Looking to impress your girlfriend on that “oh so important” first movie date? Look no further than Fandango to help you skip the ticket line and stroll right up to seating without greasing the palm of any theater employee. Starting today, Fandango is launching a new mobile ticket service that will allow customers to purchase movie tickets online and have them delivered directly to a mobile handset. The ticket will arrive as a QR code that can be displayed on a phone and scanned by movie theater employees in lieu of a paper ticket. The program will require special handheld scanners that are currently installed in a handful of theaters across the country. Hit the jump to see if your local movieplex is on this coveted list.

Te following theaters will have the necessary equipment to scan these new mobile tickets:

• New York: City Cinemas 1, 2 & 3, Angelika Film Center, East 86th Street Cinemas, Village East Cinema, Beekman Theatre, The Paris Theatre.
• New Jersey: Manville 12 Plex.
• Houston: Angelika Film Center.
• Dallas/Plano: Angelika Dallas; Angelika Plano.
• San Diego: La Mesa Grossmont Center, Clairemont Town Square Stadium.
• Bakersfield: Valley Plaza 16.
• Sonoma County: Rohnert Park 16.
• Hawaii: Ward Stadium, Kahala Theater, Kapolei 16, Mililani Stadium.

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T-Mobile already has a very diverse lineup of smartphones, but the tail end of March will see “Magenta” (as some people lamely call it) release a trio of smartphones that appeal to the low, mid and high end markets. We’ve been saying it for the longest time and now it’s as official as can be without a full-blown press release: the HTC HD2 will be available from T-Mobile on Wednesday, March 24th. Going for $199.99 on a 2-year or $449.99 outright, the HD2 will easily be the best handset ever offered by T-Mobile in terms of sheer brawn. Of course now that we’re 100% certain it won’t be upgradeable to Windows Phone 7 Series, we have to wonder if a bit of the luster has prematurely worn off, but it’s not like those put off don’t have more than half a year to save pennies for the next greatest Windows Phone. On the same day, Nokia will also have a handset debut on T-Mobile. This is of course the Nuron and it will go for $69.99 / $179.99, a price that is quite mind blowing when you consider the fact it’s running S60 5th Edition. Last but not least in today’s T-Mobile update is the CLIQ XT. We’ve known for quite some time it is going to be available in time to drown in a pitcher of green beer, but now we’re hearing it will be $99.99 on contract as opposed to $129.99 (no contract pricing is presumed to still be set at $329.99).

Good job, T-Mobile.

Read [CLIQ XT] Read [HD2] Read [Nuron]

Google finally jumped over whatever hurdles were holding it back from offering paid apps in the Canadian Android Market, as all of a sudden, they just started showing up on some Canadian devices. Sadly, however, it seems the love is not being evenly distributed as the majority of the Bell and TELUS customers we spoke to have not yet had paid apps show up on their end. Nonetheless, we have verified with customers of both Rogers and Fido that they have been able to purchase paid apps using carrier locked and unlocked devices meaning that the long overdue roll out has finally gotten underway.

Bell and TELUS: What’s the dealio?

Thanks, LG!

Worried about the multitasking capabilities of Windows Phone 7? Worried it will only have support for one ActiveSync profile or be missing some of those key features from Windows Mobile 6 platform? Well, we’re pretty sure the good people over at XDA-developers are going to have you covered come release time. A full eight months before it is due to hit the streets, the tinkerers over at XDA-devs have acquired a code dump of the Windows Phone 7 operating system. The code was pulled from the SDK emulator image and currently only runs on an x86 PC, but the XDA gang is already starting to prod and dissect the code in anticipation of a full ROM. You can hit up the XDA forum to get in on the conversation. Let the games begin.

[Via Know Your Cell]

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ArsTechnica wrote up an interesting piece that examines the future plans, and loyalty, of BlackBerry owners. The article, which cites a Crowd Science survey, found that 2 out of every 5 BlackBerry users surveyed indicated having plans to switch out their BlackBerry for an iPhone when their service contracts expire. Ars goes onto cite some fun stats in the study:

• 33% of iPhone owners and 16% of BlackBerry owners use their device exclusively for personal use, not work
• 1% of iPhone owners and 7% of BlackBerry owners use their device exclusively for business purposes
• 66% of iPhone owners and 77% of BlackBerry owners are using their device for both business and personal purposes

Is the 40% number accurate? We think it is probably a little high. A combination of Apple’s brand awareness and the iPhone advertising machine is likely responsible for some of the yay responses. But say the survey’s margin of error is +/-10; the fact that even 30% of RIM’s customer base is thinking of abandoning ship is bleak.

RIM’s title of communicator extraordinaire and business companion is unparalleled at the moment, but as users begin to demand a greater mix of work and personal uses from their phone, RIM may find itself in a tough spot. Oh, the study also mentioned… 90% of Android and iPhone owners plan to stay loyal to their respective device operating systems when the time comes to upgrade.

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Microsoft kicked off MIX 2010 this morning with a keynote that revealed some juicy details for developers waiting to dive into the Windows Phone 7 Series platform. As expected, Windows Phone 7 Series will make use of Silverlight for application development and XNA for game development. Features available for developers include:

• Accelerometer support
• Microsoft Location Service to provide developers with a single point of reference to acquire location information
• Microsoft Notification Service for pushing information to the phone, regardless of whether or not an application is running
• Hardware-accelerated video with digital rights management (DRM)
• Internet Information Services Smooth Streaming for the industry’s highest quality content viewing experience
• Multitouch
• Camera and microphone support

To get developers on board quickly and easily, Microsoft is offering a suite of free developer tools which include Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone 7 Series, a free add-in to use with Visual Studio 2010 RC, XNA Game Studio 4.0, Windows Phone 7 Series Emulator for application testing, and a version of Expression Blend for Windows Phone. Microsoft is stepping up its game in the app store department by offering a panoramic design (it will look sleek), try before you buy option, one-time credit card charges for app purchases, mobile carrier billing and ad-supported applications. Lest you think the app store will be a barren wasteland at launch, the list of application partners is impressive and include media moguls like: Associated Press, gaming giants like NAMCO and EA Mobile, streaming media stand-bys like Pandora and Sling, popular start-ups like Foursquare and Seesmic, and host of others including Weatherbug, PopCap games, SPB Software and more. Anyone else get the feeling that Microsoft means business this time around?

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After a disappointing Q4 2009 performance, Blockbuster’s woes continue with the US video giant looking to pawn off its European operations as a means of generating some much needed cash. According to a report from the Sunday Times, Blockbuster has hired Winchester Capital to sell off its European division which includes 650 stores in the UK and an unknown number of stores in Denmark, Italy, and Ireland. Combined, these assets could net Blockbuster a respectable £50m ($76M USD) at a time when the movie rental king is hemorrhaging cash and straining under the weight of increasing debt which now totals $964 million. This shot in the arm may not be the Hail Mary that saves Blockbuster from its downward spiral, but it is at least a step in the right direction for the ailing company.

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DigiTimes has dug up an article featured in the Chinese newspaper Economic Daily News claiming that HTC has starting shipping the Nexus One to Verizon Wireless. The article goes on to say the N1 CDMA-variant will begin being marketed by Big Red this month with a release likely in April. Our take? What we’ve said and heard all along: the Google Nexus One will be sold exclusively through Google’s online phone store, while HTC Sense variants will make their way into carrier’s stores and marketing plans. That means, to be very clear, Google will sell the exact same version (specs and all) of the existing Nexus One with Verizon Wireless CDMA support, in the exact same way they currently sell the T-Mobile GSM variant. If HTC is shipping anything to Verizon, it’s most likely the HTC-branded Incredible (with HTC Sense UI); the Verizon-compatible Nexus One is, in all likelihood, being shipped to Google’s distribution partner Brightpoint.

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One of our Apple connects recently hit us up and broke down some important iPad figures. According to him, Apple stores received around 300-350 (on average) reservations for store pick-ups on day one, and now sit at around 700 reservations so far (72 hours in). This doesn’t count people who pre-ordered the device online, just those that wish to physically go into an Apple store and pick up their reserved unit on launch day.

The figures that we’ve seen floating around of about 150,000 pre-orders, we’re told, are extremely accurate thus far but obviously don’t include people’s store reservations. We have also been told Apple’s flagship 5th Avenue store in New York now holds around 1600 reservations for iPads, with 800 in the first day, and about 400 a day since.

Lastly, store reservations seem to be split around 50% for the 32GB unit, 30% for the 64GB unit and about 20% for the 16GB, which is what, “Apple was expecting.”

First up is the Samsung Strive. Available March 21st for $19.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate (pricing reflects a limited-time AT&T promotion), the Strive features a sliding full-QWERTY keypad and a 2 megapixel camera. Second is the Samsung Sunburst. Also available on the 21st but for $39.99 after a $50 MIR, the Sunburt is a candybar touchscreen that features widgets which offer one touch access to frequently used services like SMS and social media sites. Other than that, all we know at present is the Sunburst also has GPS capabilities. Although pictures, pricing and specific release dates have not been announced, AT&T also announced two devices from Pantech in the Link and Pursuit. The Link, which will be available in the coming weeks, is described as an “ultra slim and light, full keyboard quick messaging phone” that has a wide range of social media capabilities. As for the Pursuit, it has both a touchscreen and sliding QWERTY keypad and its camera of unknown megapixelage supports facial recognition and geotagging. It will be available this summer.

In other news, AT&T also announced three new services for low-end devices. AT&T Address Book is a free OTA contact sync system that backs up to AT&T’s servers and is accessible via the PC. AT&T Mobile Share is lame lets users upload pictures and videos up to 10MB to their PC and social media sites as well as send it to friends or upload it to the new AT&T Locker. The service will cost $10 per month or $0.35 per use and provides 250MB of storage which is expandable to 10GB for an additional $5. Last and quite possibly least is Next Generation Messaging which enables threaded SMS in addition to group messaging and the ability to reply to all for up to 10 contacts at time. Why this is needed is beyond us, but we think it has something to do with scaring parents into buying their tweens an unlimited SMS plan.

Any takers?

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After weeks of negotiations and public statements, the tension between Google and China has reached a crescendo and sources familiar with the situation are relaying the rumor that Google may be closing the Chinese branch of its search engine in the next few weeks. The possibility of Google operating without censorship in China was stifled last Friday when Li Yizhong, Mister of Industry and IT, confirmed China’s position that Google’s plan to operate without filtering was “unfriendly”, “irresponsible” and warned that Google would “bear the consequences of its decision” to open up the Internet to the Chinese people. With China apparently unwilling to budge, Google is now at a crossroads and must decide whether its 36% market share is worth sacrificing in the name of Internet freedom.

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An unsubstantiated rumor out of XDA-Developers suggests that HTC is continuing its Touch Pro series of handsets with the third iteration expected to arrive this summer. According to the forum post, the rumored Touch Pro3 will be smaller and thinner than the current Touch Pro2 and will launch in Europe in Q2. With Windows Phone 7 Series smartphones expected to debut during this holiday season, the Touch Pro3, if it indeed launches, may be one of the last Windows Mobile 6.5 handsets to hit the market. Anyone interested?

[Via wmpoweruser]

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Have an Android, iPhone, or webOS smartphone? Find yourself shopping at Best Buy, Sears, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, and West Elm todos los dias? Well, Google has got a new feature for you. Google is officially launching an updated version Google Shopping, for selected mobile devices, that has the ability to search the inventory of local participating retailers. As Google explains:

Just go to Google.com in your mobile browser, tap on the “more” link, and then select “Shopping.” Or look for the “Shopping results” section in Universal Search results when you search on Google.com… look for the blue dots in the search results to see if it’s available in a local store. If you see a blue dot, you can tap on the adjacent “In stock nearby” link, and you’ll be taken to the seller’s page where you’ll see whether the item is “In Stock” or has “Limited Availability” near you.

Personally, we are hoping that all of these side apps get consolidated in the future… but that’s just us. We’ve got the official press release all queued up for you.

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One of our solid connects told us some pretty interesting information regarding the BlackBerry slider device. According to them, the device actually failed in early diagnostic testing a whopping 4 out of 5 times (which is supposed to be extremely rare for RIM devices). The only other handset that failed, we’re told, is the BlackBerry Pearl Flip. What’s even more interesting, is that the BlackBerry slider our guy saw was Sprint branded. Want to go one step further? We’ve been told there is also a GSM/HSPA version and that the model numbers are BlackBerry 9900 and BlackBerry 9930. Lastly, it looks like the HSPA version of the device will support 850/1900MHz UMTS bands which would make it compatible with both AT&T and Rogers’ 3G networks.

Could Sprint be gunning for an exclusive on the brand new BlackBerry form factor? Our bets would be yes.

P.S. Our guy didn’t see the word “Bold” anywhere in relation to the sliding BlackBerry device.

A leaked Verizon training memo reveals how Big Red will be dealing with those who have plans to connect their BlackBerry to a new BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express (BESX); it is going to cost you a little extra. The memo explains that those looking to leverage BESX will be required to have an enterprise level data plan — which typically costs $45/month — as opposed to the standard $30/month BlackBerry data plan. RIM states the requirements of BESX are:

• A BlackBerry smartphone
• Subscription to an internet-enabled BlackBerry service plan from your wireless service provider

Not exactly 100% accurate, as the $30 standard data plan is an “internet-enabled BlackBerry service plan,” but, we suppose, not entirely false either.  We’ve got the leaked memo after the break.

On March 1, 2010, RIM will launch BES Express (BESX), an entry-level version of BES.As with all Corporate email solutions, customers will need a corporate email data plan or feature added to a voice plan to allow access to BESX.

Note: Customers on the Email and Web for BlackBerry $29.99 data feature MAY NOT utilize BESX.

Overview:

BESX replaces BlackBerry Professional Software (BPS) in RIM’s product lineup and allows businesses using MicrosoftÂ@ Exchange or Microsoft Small Business Server to support up to 75 BlackBerry subscribers without having to purchase Client Access Licenses (CAL) or a dedicated server. Additional users can be supported if BESX is installed on a dedicated server.

With the launch of BESX, RIM will discontinue the sale of BPS. Verizon Wireless will sell through our remaining BPS inventory and RIM will continue to support this solution for the foreseeable future.

Customer Information/Eligibility:

• BESX will be available directly from the RIM website. Customers should be directed there for additional product information.
• BESX will not be available directly from Verizon Wireless.

• As with all Corporate email solutions, customers will need a corporate email data plan or feature added to a voice plan to allow access to BESX

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And just like that, today we have the third photo leak of the mysterious BlackBerry slider. Unlike the first time we saw it but much like the second, the device has been placed next to a Curve 8900 for the sake of a size comparison. On its side the slider is noticeably thicker than the 8900 , but today it has been turned on its side in order to let us know exactly how thick this sucker is. What this device is actually called is anyone’s guess, but the general consensus is that this is not the Storm3. So what then is it? Lately a rumor has been floating around that it is actually a Bold owing to its identical styling queues to the current Bold 9700. Adding to this rumor is a UAProf found on RIM’s website for a 9700a that lists a portrait HVGA+ display (as opposed to the Bold 9700’s landscape HVGA+ display) and this all seems rather possible. Of course dealing with prototypes things can and will change as needed, so it looks like we’re going to have to twiddle our thumbs a little while longer until some more information comes to light. Hit the jump for a pic of device’s rear sans battery cover showing off its brand new F-S1 battery.

[via CrackBerry]

Read [9700a pics]

Read [UAProf]

In our review of the TELUS MILESTONE we lamented Motorola’s decision to digitally sign the bootloader which makes rooting quite difficult. Thankfully, over the past couple of days there has been a lot progress within the Android community and root access for the TELUS MILESTONE has obtained by way of a Brazilian sbf. Sadly kernel access is still absent, but at this point we guess we should just be happy we’ve made it this far. Hit up the read link for a full set of instructions.

Thanks, Arjun!

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For those that are not up to speed, here is the Reader’s DigestÂ@ version of the Apple and Nokia legal saga. Nokia sued Apple, Apple sued Nokia, the ITC got involved, and here we are. A U.S. court date to settle the alleged patent violations has tentatively been scheduled for some time in the middle of 2012. Legal analysts have said the proceedings could last for two or more years which, barring a settlement, would delay the verdict to sometime in 2014. For those cheer-leading the demise of one of the involved parties, you’ll just have to wait until then.

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This February, Microsoft Xbox 360 sales bested those of the Sony Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii for the first time since September of 2007. The February sales figures were: Xbox 360 422,000 units — up 8% year-over-year, Wii 397,900 units — down 47% year-over-year, and Playstation 3 360,100 units — up 30% year-over-year. Take-Two Interative’s BioShock 2, which hit store shelves on February 10th, can be partially credited for the surge in Xbox sales. BS 2 sold over 750,000 copies, 75% of which (562,000) were for the Xbox 360. Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. Wii, sold 555,600 units raking second on the game sales chart and Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 came in a respectable third.

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We have two bits of Verizon BlackBerry information for you guys…

The first is that one of our connects has informed us that the mythical OS 5.0 upgrade for the BlackBerry Tour 9630 will be released within the next “2-3 weeks.” It will also contain a Push-To-Talk feature that will run over Verizon’s data network for a $5/month fee. This ties in nicely to our second bit of info… We’ve heard that the BlackBerry Bold 9650, or BlackBerry Tour2 9650, or BlackBerry Whatever 9650x will launch unfortunately around May. It will also include PTT.

A lot happened in the US smartphone market from October 2009 to January 2010, but thankfully there are companies like comScore kicking about to help us make sense of just which platforms were the biggest winners and losers during this period. The biggest platform was not surprisingly Google’s Android which saw an uptick of 4.3% to a total of 7.1% thanks in part to the successful launches of handsets like the DROID, DROID ERIS and Hero. RIM’s BlackBerry OS, which faired second best with a gain of 1.7% continued to dominate the total smartphone market at 43%, but one has to wonder if RIM could have done just a little bit more. After all, it did launch the BlackBerry Bold 9700, Curve 8530 and Storm2 during these months. Apple’s iPhone didn’t do as well as many would have guessed, but its 0.3% increase makes quite a bit of sense when you consider the tradition of people holding out on iPhone purchases in the six months leading up the summer release of the devices later iteration. Nonetheless, it does hold a 25.1% stake in the US smartphone market. When it comes to market share, one’s success is another’s misfortune. Not exactly a stranger to losing ground, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile managed to shed 4.0% thanks in part to what can be politely summed up as a general indifference to its current platform (how things will change). After this, we saw Palm with a loss of 2.1%. In Palm’s defence a lot of this can be attributed to people finally getting around to ditching Palm OS, but the fact remains that thing’s aren’t going to well for a company that many felt was on the path to recovery just 15 months ago.

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Finally, the day is here. Well, one of the days is here, as you won’t be taking home an iPad today, but you can get in line and preorder one starting at 8:30AM ET this morning. Need something to keep you occupied until it arrives by courier? We highly suggest leaving grandma’s basement and finding a job (editing battlestarwiki.org doesn’t count).You only have 22 days to come up with at least $499 before applicable taxes and it’s highly unlikely she’ll be willing to give you her tax credit just so you can mess around with the Star Trek Communicator app on a 9.7″ display. Tick-tock on the clock, fellas. Let us know if you preorder one and which one you grabbed — Wi-Fi or 3G!

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Bad news today for Google and the Nexus One as investment firm Goldman Sachs has slashed its estimate for Nexus One sales by a third. Predicting a bright and rosy future for the Nexus One, Goldman Sachs originally estimated that Google will sell 3.5 million Nexus Ones in FY2010. After a disappointing first month in which Google only sold a rumored 80,000 handsets, Goldman Sachs has lowered its 2010 estimate to a mere one million handsets which will be sold across multiple carriers including T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Vodafone. Google’s FY2011 outlook will improve to two million handsets if, according to Goldman Sachs, Google rolls out second generation handset, markets it aggressively, and drops it online-only sales model. That last criteria is condemning and suggests that Google’s online-only model needs to be supplemented, if not supplanted, by brick and mortar retail sales. So peer into those magic eight balls that predict the future and let us know — is Google’s online-only sales model fatally flawed or does it just need some time to mature?

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Images and details on the HTC Incredible have emerged from the depths of Android Forums today. Most notable is the loss of the bright orange backing which has been replaced with a matte black covering emblazoned with a Verizon Wireless logo. Internally, the Incredible is rumored to have 500 MB of RAM (320 available), an 8 megapixel camera, measurements of 117.5 x 58.5 x 11.9mm, and a blinding red interior with a matching red battery. Though it packs a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, the Incredible, just like the Acer Liquid A1, has been underclocked to 768 MHz, a battery savings measure which hopefully can be reversed once the handset has been rooted. Thankfully, the slowed down processor seems to have little effect on perceived performance as the Android 2.1 handset is reportedly “blazing fast”. If all these circulating rumors pan out, look for this handset to touchdown as soon as April or as late as May with Verizon Wireless. Hit the jump for a few more spy shots.

[Via Engadget]

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It’s inevitable, tiered data plans for mobile devices are coming.  It’s a reality that wireless providers and consumers are soon going to have to deal with. As phones add more features and become more data-centric, they tax wireless networks, and ultimately, the network provider’s bottom line. Verizon’s CTO, Tony Melone, had this to say when he was asked about unlimited data plans by the Wall Street Journal:  “As much data as you can consume is the big issue that has to change… It’s one thing to say all you can eat is gone, it’s another to have consumers worrying, ‘Can I stream this radio?’ That’s what we don’t want.” It is mildly comforting to know that Verizon’s CTO understands — you can get rid of unlimited data… as long as we can have unlimited data. One thing we’re sure of: when the first major U.S. carrier institutes a tiered data pricing policy, the others are sure to follow suit. You can look for this to roll out prior to Verizon’s first 4G handset dropping circa summer 2011. 

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The battle between HTML 5 and Flash wages on with the discovery of an interesting report comparing the CPU usage of HTML 5 and Flash on both Mac and Windows platform. In the midst of all the smack talk about Flash, Flash was presumed to be a CPU hog that chokes your system to the point of death. A series of measurements performed by video compression guru Jan Ozer reveals that Flash may not be as much of a CPU killer as previously thought and that, in some cases, HTML 5 is the culprit that causes CPU overload. Ozer tested HTML 5 and Flash on a Mac using Safari, Chrome and Firefox and on a Windows machine using Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer.

The results show that Flash CPU utilization is much higher on a Mac with Flash 10.1 gobbling up 32.07 CPU % points when using Safari, 42.07 when using Firefox and a whopping 49.79 when using Chrome. Flash 10.1 was much gentler on the Windows machine with CPU utilization topping out a reasonable 14.63 CPU % points when using IE and dropping as low as 6% when using Firefox. HTML 5 results were all over the chart with HTML 5 consuming a mere 12.39 CPU % points in Safari, presumably due to the built-in H.264 decoding found in the Apple browser, while at the same time, chomping down a staggering 49.89 in the Mac version of Chrome. The Windows platform fared a bit better with Chrome using 25.66% CPU points when rendering HTML 5 content. In the end, Flash is markedly better on Windows (which we already knew) and HTML 5 shines in the Safari for the Mac but why is there such a disparity between the two platforms? Hit the jump to find out.

Ozer believes that one of the deciding factors influencing CPU utilization by Flash is the presence (or absence) of GPU hardware acceleration. On the Windows platform where GPU hardware acceleration for Flash is often written into the drivers for video cards, Flash performance is exceptional while HTML 5 is only mediocre. On the Macintosh, HTML 5 performance is boosted by the presence of H.264 decoding built into Safari for the Mac while Flash performance is significantly worse as Mac OS X does not provide access to the APIs necessary for GPU acceleration. If Apple opened up the appropriate hooks for Adode to tap into, CPU utilization by Flash could be reduced significantly and its performance would rival that of HTML 5. So yes, Steve, Adobe Flash is a CPU hog but only on the Mac and one of the reasons is because you let it be.

[Via ReadWriteWeb]

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Available today from Verizon Wireless is the long awaited Casio G’zOne Brigade. The Brigade keeps the rugged good looks of its G’zOne predecessors but shakes things up by debuting as a horizontal clamshell instead of the traditional flip phone. The Brigade also ups the specs of the G’zOne line by offering the following:

• 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, flash, video capture and LED light function
• Full QWERTY keyboard
• Push to Talk
• Field Force Manager
• MIL-STD-810F standards for Water, shock, dust, immersion, vibration, humidity, salt fog, altitude, high and low temperature storage, and solar radiation
• GPS with support for VZ Navigator
• Front facing speakerphone
• Text to speech capability
• microSD expansion

The Casio G’zOne Brigade hits the shelves of Verizon Wireless at a rather pricey $249 after a $50 mail in rebate and two year contract, $319.99 after a $50 mail in rebate and one year contract and $419 full retail. It also comes with an optional $5 monthly PTT plan and is outrageously classified as a 3G Multimedia phone which will require a minimum 25MB data plan for $9.99 monthly. Anyone interested in a $250 feature phone with mandatory data?

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Our friends from Norway have dropped a little present in the Android Market — especially for all you Opera fans — as Opera Mini 5 beta 2 is available for download starting... now. Opera’s next generation mobile web browser packs tabbed browsing, speed dial, Opera Link, a download manager, and a password manager, amongst other things. Those of you who are sick of the default Android browser and can’t quite cozy up to Dolphin can go ahead and take Opera Mini 5 for a spin... and do let us know what you think about it.

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It’s no secret that Google and China aren’t exactly BFFs at the moment, but now Motorola has thrown its hat into the foray in a rather large way in order to protect its own interests and presumably make a nice bit of coin while doing so. As of this quarter, all of Motorola’s Android smartphones sold in China will see Google search and Google Maps replaced by Bing search and Bing Maps. Devices currently in the hands of consumers or sitting unsold on store shelves will be getting an OTA update sometime in the not too distant future. Both Motorola and Microsoft have not announced any specific plans to expand on their partnership outside of China — one could argue it’s already in the US — but based upon our understanding of the term “global alliance”, we don’t doubt for a second that this partnership will be forced upon other markets.

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Apple fans waiting to scoop up the latest and greatest Mac Pro have been drooling at every rumor and waiting patiently for these half-truths to come true. Circulating today is yet another rumor to get those technology taste buds tingling by suggesting once again that the Mac Pro will receive a processor overhaul of colossal proportions extremely soon. According to anonymous sources, the upcoming Mac Pro will rock the recently announced Intel Core i7-980x processor which will clock in at a fast 3.33GHz with TurboBoost to 3.6GHz and feature 6 cores and 12 threads of processing power, a 32nm architecture, Socket LGA1366 and 130W TDP. Before your knees buckle and your head hits the floor, make sure you circle March 16th on your calendar as that is the date these bundles of joy are expected to debut if this rumor pans out.

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