Huawei U8860 Honor gets an official "demo" Android 4.0 ROM

We are surprised to say the least, but a fact is a fact, folks - Huawei has released an official Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich ROM for its U8860 Honor handset (you can check out our hands-on impressions of it here). This makes the Chinese maker of budget devices the first manufacturer to release the latest version of the Google OS to a non-Nexus device.
The ROM, which is dubbed as a "demo" (we are not sure what this term stands for) is readily available for download on the Huawei Honor's official product page. It is in simplified Chinese, and comes with instructions about reverting back to Gingerbread in case the new OS experience doesn't float your boat.
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EXCLUSIVE: Big Sony Ericsson Arc HD (Nozomi) live shots pop up

Now look what we found in our mailbox this morning. We just received photos of the upcoming Sony Ericsson flagship and some specs to go with them. Unfortunately, we didn't get the name cleared out so we don't know if the earlier, Sony Ericsson Arc HD rumors carry some water or not.
The smartphone codenamed Sony Ericsson Xperia Nozomi will come with Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread at launch and will be built around a 4.3" LCD display of HD resolution (1280 x 720 pixels). The 12 megapixel camera with FullHD video recording was also confirmed by our tipster.
Next, the rumored Snapdragon chipset featuring a couple of 1.5GHz Scorpion cores and the Adreno 220 GPU is indeed what you will be getting on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc HD. There will be an HDMI port as well, so sharing 1080p content with your HDTV will be a breeze.
Sadly, the Arc HD will lack a microSD card slot and you'll have to make do with the 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage (depending on the version you pick). At least, with 1GB of RAM your multitasking needs should be taken care of pretty well.
Interestingly, though, the handset uses a microSIM slot and the battery seems non-user-removable.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc HD a.k.a. Sony Ericsson Nozomi live shots
The tipster couldn't provide us with an official launch date, but we are keeping our fingers crossed for an announcement at CES at the start of next year.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc HD a.k.a. Sony Ericsson Nozomi live shots
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Samsung Focus S

The Samsung Focus S is the top dog in the Korean company’s Windows Phone lineup. It is the bigger brother of the Samsung Focus Flash in AT&T’s smartphone lineup.
The term “bigger” is almost entirely related to size here. Due to Microsoft’s tight hardware restrictions for their Windows Phone platform, the line between a flagship and a budget device is quite thin. Thus, the Focus S and Focus Flash share chipsets and CPUs. The differences between the two are in the screen size, built-in memory, and the camera units – here the Focus S is better equipped.

Samsung Focus S press pics
The Samsung Focus S, despite being a new release, should look quite familiar to you. In a rather clever fashion, Samsung’s designers have decided to shape the device as a twin to the highly successful I9100 Galaxy S II – not a bad idea given the fact that the Android powered handset is still selling like hotcakes.
As always, we’ll kick the review off with the key features of the Samsung Focus S, followed by its main disadvantages.

Key Features

• 4.3" 16M-color Super AMOLED Plus screen with WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels)
• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
• 3G with HSDPA (14.4 Mbps) and HSUPA (5.76Mbps)
• Windows Phone 7.5 operating system
• Ability to uninstall wireless provider’s proprietary apps out of the box
• 1.4 GHz Scorpion CPU, 512MB RAM, Snapdragon chipset
• 8 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and geo-tagging; 1.3MP front unit
• 720p video recording (the OS does not allow higher resolution yet)
• A number of Samsung proprietary apps, including a capable photo editor
• Bing Maps with free navigation
• 16GB of built-in storage
• Standard 3.5mm audio jack
• Standard microUSB port (charging)
• Wi-Fi b/g/n; DLNA support; Wi-Fi hotspot capable
• Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP
• Accelerometer for screen auto rotation
• FM radio with RDS
• Office document editor
• Built-in A-GPS receiver
• Voice-to-text functionality

Main disadvantages

• No system-wide file manager
• Non-expandable memory
• No Bluetooth file transfers
• No USB mass storage mode
• Limited third-party apps availability
• No Flash (nor Silverlight) support in the browser
• Too dependent on Zune software for file management and syncing
• No DivX/XviD video support (automatic transcoding provided by Zune software, but lowers quality)

We’ve already encountered Windows Phone 7.5 Mango on several occasions. The OS has significantly matured with the latest update – it is now a viable alternative for those, who don’t want to go down the iOS or Android road.
Sadly however, Microsoft’s creation leaves no room for customization. You get the same experience, regarding of the device you’re using it on. This means that it is up to the hardware of the respective devices to win the potential consumer over – a welcome news for the Samsung Focus S, given its Galaxy S II pedigree.

Samsung Focus S live photos
Following next is unboxing of the Focus S, followed by an inspection of its design and build quality.
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Samsung Galaxy W I8150

The Galaxy S line gets all the attention, but troopers like the Samsung Galaxy W I8150 will see plenty of action too. With a 3.7" screen, it's more compact than the original Galaxy S, but it uses the same souped-up chipset that ticks inside the S Plus.

Samsung Galaxy W official photos
If you’re after SuperAMOLED, the Galaxy S and S Plus are the phones to go to. The LCD screen of the Samsung Galaxy W I8150 has the same WVGA resolution as the S-line, which means higher pixel density (252ppi vs. 233ppi). And, we're talking proper RGB pixels here, rather than PenTile.
The Galaxy W uses the Qualcomm MSM8255T chipset (1.4GHz CPU, Adreno 205 GPU), which has been used in several upgrades of popular phones - the Galaxy S Plus, obviously, but the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc S too.
The Galaxy W is pretty high up Samsung's ladder, but unlike the S and R premium lines, the emphasis here is on value for money. And you do get quite a bit of features - here's the summary.

Key Features

• Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support
• 14.4 Mbps HSDPA; 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
• 1.4GHz Snapdragon CPU; Adreno 205 GPU; Qualcomm MSM 8255Т chipset; 512MB RAM; 1GB ROM
• 2GB storage (1.7GB user accessible), microSD card support (up to 32GB)
• 3.7” LCD display of WVGA (800 x 480) resolution; 252ppi pixel density
• 5 megapixel auto-focus camera with face detection, touch focus and image stabilization; HD (720p) video recording at 30fps, LED flash
• Front-facing VGA camera for video calls
• Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread with TouchWiz 4.0 launcher
• Rich video format support out of the box
• Wi-Fi b/g/n; Hot-spot and DLNA connectivity
• Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP
• GPS with A-GPS; Digital compass
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Stereo FM radio
• DivX/XviD/X264 video support
• Office document viewer/editor
• Web browser with Adobe Flash 11 support

Main disadvantages

• All plastic construction
• Display image quality worse than Galaxy S Plus
• No memory card enclosed and only 2GB of built-in storage
• No shutter key

We know what you're thinking - isn't this the Samsung Exhibit II 4G that was just recently reviewed? Close, but not quite. The Galaxy W is a worldwide phone and beats the US T-Mo’s Exhibit in terms of chipset and imaging. The two phones have the same data speeds: what T-Mobile USA misguidedly calls 4G is actually HSPA+.

Samsung Galaxy W live pictures
So, shake off that deja vu feeling and proceed to the next page to see what's in the box and what the phone's hardware is like.
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Samsung S8600 Wave 3

It's an easy one to miss. With Mango phones coming from far and wide and droids well at cruising speed, a new smartphone on an emerging platform is going to struggle to get noticed. Apparently, Samsung are in a mood for a fight. The third generation of the Wave is here to make a difference. The Samsung S8600 Wave 3 runs a completely redesigned Bada OS 2.0, and flaunts a bigger and better screen. It's blazing fast too on that 1.4 GHz Snapdragon.

Samsung S8600 Wave 3 official pictures
Bada OS has made the jump to a new major version and the interface can hold its own even against high-end Androids. It is gentle on the hardware too and runs glitch-free on the single-core processor. There's real multi-tasking and one of the best video players on a smartphone. All that in a remarkably solid and stylish metal shell.
No more teasing, here comes the complete feature list and the potential deal-breakers.

Key features

• 4" 16M-color SuperAMOLED capacitive touchscreen, WVGA (480 x 800 pixels), scratch-resistant
• Slim and solid metal body with innovative slide-up construction
• Bada OS 2.0 with Samsung Apps
• 1.4 GHz Scorpion single-core CPU
• Quad-band GSM support with dual-band HSPA
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity, Wi-Fi Direct support, Wi-Fi tethering
• Built-in GPS receiver with A-GPS support, digital compass, Samsung LBS powered by ROUTE 66
• 5 MP autofocus camera with touch focus and LED flash, geotagging, face, smile and blink detection
• 720p video recording at 30fps
• 1GB storage for media, 2GB storage for apps, microSDHC card slot
• Standard microUSB port and Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP
• Standard 3.5mm audio jack, TV out
• Stereo FM radio with RDS, FM recording
• Webkit-based Samsung Dolphin Browser with Flash Lite support
• YouTube client, Facebook and Twitter integration
• DivX/XviD/H.264/MKV video support with subtitles, AC3 audio support
• Good audio quality
• Voice recognition for both dictation and commands

Main disadvantages

• Bada OS has comparatively limited number of available applications
• Card slot is not hot-swappable
• No proper Smart Dialling
• SatNav software only a 30-day trial

For people coming from Android, the limited supply in Samsung’s app store will be a major question mark. But the Bada app store has been building up content. It's still a long way from closing the gap but on the leaders but there's been enough progress to convince users to leave some of the prejudices at the door. Anyone looking at this new Wave with an open mind may find it fresh, efficient and friendly. But well, the Samsung S8600 Wave 3 will have to do its part too.

Samsung S8600 Wave 3 live pictures
To begin with, it certainly is an attention grabber. The compelling exterior is a promise for a solid performance. And we'll hold the Wave 3 to it. Follow us on the next page where we start with unboxing and the usual hardware tour.
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LG Nitro HD

The LG Nitro HD for AT&T Wireless comes with some seriously heavy expectations to meet. It was back in August, when we first reported about the award winning AH-IPS screen with HD resolution, developed by LG. The unit is reportedly better than anything else on the market, including Samsung’s Super AMOLED Plus displays, and the Nitro HD is the first device to feature it in the United States. It also stands out as the first device in AT&T’s impressive smartphone lineup to feature an HD screen.

LG Nitro HD official photos
It is the end of 2011 and all the cards are on the table. The LG Nitro HD is the last major player to enter the uber-smartphone competition. It surely has a spec sheet up to snuff: an HD screen to marvel at, LTE network capacity, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 8MP autofocus camera, etc. The list is long.
Spec sheets are something we’ve come to expect in the price category, where the LG Nitro HD will compete. It is the way that the components are integrated together and the user experience they create which counts. This is what we’re going to try and find out in this review.
As always, we’ll kick things off with the key features and main disadvantages of the smartphone.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM and tri-band 3G support
• 21 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 HSUPA support
• LTE network connectivity
• 4.5" 16M-color AH-IPS LCD touchscreen with HD (720 x 1280 pixels) resolution; 326ppi
• Android OS v2.3.5 with LG custom launcher
• 1.5 GHz Scorpion dual-core CPU, Adreno 220 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, 1GB of RAM
• 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash; 1MP front-facing unit
• 1080p HD video recording
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n support; Wi-Fi Share app
• GPS with A-GPS connectivity
• 4GB internal storage, microSD slot (16GB card included in the retail package)
• Accelerometer, gyroscope and proximity sensor
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Stereo Bluetooth v3.0
• Document editor
• Rich video format support
• Ability to remove preinstalled apps from AT&T out of the box

Main disadvantages

• No dedicated camera button
• Battery performance is questionable
• LG’s custom UI might not fit all tastes

As you can see, the LG Nitro HD has plenty on offer and hardly any serious flaws. It’s looks like a great fit for a flagship device. At a first glance, the latest and greatest AH-IPS screen is nothing short than a thing of beauty. The phone’s sleek and stylish body only adds to the appeal.
The biggest question mark is related to the battery performance of the smartphone – there is a lot of hardware that the 1830mAh unit has to deal with. The lack of dedicated camera button and the questionable UI design are mostly a matter of personal taste.

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Nokia Lumia 800

It will take crowds erupting in delight to silence the ring of the "burning platform" speech in the Nokia Lumia 800's ears. The speaker being Nokia CEO Stephen Elop and the burning platform Symbian.
As Nokia are starting over, the Lumia 800 would do well not to look back. It's certainly beyond the ifs and buts. A shadow still lingers though. And there are people out there - loyal Nokia users too - who would've jumped in the fire with MeeGo rather than the freezing waters of Windows Phone.

Nokia Lumia 800 official photos
But it was for others to decide. The N9 was ordered to share its impressive unibody design with the Lumia 800. Good decision by Nokia - not saying fair - to give its WP7 pioneer a strong start. There are some Windows Phone mandated changes like the touch-sensitive Back, Menu and Search keys and a hardware shutter key.
The screen lost 0.2" and 54 pixels in height to make room for the capacitive controls. The oddly positioned secondary camera is gone as well. Still, the image quality of the screen seems unchanged - and we quite liked that AMOLED unit.
What else has changed? Well, there's a new chipset, among other things. To make this short, here're the pros and cons of the Nokia Lumia 800.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
• Quad-band 3G with 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.7 Mbps HSUPA support
• 3.7" 16M-color AMOLED capacitive touchscreen of 480 x 800 pixel resolution
• Scratch resistant Gorilla glass display with anti-glare polarizer
• 8 megapixel autofocus camera with dual LED flash, 720p@27fps video recording and fast f/2.2 lens
• Windows Phone 7.5 OS (Mango)
• 1.4GHz Scorpion CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8255 chipset, 512MB of RAM
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
• Non-painted polycarbonate unibody, curved screen
• GPS receiver with A-GPS support and free lifetime voice-guided navigation
• Digital compass
• 16GB on-board storage
• Active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic
• Built-in accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack; FM Radio with RDS
• microUSB port
• Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP and EDR
• Impressively deep and coherent SNS integration throughout the interface

Main disadvantages

• Display is much dimmer than the N9's display
• No Flash or Silverlight support in browser
• No USB mass storage (file management and sync pass only through Zune)
• No video calls and no front-facing camera either
• Non-user-replaceable battery
• No memory card slot (and no 64GB version like the N9)
• microSIM card slot
• No native DivX/XviD support, videos have to be transcoded by Zune

A strong showing by Nokia, but it's a bit late to the Windows Phone party. They do have the design experience from being in the business longer than almost anyone else and they have Nokia Drive as their ace in the hole.
The fate of the company rests on Windows Phone Nokias being a success and much of that weight falls on the shoulders of the Lumia 800. It won't carry it alone, but it's the leader of the pack, the attention grabber.

Nokia Lumia 800 at ours
And sure enough, it has our attention. But it's you the Nokia Lumia 800 has to wow, so sit down and let us tell you about its hardware.
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