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from PocketNow:

Now, thanks to D747PR, we have a bunch of new shots of the upcoming T-Mobile Wing II. The keyboard is lacking of any European characters, which implies that it won’t be the MDA Vario 5, but a true USA release.

“New Pictures of the T-Mobile USA Touch Pro2 Surface” via PocketNow

From Engadget:

While the jury’s still out on its US name or release date, the HTC Magic is gearing up for its European debut by way of Vodafone. The pre-order page is now live with an irresistible price of zilch, provided you agree to a monthly plan of £30 or more. The company says it plans to ship out the Cupcake-powered phone by May 5th.

“HTC Magic up for pre-order from Vodafone: due out May 5th, free with monthly plan” via Engadget

From Phandroid:

The HTC Magic is now available for Pre-Order with Vodafone (for FREE)!!! If you’re the type of person who:

* Doesn’t like to wait in line
* Likes to get gadgets first
* Doesn’t want to miss out if they sell out quickly

I would suggest you head on over to our information page where you can pre-order the HTC Magic.

“HTC Magic Pre-Order Starts… NOW!” via Phandroid

From Engadget and UnwiredView:

You may already know that the new HTC Touch Pro2 will be available for purchase starting this summer – after all, HTC said so when it officially announced the smartphone (at the same time with the Touch Diamond2).

What HTC didn’t say about the Touch Pro2 is what price it will have.

Today, however, the Taiwanese handset maker unveiled this tiny detail too.

In Singapore, HTC Touch Pro2 will retail for $1,328 SGD, meaning about $880 or €670. So we should expect the handset to have a similar retail price in the other markets where it will be released (including Europe and North America).

“HTC Touch Pro2 priced: it will retail for about $880” via unwiredview.com

“Unlocked HTC Touch Pro2 to retail for $880, Touch Diamond2 for $725” via EngadgetMobile

Gizmodo and PreThinking each apparently have a Sprint employee email hinting at pre training and launch….

The guys at PreThinking are citing an internal Sprint email that indicates employee training for the new device has already begun. Which could mean the launch is nigh upon us?

“Sprint Employee Training Suggests Palm Pre’s Launch Is Imminent?” via Gizmodo

From PreThinking:

All the rumors and speculations of a mid-April/late April/May launch of the Palm Pre doesn’t appear to be too far of a stretch. Stated in an email from Sprint, “Employees can expect training to start in April as well as multiple communications to get them excited and ready to help our customers.” I was wondering if the training has begun — so I asked for a confirmation on that thought.

“Sprint Employees now training on the Palm Pre, Pre’s Launch is Near” via PreThinking

Apple may continue to have an interest in automatic audio or video replies within iChat, a newly-published patent application hints. Under the Apple technology, people away from their computers or simply busy could instruct iChat to play a prerecorded audio or video message to anyone attempting chat. The length of each message could be used-defined.

“Apple still interested in iChat AV answering tech?” via MacNN

HTC announced the HTC Touch Diamond2 in February and it has just announced the phone’s availability in Taiwan later this month. The new touchscreen smartphone from HTC will be priced at NT$21,900 with 8G memory card in the box.

Here is more info on the HTC Touch Diamond2:

The HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2 utilize HTC’s latest TouchFLO 3D interface. TouchFLO 3D has been more deeply integrated into a customized version of Windows Mobile 6.1 to deliver more consistency throughout Windows Mobile applications and menus. Focused on making navigation easier and more intuitive, TouchFLO 3D brings important information to the top-level user interface, including quick access to people, messaging, email, photos, music and weather. As part of this improved Windows Mobile integration the touch focus areas have been enlarged to be more finger-touch friendly.

“HTC to Start Selling the HTC Touch Diamond2 in Taiwan Later This Month” via MobileTechReview.com

Gizmodo.com and Engadget.com and tweakers.net all have articles on “new approach to text entry” and other rumors like release time, etc…

From Gizmodo:

Speaking to Dutch website Tweakers, a RIM sales manager said that, as rumored, a followup to the underwhelming BlackBerry Storm will be arriving at the end of this year, or the beginning of next.

“RIM Employee Lends Credence To Storm 2 Rumors, Cryptically Claims ‘New Manner To Input Text’” via Gizmodo

From Engadget:

Reputable Dutch site Tweakers has Alain Segond von Banchet, RIM channel sales manager according to LinkedIn, stating that the BlackBerry Storm followup is scheduled to launch at the end of the year or at the beginning of next. In addition, he has the phone coming to KPN, not Vodafone who had the first generation Storm locked-up under an exclusive deal. Interestingly enough, Mr. Segond von Banchet says that the Storm 2 (not the final name) will “offer among other things a new manner to input text” — among other things meaning WiFi, presumably, as we heard before. Keep in mind that channel sales managers do not typically represent a company to the press. Nevertheless, what he’s saying does jibe with previous rumors and we have no doubt that RIM is working hard to avoid the universal disdain that greeted the Storm’s mushy, push-button touchscreen input.

“RIM (employee): Storm 2 with “new approach to text entry” for end 2009, early 2010” via Engadget

From tweakers.net:

RIM brengt de opvolger van de Storm eind dit jaar of begin volgend jaar op de markt. Het nieuwe touchscreentoestel zal onder meer via de Nederlandse provider KPN worden verkocht. Dat heeft een woordvoerder van RIM aan Tweakers.net bevestigd.

“RIM: opvolger Blackberry Storm verschijnt op zijn vroegst eind dit jaar” via tweakers.net

From BGR:

One of our trusty ninjas just blessed us with some exclusive iPhone 3.0 shots. Things like detailing a video recording application, more settings options, an accessibility entry, and even showing that Apple could possibly be integrating voice dialing, too. Hit the break for the rest of the snappies!

UPDATE: Our ninja hit us up to add some following goodies:

* The final 3.0 firmware is said to support OpenGL ES v2.0.
* There are various references to “ChinaBrick” in some of the 3.0 beta firmwares. Could this a reference to a Chinese-specific iPhone with no 3G and no Wi-Fi? It would be pretty comical if it was…
* We’re also told that there’s a very, very strong possibility video recording will be specifically for the new hardware iPhone and not backwards compatible with the iPhone 3G. Not something entirely new, just more strikes against current users getting some video love, though!

“Exclusive Apple iPhone 3.0 screenshots leak out” via BoyGeniusReport

From Engadget:

iPhone OS 3.0 is riddled with hints that video recording is on the way, and the latest is is this supposed screenshot of a revised camera app with a video toggle. MacRumors says it comes up when certain config files are edited to make it seem like a video camera is present, but it’s not clear exactly what steps have to be taken, so we’re treating this one cautiously until we can confirm it. Other secret features buried in the plists are said to include “auto-focus camera,” “voice control,” and “magnetometer,” which is assumed to be a compass. Yep, all stuff we’d expect from an iPhone revision around, say, June, but nothing earth-shattering — and if the video features are as mediocre as the current iPhone camera, we don’t think the Flips of this world have too much to worry about.

“iPhone 3.0 video recording interface, compass support spotted? (Update: voice dialing, too)” via Engadget

From Gizmodo:

The first beta of iPhone 3.0 wasn’t fit for everyday use, but for me, beta 2 is solid enough. And there’s even more reason to go for it: You can use MMS! It’s easy.

This is the method that has worked for us and a few others that we have confirmed solid—if you know of any shortcuts or another way to enable MMS, let us know in the comments. Update: If you’ve been having issues, Giz reader Justin adds some additional steps (now numbered 3 and 4) that he says has worked for him and several others. Let us know it goes.

“How to Enable MMS in iPhone 3.0 Right Now” via Gizmodo

From MacRumors:

Since the release of Apple’s iPhone 3.0 beta firmware, users have been scouring the configuration files looking for evidence of future iPhone capabilities. The possibility of video recording has seemed increasingly certain with files for video uploading and editing having been discovered.

A new finding, however, should put to rest any doubts about whether or not Apple is planning to include video recording in future iPhones. This screenshot, which was discovered in the latest iPhone 3.0 beta, shows the interface Apple will provide for video recording:

The interface shows the normal iPhone camera interface but with a switch on the bottom right which toggles between still camera photography and video recording. The video recording is not presently functional in iPhone 3.0 beta, and the interface is not accessible by default. Only when configuration files were modified telling the firmware that a Video Camera was present will this interface appear.

Other interesting capabilities found in the configuration files include “auto-focus camera”, “magnetometer” (digital compass), and “Voice Control”.

Apple is expected to release the final version of iPhone 3.0 this summer, and many believe that Apple will also introduce an updated iPhone around that time as well.

“iPhone Video Recording Interface, Digital Compass, Voice Control and Auto-Focus Camera” via MacRumors

It’s been less than a year since Apple launched the iPhone App Store, but now virtually every mobile OS is showcasing its own take on the mobile application storefront. How do they all stack up?

The first thing you’ll notice about these efforts—coming from such traditionally competitive companies as Palm, BlackBerry, Nokia and Microsoft—is just how similar they all sound. App World? App Catalog? App Market? Mobile Marketplace? This outward likeness actually runs pretty deep—these stores are advertising uncannily similar feature sets, for both users and developers:

via “Giz Explains: All The Smartphone Mobile App Stores” @ Gizmodo