PDAs

Windows Phone 7 is one step closer to launch, as Microsoft released its revamped mobile operating system for manufacturing on Wednesday.

With most of the internal engineering done, Windows Phone 7 OS RTM is now available to its OEM (original equipment manufacturers) and service provider partners, so they can complete their work on customizations and hardware in preparation for a holiday release.

Terry Myerson, Microsoft's corporate vice president of Windows Phone Engineering, wrote on the Windows Phone 7 Team Blog that Windows Phone 7 is the company's most thoroughly tested mobile platform, noting that it has run daily automated tests on nearly 10,000 devices with more than 3.5 million hours of stress test passes and 8.5 million hours of fully automated test passes. … Read more

Though we're still waiting to see what comes out of the HP-Palm merger, Palm's still plugging away on WebOS and released some new information about WebOS 2.0 on Tuesday.

The news mostly affects developers, as they can now download a beta version of the WebOS 2.0, but Palm also gave us a glimpse of what's to come and we're pretty excited. The new functions include:

Enhanced multitasking with the ability to stack related cards together for easier access.

Developers can now access the Synergy feature for integrating contacts, calendar, and messages.

A feature called … Read more

If you've been waiting for the Samsung Epic 4G, it can now be yours, as Sprint's second 4G smartphone hits the streets Tuesday.

The Epic 4G will run you $249.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate. However, you can also pick up the phone at Best Buy and Radio Shack to get an instant $100 savings and avoid the hassle of a mail-in rebate. Even better, Wal-Mart and Amazon are currently offering the phone for $199.99.

Unlike the other Samsung Galaxy S models, the Epic 4G features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a … Read more

If you own a Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, you're probably not too fond of the fact that it's stuck running Android 1.6. Sony Ericsson's projected Q4 release for an Android 2.1 update doesn't sit well either when other devices are already getting Android 2.2, but there might be some good news on the horizon.

Responding to one of its Twitter followers, Sony Ericsson UK said that the Android 2.1 update is due for release before the end of September, ahead of the original Q4 timeframe. The company didn't provide any further … Read more

We've seen the leaks and now we have official confirmation from T-Mobile that the T-Mobile G2 is, indeed, real.

The carrier posted a teaser site for the T-Mobile G1's successor on Wednesday, with an opportunity to sign up for e-mail updates. The G2 will be the first smartphone to run on T-Mobile's HSPA+ network, which promises 4G-like speeds, but for now, there are few other details about the Android phone. T-Mobile said it will reveal more in the coming weeks and will give current customers exclusive first access to the G2.

If you weren't convinced that HTC was working on an alleged Desire HD, this should do it for you.

Amazon UK briefly listed the phone as being for sale on Monday night before getting pulled almost instantly. Thankfully, someone over at Electric Pig grabbed a screen shot of the HTC 99HLZ001-00 ACE/Desire HD listed with a price tag of ?415, approximately $645 U.S. The codename "Ace" has been tossed around since the rumors began a few weeks ago, but the final name of the product is still unclear.

For those unfamiliar, the Desire HD is … Read more

Calling all Symbian fans. Nokia has begun taking preorders for the N8, the first smartphone running the revamped Symbian 3 operating system.

You can purchase the phone from Nokia's online store for $549 unlocked, and the company expects to ship the devices by the end of September. The N8 not only ships running Symbian 3 but also features a 12-megapixel camera with HD video capture, an HDMI port, 16GB of onboard memory, and free turn-by-turn navigation with Ovi Maps.

Who's in?

HTC has started sending out invitations to a London event for September 15, and it may prove to be Android related.

The handset maker isn't saying anything about what to expect next month, but it is hinting at things to come with a teaser that reads "Come see what HTC has dreamt up." At first glance, the accompanying image shows what appears to be a cloud of smoke. With a closer look and the help of Photoshop, we can see what might be the back of the HTC Desire HD.

On the other hand, we are getting … Read more

Two new Android devices from HTC, the Lexikon and Bee, surface on the Internet this week.

Even though there aren't any images to go with the specs, we can get a good feel for what the Taiwanese handset maker has up its sleeve.

First up is the Lexikon, which comes with an 800MHz processor, 512MB RAM, and 4GB of internal memory. The Android 2.2-powered device also features a 3.8-inch display, a 5-megapixel camera, and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

The Bee, on the other hand, sounds like an earlier Android handset, with its 528MHz processor, 384MB RAM, and … Read more