Radio Shack Has A Great Price On The Sprint Motorola Photon 4G

Sprint's Motorola Photon 4G was on pre-order with Radio Shack before it started to be available online with the carrier itself, going for $199.99 with a two-year contract. Now Radio Shack ups the ante and offers the phone at a great price.

Instead of paying $199.99 to Sprint, go to Radio Shack and get the Photon 4G for $99.99. The offer is valid only with a new Sprint account so if you are planning on renewing or upgrading your contract, you'll have to pay the same price as the one Sprint has. However, if you're about to join Sprint, the Photon 4G has some cool features to offer for those $100 bucks: a dual-core 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 4.3-inch qHD display, eight-megapixel camera, VGA front-facer, and 16GB of internal flash storage. 

Could Microsoft Launch Mango On September 1?

We've been expecting Microsoft to flip the switch on Windows Phone 7 Mango sometime this fall, with the release of new Mango-running hardware and the distribution of software updates to bring the revamped OS to older WP7 models. A new rumor says that we might be getting that juicy Mango action a little bit sooner than fall, with claims that Microsoft will kick things off on September 1.

Pocket-lint cites "multiple trusted sources" as confirming this date, which would fall one day before the official start of the IFA 2011 consumer electronics trade show in Berlin. Presumably, many of those Mango-running smartphones would be up for display at the show following Microsoft's announcement. 

If this news pans out, it could be in reaction to the rumors that Apple will first announce its next iPhone later this month, with sales to start sometime in September. Were Microsoft to wait until fall formally begins, it might find that too many on-the-fence consumers have elected to go with Apple, if only because its phone was presently available.

For now, this one's still very much in rumor territory, but if there's some truth to it, we might hope to see invitations to Microsoft's event start to head out in the near future.

LG Victor Revealed as Optimus Sol

German site bestboyz has gotten there hands on a pre-release LG E730 Optimus Sol, previously known as the LG Victor as part of LG's 2011 smartphone lineup. The Optimus Sol is a midrange Android 2.3 smartphone with a 3.8" WVGAAMOLED display, a single-core 1GHz CPU, and will be offered in both silver and black for €299, which comes out to about $430. Those that are looking for a budget-friendly Android with a nice screen can look for a Q3 release on Vodafone. 

Panasonic outs Toughbook S10 with Sandy Bridge, USB 3.0, and 12.5-hour battery life

If you were Panasonic and had already whittled a 12-inch laptop down to three pounds while keeping the optical drive in tact, what would your next move be? If you guessed make it manilla envelope-thin, you'd be wrong. The outfit just announced the Toughbook S10, and while it looks awfully similar to the three-pound S9 it's replacing, it ushers in a series of welcome (and predicable) changes on the inside. This time around, it steps up to a Sandy Bridge Core i5-2520M processor, 4GB of RAM, USB 3.0, and a battery that promises up to 12.5 hours of juice -- the longest in its class, according to Panasonic. Other I/O options include HDMI and VGA output, a USB 2.0 socket, and support for SDXC cards. Like the last generation, it can withstand a 2.5-foot operating drop, has a spill-resistant keyboard and shock-mounted 320GB hard drive, and can take more than 220 pounds of pressure on its lid and base. As always, though, 12.1-inch laptops with a built-in DVD drive and enough magnesium alloy armor to survive a fall from the conveyor belt don't come cheap: this bad boy will set you back no less than $2,449 when it hits stores next month.

PANASONIC UNVEILS TOUGHBOOK® S10 12" PC – A MERE THREE POUNDS WITH DVD DRIVE

The next-generation device features an enhanced processor and 12.5 hour standard battery life – the longest in its class

Secaucus, NJ, August 10, 2011 – Panasonic Solutions Company, provider of collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for government and commercial enterprises, today announced the Panasonic Toughbook® S10. Powered by an Intel® Core™ i5-2520M vPro™ processor, the Toughbook S10 delivers up to 12.5 hours of standard battery life – the longest in its class – and weighs only 3.0 pounds. The notebook offers optional Gobi2000™ mobile broadband and other enhancements to increase performance and drive return on investment. This lightweight device is ideal for road warriors and other highly mobile workers in a variety of markets.

Additional Enhancements for Improved Performance
Panasonic has designed the Toughbook S10 for the most demanding mobile users, offering exceptional battery life, connectivity, security features and performance. The Toughbook S10 also supports both USB 3.0 and 2.0, analog (VGA) and digital (HDMI) video and the latest SD card standard (SDXC) to enable faster file transfer speeds and greater flexibility. A host of security features, including an optional fingerprint reader, are available to keep your data protected and secured while on the road.

"The vast majority of business notebooks lack the durability to survive a hectic travel schedule; however, the Toughbook S10 is designed to address the needs of business professionals with the integration of security and remote management capabilities, protection against drops and spills, and exceptional performance and battery life," said Kyp Walls, director of product management, Panasonic Solutions Company. "The Toughbook S10 provides road warriors a reliable and lightweight device that allows them to work virtually anywhere."

Business-rugged Durability
In order to withstand a highly mobile work environment, the Toughbook S10 is designed to survive drops, bumps and spills. Due to its magnesium alloy case and shock-mounted flex-connect hard drive, the device can handle up to a 30" drop to the base of the unit while operating. The Toughbook S10 also features a spill-resistant keyboard that can protect against spills up to six ounces (200 cc).

Embedded Wireless Connectivity
The Toughbook S10 offers a variety of embedded wireless technologies, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth® and optional Gobi2000™ 3G mobile broadband technology from Qualcomm, allowing workers to stay connected virtually all of the time.

Panasonic Toughbook S10: Select Features and Specifications
Genuine Windows 7® Professional (32-bit or 64-bit)
Intel® Core™ i5-2520M vPro™ Processor (2.5GHz)
Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz
Intel® Smart Cache 3MB
320GB 5400rpm shock-mounted flex-connect hard drive
4-8GB RAM
12.1" widescreen WXGA (1280 x 800) LCD display with LED backlighting
Anti-glare screen treatment
12.5 hours of battery life with standard battery (MobileMark 2007)
3.0 lbs.
DVD drive
HDMI and VGA video outputs
Magnesium alloy case
Business-rugged1
30" operating drop (to base only)
26 sides 12" drop (non-operating)
220 lb compression-resistant
Spill-resistant keyboard/touchpad (protects against 6 ounce spills)
Embedded Connectivity
Optional Gobi™2000 3G mobile broadband
Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6205 802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth® v2.1 + EDR (class 2)
Integrated Security Features
o Cable lock slot

o Trusted platform module (TPM) security chip v.1.2

o Computrace® theft protection agent in BIOS®

o Intel® Anti-Theft technology

o Optional fingerprint reader

11.1" (H) x 8.3" (W) x 0.9-1.5" (D)

Pricing and Availability
In the United States, the Toughbook S10 is expected to be available in September 2011 from authorized Panasonic resellers starting at an estimated street price of $2,449.

The Toughbook S10 is backed with a three-year limited warranty, parts and labor.

Images of the Toughbook S10 can be found on the brand's Flickr page, and a post discussing mobile computing needs for road warriors can be found on the brand's blog - Toughbloggers.com.

Follow the Toughbook Brand
The Panasonic Toughbook brand can be followed on various social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and via our blog on mobile technology, Toughbloggers.com.


For more information on the Toughbook S10 and other Toughbook mobile computers, go to www.toughbook.com.

Panasonic Toughbook S10

Samsung Galaxy R officially announced for Europe and Asia, nobody surprised

That Samsung Galaxy R we've heard about? Yep, it's real. Not that it's much of a surprise to us, considering we've seen leaked press renders and even a four-minute video about the device, but Samsung and NVIDIA have finally banded together to give the "mystery phone" its official blessing. Here's the skinny: the Galaxy R will house a 1GHz Tegra 2 CPU, a 4.2-inch WVGA (800 x 480) Super Clear LCD, dual 5MP / 2MP cameras in the rear and front (respectively), and Gingerbread with Samsung's TouchWiz UI. The phone's already available in Sweden as the Galaxy Z, but it's finally on its way to parts of Europe and Asia (including China). No word on if or when we can plan on seeing the R in North America, but it's likely that its launch would be quickly obscured by its older brother, the Galaxy S II, if it made an appearance. A full press release and demo video can be found after the break for your enjoyment. 

NVIDIA and Samsung Expand GALAXY Smartphones with New GALAXY R Smartphone

World's Largest Android Smartphone Maker Ships First Tegra-Powered
Super Phone

Santa Clara, Calif. ­- Aug. 10, 2011-NVIDIA and Samsung Electronics announced the latest GALAXY smartphone, the GALAXY R, which sports a 4.19-inch screen, features the NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 mobile super chip and the Android 2.3 (also known as Gingerbread) operating system.

Samsung's GALAXY smartphones are among the world's most popular handheld devices.

The GALAXY R gives more consumers the opportunity to enjoy the never-before-seen experiences enabled by Tegra, the world's first mobile processor with a dual-core CPU. The GALAXY R also features a GeForce™ GPU for fast Web browsing with hardware-accelerated Adobe Flash Player support, full HD video and console-quality gaming.

Using the GALAXY R, consumers can multitask efficiently, surf the Web quickly with fast-loading pages and Flash-based content and enjoy HD movies. They can also access Tegra-optimized games through the Tegra Zone app on Android Market.

"Samsung's newest super phone shows off Tegra's multimedia power, and is a great example of what consumers expect from one of the world's top phone makers," said Michael Rayfield, general manager of NVIDIA's mobile business.

The GALAXY R features:
· Tegra 2 super chip
· 4.19" WVGA Super Clear LCD touchscreen
· Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system
· 720p HD video capture and 1080p Full HD playback (Divx, WMV, MP4, H.264 B/P only)
· Built-in memory of 8GB and support for 32GB Micro SD
· Size: 125.7 x 66.7 x 9.55 mm
· Weight: 131 grams

The GALAXY R is available in Sweden, and is coming to other regions soon, including North & Eastern Europe, South East & West Asia, Middle East Asia, and China.

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