Sony Ericsson entering glasses-free 3D smartphone game with model offering HD 4.7 inch screen

After watching the launch of the HTC EVO 3D and the LG Optimus 3D (soon to launch Stateside as the LG Thrill 4G), Sony Ericsson has decided to throw its hat into the glasses-free 3D ring with a handset of its own. The unnamed handset will feature a massive 4.7 inch display with a HD resolution of 720 x 1280. The joint venture is far from the only smartphone manufacturer entering the 3D arena. Samsung is said to be working on a Galaxy 3D model.

It's way too early to determine if 3D smartphones are more than just a fad. The stereoscopic, glasses-free version used on handsets can lead to eye fatigue and headaches. And if you do not view the screen from the correct angle, the 3D effect will not be apparent to the viewer.

Nielsen's June data pegs Android on 39% of US smartphones, iOS holds 28%

Nielsen came up today with one of its nifty block diagrams that show the market share of each mobile operating system and manufacturer in easy to understand visuals.

Since the data is from June, this is as fresh as it gets before this month is over. Android now holds close to 40% of the smartphone market in the US, while iOS keeps 28%, BlackBerry 20%, and Microsoft's mobile operating systems have about 8%. Trailing behind are HP with its webOS offerings, and Nokia's Symbian with 2% each.

What's interesting is that HTC holds the lead in both Android, and Windows Phones, which comes to show how important is the US market for its well-being, and that the negative effect of an unfavorable ITC ruling in the patent wars with Apple will prove significant.

Nielsen also found out in a separate study that the majority of new phone purchases in the US are smartphones, so this diagram below will be becoming more and more representative for the whole US cell phone market in the future.

Microsoft Send Mango to Manufacturers, watch Video inside

It's finally official: Windows Phone Mango has been released to manufacturers and is way on track to arriving to existing Windows Phone devices this fall, according to Microsoft itself. 

“This marks the point in the development process where we hand code to our handset and mobile operator partners to optimize Mango for their specific phone and network configurations. Here on the Windows Phone team, we now turn to preparing for the update process,” corporate VP of WP Engineering, Terry Myerson, explains on the Windows Phone Blog explains.

From here on we can hope that phone makers and carriers can squeeze their testing to fit the fall timeline. Most importantly, though, by reaching RTM status, we can be sure that the code is now finalized. Mango is the latest update to Microsoft's mobile platform bringing 500 new features including major novelties like multitasking and an improved IE9 with hardware acceleration and support for HTML5.

Unlocked Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc to sell for a whopping $519 OR $599

We caught our first glimpse of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc at CES 2011, and I remember thinking, “Finally! A decent Android device from Sony Ericsson, and hopefully it won’t take ages to hit the market.” A short seven months later and it’s going to hit U.S. customers. This August, you can grab the Xperia Arc directly from Sony Ericsson for $599 – sure, it’s pricy, but it isn’t subsidized by any U.S. carriers yet, so we’ll just have to deal.

You also can get unlocked Xperia Arc on http://www.m2cmobile.com/ for ONLY $519.98 USD, it is pretty much cheaper.

The Xperia Arc can also be nabbed at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com and Newegg.com for the same price. The 1GHz Snapdragon processor ought to make Android 2.3 Gingerbread run smoothly, but you’ll have to deal with TimeScape UI if you want this phone but aren’t a fan of the interface. We thought the display was nice, despite being 850 x 480, and it shouldn’t really be all that bad unless you’re totally accustomed to the iPhone 4‘s retina display, or Samsung’s Super AMOLED screens.

If you’ve been waiting for this super slim smartphone since CES 2011, you won’t have to wait much longer!

First Windows Phone Mango handset announced - the waterproof Toshiba-Fujitsu IS12T

Microsoft Japan and a Toshiba-Fujitsu venture have partnered over the IS12T with a 13.2MP camera, 32GB of internal memory, and thin waterproof design for the first Windows Phone Mango handset to be announced, Japan-only unfortunately. The professional selling unlocked Japanese phones website  http://www.m2cmobile.com/ will bring you unlocked IS 12T in two weeks, please put eyes on it.

We first saw it at Microsoft's WPC 2011 event not long ago, where the presenter hinted that the phone has a "great camera" and, indeed the Toshiba-Fujitsu IS12T sports a 13.2MP shooter with flash and various photographic options complementing the sensor.

Add this to the fact that the handset is waterproof as many Japanese smartphones are, plus the 32GB of internal memory, and we can only drool at what the folks in the land of the Rising Sun are getting. The other specs are more run-of-the-mill - Qualcomm MSM8655 processor, and a 3.7" display with 480x800 pixels, but the Toshiba-Fujitsu IS12T is quite thin at 0.42" (10.6mm) and light at just 4 ounces (113g).

The handset comes in yellow, pink and black, so its fans will span from the Hello Kitty types to the serious businessman who would appreciate the Microsoft Office and cloud services integration in this first WIndows Phone Mango handset.

Moreover, the presenters said that the phone will be available after September, and we posted that Mango just went RTM, so September seems right on schedule for the first major update of Microsoft's mobile OS. Have a look at a video of the whole launch event below.

Apple iPhone 5 penciled in as next smartphone by 35% of consumers in a survey

Experian's PriceGrabber division recently conducted a survey which is rather timely considering that the next generation Apple iPhone could be just weeks away from being launched in the States. According to the survey, 35% of consumers plan on buying the Apple iPhone 5 to replace their current handset.

Of those planning on making the iPhone 5 their next phone, 7% expect to rush out and purchase the next-gen Apple touchscreen phone within the first week after its launch. Twice as many will go out and buy the device during the first month it is available, while 30% will pick it up before the end of the year. A majority, 51%, will become Apple iPhone 5 owners within the first year of availability.

2,852 consumers were polled and when asked which possible features of an Apple iPhone 5 they would consider the most important when considering a purchase, 59% said that they would want to see improved battery life. 46% said that 4G connectivity is important to them. 45% want a larger display while an improved camera is important to 42% of the respondents. 55% said they would like to see a price reduction with the new model. 

Which OS did those responding to Experian's survey want? An overwhelming 48% said Apple iOS while 19% said Android. Windows Phone 7 and BlackBerry followed up garnering 7% and 6% of those polled respectively. 88% of those asked said they use their smartphone to make calls while 77% said they send and receive email on their handset. 73% use their phone for texting. 69% browse the internet using their smartphone while 51% use it for searching. 50% use the GPS on their unit.

When those surveyed were asked which smartphone they would want to receive as a gift, a whopping 69% selected the Apple iPhone. Interestingly, 7% picked the upcoming Motorola DROID Bionic, 4% chose the Samsung Galaxy S II and 3% want the BlackBerry Curve.

Leak: Photos: Samsung Galaxy S II for AT&T gets real, and it packs a QWERTY keyboard

Samsung’s wildly popular Galaxy S II, which some argue to be the most powerful smartphone on the planet, has been noticeably absent on American shores. That’s due to change next month according to Shin Jong-kyun, President of Samsung’s Mobile Business and Digital Imaging. Knowing how the big four operators roll though, we expect the Galaxy S II to look a little different depending on who offers it. Just yesterday we reported about the possability that AT&T’s version of the Galaxy S II would feature a QWERTY keyboard, and now thanks to the Boy Genius Report we have images to backup that claim. Taking a look at the somewhat grainy photos we can see a four row keyboard flanked by dedicated Android keys on either side, the same 8 megapixel camera that Europeans and Asians have been enjoying, and a new textured rear cover that looks like something off the butt of a rifle. Said smartphone is called the “SGH-I927″ and runs version 2.3.4 of Android.

How much will it cost? When exactly is it going to launch? These things we’ll find out in due time, but you can import European and Asian unlocked model to see how fantastic it is. How often are you really going to use that QWERTY keyboard? With a 4.3 inch screen, the keys should be big enough for you to type out a text without making too many mistakes. There’s also the question of software updates, which AT&T is terrible at, but with an unlocked handset you jump to the front of the line when it comes to getting the latest and greatest versions of Android. Speaking about versions of Android, in less than 6 months we’ll be seeing the first devices running Ice Cream Sandwich, so do you want to be labeled “out of date” after just 2 quarters?