LG Decoy, Dare, ChocoFlip Get Verizon Dates

Three pretty good looking, sure to sell phones from LG have got rumored release dates that you can pencil in.

LG Decoy

This Slider phone has a unique, built in BlueTooth earpiece for easy removal and use. A pretty neat idea if you ask us. Perhaps this should start coming standard on all devices seeing as how walking around with on the regular with a bluetooth in your ear thumbs you as a Super Geek but having an extra item in your pocket is a pain in the booty. We like it.

Online: May 30th
In Store: June 9th
LG Dare

Definitely the most “glam” of the three phones in question, the LG Dare is basically the LG Prada without the branding. Okay, so perhaps it’s the anti-glam. Either way, it’s a pretty slick little number. And who cares if your white undershirt is Abercrombie & Fitch or Hanes Her Way anways?

It’ll have a a 3.2 MegaPixel Camera, and a Touch Screen for your Qwerty Keyboard needs.

Online: July 4th
In Store: Mid July
LG Chocoloate Flip

Not too much to say besides it’s the heir apparent of the LG Chocolate. Hip Hip, Hooray! Hip Hip, Hooray? Eh we’ll let you decide.

Online: June 24th
In Store: Early July

[Via PhoneArena]

Microsoft Launches a… BlackBerry App?

As we all know, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile and BlackBerry are fierce competitors in the smart phone OS market. But then why was Microsoft’s best ever application, the recently released “TellMe”, launched for BlackBerry and not Windows Mobile? Because BlackBerry’s are better and even Macrohard knows it…

Just kidding. There is actually a more logical response. Microsoft purchase a company called TellMe which was midway into development of the application already. A Windows Mobile version of the app is surely forthcoming.

Okay, logistics aside, this little application is pretty kickbutt. Use your BlackBerry to navigate to http://m.tellme.com and download the little App. You’ll be able to speak locations into your phone such as, “Coffee” and it will show you the closest coffee shops or “Nordstrom’s” and it will show you the closest Nordstrom’s.

This is a pretty handy tool that we’ll look for Windows Mobile to take full advantage of in their next release… which might not be for ages unfortunately. Hey Mr. CEO Mike McCue… could we get an Android version please? Thank you!

Samsung Glyde Pictures and Rumors

The Samsung Glyde which will some point be available at a Verizon Wireless Store near you may also be available… for FREE… at… BestBuy?

That’s an image picked up at EngadgetMobile and they were tempted to say it is a screen shot of BestBuy’s internal system. You’ll notice all those FREE, FREE, FREE listings and basically, the Glyde could be free at BestBuy with any new contract or contract extension.

We talked about BestBuy’s Cell Phone push with their Carphone Warehouse deal… but this would be pretty big news for them if Verizon doesn’t have the same offer. We can’t imagine that they wouldn’t but the Glyde doesn’t seem like the “Free” phone type.Could BestBuy be purposefully taking a loss to draw attention to their mobile sales department?

Right now it is all rumor and speculation so let’s move onto something that is real, hard (that’s what she said) evidence: Samsung Glyde pictures.




Sony Ericsson Launches 2 More Phones that Aren’t the Xperia

After a 48% decrease in profits compared to last year’s Q1, Sony Ericsson likely further dissappointed investors by launching 2 mid range handsets that aren’t all that exciting. Actually, at this point, we don’t really care about anything launched besides the Sony Ericsson Xperia.

We suppose we’ll give you the scoop on those announced anyways, since you asked for it…

There ya go - the Z780 clamshell which we don’t care to elaborate on and the G502 actually doesn’t look too bad but we’re just fine about the fact that it will likely never make it to the states.

Why are we so bitter? Because bad news seems to keep piling up for Sony Ericsson Handsets but they’ve got one of the hottest handsets of the year sitting in their back pocket - the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. So where is it? Huh, Sony? Huh?

Earth to Samsung: Politics R Scrwd Enuff K? Thx!

Samsung has just reported the findings of a survey asking Americans about the prospect of voting for their next President of the United States via Text Message. To put it nicely… we think their results are…. well… stupid.

Lets clear something up. In our lazy, technology dependent society everybody is going to opt for the easier method of getting things done. If you asked anyone age 18 to 50 if they would rather go to the grocery store, buy sandwich ingredients, drive home, make a sandwich and then eat it or press a button on the Jetson’s food maker and have the same thing pop out… WHAT do you think they would say? The small percentage of people opting not to use text message in this survey likely fit into the following groups:

So in light of these findings, we thank you Samsung for trying to be ahead of your time. But please… please… we have enough problems as it is. Although TXT voting might give those digging Ron Paul fanatics a way to game the system against the corporate fraud ring?

Hmmm… this could give “Partisan Hackery” a completely new meaning.

Here are the “meaty” parts of the survey results:

A survey by Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) suggests that many teens and their parents across the U.S. would rather vote by text message on their cell phones in the next election rather than go to the polls. BYE-BYE POLLS

  • More than six in ten (61%a) of respondents of legal voting age, age 18 and older, would be open to voting by text.
  • Eight in ten (80%) teens, ages 13-17, say that if they were allowed to vote in this year’s Presidential election, they’d do it by text message instead of going to the polls.

BIPARTISAN SUPPORT

  • More than half of all Democrats, Republicans and Independents surveyed say that if allowed, they’d text in their Presidential vote.

The survey, commissioned by Samsung Mobile, was conducted by Kelton Research and included 300 American teens ages 13 – 19 and 500 American parents with children ages 13 – 19.

[Via BusinessWire]

Mobile Web… RIP? How about not.

An article at Read Write Web posed the aforementioned question, to which they claimed, “Some Mobile Entrepreneurs Say Yes.” Ever sit in the ocean gripping a boogie board watching dud waves pass you by for an hour, walk back to land disappointed and then see the Holy Grail of waves gracefully crash upon the shore? These are those guys… and they are just bitter.

The story’s foundation is actually a sad one. Russell Beattie owns what is left of Mowser, a mobile web browser that turns normal sites into easily browsed mobile content. His most recent blog post, titled the end of mowser, signals the end of a company who fell just short of riding a huge wave. His own thoughts were a little more depressed in nature:

Beyond the fact that I’m irretrievably in debt, the general answer is that I don’t actually believe in the “Mobile Web” anymore, and therefore am less inclined to spend time and effort in a market I think is limited at best, and dying at worst.

Unfortunately for Beattie, the American Mobile market has not yet picked up much momentum. With the developments of the iPhone SDK and Android, he may have just missed the opening he needed. While he suggests the mobile web market is ominous, he does offer a caveat:

I’m talking specifically about sites that are geared 100% towards mobile phones and have little to no PC web presence.

He goes on to say that the iPhone proved the mobile web market was non-existent to begin with and that new devices (like the iPhone) and full web browsers will be the reason it grows. But still… it makes sense… by the time you gear your company to a purely mobile concept you’ll be left in the dust because your mobile phone will do everything your computer does. Or will it?

What Beattie seems to have left out is the concept behind MOBILE. Your mobile knows where you are and when you are. Your phone knows what you’re near and when you’re near it. Your phone (can) know those same facts about your friends and families. The REAL success stories in the mobile marketplace will be the companies that take these tidbits of knowledge and piece them together to create meaningful applications and services that make our lives easier. THAT is the future of Mobile.

In actuality, all hope to do was bridge the gap between an insufficient mobile web market and a flourishing mobile web market. While the infrastructure, handsets, websites, applications, etc… were “on their way up”, Mowser would make it easier for consumers and companies across the board. Unfortunately for Russell, mobilized web technology will not slowly gain momentum - it will hit a point where it “makes sense” and the avalanche will begin.

What will trigger that “aha” moment for Americans? Since not everybody can afford an iPhone and wants AT&T, we’re hoping Android will fill that void. The market is more than ready for a “solution” but Beattie is right - they’re only going to trickle in until some major improvements are made. And even then, your chances of being “found” and “popular” are incredibly minimized if your presence isn’t at least partially based on the web.

Beattie’s farewell was a sad one and topped off with a “What now?” that all too many entrepreneurs face but not enough people hear about:

Seriously… A salary will be a good thing to have again. I’m *thousands* of dollars in debt to my family and friends, maxed out on every credit card (all of which are in collections), on my last chance for my apartment (if I bounce one more check…), had my car repossessed *twice*, electricity turned off, cellphones switched off, landline canceled outright, and on more than one occasion (this weekend in particular) eaten little more than buttered macaroni as I waited for an overdue PayPal deposit to arrive (3-4 days? Come on!). Having a steady income will be a welcome mental break, believe me.

Oh… and by the way… if you’re in the market… he’s looking for a job.

The fact that mobile technology is still in its infancy means a everyone is going to have their own opinion. The opinion of Michael Mace at Mobile Opportunity starkly contrasts that of Mr. Beattie. He claims that Mobile Applications will soon be dead while the Mobile Web will soon be the “it” thing.

Unfortunately, Mr. Mace basis the first portion of his argument on the failures of PALM. If anybody is familiar with the brilliance of PALM, they’ll understand that the first half of this sentence fragment is an oxymoron. To use Palm as an example for mobile devices is like using Polaroid as an example for Digital Cameras. They missed their opportunity to grow into something bigger and will soon be left behind.

Although he admits there are exceptions to the rule, he sticks buy his conclusion that: ” If you’re a mobile developer, you should consider stopping native app development and shifting to a mobile-optimized website.”

The most accurate criticism is that, as Elia Freedman so cunningly put it, “there are three million platforms with a hundred users each.” Another vote for Android anybody?

I respectfully disagree with the opinion that mobile ANYthing is dead. In fact, the mobile revolution is just starting. I could explain why, but an article by Daniel Langendorf called, “The Mobile Web Isn’t Dead. It’s Just Starting.” says mostly everything I would have.

Thanks Daniel… will all these Mobile death prophecies filling up my feed reader, your article prevented me from questioning my sanity.

Sony Ericsson Z780… Here It Comes!

Thanks to the folks at the Sony Ericsson Blog, we’ve got the inside scoop on the brand new Sony Ericsson Z780. It won’t knock your socks off, but it’s a nice, stylish middle-level phone that should get its fair share of love.

Sony Ericsson Z780

How did they find out about this puppy? Sony Ericsson left the sliding door on the creened in porch wide open: the Sony Ericsson Blog found that a few XML files on the company’s WAP site that explained these suckers in more detail. Don’t you get the feeling that they WANT you to find this stuff?

The Boy Genius Report and IntoMobile so kindly summed up the few extra uncovered details.

LG Vu Quick Start Guide Leaked

For those of you who have been patiently waiting for the LG Vu to pop into their local AT&T Stores, we have a little something to hold you over. The LG Vu Quick Start Guides have been slowly making their way into local stores and we’ve got the copies to share with you!

LG Vu Qiuck Guide

The 4 page document doesn’t have any earth shattering revelations, but it will get you ridiculously familiar with this beautiful handset before the phone is even available. If you want to be a jerk you could even pretend April Fools is free game all month… walk into the store the morning it goes on sale and give the salesmen a pop quiz.

“I’m from the AT&T/LG Joint Operations Corporate Training Task Force and we’ve randomly chosen this store to conduct a test grading training and preparation of employees regarding specs and features of new devices.”

Ha! As if you’ll take any additional steps that would prolong that magnetic attraction between your hand and the LG Vu.

Here’s all 4 pages of the Quick Start Guide:

LG Vu Qiuck Guide


[via EngadetMobile]

GPS for Rednecks, Courtesty of Nokia

For the directionally challenged, GPS Navigation Systems can be as coveted as cell phones. And with the proliferation of Mobile technology, where your cell phone is your GPS, there is rarely an excuse to ask, “Where the hell am I and how did I end up here?” Or is there… ?

gps for rednecks

Try out a little experiment. Get lost, purposefully, in the middle of some rural area. Ask for directions somewhere (anywhere) and you’ll likely get a response that sounds something like this:

“Alright yur gunna wunna go straight to the top of that there hill and turn right. Stay straight until you pass two red barns on the left and then yur gunna see Johnsonville pond right thur on yur right. Take a left right there and go straight until you see the biggest oak tree you ever did see and you’ll be about one acre away from the market.”

Thats right folks…

It may sound strange but in some places street signs and road names are not the currency of driving (or walking, or horseback) directions. Apparently, Nokia feels their pain. Dr. Kari Pulli of the Nokia Research Center explains:

“The instructions are based totally on real world pictures, not on synthetic maps,” he says. “We started developing the landmark mode when we realized that people read maps in different ways depending on things such as cultural background and gender.”

For the politically correct interpretation of this article, you can check Venture Beat, where we initially discovered Nokia’s new culture friendly mapping system.

With all due respect, the technology DOES have some great potential depending on how it is developed. In actuality, it sounds like a technology that would work incredibly well on the Android platform. The technology was originally suggested by a Nokia research group in India where landmark based directional advice is more commonly sought.

In any case, this is definitely something to watch as the technology has a lot more potential than providing dumbed down directions to country bumpkins, as we initially suggest. Sorry… we couldn’t resist!

1,000 Carphone Stores to Open in US

You read that right… CAR phone stores. Apparently the Carphone Warehouse is one of Europe’s largest retailer of mobile devices, with 2,300 stores spanning the continent. Contrary to what their name suggests, they offer an incredibly wide range of mobile products.

Carphone Warehouse

Okay… before we continue… CARphone Warehouse? Really? You couldn’t have changed your name in the past twenty years to update yourselves a bit? I mean… do you drive around and see any stores called “Typewriter Depot” or “Fax Machine World”? Hire a New Marketing person maybe?

Regardless of their name, they’re about to make a monstrous entry into the United States. And by Monstrous, we mean as big as some of the first Carphones that ever existed. Big like THIS:

Alright… enough with the jokes. Because what Carphone Warehouse is doing is pretty darn serious. They’re partnering with BestBuy to unveil 1,000 stores across the United States. Some of them will be located within BestBuy stores and others will be standalone stores.

Apparently Carphone pioneered the Britain’s independent structure of one store offering all makes and models, allowing customers to truly compare prices, products and services. The company has taken it even further by leading the industry in after sale services… and profiting off them, too.

These are bright guys… and in this ever competitive industry perhaps they can help take BestBuy’s mobile department to the next level. However, we hope they’ll consider altering their name at least for the America’s. It’s one thing to grow up with a service that becomes outdated… but pushing the ancient name “Carphone” down consumers’ throats may not be the best way to make a cutting edge first impression.

FCC 2 TXT U 4 Emergencies

As if enough annoying people you don’t want to communicate with don’t already text you, call you, AIM you, Twitter you and (insert communication medium) you enough, the FCC wants to “hollerz at you” as well.

The idea is fundamentally a good one. The FCC would appoint a federal agency to disseminate information regarding three categories of emergencies:

  1. Disasters such as a terrorist attack. We get it. Stupendous. This could prove invaluable. From 9/11 to the Virginia Tech shootings… you can see and understand why this would be a fabulous program that could save plenty of lives.
  2. Ongoing threats like hurricanes and earthquakes. Also makes sense… to a degree. I understand they can disperse these messages regionally and based on GPS location but if I get a text message every time there are high winds, tornado watches or hurricane alerts they are going to have to send out a Disaster TXT out via the FCC because people will go on shooting rampages out of pure anger.
  3. Child abductions or Amber Alerts. We’re guessing they could also employ this category for “wanted criminals” who somehow are on the loose in a designated area. Within time they’ll probably text you a picture of the wanted criminal so you can keep a look out. This is also a perfectly fine idea TO A DEGREE.

The FCC will allow you to opt out of the program but to what degree? I’d like to know if there is a terrorist organization within a few blocks from my house shooting people at random but I’m not particularly excited about getting Amber Alerts every few hours. Can you opt out of some but not others? Can you set a level of communication such as Low, Medium, High?

How the FCC implements this will be interesting to follow. If they allow various degrees of communication and participation it could be a hit and well worth the concept. If it is an all or nothing deal it could be an epic failure.

Here is the news release directly from the FCC.gov website:

FCC ADOPTS RULES FOR DELIVERY OF COMMERCIAL MOBILE ALERTS

TO THE PUBLIC DURING EMERGENCIES

Washington, DC – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today adopted a First Report and Order (Order) that will support the ability of the nation’s wireless carriers to transmit timely and accurate alerts, warnings and critical information to the cell phones and other mobile devices of consumers during disasters or other emergencies.

In compliance with the Warning, Alert and Response Network Act (WARN Act), today’s Order adopts relevant technical requirements based on the recommendations of the Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee (CMSAAC) for the transmission of such emergency messages to the public.

During emergencies, Americans increasingly rely on wireless telecommunications services and devices to receive critical, time-sensitive information anywhere, anytime. Once fully implemented, the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) will help ensure that Americans who subscribe to participating wireless services receive emergency alerts when there is a disaster or emergency that may impact their lives or well-being.

Wireless carriers that choose to participate in the CMAS will transmit text-based alerts to their subscribers. As technology evolves, the CMAS may eventually include audio and video services to transmit emergency alerts to the public. To ensure that people with disabilities who subscribe to wireless services receive these emergency alerts, the FCC adopted rules that will require wireless carriers who participate in the CMAS to transmit messages with both vibration cadence and audio attention signals.

Consumers can expect to receive three types of messages via their cell phones and other mobile devices from participating wireless carriers, including:

· Presidential Alerts - national emergency-related alerts delivered to the American public that would preempt any other pending alerts;

· Imminent Threat Alerts - alerts with information on emergencies that may pose an imminent risk to people’s lives or well-being; and

· Child Abduction Emergency/AMBER Alerts - alerts related to missing or endangered children due to an abduction or runaway situation.

Under the CMAS, subscribers to wireless services with roaming agreements will receive timely alerts, provided the subscriber’s mobile device is configured for, and technically capable of, receiving such emergency alerts from the network they are roaming on.

Participating wireless carriers will be required to comply with the rules adopted in the Order today within 10 months from the date of announcement that a Federal agency has been designated to collect and transmit the alerts to the wireless carriers.

Action by the Commission, April 9, 2008, by Commercial Mobile Alert Service First Report and Order (FCC 08-99). Chairman Martin, and Commissioners Copps, Adelstein, Tate and McDowell. Separate Statements issued by Chairman Martin, and Commissioners Copps, Adelstein, Tate and McDowell. PS Docket No. 07-287.

Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) contact is Lisa Fowlkes, Deputy Bureau Chief, at (202) 418-7452.

[via EngadgetMobile]

Apple and Google Need Eachother

There are many reasons the government cracks down on monopolies, but it all boils down to the fact that competition is good for the world. It’s even good for the companies involved. Think about it…

Competition fuels progress and just as in sports and entertainment, businesses will often “play up” to their competition. They want the edge. They need the edge. And if they feel like they are being “pushed” they will constantly strive to be ahead of the curve. Apple and Google will push eachother forward as we witness the birth of a mobile renaissance and a technological revolution.

But it’s more than that. In each of the three above cases there were fans who took “sides” and cheered on their favorite of the 2 rivals. Tupac and Biggie were just two men… but their rivalry sparked a complete rivalry between the East Coast and the West Coast in the United States. Right now there are plenty of other Mobile OS platforms out there just as there were plenty of other East Coast Rappers and West Coast Rappers when the Biggie/Pac feud began. But its a matter of timing.

When Android was announced, many people were disappointed there wouldn’t be a single, heaven-sent gPhone. But when analysts explained further, people wised up a bit and the outlook became pretty sunny. The lackluster line of Mobile OS available was actually a detriment to Google. The cries of, “How will this be any different than Windows Mobile,” and “Google is only good at search and they fail at everything else,” became louder. And then along comes Apple with their SDK.

The Apple SDK was announced with much fanfare and an immediate rivalry was spawned between Apple Fanboys and Android Enthusiasts. Now that Android (and Apple) had a formidable and timely opponent, attention was refocused on what exactly an Open Mobile OS would mean. Google can thank Apple for this.

When Apple makes a move - people notice. They are already successful in the mobile arena and iPhone owners are a loyal and faithful group of people who identify with the brand. They are the brand. When they realize that APPLE is going to do what ANDROID just announced… all of a sudden the “stupid ideas that will never work,” became, “We’ll soon be living in a Mobile2.0 World and Apple, not Android, will take us there.”

Enlightening these early adopting Apple fans to the possibilities of Mobile’s next technology wave will prove instrumental in getting Android off the ground. Apple helped Android because they have the two companies have the same exact message when it comes to designing an Open Mobile OS. Apple opened the minds of early adopters to Android.

Android isn’t the only company getting a boost - this healthy rivalry is a two way street. Think about the concepts behind Mobile Applications. Many of them include social networking and user generated content integration ideas. Many, such as shopping comparisons based on your location and locational based barcode coupons, require the participation and sponsorships of businesses. These concepts won’t even approach their full potential unless these Mobile OS platforms are disseminated on a mass scale. Do you think the iPhone can do that alone?

Apple needs Android to help make the Mobile Dreams of the iPhone SDK & Android come true. Third party applications would be tremendously limited in scope and potential if the iPhone were the only host. The applications just wouldn’t be as useful.

How helpful is a permission based “track your friends” application if only 2 or 3 of your friends have iPhones? How cool would it be to have your “I’m Single” app open at the bar so single people nearby could browse/tap eachother if it were only iPhone users that could do so? Sounds more like a 21st century extension of the High School Chess Club to me.

Google Android, and lets not forget all the dedicated players of the Open Handset Alliance, will help get this new wave of Mobile Technology into the hands of the MASSES. Once the masses have the infrastructure and the capabilities of these new Mobile OS Platforms, both Apple and Google are golden. That is when the door will be opened wide for them to walk right into an industry of arguably the highest growth and profit potential.

Anyway you look at it, Apple and Google will be splitting market share for the mobile market. But with a mutually beneficial rivalry of epic proportions, Apple and Google will put their platforms into the hands of the masses and in turn, will be splitting a pie that is worth billions more than it would be if they didn’t have eachother.

Only three questions remain: Who is Ali/Tupac/McGwire and who is Frazier/Biggie/Sosa?

NokiaTube… the next iPhone Competitor

News of the next iPhone killer competitor came by way of Nokia with one source laughing off the 4 million units Apple has sold: “We’ve done that [volume] since we’ve had dinner on Friday.”

The NokiaTube

A bold statement indeed and an interesting name to boot. Sure, it’s just a codename but many of the codenames end up becoming the name and we wouldn’t be surprised if this one sticks. The iPhone is so darn generic as a word but so brandable since attributed to Apple. Google owns YouTube and the Put-Word-HereTUBE.com seems like a trend that won’t soon go away.

If Nokia is smart, though, they’ll try to find a name of their own. After all, if the piggybacking starts with the name it will give Apple Fanboys a pretty good argument that the device was an iClone from the start.

To tell you the truth, if the handset is as slick some are suggesting it might be, we could care less about the name or how much it copies the iPhone. Why try to reinvent the wheel? If something works extremely well, take its best qualities, build on its success with some unique ideas and call it your own. That’s the way it works folks.

Anssi Vanjoki - Nokia’s Executive VP & General Manager of Multimedia - would agree, “If there is something good in the world then we copy with pride.”

Here is a quick video of the mobile in mention:

NokiaTube

HTC Planning May 26th Android Handset Unveiling?

An invitation has been floating around the interwebs asking some of the top tech sources to “Witness the Next Wave of HTC Innovation,” at a press conference in London on May 6th.

Some folks are speculating this will be the official unveiling of the first ever Android Phone… the HTC Dream. The verbage of secrecy and unmatched innovation make this seem like a logical choice. However, there are plenty of doubters out there.

The pessimists remind us that Android handsets certainly won’t be available before the 2nd half of 2008 and for them to do enough testing and sampling of 3rd party applications to make Android worth the buy… an October or November launch is probably accurate.

We agree… We agree…

But what these pessimists have forgotten is that Samsung recently upped their efforts in order to push out an Android Phone before HTC. Releasing the first Android Phone has become a matter of Pride and HTC doesn’t want to lose that distinction.

Some may still argue, “It doesn’t matter whose device comes first… when Android phones are made available for purchase it will matter whose Android phone is better.” Initially… yes. But HTC is looking to advance in the ranks as a mobile manufacturer and having created the first Android enabled device would be a huge notch in its belt. If Android is incredibly successful as many analysts are predicting, being the “Original Android Makers,” will be an honor that nobody can take away.

We’ll admit… part of the reason we’re leaning towards this May 6th event being the Day of Android Destiny is because we WANT it to be. Let us see the Dream… please?

New Sibling for LG ’s Chocolate and Shine

LG has announced that their incredibly popular Chocolate and Shine phones, from their “Black Label Series”, will soon have another Sibling. Its name? That’s a secret. But LG has announced some of the details.

Chocolate & Shine Sibling

For starters, LG boasts that this 3rd handset will sport the world’s slimmest 5MP Camera. That’s a pretty good quality camera and the pictures do look pretty slim. Hopefully it feels just as slim in your hands.

The only other thing that is truly known is the phone is a slider, which any dummy could comprehend from the pictures that were included in the LG Press Release. They announced that an official unveiling of the soon to be coveted phone will be on April 24th in Europe and the handset would roll out to other parts of the world soon thereafter. Mark that date on your calendar folks - it should be a fun one.

Here’s the actual press release from LG:

Seoul, Korea, April 7, 2008 – LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, today announces the global launch of the third LG Black Label Series handset. Successes of the LG Chocolate and LG Shine, the two predecessors of the LG Black Label Series models, together with globally renowned The PRADA Phone by LG, have affirmed LG as a leading design innovator in the mobile industry.

The design heritage of the LG Black Label Series will continue on to the third handset boasting its smart technology with the latest and sophisticated features including the slimmest 5MP camera.

Similar to the previous LG Black Label Series handsets, the latest model also carries a product concept derived from today’s trend leaders. This new concept of ‘Style that Lasts’ reflects the timeless and elegant design of the phone enhanced by stylish materials such as carbon fiber and tempered glass.

The phone will be unveiled on April 24th starting from Europe and on to the rest of the world, and the product name of the third LG Black Label Series model will be revealed at the official launch.