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Verizon just put the official stamp on one of the heavily-leaked phones from the past couple of weeks.  That will be the Motorola Droid 3, the third iteration of Verizon’s successful Droid series that really helped kick the Android floodgates for good when it first dropped.
They’re billing it as “the world’s thinnest full QWERTY smartphone,” measuring just half an inch on its sides.   All that while sporting a five-row landscape keyboard that slides out from the side.
Details of the Motorola Droid 3 include a 4-inch capacitive touchscreen display (960 x 540 resolution), an 8.0 megapixel camera module (with autofocus and 1080p video capture), a front-facing webcam, aGPS, WiFi, 3G with Mobile Hotspot sharing, Bluetooth 2.1, DLNA, an HDMI out, 16GB of onboard storage and microSD card expansion.  Muscle is provided by a dual-core 1GHz processor, with juice provided by a 1,540 mAh battery rated at 9.1 hours of talk time.
Android 2.3 Gingerbread runs at the helm, likely with a scaled down Motoblur on top.  All the usual Android favors are onboard, along with extra security features like complex password control, advanced SD card encryption and remote wipe.  Oh yeah, it’s a world phone, too, with compatible radios for up to 200 countries (and 125 for 3G data) on top of that.  It could just be the sweetest thing ever if only 4G was also in tow.
The Motorola Droid 3 will hit stores around July 14, priced at $199.99 on a new two-year agreement (which, at this point, we all know won’t include unlimited data).
[Verizon]

MetroPCS has two new phones in the fold.  While not officially announced, both the Huawei M835 and the Samsung Freeform III have just been included in the company’s website.
Huawei M835
A compact Android 2.2 smartphone, the Huawei M835 is actually a rebadged version of the Huawei Ideos.  As with most of MetroPCS’ releases, it’s an entry-level device with modest hardware and a good set of features.
Details include a  2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen display (320 x 240 resolution), a 3.2 megapixel camera module, aGPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, microSD card expansion and a 1,200 mAh battery.  Designed to offer a better audio experience, the phone comes with the DTS Envelo, a sound-enhancement software that creates a virtual surround sound experience.
The Huawei M835 is available from the MetroPCS website, priced at $79.99 off-contract (after rebates).
Samsung Freeform III
Not everyone’s going to get a smartphone.  For those folks, the Samsung Freeform III might be an interesting pick.
A QWERTY candybar, it’s a messaging-centered handset with a four-row QWERTY keyboard.  Details include a 2.4-inch display (480 x 320 resolution), a 1.3-megapixel camera module, Bluetooth, a host of messaging applications, 100MB of onboard storage and microSD card expansion (up to 32GB).
You can get the Samsung Freeform III from the MetroPCS website, priced at $49.99 off-contract.
[via Cnet]

Eurodroid just got their hands on details and press photos for an upcoming QWERTY candybar from LG.  Called the LG Optimus Pro, the handset should be the company’s first ever Android smartphone in this form factor.
While unannounced, the handset is supposedly being readied for selling in Italy (some sources say it’s already selling — not likely), which explains the official-looking images.  No pictures from retail shelves, though, nor an online link to the sales page, so we really can’t be sure.
Leaked details include a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen display (240 x 320), a four-row QWERTY keyboard, a 3.0 megapixel camera, WiFi, aGPS, Bluetooth, a 1,500 mAh battery and microSD card expansion.  While it doesn’t appear to have 3G support, it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the mobile platform’s latest build.  Chances are, this is running a fairly low-speed processor inside, so it won’t be a likely competitor to the Droid Pro.  The HTC Cha Cha, on the other hand, is likely within arms’ length.
Price is being pegged at €180 (around $250) contract-free, which should make it a decent proposition for budget users who’d like the QWERTY candybar style.  No word yet on likely release dates, but expect it to be sooner rather than later.
[via EuroDroid]

Still not into the whole smartphone nonsense you’ve been hearing about?  Feed your slightly less sophisticated cellphone needs with the LG Cosmos 2, a dual-keyboard slider coming out on Verizon.
The direct replacement to last year’s LG Cosmos, it bears a similar form factor to the predecessor, sporting both alphanumeric keys in the front panel and a landscape slide-out QWERTY keyboard.  We’re not sure how receptive today’s market is to messaging-focused devices like these, but carriers probably keep them on the shelves for a reason.
Details of the LG Cosmos 2 include a smallish LCD screen, a 1.3 megapixel camera module, Bluetooth 2.1, a 3.5mm audio jack and microSD card expansion (up to 32GB).   Even Luddites with dumbphones use social networks, too, so the phone’s got Mobile Web, with shortcuts straight to the mobile pages for Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.  With neither WiFi nor 3G, browsing will probably be a pain in the ass, though.  Extra features include a Mobile Email app (trial basis) and a document viewer for all those Office attachments.
The LG Cosmos 2 will be available both in Verizon stores and online starting tomorrow, July 14.  Price is $29.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year contract.
[Verizon Wireless]

I was very skeptical about the concept of gaming on a touchscreen device.  The iPhone, though, managed to destroy that preconception within a very short time.  But if you still long for that sensation of something touching back when you tap on the screen, the Mophie Pulse should be high on your wish list.
The haptic feedback comes courtesy of ViviTouch Technology, who teamed up with Mophie to bring the feeling of mashing real buttons into the hands of iPhone gamers.  And it’s not just about a buzzing vibration effect when you touch the screen either.  According to the company,  gamers should “feel the difference between hundreds of sensations, not just the one-buzz-fits-all vibration from before.”
The Mophie Pulse is a 4th-gen iPhone/iPod Touch accessory that adds extra holding panels on both sides of your landscape-oriented mobile toy… errr… productivity gadget.  Aside from making the iPhone easier to hold, the device will interface with the phone to create advanced rumble effects that make a “rolling pinball… feel different from a revving motor, a big explosion or even a sharp blade slicing through fruit.”  Going a step further, the device also integrates stereo speakers to boost and enhance the sound of your games.
No word yet on when the Mophie Pulse is actually due for release (I mean, the iPhone 5 is just around the corner, so it might be obsolete by the time it ships), but expect it to get plenty of attention when it does.  It’s currently listed as “Coming Soon” on the Mophie website.
[Mophie Pulse via Kotaku]

Sick of the iPhone taking up the space in your jeans’ front pocket?  You need that for loose bills and change, after all.  A new accessory called The Move will let you carry your iPhone on your shirt.
I know what you’re thinking — you can do the same with a large patch of double-sided tape.  That’s a whole lot of messy, though, with residue guaranteed to stick to both your garment and your gadget for the rest of the day (and then some).

The Move does things in a decidedly more novel way, with no straps, no tape, no velcro and no magnets.  And, no, voodoo magic isn’t involved either.  Instead, it uses a cleverly-designed accessory that you place on the inner side of your shirt, opposite the iPhone.  The assembly stays in place using the accessory’s overhanging edges which scrunches up a small bit of the fabric as anchor to keep things from falling.

The result is a really, really ingenious way to use the iPhone.  If you’re wearing a long-sleeved shirt, for instance, you can keep the device on your wrist while you drive.  If you’re lifecasting, just stick the iPhone to the front of your shirt with the rear camera facing out and you can capture everything you encounter.
Granted, the inside panel should add a little bulk that you can feel on your skin.  For the unique functionality, though, the very slight inconvenience should be well worth it.  The Move is currently seeking sponsors on Kickstarter.  You can reserve one when it goes on production for $25.
[Kickstarter]

Those looking forward to getting their hands on that decagon-shaped smartphone Motorola announced a couple weeks ago can now mark their calendars.  According to Sprint, the Motorola Photon 4G will hit their retail shelves starting July 31 for $199.99 on contract.
In case you need a refresher, the smartphone is a global-ready, 4G-armed and Tegra 2-packin’ beast, making it quite the catch for the standard top-end price.  As with Sprint’s later releases, this one comes with Sprint ID integrated into the Android 2.3 Gingerbread UI.
Details of the Motorola Photon 4G include a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen display (960 x 540 resolution), an 8.0 megapixel camera in the rear (with 720p video), a VGA webcam in front, aGPS, WiFi, Mobile Hotspot (for both 3G and 4G), Bluetooth, an HDMI out, 16GB of onboard storage, microSD card expansion and a 1,700 mAh battery.   The dual-core Tegra 2 muscle is aided in its duties by a generous 1GB of RAM.
Aside from your usual Android goodies, the phone features support for critical IT device policies, making it an enticing option for business users both in private and government sectors.  They have plenty of accessories available for the phone, too, including an HD Station (a dock with remote and HDMI cable), a vehicle navigation dock and a battery-only charger (yep, the battery is removable).
While the Motorola Photon 4G  drops for everyone at the end of the month, Sprint Premier Customers can get one three days earlier.  Orders will only be taken online, though, and only while supplies last.
[Sprint]

Two new LG smartphones get a formal announcement today.  Both targeted at the entry-level smartphone market, the duo consists of the LG Optimus Pro and the LG Optimus Net.
LG Optimus Pro

LG’s take on the QWERTY candybar form factor features a four-row QWERTY keyboard, a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen display (240 x 320 resolution), a 3.1 megapixel camera, WiFi, aGPS, Bluetooth, a 1,500 mAh battery and microSD card expansion.  The Optimus Pro runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, with muscle provided by an 800 MHz processor.    The appearance looks neat and tidy for what could have been a busy front panel, although build looks decidedly plastic from the product photos.
LG Optimus Net

The Optimus Net takes on a traditional touchscreen slab form factor (113.5 x 59 x 12.1 mm), with rounded corners and a compact profile.  Details include a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen display (320 x 480 resolution), a 3.1 megapixel camera, WiFi, 3G with HSPA, aGPS, Bluetooth 3.0, a 1,500 mAh battery and microSD card expansion (up to 32GB).   It packs the same 800 MHz processor as the Optimus Pro, aided by 512MB of RAM.  OS is Android 2.3 Gingerbread, with a special social networking widget available right on the homescreen.
Availability
Both the LG Optimus Pro and the LG Optimus Net will hit stores before the end of the summer, although pricing is yet to be announced.  They will be available in both black and white versions, as well as a third color (called Titan) for the Pro (we’re not sure what kind of color Titan is, though).
[via TechCrunch]

Just when you thought you were starting to understand Nokia, the company does something to put you back in your baffled state.  While this isn’t confirmed, we’re pretty certain this will definitely have you scratching your head: the Nokia C3-01.5, an S40-running dumbphone with hardware that could power a decent smartphone.
We’re not talking about entry-level 600MHz CPUs, either.  This rumored handset supposedly comes with a 1GHz processor, paired with 512MB of RAM.  Yep, puts my nicked and scratch HTC Hero to shame.

What would S40 do with that hardware, though?  I have no idea.  If this phone had a big touchscreen, it would have made sense for cranking through movies and other media files.  Instead, the phone looks like a reboot of the C3-01 Touch and Type, a candybar with an alphanumeric keyboard and a resistive touchscreen.
For the Nokia C3-01.5 iteration, the phone ditches the resistive panel in favor of a ClearBlack capacitive display.  No word on other details, though, but we’re assuming it will retain the same wireless connectivity (3G with HSPA, WiFi, Bluetooth) and decent camera (5.0 megapixel).
There you have it — an S40 phone with beefy processing power.  We guess we’ll have to wait for an official announcement about the Nokia C3-01.5 before we can figure out Nokia’s rationale for the hardware decision.
[via DGui]