Samsung unveils the Galaxy Chat with Android 4.0 and a full QWERTY keyboard

After having been spotted in some early spy pics, Samsung has now gone ahead and fully unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Chat. Coming with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and a full QWERTY keyboard, the Galaxy Chat will be available in Spain come July and then be rolled out to Europe, Latin America, Middle East, China, Southeast Asia, and Southwest Asia. Other specs for the Galaxy Chat include:

• 320 X 240 QVGA Display
• 4GB of internal storage with MicroSD card slot for expansion
• 2MP Rear-Facing Camera
• 1200mAh battery
• Wi-Fi 802.11 ( b/g/n ), Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 2.0
• Dedicated key to launch Samsung’s ChatON messenger

No pricing details have come with this announcement but it's noted as being competitive. As you likely guessed from the dedicated ChatOn key, Samsung will be preloading the service along with Samsung's Game Hub which offers a free selection of games available for download.

It's an interesting design we've seen a few times now but this one looks as though it won't be seeing a North American release for now at least. With that dedicated ChatOn key it looks like Samsung is wanting to take on RIM and their BBM service in some emerging markets with a low-cost Android device.

Source: Samsung Tomorrow

LG unveils new Optimus UI 3, promises to be unobtrusive and simple

By now, you probably know that I’m not exactly the biggest fan of custom UI overlays. Sure, I totally understand why they exist, and how various features from these skins pave the way for new and great things to come from Google. But that doesn’t change the fact that three different people walking down the street can have three completely different Android experiences, which ultimately makes a large headache for developers trying to create an application that reaches all of them.

LG has sent us a press release this morning about their new LG Optimus 3 overlay. I’ve tried nearly every single UI overlay out on the market today, and have continually placed LG near the bottom on my preferred list. Google’s stock Android is always first, followed very distantly by HTC’s Sense and Samsung’s Touchwiz, then distantly again by LG’s UI and MotoBLUR (or, whatever the heck they’re calling it now).

With the Optimus 3 overlay, LG promises a skin that is unobtrusive and simple to use. Sure, judging from the few pictures they’ve sent along, it does look like a toned-down version of LG’s Optimus UI, but it still has enough changes to the stock Android experience to leave a sour taste in my mouth. Granted, my annoyances with Optimus UI’s app launcher can easily be fixed with a launcher replacement (which, I’d recommend you do immediately after powering on your LG device), changes to the notification bar and some of the included widgets are much more difficult, if not impossible, to change.

I’ll hold off full judgement on LG’s Optimus UI until I have a chance to get my hands on the Optimus 4X HD to test for myself. One thing I can say for sure, however, I definitely long for the day when there are multiple Nexus devices to choose from on multiple carriers.

Show Press Release

LG’S NEW OPTIMUS UI 3.0 ADDS NEW FEATURES
AND FUNCTIONS WHILE BEING UNOBTRUSIVE AND SIMPLE
New User Interface Makes the LG Smartphone Experience
Faster, Simpler, More Convenient

SEOUL, May 16, 2012 – LG Electronics (LG) is introducing a new User Interface (UI) for its newest Android Ice Cream Sandwich devices, aptly named Optimus UI 3.0. Optimus UI 3.0 brings with it an array of enhanced key features, including Quick Memo™ and unique unlock functions, among other new features and functions aimed at improving LG smartphone experience.

“With smartphone hardware becoming more and more similar, it’s important for manufacturers to differentiate their products from the competition through the user interface,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Both carriers and customers tell us that they want LG phones to look and feel unique and the UI plays a big part in that. LG is really going to push the boundaries of what is possible in user interfaces starting with Optimus UI 3.0.”

Optimus UI 3.0 is designed with convenience and speed in mind. A powerful memo function called Quick Memo™ enables users to jot notes on the screen using a finger. Quick Memo™ in Optimus UI 3.0 allows users to share their thoughts through social networks, text messages and e-mails more conveniently than ever before.

Other new features include:

– the ability to unlock the phone by dragging anywhere on the screen;
– a new Pattern Lock that allows users to preset the most frequently used function, such as the camera, which automatically opens once the phone is unlocked;
– a simpler version of Optimus UI 3.0 for new smartphone users which organizes the main applications so that they are the easiest to access;
– a new Voice Shutter that allows users to capture photos using only voice commands;
– a special camera feature that enables users to pick up the best shot among multiple images including the moment just before the shutter button is depressed;
– an Icon Customizer that provides an additional level of personalization by allowing users to set their own photos as icons and shortcut images;
– the addition of a Download category to the menu for easier organization.

Optimus UI 3.0 will debut on the LG Optimus LTE II launching this week in Korea, followed by LG Optimus 4X HD in June.

Sphero now directly to international countries, unveils two new apps

It's been a while since we hard from the folks at Orbotix but they've been hard at working coming up with some new apps and working out arrangements so that they may ship the pretty awesome Sphero ball to what is now 95 countries outside of the U.S. The two new apps they've been working on are called MacroLab and Chromo respectively and they are certainly impressive though, they've not quite been released as of yet. Orbotix says they will be arriving this month:

• Sphero MacroLab - Create easy, repeatable programs and macros for Sphero. Arrange simple commands and settings in any combination you choose to let Sphero drive autonomously, follow unique patterns, and more, all while learning basic programming. Play your commands, save favorites, and even share them with friends. MacroLab makes programming Sphero easy and fun.
• Chromo - Get ready to challenge your coordination and your memory with the first app that lets you use Sphero as a controller. Move Sphero to match the colors on your screen for an entirely new way to challenge yourself.

If you're looking to get in on the Sphero action, you can now save yourself 10% percent off the purchase cost when you use the coupon code "GETROLLING" on their website. The full list of countries is available via the source link as well, hit the break for a video of the Chromo app in action it's pretty awesome and makes me want to get a set of balls, no pun intended.

Source: Sphero

Sony unveils Xperia Sola with 'floating touch' technology

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Sony has today revealed the Xperia Sola, a new 3.7-inch Android smartphone similar to the Xperia P and Xperia U, which were unveiled a couple of months ago. If you've been following the rumors over the past few months, you'll recognize this as the MT27i "Pepper".

The Xperia Sola is packing a brand new technology called "floating touch", which allows the screen to sense when there's a finger hovering over it. The main use case highlighted by the manufacturer is web browsing -- on the Xperia Sola, users will be able hold their finger over a web page like a cursor, before touching the screen to select. It's an interesting concept, but we'll have to spend some time with the device before we're completely sold on it.

The Xperia Sola also sports a different profile to most of Sony's other 2012 smartphones. There's no clear element near the bottom of the device, and the screen protrudes from the base, likely due to whatever extra tech Sony's crammed in behind it to facilitate that "floating touch" feature.

Internally, the Xperia Sola closely matches the Xperia P -- there's a 1GHz dual-core ST-Ericsson chip inside, a 3.7-inch "Reality Display", and all of Sony's usual software stuff on top of Android 2.3 Gingerbread (an update to ICS is promised for "Summer 2012"). You also get NFC support, which lets you use Sony's "SmartTags" to automate certain tasks when they're in range.

The Xperia Solai will launch globally in black, white and red during the second quarter of the year. We've got today's full press release, alongside some introductory videos, after the jump.

Citibank unveils banking app for Kindle Fire

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AppId is over the quota

Citibank just announced a Kindle Fire edition of its mobile banking app, which it says has "every component, graphic, touch action, button and slider customized for the device." Along with that, Citi says, come:

• Plan cash outflows with the help of a unique interactive chart of past and future payments and transfers
• Analyze personal spending habits through automatically generated, customizable charts of payee spending
• Compare personal spending habits with general consumer data, filtering by location, age group, income bracket and purchase category
• Get direct access to educational content from Women & Co., a service of Citibank, as well as real-time customer service.

Snag it for free (well, you'll need some money in a Citi account, we suppose) at the link below.

Download: Citi for Kindle Fire; more: Press release

Orange UK gets a little excited, unveils HTC One X early

By now, the HTC One X isn't exactly a secret any more. The device has leaked plenty of times already ahead of any official announcement but we can add another leak to that mix. It seems Orange UK got a little excited and already posted the device along with the specs to their site. Guess there is no doubt about them picking the device up now is there?

Source: Orange UK; via: Cool Smartphone, Thanks, Luke!