This new video does put my doubts regarding LG Panther made out of liquid plastic to rest thanks to a much more stable frame rate. From the YouTube video description translated via Google:

According to numerous requests from colleagues – improved quality and a small restructuring of my previous webcast, filmed not on the webcam and the camera HD.

Right from the start you’d notice that the UI is much more polished and responsive since we are getting close to a final build. Switching in and out of apps and pages is smooth as well and now since Microsoft have disabled application backgrounding in the latest build, phones shouldn’t get bogged down after prolonged usage. The video also shows Calendar and Message applications in action along with notifications, and I also noticed three new apps (Stocks, Translator and Unit Converter) in the Programs list but they just might be 3rd party apps to test on the device.

I still couldn’t help noticing the slight lag in the People’s Hub when data had to be pulled from the network but that can most probably be an issue with the poor reception in the area.

While I don’t think the LG Panther would be one of the hottest Windows Phone 7 devices in development right now – it still is a satisfying experience seeing it running a basic walk-through of a newer build of the upcoming Windows Phone OS.

Since the video is in Ukrainian (or Russian), I can’t really figure out what they are saying but I’m sure its along the lines of “this is still a pre-beta build hence the minor issues”. On the same note, this isn’t exactly the same build as the one released with the Windows Phone Developer Tools Beta earlier this week, though I can’t say if its exactly newer or older.

I did notice a couple of new UI effects while flicking through long lists like in the People’s hub which make the overall UI more appealing. It looks like there were some network issues where they were testing, but hopefully its not a hardware/software issue like the iPhone 4 Death Grip. I’ve embedded the near 9 minute video below so do share anything you find different in this build of Windows Phone 7 or what they are saying if you understand the language via the comments below.

By the way, I couldn’t help wondering whether the video was shot in a very lame frame rate or the LG Panther is actually made of some sort of Liquid Metal?

Update

Sadly, that was just a lame frame rate, since a new demo video shot in HD clears that up.

Also announced were a couple of feature phones in the Walkman line as well as an environmentally friendly candybar device.

The XPERIA X8 would be running Android 1.6 at launch though the custom skin would feature the updated Timescape and Mediascape apps.The 3-inch capacitive touchscreen has a resolution of 320 x 480 powered by a 600MHz processor a 3.2 mega pixel camera. The phone supports 3G, Wi-Fi and A-GPS connectivity as well and would be available in a range of different colors. It is set to arrive across Europe in  Q3 2010 for 259 EUR (318 USD). There is no word on when (or if) it would be getting an Android 2.1 Eclair update like the rest of the lineup.

The Android 2.1 Eclair update to the X10 lineup would mostly bring bug and performance improvements as well as a couple of enhancements to the Timescape and Mediascape apps. The XPERIA X10 however would also receive a couple of new features including HD video recording along with TV out functionality. The updates would start rolling in Q3 2010 in select markets with further enhancements coming in Q4.

Apart from all the Android love, SE also announced a couple of feature phones (read: dumb-phones) for the budget market including a Walkman series 2.6 inch touchscreen packing Yendo whose UI looks strikingly similar to their Android skin. But don’t let the looks deceive you, because it really isn’t running on Android, though it does have a faster 720MHz CPU along with a dedicated audio chip if that’s your thing. Yendo is only 2G and would be available around late August and would cost about 99 EUR (122 USD).

The third device is a simple eco-friendly candybar with 2.2 inch screen though it packs HSDPA and integrated widgets for Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. It also has a 2MP camera which can record VGA videos up to 30 fps. At 15.5mm, its considerably thick for a device which lacks so many features that are now standard today like Wi-Fi and GPS. The Cedar would be available in Q3 2010 as well, though I couldn’t get a definitive price.

We don’t have a lot of details about the device other than the info we can glean from the photos. Apparently, its running Sony Ericsson’s custom TimeScape UI on Android (probably 1.x I believe), and has a larger screen than the X10 mini though the camera lacks any sort of flash. It has three physical buttons beneath with a dedicated camera key and volume rocker on the sides.

The device looks pretty thick judging from the photos but I can’t make any final comments until we have any official specifications available. Hit up the source link for some more shots of the device. I’ll update when more information becomes available.

The technical specifications in this article come from a number of web sources including tech blogs like Engadget, as well as official press releases. Again I chose the iPad as the current benchmark, because right now it is the only dominating Tablet in the market.

Like I said before, both the WindPads are 10 inch slates. The WindPad 100 is powered by an Intel Atom Z530 processor running at 1.66 GHz and 2GB of DDR2 RAM. It is running Windows 7 Home Premium with a custom UI skin by MSI called the WindTouch UI. The WindPad 110 had a strikingly different design than the WindPad 100, and is powered by NVIDIA Tegra 2 SoC and runs Android 2.1 Eclair. It is currently in very early prototype stages and one MSI representative went as far as to say that it may never see the light of the day as a finished product.

Preliminary specifications are subject to change and there is no clear indication of when the devices would ship. Apparently MSI maintains that the release would happen sometime this year. Personally I would prefer a late release over a half baked one.

Click for a larger view

I’ll keep revising the details as they become available until the specifications are locked down and the devices hit the store shelves. I did a similar comparison of Apple iPad vs. Asus EeePad EP121 and EeePad Ep101TC.

I decided to hunt down the currently available specifications from the internet and make a nice comparison with the current king of the tablets – the Apple iPad. While some of the specifications still aren’t final, they do seem to outdo Apple’s toy when it comes to sheer technical details on paper.

For my first comparison, I’d like to start of with the Asus EeePad EP121 and EP101TC. Both were unveiled at Asus’ Computex booth and are slated for a Q1 2011 release. What’s special about these two devices is that both carry unique features that are a first for this form factor. The 12.1 inch EeePad EP121 is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo CULV processor running Windows 7, while the 10.1 inch EP101TC is the first announced tablet to feature the new Windows  Embedded Compact 7 operating system.

Preliminary specifications are subject to change and the actual device may have a different design when it is shipped next year. But Asus did promise more than 1 USB 2.0 ports, and at least a 10 hour battery life. Here is how the two tablets stack up against the formidable iPad.

Click for a larger view

I’ll keep revising the details as they become available. And since these two particular tablets aren’t hitting the shelves anytime soon, no specification could be final. I did a similar comparison of Apple iPad vs. MSI WindPad 100 and WindPad 110.

The cat is finally out of the Bag. Nokia have finally unveiled the N900 Smartphone running Maemo 5. In terms of Hardware, it stacks right up with the iPhone 3GS and the Palm Pre with an ARM A8 600MHz processor and 1GB of virtual memory. Read on for more juicy specs and video.

The phone would be released to select markets bearing a price tag of 500 Euros. Nokia are marketing this device along with the latest version of their Maemo OS to power users who want desktop like internet experience on their mobile devices – thanks to a Mozilla based (Firefox Mobile?) browser preinstalled into the device.

Other features of the device include:

• 3.5 inch touch-sensitive widescreen display
• 800 × 480 pixel resolution
• TI OMAP 3430: ARM Cortex-A8 600 MHz Processor
• PowerVR SGX graphics with OpenGL ES 2.0 support
• 1 GB of Virtual Memory (256 MB RAM)
• 110.9 x 59.8 x 18 / 181g
• 32GB of Internal Memory (Up to 48GB with MicroSDHC)
• Full QWERTY Keyboard
• Quad-Band GSM
• GPRS/EDGE, HSPA 10.2 Mbps
• WLAN 802.11 b/g
• A-GPS vith Ovi Maps
• 5MP AF Camera with Carl Zeiss – Tessar lens
• Video recording at 848 x 480 pixels @ 25fps
• FM Transmitter
• DLNA

And that isn’t even the complete list yet. This device had already attracted my interest when info about its rumored specs had started leaking around June.

Nokia also made it clear that it won’t abandon the Symbian OS in favor of Maemo:

“Just as Nokia continues to expand and diversify its device portfolio, so it is deploying multiple platforms to allow it to serve different purposes and address different markets. While we have seen continued growth in Symbian as a smartphone platform, Maemo enables Nokia to deliver new mobile computing experiences based on open-source technology that has strong ties with desktop platforms”

Nokia would be unveiling more details about the device along with a production sample at Nokia World 09 on September 2, so better keep watch.

[Via Nokia (Facebook)]

Microsoft have made it official now: The Xbox 360 Elite would now retail for $299 (down from $399) starting August 28, while the Xbox 360 Pro would be phased out with a price cut to $249. While rumors were already strong that a price cut would happen this August, an official announcement really helps settling things up.

The Arcade system will still remain at $199 – which already is the cheapest console from this generation. The price cuts will again put Microsoft at a sweet spot with their competition as Nintendo Wii still retails at $249 and the new PlayStation 3 Slim would be introduced at $299.

Microsoft went on to say that the price cuts weren’t announced as a response to Sony’s – in fact they had been planned for a while now, which is evident from all the rumors we have been hearing. And just to squash the last piece of doubts, Microsoft again says that Project Natal would work with every Xbox 360 system sold to date.

So what are you waiting for? Going to get an Xbox 360 now or still carving for that PlayStation 3 Slim?

Nokia has just announced that its working on its very own Netbook (video after the break) all suited with an HD display, HDMI, integrated 3G with hot swappable SIM card, A-GPS with Nokia Maps and a massive 12 hour battery life. All that power packed into a stylish design running Windows 7. Looks like Microsoft – Nokia deal wasn’t only limited to Office on Symbian eh?

For the official answer to why Nokia decided to enter the Netbook market, Nokia’s Executive Vice President for Devices, Kai Oistamo said:

“A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility. We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us. Nokia has a long and rich heritage in mobility and with the outstanding battery life, premium design and all day, always on connectivity, we will create something quite compelling. In doing so we will make the personal computer more social, more helpful and more personal.”

According to the official Nokia blog, we can expect more details at Nokia World 09 which is all set to rock on September 2. I can’t really wait to get more details on this because this Netbook already has me drooling. Here is the official video to help all of you join in.

The steps are quite similar, only you can see them visually played out instead of reading them on slides. Check out the video after the break.