Images of LG's New Chocolate Handset Emerge With Smaller Version

Earlier this week we got news that LG was gearing up to launch a new addition to their Chocolate range of handsets. The handset, being called the BL40 also had a teaser video that was making its way around. The handset has made another appearance, in the wild this time with a few clear shots on what the handset looks like, and I have to say, I like it.

A few more specs have also been revealed. Aside from the features we talked about earlier, according to new reports the BL40 will also feature -

a Position sensor
a 5 MP cam with a Schneider - Kreuznach lens
Picture Light
a possible FM Transmitter
and come with about 300MB of internal memory.

That’s not all. Reports are also featuring a second handset that looks identical to the BL40 except that it seems to be a smaller ‘Nano’ version with a slide out keypad. This slider handset that seems to be a very neat looking upgrade to the earlier Chocolate models is what’s being called the BL42. The handset comes with a touch sensitive navigation system and also has 5 megapixel camera with features yet to be announced although it’s possible it might be a 3G handset. Will it also be using the S-Class UI? We'll have to wait and see.


There’s no official word from LG yet, about the BL42 and no pricing or launch date announced either so stay tuned.

Nokia Launches 'Supercharged Smartphone' - Surge

Nokia’s latest handset, the Surge (nice name), doesn’t look like it’ll be heading our way and that was the story when I first heard about it as it’s tied in to AT&T as of now. This cross between a mini MID and mobile handset is what Nokia is calling ‘a socially supercharged smartphone’ that’s designed to be the next best thing in mobile social networking with advanced messaging features and connectivity to social networking sites etc.

With a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard in a slim, stylish design and Symbian S60 multi-tasking capabilities, the Nokia Surge also intends to offer a powerful browsing experience, with Flash support to view most sites in full HTML or watch YouTube videos. Nokia Surge allows users to post messages, images, videos, and comments to web sites like. Facebook on-the-go with the pre-installed JuiceCaster application.

The Nokia Surge offers multimedia and entertainment features, including:

2.4-inch TFT LCD with a 240 x 320 pixel resolution
2.5mm earphone socket
2.0 megapixel camera
3G with HSDPA, EDGE/GPRS
GPS with A-GPS support
Bluetooth with A2DP
FM Radio
MicroSD card support

There’s no way of knowing the handset’s exact pricing as it’s tied in with an AT&T two-year service agreement and a cost of about Rs. 3,913 ($79.99). To be honest it seems like it could do pretty well here as well considering social networking is the ‘IN’ thing these days with the Indian community as well. Perhaps Nokia would consider it. Your thoughts readers

Xperia 2 Blueprints Leaked and New SE Android Device Images As Well

Some more news on the Sony Ericsson Xperia 2 front has leaked Blueprints of the handsets. Although we’ve already seen live images of the handset floating around, the apparent blueprints do seem to make it a little more of a reality not to mention they give us a little clear idea of the design schematics of the handset itself. What the Blueprints don’t mention are the specs so other than the previous information there’s no more conformation on the same from these pics.




Another rumor making the rounds is what seems to be another new Sony Ericsson Xperia-like handset that will apparently be ready to run on an Android OS. Once again we see leaked images arise. The images seem to portray a rather large touchscreen device with an Xperia branding on the rear. The handset is being called the Sony Ericsson Xperia Rachel.




The images also depict a 3.5mm earphone socket and an 8MP camera. Reports also state that the handset would also feature -

• Wi-Fi, GPS and 3G with HSDPA
• A 4-inch TFT touchscreen with an 800 x 480 pixel resolution
• Bluetooth of course and mini USB connectivity

The same reports also mention that the handset will be based on the Qualcomm QSD8250 Snapdragon platform. This means we could expect better graphics and connectivity options.

The handset has not yet been confirmed officially but it seems it’s scheduled to be announced sometime later this year.

Motorola Aura Launched in India

Motorola has just launched their rather prestigious new fashion statement of a handset the Aura here in good ol’ Mumbai. Brand ambassador Abhishek Bachchan was present to launch the handset, at Vie lounge in Juhu. The premium handset was also presented to one of India’s premium fashion designers, Manish Malhotra.

The Aura’s sexy form factor and brilliant one of a kind circular 1.55-inch display that sports 16 million colors and a 300 dpi resolution also happens to be protected by a grade 1, 62-carat sapphire crystal that makes it scratch resistant. The body is encased in Stainless steel with chemically etched textures for a bit of class. The swivel key-guard is swung around by 130 precision ball bearings. Motorola guarantees the same grace at opening, even after 100,000 times of opening and closing it.

The Motorola Aura has an aluminum keypad, Swiss-made bearings and tungsten-carbide coated gears.

Other features include -

    * 2GB internal memory

    * GPRS/EDGE

    * Bluetooth with A2DP, USB 2.0

    * 2 megapixel camera

    * Music and Video player

    * CrystalTalk Technology

Needless to say this is nothing more than Motorola’s version of a Vertu mobile that simply exudes a sense of chic fashion and premium quality building materials. With a price tag of a whopping Rs. 1,11,492 in these times of recession, it’s a bit of overkill in terms of price but then again it's not for the every day user. This handset simply comes waving a flag that says – If you got it... Flaunt it!

The phone will be available from mid-March at exclusive premium stores in select cities that include Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Hyberabad, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Mumbai and LG Launches Versa With Detachable QWERTY KeypadSurat.

Nokia To Enter The Laptop Market

Nokia's

CEO in an interview with Finnish broadcaster YLE has confirmed that the company is looking to make an entry into the laptop market.

"We are looking very actively also at this opportunity. We don't have to look even for five years from now to see that what we know as a cellphone and what we know as a PC are in many ways converging," said Nokia's CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, reports Reuters.

It wouldn't be a very big leap for Nokia considering the company's highest-end smartphones. With the booming netbook market and Nokia's clout in mobile phone

industry, they'll be knocking on all the right doors.

PC-makers are increasingly stepping into the mobile phone territory and according to Ben Wood, research director at CCS Insight, all leading mobile network operators and retailers are adding connected notebooks and netbooks to their portfolios alongside mobile phones. So on the basis of this it's not surprising that Nokia is looking at this option.