and a Curve simultaneously.

Noticably absent here is LG, which brought the Optimus One to AT&T last among the major carriers, and has yet to deliver the highly-anticipated, 3D-capable Thrill 4G.

Sprint Adds BlackBerry Curve 9350 To Its Stable September 9

RIM continued to roll-out its BlackBerry OS 7-running lineup with the announcement of the BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360/9370 this morning. While RIM didn't have anything to say regarding carriers or prices, much as it happened with recently-announced Bolds and Torches, carriers are following-up RIM's news by revealing who's getting what when. One of the first to speak up this time around is Sprint, announcing sales of the Curve 9350 beginning September 9.

Unlike the world-phone 9370, the 9350 is CDMA-only and has just 512MB of onboard flash, compared to the 9370's 1GB. All these new Curves, including the GSM 9360, have the same 800MHz CPU and 512MB of RAM.

Unlike the Bold 9900/9930, you won't be paying $250 for this model on-contract; instead, the Curve 9350 is practically a budget handset, and Sprint will start off sales with the smartphone going for about $80 with a service agreement. If you get your mobile service through Sprint Business, you may find an even better deal, with the possibility to snag the 9350 for closer to $50. Even at that low price, you still get a phone with modern features like NFC; not too shabby, even if this is the runt of the latest BB litter.