Portable Electronics Ltd // Technology you can carry.

Yes, that fateful day is upon us, the Samsung Fascinate has made its debut on Verizon's online store pages, and it's arrived with a quite unusual (for a top tier handset) sweetener. When buying one Fascinate, you're given the option to obtain a second one for free. Well, the hardware would be free, you'd need two-year commitments on both phones with a minimum monthly data plan of $29.99 a piece, but it's still the nicest thing Verizon's done for us since it started throwing out free Pixi Pluses with purchases of Palm's webOS handsets. You should also bear in mind your initial outlay here is a quite lofty $400, with two separate $100 mail-in rebates bringing the cost down. So it's free in pecuniary terms, but probably not free of headaches.

[Thanks, Mike]

Verizon sweetens Samsung Fascinate deal with Buy One Get One Free offer originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It seemed like a bit of a stretch from the beginning, but it looks like India's $35 Android tablet is intent on proving the skeptics wrong -- the Indian government has just announced that it's awarded the manufacturing contract to HCL Technologies (makers of the once world's cheapest laptop), and that the first batch of tablets are slated to be available by January 10th. That initial run will reportedly only include the 7-inch model that we've been seeing all along, but there's also apparently 5-inch and 9-inch versions planned for launch at a later date. We also presume that the tablet is still hanging onto that $35 price tag (for university students, at least), but that key detail is curiously absent from this latest announcement.

India's $35 Android tablet reportedly on track for January launch originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Several new close-ups of the T-Mobile G2 keyboard have appeared online thanks to fan-site His and Hers Android. The new pics give a better look at the three Quick Keys, which allow users to setup custom macro shortcuts.

The Quick Keys were first discovered by our friends at Android Guys, but this is the best look we have seen yet. According to the leaked G2 build, the Quick Keys are used to “quickly access super useful Google shortcuts and other applications that may take multiple steps to access”.

T-Mobile’s G2 is still rumored for a Sept. 29th launch for $199 with 2-year contract, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets pushed back another week. We have the CTIA trade show coming up Oct. 6-8th and T-Mobile has booth, so they could use that event to finally launch their first HSPA+ handset.

Gallery

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Three has put the Galaxy S up on their online store for pre-orders only, and expect stock to ship within two weeks. It is currently priced on the $59 promo cap, and includes $50 credit if you order online.

Update: Vodafone have launched it on their site also, for the same price as Three.

As for plans below the $59 cap:

• $49 - $10/m repayment
• $39 - $10/m repayment
• $29 - $14/m repayment

Have you pre-ordered yet? Let us know in the comments.

O2 was all set to release Android 2.2 for the HTC Desire today. Many UK Desire owners were pretty excited, and with good reason. They were finally scheduled to get some Froyo! O2 began to roll it out in stages today, but according to our friends over at AndroidSpin, O2 has pulled the update after numerous reports of devices freezing after upgrading. We haven't been able to confirm anything yet, but from the look of things, something went wrong with the Desire 2.2 update. We'll keep you in the loop about any further information.

Has anyone had a Desire which suffered this fate? Let us know.

Sources TechRadar AndroidSpin

O2 Releases, Then Pulls Desire 2.2 Froyo Update originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

I'm severely disappointed in Verizon and Samsung. The Samsung Fascinate, Big Red's version of the Galaxy S, has been reviewed by the folks over at Engadget. They were quick to point out that the search widget is BING, not Google Search. It does make sense to a certain degree, as there's a Bing app only available to Verizon customers. Apparently, Big Red would rather use a Microsoft search engine on a Google-powered device. A bit odd if you ask me.

We've seen this before, of course, in the Motorola Backflip, which uses Yahoo Search. That was also a disappointment. But I digress. This probably isn't a deal breaker for most people, and some won't even notice the difference. I guess I just prefer Google folks!

Is this a deal breaker for any of you?

UPDATE: More bad news.  According to Engadget, there is no way to change the search engine to Google.  You are stuck with Bing.  Hopefully we will have something in the market. We will have to wait and see on this.

Source Engadget

Samsung Fascinate Uses Bing Instead of Google Search (Updated) originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

We know the Dell Streak is rumored to be getting  Froyo, but for now, Streak users will have to settle for Eclair. The UK  Streak, the one that operates on the O2 network, is in the process of receiving Android 2.1, we're being told. Don't worry, the Streak is probably still getting 2.2, but for now, at least you won't be stuck on 1.6 anymore. No official word on Froyo, but we'll keep you updated.

Any O2 users gotten 2.1 yet?

Source TechTree

UK Dell Streak Gets Some Android 2.1 To Gnaw On originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

Navigation device manufacturer Rydeen Mobile Electronics announced a seven-inch, Android-based tablet called the & gPad GCOM701& at last weekend's IFA show in Berlin. Also at the show, Foryoudigital demonstrated its five-inch, Android-powered MX10, and Enspert announced that it built the & Identity Tab& Android tablet recently released by Korean carrier KT....(author unknown)

Earlier this year reports surfaced that Motorola was working on a smartphone with a 2 GHz processor, but one of our tipsters is now telling us that quote was taken out of context and they are actually going to be using the dual-core Tegra 2 processor from NVIDIA.

The original information came from ConceivablyTech that quoted Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha as saying his company would deliver a smartphone with a 2 GHz processor and NVIDIA Tegra-based graphics. We doubted that report since no 2 GHz mobile processors had been announced, but CNET confirmed the remark (with Moto spokeswoman Juli Bruda) that Jha promised such a device to his Chicago audience in June.

Now we have evidence that LG and Samsung are likely to launch dual-core smartphones this year and you can bet that Motorola will have a competing product for the holiday shopping season. Both dual-core processors coming in Q4 are ARM Cortex-A9 based and feature two cores running at 1 GHz each. We believe that two, 1 GHz cores was wrongly interpreted as a single-core 2 GHz processor and that’s how the original rumor took root.

Motorola has been using processors from Texas Instruments for their Droid lineup of phones, but it doesn’t sound like TI will have their dual-core OMAP4 ready in time for a Q4 launch. Even if the OMAP4 were to ship on-time, it only features a PowerVR SGX540 GPU (same as Samsung’s Hummingbird) and both NVIDIA and Samsung are promisng 5x the graphics performance from their new dual-core offerings (vs the previous generation single-core processors).

Unless there is some magical processor we have never heard of, then Motorola’s choices for a dual-core processor are limited to offerings from NVIDIA (Tegra 2), Samsung (Orion), TI (OMAP4), and Qualcomm (QSD8672). Both the Tegra 2 and Orion will be available this year, but Samsung is keeping their Orion CPU limited to “select customers” (aka Samsung Mobile). TI and Qualcomm are saying the will ship their dual-core CPUs in Q4, but we do not expect to see them in products till 2011.

Therefore, the original report that Motorola would have a phone with NVIDIA graphics makes sense if they decided to use the Tegra 2.

To add more fuel to the fire, we keep hearing Motorola and NVIDIA are working directly with Google on the next update for Android, codenamed Gingerbread. We were unsure if that would be ready in time for Q4, but you have to remember how Motorola pulled some strings and gained exclusive early access to Android 2.0 on the Verizon Droid.

We can see that NVIDIA is currently working on the Tegra 2 kernel which is up to version 2.6.35 (Android 2.2 is using 2.6.32) from the Android Open Source Project site. The commits are starting to come more frequently and a quick search shows several people with @motorola.com emails who are contributing. I’m not going to pretend to be an expert in kernel development, but Motorola has employees working on something Tegra 2 related.

Motorola still plans to move 12 to 14 million smartphones in 2010 and that means they are banking on a huge Q4. Will a Tegra 2 smartphone under the Verizon Droid branding be enough to hit their numbers? Let us know if it sounds plausible or if you think I’m full of it.

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As Android continues to make its way to every carrier on every continent, sometimes it’s not the biggest named, or highest-profile device that makes its debut for a particular carrier. In the case of Wind Mobile, word that the Milestone XT720 from Motorola would be launching on the network has come and gone for a little while now, but thanks to a sneaked image of internal training, where the XT720 is obviously showcased, we can safely say the phone is coming.

Wind Mobile’s first Android outing, the Huawei U8100, wasn’t the huge Android device that everyone wanted (or expected), so to see the XT720 making its presence known is very good. Word has it that the Milestone-named variant will be launching some time by the end of September, but there’s no kind of confirmation on that quite yet. Pricing is missing, too, but that’s no surprise at all. But, hey, if you’re on Wind Mobile right now, at least you know it’s coming, so your Android offering is about to get a lot more worthwhile.

[via IntoMobile]

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We just did a quick look at the calendar for the next few weeks and realized we'll be in attendance for at least four events.  If you are planning to attend any of the following shows and festivities, we encourage you to look us up.  We love to meet fans and spend time chatting our favorite mobile platform.  Otherwise, if you are not able to make it, you can watch our coverage from your PC and (hopefully Android) smart phone!  The next few weeks and months will be very exciting in the world of Android and hope you'll consider us for your news.

• APPnation Conference, September 13 & 14 - Conference designed for smaller developer teams to help gain exposure.  Inaugural event takes place in San Francisco with speakers such as WSJ, GetJar, ESPN, Pandora and more.
• HTC , September 15 - Rumors peg this London event as being Android related in at least some capacity.  Look for the announcement of the HTC Desire HD.
• Samsung Mobile Event, September 16 - Announcement of Samsung's latest Android-powered device and official unveiling of Samsung’s Media Hub.
• Big Android Barbecue - October 2 & 3 - Fan fest designed to foster and grow Android's community.  Celebrate two years of Android phones with AndroidGuys, AndroidAndMe, AndroidSwag, and TheDroidGuy.  Lots of sponsors, giveaways, and goodies.  Special guests include...

AndroidGuys Coming to an Event Near You originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

We saw it this weekend for a fleeting moment, but thankfully one handy reader sent us copies of the product page for HP's Photosmart eStation C510, which we can now confirm is the Zeus / Zeen printer and detachable tablet combination we caught wind of back in early August -- and we've got some more details. Bad news first: as of a month ago, the Gmail app was missing and there was no support for Android Market, meaning the Zeen might not be an official "with Google" Android tablet like the Samsung Galaxy Tab. (The product page conspicuously lacks any mention of the OS, so we're thinking Android might simply be the hidden-away base layer for the TouchSmart UI, making this thing super boring.) It does have the default Android browser and at least some custom apps for printing pictures from Facebook, Yahoo, and Snapfish preloaded, but we don't know about anything else. Major bummer, but we're told it shouldn't be too hard for the community at large to root the sucker. Beta testing begins this month, so that all might change before the projected September 20th release. Here's what else we know so far:

• The Zeen is a capacitive tablet running HP's TouchSmart skin on top of Android 2.1 -- it won't get shifted to webOS, and it's not clear if it'll get upped to Froyo before launch given the development time required. It has capacitive touch buttons, an SD card slot, video support, and at least some prototypes have cameras with a special webcam app installed.
• We're told TouchSmart will be locked in, but we don't know how deep that'll go -- right now the standard Android homescreen is still accessible. That's supposedly going away, so don't get your hopes up for any native Gmail / Angry Birds use.
• E-reading is a major focus, and the Zeen has "significant" integration with the Barnes & Noble Nook bookstore and ecosystem. Makes sense, as the Nook itself is based on Android, and being able to print e-books from the Zeen would be a huge differentiator -- and a great way for HP to sell more ink.
• The touchscreen is apparently not very accurate at all, and we're told the overall experience is far less satisfying than a competent Android phone. Don't expect this to replace your Droid Incredible for all at-home use.
• The Zeen will come in two configurations: a $399 bundle with a new printer called Zeus and as a standalone unit for an unknown price. The Zeus has its own "basic" control setup, but when the Zeen is docked it provides a rich interface to the printing functions -- presumably a web-connected interface like the one HP's been moving towards with other printers. (Note: the product page listed $399.99 but provided no indication what price the Zeen might go for solo.)
• Ship date is an estimated September 20th but due to some testing issues this may be pushed back.

Until HP comes clean and inks out the details for all the world to see, check out the product page in pictorial format below.

Gallery: HP lists Photosmart eStation C510 ('Zeus / Zeen') product page

Exclusive: HP Photosmart eStation C510 is Android-powered Zeus / Zeen, may not run Gmail or Market apps originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | CommentsRoss Miller0878815878378822680906575392659997712315136290031934394377160125446450654325560716155029348380204271008179441127931921370771924552095578560316803594329571676671021543376127249943591021945666561711659611632751218400463468121755985033200141960906643031933503197900320933387269203904

Android lovers who are in the market for a new HD TV might want to hold off just a little bit longer. Samsung, the top TV maker in the U.S. at nearly 20% market share, is considering Android for its line of televisions. Speaking to reporters earlier today, Samsung exec Yoon Boo Keun said the company is "reviewing" the possibility of adding Android's features to its sets.  Some of you may recall that Samsung was rumored to be considering Android as far back as April.

Samsung, as a whole, appears to be falling more in love with the platform by the day. After a few early mis-steps with the Behold II and initial Galaxy phones, Samsung has gone full steam with the Galaxy S handset and Galaxy Tab. Meshing Android with their popular line of televisions seems to be the logical next step.

Samsung would join a short list of companies involved in Android-based Google TV's. Currently, the only other major players are Sony and Logitech.

Bloomberg: Samsung “Reviewing” Android-Based TVs originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

Samsung Electronics said it could equip some of its future HDTVs with Google TV services according to a report from Bloomberg. We knew Samsung was bullish on connected TVs, but they have been pushing their own Smart TV platform and recently announced a €500,000 dev contest to build support for their TV app store.

Sony Electronics is the exclusive HDTV partner for the Google TV launch and we expect their Internet TV will be the only set you can purchase this holidays. If Samsung were to enter the race, we don’t think it would happen till mid 2011 when the Google TV source code is released and support for the Android Market is added.

We have seen Samsung experiment with multiple operating systems on their smartphones (Android, Bada, WP7), so it sounds like they are open to trying new things with TVs as well. I guess when you are the world’s largest television maker, you can afford to take a few chances.

Look for Samsung to continue developing their own open operating systems for phones and TVs, but this news makes you think Android will become the primary OS for their portfolio of connected devices (smartphones, tablets, and TVs).

LG also recently confirmed they will have their own version of Google TV. This means that the top 3 TV makers have all indicated support for Google TV (before its official launch this fall). When you think about the other companies already committed to promoting Google TV at launch (Intel, Best Buy, Logitech, Adobe, Dish Network, Sony) I think we can safely say that Google will rule the world of smart TVs in 2011.

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Tempted by the Samsung Fascinate – which Verizon has just confirmed will be hitting virtual shelves tomorrow priced at $199.99 – and want to know if it’s worth your while?  Over at SlashGear the Fascinate has been put through its paces in a full review, and shapes up rather nicely.

In the Fascinate’s favor is its Super AMOLED display, 1GHz Hummingbird processor and a great 5-megapixel camera with LED flash that can shoot 720p HD video.  On the downside there’s Samsung’s TouchWiz 3.0 UI, which is an acquired taste, and occasional stalling when moving between apps.

We won’t spoil the conclusion, so if you’ve $200 burning a hole in your pocket and a desire to find out how the Samsung Fascinate compares to the DROID X, DROID 2 and other Android handsets, head over to SlashGear now.

Samsung Fascinate unboxing:

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Verizon’s Samsung Fascinate, one of the Samsung Galaxy S family, has been given an official price tag and release date.  In fact, the Super AMOLED smartphone has two dates: it’ll go up for sale online on Wednesday September 8th, and then in Verizon stores on Thursday September 9th.

Either way it will be priced at $199.99 with a new, two-year agreement and a $100 mail-in rebate.  The smartphone has EVDO Rev.A, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth, a 5-megapixel camera and 3G hotspot functionality.

[via SlashGear]

Press Release:

Samsung Fascinate™, a Galaxy S™ Smartphone, Available Tomorrow on the Verizon Wireless Network

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ — Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced that the Samsung Fascinate™, a Galaxy S™ smartphone exclusively from Verizon, will be available online on Sept. 8 and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on Sept. 9 for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.
Powered by Android 2.1™, the Fascinate refines customers’ social networking experiences with its Super AMOLED™ Screen Technology, advanced touch screen capabilities, Samsung 1 GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor, and virtual QWERTY keyboard featuring SWYPE technology. Additionally, the Fascinate comes pre-loaded with Amazon’s Kindle for Android app, and it boasts an array of accessories, including:
Charging Cradle – Doubles as a phone charger and includes a micro USB wall adapter so customers can view movies, display digital photos, and listen to music. It can also be used as a desktop speakerphone to make hands-free calls, and it comes preloaded with the Samsung “Desk Home” application, which allows customers to switch brightness levels from day to night and provides one-touch access to Samsung Widgets and Bing Voice Search. The charging cradle is available for $29.99.
Car Dock – Attachable to the windshield or dashboard, the car dock displays turn-by-turn GPS navigation instructions, rotates freely between landscape and portrait modes, and features a preloaded Samsung “Car Home” application, giving customers access to everything the “Desk Home” app can do while on the go. The car dock is available for $39.99.
Backup Battery Charging System – Includes a 1500 mAH battery, battery charger and Y-cable for charging a phone and spare battery simultaneously. It is available for $39.99.

Pricing and Plan Information
Verizon Wireless customers who purchase the Samsung Fascinate will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. Samsung Fascinate customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan (beginning at $39.99 monthly access) and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan (beginning at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access). For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

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Big thanks to one of our readers, Dennis, for pointing this link out (hit the Source link), as it shows the Galaxy S being partially compared to the SE Xperia X10 on Vodafone. Although no specs are compared, it does inform us that the RRP for the Galaxy S is $759 compared to $949 for the Xperia X10.

Now if they have any correlation to the plan prices, the Xperia X10 sits at $0 on a $59 cap, and seeing as the Galaxy S is surprisingly less (take note, Telstra) it may just find itself on a $49 cap. Good news? I think so.

Oh and the quick link for when the Galaxy S is up on the Vodafone Store: http://store.vodafone.com.au/handset-samsung-galaxy-s.aspx

Not to be outdone by NVIDIA, Samsung also went ahead and announced their next-generation dual-core CPU for smartphones. Named the Orion, it will feature a pair of 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 cores paired with an enhanced GPU that offers 5x the the 3D graphics performance over the previous generation Hummingbird.

NVIDIA is also claiming 5x graphics performance of previous generation single-core CPUs, so it will be interesting to see these two processors go head-to-head and find out who comes out on top. Little is known about the complete architecture of NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 system-on-chip, but Samsung could have the advantage with modifications they have made to the ARM Cortex-A9 reference design. Samsung included several bonuses like a 1MB L2 cache to optimize CPU processing performance, added support for DDR3 memory, and features an onboard native triple display controller.

Samsung has been using a PowerVR SGX GPU from Imagination Technologies, so it’s likely we will see the next-gen version being used with the Orion processor. I haven’t heard of any units shipping yet, but the Orion could be the first system-on-chip to get the new SGX Series5XT GPU (which is rumored for a wide range of SoCs from Apple, Intel, Sony, TI).

The Orion will be available to “select customers” in the fourth quarter and mass production will occur in 2011. This means Samsung will use their own CPU in the next generation of Galaxy smartphones, which I expect will launch before Christmas. Some analyst had claimed Samsung had a Q4 hole, but you have to be crazy to think the nations largest handset maker would miss out on the important holiday shopping season.

Another possible customer for the Orion processor could be the rumored Playstation phone from Sony Ericsson. The Sony Playstation Portable 2 is also rumored to include the PowerVR SGX Series5XT GPU, so it makes sense both devices would be based around a similar platform.

Qualcomm and Texas Instruments have also said they would have dual-core CPUs available in Q4, but we have yet to hear any official product announcements. HTC is working with the new dual-core Qualcomm in the HTC Glacier device, but we know it’s Adreno 205 GPU will be less powerful than the current Samsung Hummingbird. We could also see TI’s OMAP4 in a Motorola smartphone this year, but once again that GPU is the same as the Hummingbird (SGX540).

Who do you think will produce the best dual-core processor for smartphones this year? Will it be NVIDIA or Samsung?

Show Press Release

Samsung Introduces High Performance, Low Power Dual CORTEXTM – A9 Application Processor for Mobile Devices

TAIPEI, Taiwan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in advanced semiconductor solutions, today introduced its new 1GHz ARM® CORTEXTM A9-based dual-core application processor, codenamed Orion, for advanced mobile applications. Device OEM developers now have a powerful dual processor chip platform designed specifically to meet the needs of high-performance, low-power mobile applications including tablets, netbooks and smartphones. Samsung’s new processor will be demonstrated at the seventh annual Samsung Mobile Solutions Forum held here in Taiwan at the Westin Taipei Hotel.

“Consumers are demanding the full web experience without compromise while on the go,” said Dojun Rhee, vice president of Marketing, System LSI Division, Samsung Electronics. “Given this trend, mobile device designers need an application processor platform that delivers superb multimedia performance, fast CPU processing speed, and abundant memory bandwidth. Samsung’s newest dual core application processor chip is designed specifically to fulfill such stringent performance requirements while maintaining long battery life.”

Designed using Samsung’s 45 nanometer low-power process technology, Orion features a pair of 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 cores, each comes with a 32KB data cache and a 32KB instruction cache. Samsung also included a 1MB L2 cache to optimize CPU processing performance and provide fast context switching in a multi-tasking environment. In addition, the memory interface and bus architecture of Orion supports data intensive multimedia applications including full HD video playback and high speed 3D action games.

Samsung’s new application processor incorporates a rich portfolio of advanced multimedia features implemented by hardware accelerators, such as video encoder/decoder that supports 30fps video playback and recording at 1080P full HD resolution. Using an enhanced graphics processing unit (GPU), the new processors are capable of delivering 5 times the 3D graphics performance over the previous processor generation from Samsung.

For design flexibility and system BOM cost reduction, Orion integrates a set of interfaces commonly used in mobile devices to configure various peripheral functionalities. For example, with this processor, customers have the choice to use different types of storage including NAND flash, moviNANDTM, SSD or HDD providing both SATA, and eMMC interfaces. Customers can also choose their appropriate memory options including low power LPDDR2 or DDR3, which is commonly used for high performance. In addition, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver baseband processor is embedded in the processor to seamlessly support location based services (LBS), which is critical in many emerging mobile applications.

Orion features an onboard native triple display controller architecture that compliments multi-tasking operations in a multiple display environment. A mobile device using the Orion processor can simultaneously support two on-device display screens, while driving a third external display such as a TV or a monitor, via an on-chip HDMI 1.3a interface.

Orion is designed to support package-on-package (POP) with memory stacking to reduce the footprint. A derivative of Orion, which is housed in a standalone package with a 0.8mm ball pitch, is also available.

Samsung’s new dual-core application processor, Orion, will be available to select customers in the fourth quarter of 2010 and is scheduled for mass production in the first half of 2011.

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Let's all stop acting surprised that Motorola has gone back on their previous statements, and move on to their new, more official, announcement. Moto Aus have said via their Facebook page that Android 2.2 (Froyo) will hit the Milestone in Q1 2011.

The update will include all the essentials of Froyo, except for maybe the exception of Wireless Hotspot, which the Milestone supposedly can't do. Evidently Motorola has never searched Google for 'Motorola Milestone Wireless Tethering'. If you any of you Milestone owners feel the wait is to long, just remember, you're actually getting 2.2.

LG Electronics announced today that it will ship the world’s first dual-core CPU Android smartphones in Q4 2010, which will be part of the company’s Optimus Series of devices. We previously reported that LG and NVIDIA were teaming up on several devices, but this is the first official confirmation that we should expect an actual Tegra 2 smartphone in stores this year.

The NVIDIA Tegra 2 smartphone processor (AP20) offers a number of “mobile firsts” including the first mobile dual-core CPU, the first ultra low-power GeForce GPU, and the first 1080p HD mobile video processor. Each CPU core will be clocked at 1 GHz and LG claims consumers should expect up to 2x faster web browsing and up to 5x faster gaming performance (over single core CPUs running at 1 GHz).

NVIDIA and LG are also saying that the Tegra 2 will deliver “console-quality gaming” but we have yet to see the elite developers like id Software and Epic Games fully support the Android platform like they have done with Apple. Hopefully NVIDIA has been working with some of these devs behind the scenes and we will have some flagship Android games available to show off the full power of the Tegra 2 GeForce GPU.

Chang Ma, VP of Marketing for LG, thinks the Optimus Series will take the lead when it comes to speed and graphics. He said, “LG is committed to making its Optimus Series smart devices the de facto standard in speed and graphics performance. We selected NVIDIA because it is the visual computing leader and has a long history of creating amazing consumer experiences.”

Possible U.S. carriers for the first dual-core smartphone include T-Mobile and Verizon. The leaked T-Mobile roadmap indicated two LG devices coming in late November. Verizon is another option because they are the only U.S. carrier who has launched an Android phone from LG (the Ally) and the LG enV Touch 2 is rumored to appear this holiday season.

LG doesn’t exactly have the best reputation in the Android ecosystem, but a high-end Tegra 2 phone could finally put them on the map. However, like we saw with the Toshiba Folio tablet, a high-end processor does not guarantee a win.

What are your expectation for a dual-core phone? Is the inclusion of a Tegra 2 processor enough to make you upgrade? Which other features do you hope LG incorporate in a high-end Android phone?

Show Press Release

LG DEVELOPS POWERFUL SMARTPHONES WITH NVIDIA TEGRA 2 PROCESSOR

LG First to Announce Smartphone with Dual-Core CPU based on NVIDIA Tegra, the World’s Most Advanced Mobile Processor

SEOUL, Sept. 7, 2010 – LG Electronics (LG) announced today that it will introduce a series of fast, powerful smartphones starting in the fourth quarter of 2010 utilizing the second generation NVIDIA® Tegra™ mobile processor, Tegra 2. Tegra 2 includes the world’s first dual-core CPU, which powers through complex tasks to achieve significant leaps in performance.

LG will integrate Tegra 2 into its smartphones, providing them with unprecedented power, speed and graphics capability. These smartphones will be part of LG’s Optimus Series, a new line of innovative mobile products.

LG selected NVIDIA Tegra because it enables a new mobile experience and content capabilities. Tegra 2 features a number of mobile “firsts”: the first mobile dual-core CPU, the only ultra low-power NVIDIA GeForce® GPU and the first 1080p HD mobile video processor. Taking full advantage of the two speedy 1 GHz processors sharing the workload in Tegra 2, consumers can experience up to 2x faster web browsing and up to 5x faster gaming performance over single core processors running at 1 GHz. NVIDIA’s leadership in graphics also delivers flawless 1080p HD video playback, console-quality gaming and amazing 3D capabilities.

“LG is committed to making its Optimus Series smart devices the de facto standard in speed and graphics performance,” said Chang Ma, Vice President of Marketing Strategy Team, LG Mobile Communications Company. “We selected NVIDIA because it is the visual computing leader and has a long history of creating amazing consumer experiences.”

“The ultimate smartphones will be powered by Tegra, the world’s most advanced mobile processor,” said Phil Carmack, senior vice president of NVIDIA’s mobile business. “LG is one of the most popular consumer brands, and their Optimus Series of devices with Tegra is further validation of the processor’s ability to deliver an unrivaled, turbocharged media experience.”

LG’s Optimus Series smartphones featuring the NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor will debut starting in the fourth quarter of the year.

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