What a scene: Android and Me criticizes BGR after calling the Samsung Galaxy Note “the most useless smartphone.”

Here’s the story: BGR posted its Samsung Galaxy Note review yesterday, February 13th, and called the Galaxy Note a useless smartphone. According to the author, Jonathan S. Geller, the Samsung Galaxy Note is “too big to be taken seriously” and adding that users of the phone will look stupid because the Galaxy Note is too big and will only attract a small number of customers.

Today, Android-fans website Android and Me criticizes BGR and Geller. According to Taylor Wimberly, BGR’s review is a “narrow-minded troll post,” but agrees with the review’s conclusion that the Galaxy Note is going to flop inside the AT&T network.

Wimberly thinks the Super Bowl Galaxy Note advertisement upset iPhone customers, including Geller because the commercial criticizes the iPhone 4S hype and the customers line outside Apple stores.

Android and Me’s post also suggests that the Samsung Galaxy Note will not attract many AT&T customers including some Android fans because the release date of the Galaxy Note was “poorly planned” citing some Android fans who recently bought the Galaxy S2 Skyrocket and the original Galaxy S2.

The Samsung Galaxy Note will go on sale this month with Long-Term Evolution, the original specs but with the capacitive buttons. AT&T will retail the phone for $299.99 on contract plus additional charges for the data plan.

If you can’t beat them, avoid them — Nokia reportedly set to attack the entry-level category with a Windows Phone smartphone that will sport an inexpensive tag price, the Nokia Lumia 610.

According to reports, three new Nokia smartphones will join the Mobile World Congress stage this month, and one of the phones is the budget friendly Lumia 610 and it might use a below £100 price tag — wow.

Nokia with AT&T will launch the first Long-Term Evolution Windows Phone in United States this quarter, the Lumia 900, but no word yet on pricing.

Rumors online also say Nokia will also launch the Lumia 900 overseas, but it will use the “910″ branding, and it will not include Long-Term Evolution.

Following the success of the Galaxy S2 smartphone last year, fans are now waiting for the Samsung Galaxy S3, the rumored successor that will ship with the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system and a redesigned Samsung TouchWiz user interface.

According to rumors, the Galaxy S3 will also include a 12-megapixel back-facing camera, HD Super AMOLED Plus screen, quad-core CPU and more RAM. In an interview, a Samsung executive has confirmed that the company’s upcoming smartphones will ship with larger batteries, including the Galaxy S3, promising a 24-hour battery life for the “average to moderately heavy” user.

Samsung also confirmed via a press release that the Galaxy S3 will not reach the Mobile World Congress Stage, adding that the company will hold a separate event in the first half of this year. Separate reports citing unnamed sources also added that the Samsung Galaxy S3 might land in stores in mid-2012, close to the rumored release date of the iPhone 5. Aside from competition with Apple, Samsung’s decision is also related to United States smartphone market.

Last year, the company’s “most popular smartphone to date,” the Galaxy S2, arrived in United States roughly six months after the phone’s release in South Korea, Europe and other countries in Asia.

UBS analyst Maynard Um said Samsung is one of the companies that will dominate this year’s smartphone market, and his statement could be related to the Galaxy S3, and Samsung’s record-breaking smartphone revenue last quarter courtesy of the high-end phones like the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy S2.

Um said the South Korean phone maker, together with Apple, will grab the whole 90 percent of the smartphone market. If accurate, Samsung’s Galaxy S3 and the rumored iPhone 5 might top this year’s smartphone sales tally. Other Android manufacturers are expected to share the remaining 10 percent, Um added.

Speaking of Android phone makers, Android devices running Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 are scheduled to go on sale this quarter and early next quarter ahead of the potential mid-2012 Galaxy S3 release. New devices from HTC, Sony, LG, and Motorola are reportedly due to hit the Mobile World Congress stage this month.

Rumors say Amazon will launch a larger tablet computer this year, meanwhile, Apple will release a smaller iPad after the release of the iPad 3 in March.

Moving in opposite directions, Apple and Amazon are now into stealing customers? Likely.

According to the latest rumor available online, Cupertino, California-based smartphone and PC manufacturer Apple is reportedly testing a smaller iPad lately, and joining its smaller screen size of about 8 inches, the device is reportedly equipped with Long Term Evolution, the wireless technology that offers faster data uploads and downloads and faster web surfing, and faster video streaming (the bottom line, LTE is fast).

So, the screen size is quite similar to the Amazon Kindle Fire and the original Galaxy Tab, but it sports the Apple logo so if the rumor is true, expect the iPad Mini to use an inexpensive tag price compared to the (rumored) iPad 3, but a more expensive tag price compared to the Kindle Fire’s $199 or the Barnes and Noble’s Nook Tablet with its $249 price.

The new 8-inch iPad is expected to join the entry-level club, reports added, and it will reportedly appear after the release of the iPad 3 this quarter.

Amazon reportedly shipped 5.5 million Kindle Fire tablets last quarter, and customers in United States are still attracted to purchase the device due to its competitive price tag. The Amazon Kindle Fire is not a “real Android tablet” because it uses a highly customized Android Gingerbread 2.3 operating system that does not include Google’s Android Market or the native Android web browser.

Instead, the Kindle Fire is filled with Amazon apps like the App Store with its own list of Android apps, the Kindle e-Books store, music store, video store and so much more. Some owners have rooted (hacked) their device to install some Google apps but for the not-so-geeky owners, the process could be confusing.

Can Apple’s mini iPad outsell the Kindle Fire? Maybe.

Based on the latest tablet market share tally in the United States, the Apple iPad is still the most popular based on the number of units shipped, also the percentage of users that interact with the device (like buying apps, surfing the web). So, what’s the point of selling a smaller iPad?

PS Vita, the most advanced hand-held gaming device of Sony, is set to go on sale this month in United States, the land of iPhone and Android smartphones.

According to reports, Sony launches a record-breaking $50 million advertising campaign to convince the consumers that they need a gaming device and not a smartphone, so aside from competing against Nintendo’s inexpensive Nintendo 3DS, the Sony PS Vita is also targeting the smartphone customers that love Android or iPhone. It is worth noting that Sony is also set to release its Xperia S Android smartphone next month in Europe and Asia.

One of the commercial shows the PS Vita’s 3G capability allowing users to compete against each other in the “leader board” while out and about. Sony is also airing a commercial that shows-off the PS Vita’s PS3 compatibility or the “cross platform” feature.

Sony is also launching a PS Vita 3G promo by offering a free downloadable game after a data plan activation. For starters, AT&T is offering two PS Vita 3G data plan, the entry-level $14.99 plan with 250 MB of monthly data allowance and the more expensive but more flexible $30 plan with 3GB monthly data allowance.

PS Vita is available in two models, the WiFi only PS Vita sporting the tag price of $249 no-strings attached, and the $299 3G plus WiFi PS Vita which requires AT&T line.

Google’s record-breaking $12.5 billion deal to acquire Motorola Mobility was approved by the U.S. Department of Justice and European Commission this week, and the next big “thing” might happen this year.

Google is the smartphone operating system giant in the United States based on market share, while Motorola is one of the best phone makers (call quality and form factor) in the market right now, but it is currently facing stiff competition from Samsung, Apple and Amazon (tablet).

Can the popular search engine and software giant lift Moto in the smartphone and tablet arena? Some tech sites believe that Motorola and Google’s tandem will provide a high-end and competitive smartphone that will compete against Apple’s iPhone.

This year, Apple is expected to announce a new smartphone, the presumed iPhone 5. Rumors say it might get in stores in June while others predict that the iPhone 5 will follow the iPhone 4S release date, October.

Either way, Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5 might experience a rivalry with a pure Google-branded smartphone manufactured by Motorola. It is worth noting that Google already said in a statement that the acquisition is for the phone manufacturer’s patents and to protect the Android ecosystem from patent infringement involving Apple, Microsoft, Nokia and others.

Google’s Eric Schmidt said in a statement last year that the company wants Motorola for more than just patents and in fact, Schmidt also added that Google wants Motorola’s top of the line hardware and talented employees.

He said, “we did it for more than just patents. We actually believe that the Motorola team has some amazing products coming…. We’re excited to have the product line, to use the Motorola brand, the product architecture, the engineers.”

A Motorola and Google in one smartphone? Another company worth mentioning is Intel which could play a major role on the upcoming Motorola flagship device. This year, there is a rumor circulating online that Intel’s first chip on a phone will debut this month with the Motorola hardware and Google’s fresh Ice Cream Sandwich software. It is still too early to tell if the rumored Motorola-Intel phone will include Google branding. Also, no word yet if Google will play a major role in the commercial and other promotion of the rumored Intel-Motorola phone.

Speaking of Google’s software, other Android manufacturers are also expected to use the new Android Ice Cream Sandwich to sell more smartphones. HTC will launch a quad-core phone with Ice Cream Sandwich this month, while LG is reportedly ready to launch two smartphones, a quad-core Android 4.0 phone and a tabphone with 5-inch touchscreen, the Optimus Vu. Samsung’s long-rumored Galaxy S3 will miss this month’s MWC in Europe apparently, and rumors say the Korean company wants a “closer” release date with the iPhone 5.

Samsung is currently the only manufacturer that offers an Android 4.0 smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Ahead of the Sprint Wireless variant launch in Q2, Samsung has added a new white Galaxy Nexus in Europe, Asia and online stores to challenge the white iPhone 4S, and to sell more smartphones ahead of the expected deluge of new Android Ice Cream Sandwich smartphones.

Next month, Apple is rumored to introduce a new tablet computer, the iPad 3, and if Apple will still implement its “hardware strategy,” the iPad 3′s CPU or processor could also be the CPU of the iPhone 5. For example, if the iPad 3 will include a quad-core A6 CPU, then expect to see an iPhone 5 also shipping with A6, similar to last year’s iPad 2 and the iPhone 4S.

Samsung, the electronics giant of Korea, will re-enter the tablet market with its latest device running Android’s latest version Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 and bundled with an inexpensive (compared to other Samsung tablets) tag price, meet the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.

Similar to the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus and the original Galaxy Tab launched two years ago, the Galaxy Tab 2 is sporting the 7-inch touchscreen with WSVGA resolution or for starters, the screen sports 1024 x 600 resolution.

The new Galaxy Tab 2 will ship with the latest Ice Cream Sandwich operating system of Google, but, it will run the love/hate TouchWiz user interface, the same Android skin running on top of the Galaxy S2 smartphone, the Galaxy Note, and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and other Samsung Android tablets.

According to Samsung, the new Galaxy Tab 2 is also equipped with dual-core 1GHz system-on-a-chip, 1GB RAM, 3-megapixel primary camera, a front-facing camera for video calling like Google Talk and Google Plus “Hangouts,” and the new Galaxy tablet hides a large 4,000 mAh battery inside.

With the TouchWiz UX, the Galaxy Tab 2 is pre-installed with Samsung’s own market applications, so aside from the default Android Market of Google, customers can also download games, music, e-books etc through the company’s “Hubs.”

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 will launch in both Wi-Fi only and 3G/Wi-Fi versions in Europe first followed by Asia, but third-party online retailers are expected to offer the device so United States customers can purchase using credit/debit card. No word yet from Samsung about the device’s price tag but reports say the WiFi only model will use a price tag below $350.

The cheapest popular Android device in United States is the Kindle Fire, Amazon’s 7-inch tablet running a custom Android Gingerbread 2.3 operating system. Unlike the Galaxy Tab 2, the Kindle Fire is offering Amazon stores only and does not ship with Google’s Android Market that now includes music, movies, and more. Amazon is selling the Kindle Fire for $199 only.

Can the Galaxy Tab 2 rival the popular Kindle Fire?

One analyst said Samsung and Apple will dominate this year’s smartphone war, but other mobile manufacturers are not just into watching Samsung and Apple’s rivalry. HTC, Sony, LG, etc will aggressively join the market this year using the “early bird” strategy, and will introduce new devices ahead of the rumored release date of the Samsung Galaxy S3 (and presumably the new Apple phone).

One of the first high-end phones that will hit stores is the Sony Xperia S, the stylish new smartphone of Sony that will not include the Ericsson branding after the acquisition. The Sony Xperia S, first introduced last month, is set to invade the smartphone market next month with the dual-core CPU, 12MP camera, HD screen, Android 4.0 update in early Q2 but will ship with Android 2.3, and its best feature: edgy design.

According to reports, Sony will introduce more smartphones sporting the Xperia branding but the Xperia S will be the first high-end smartphone that will rival the iPhone 4S. Compared to other popular phones like, let’s say, the Galaxy S2 and the iPhone 4S, the Xperia S will debut sporting the competitive tag price of $650 to $700 for the 32GB variant.

Another smartphone worth mentioning is the rumored HTC Endeavor, the most aggressive HTC smartphone that will hit the MWC stage this month. The Endeavor, which will replace the Sensation branding, is on the verge of sitting on the high-end spot sporting quad-core CPU, HD screen, 8-megapixel camera, and Android Ice Cream Sandwich on board.

Additional reports also added that the HTC Endeavor will go on sale in Europe and Asia starting late Q1 or early Q2, and wireless carriers are set to subsidize the phone to sell more line.

LG will also compete against Samsung and other Android phones with its two high-end phones, the rumored X3 and the Optimus Vu. The X3 will be the “traditional” phone with a “phone screen size,” quad-core CPU, 8-megapixel camera, HD IPS screen, and Android Ice Cream Sandwich on board. Meanwhile, the Optimus Vu is a device that will fit between the smartphone category and tablet category and it will rival Samsung’s Galaxy Note tabphone. Reports say the Optimus Vu will ship with 5-inch screen, Android Gingerbread, dual-core CPU, NFC, 8-megapixel camera, and a competitive price tag.

Apparently, Samsung has decided to push the Galaxy S3 away from the MWC to prevent a long gap between unveiling, international release, and United States variant/s release dates. Last year, Samsung and wireless carriers in the United States were criticized due to the “delayed” launch of the Galaxy S2, the best-selling Android smartphone of Samsung to date.

Another smartphone worth mentioning is the iPhone 5, and rumors say Samsung wants to compete against the upcoming Android smartphone using the Galaxy S3. Rumors say the iPhone 5 will go on sale in June (or October following the iPhone 4S launch month last year).

LG is back in headlines with a new smartphone, the LG Optimus 3D 2.

According to Phandroid, the phone is expected to hit the Mobile World Congress stage, and the phone will focus on “thinnest,” sporting 9.8mm profile. Sweet.

Aside from its stunning design, additional reports have confirmed that new LG Optimus 3D is shipping with Android Ice Cream Sandwich with the TouchWiz-like user interface of LG running on top of the original minimalist UI of Android 4.0. The device, similar to the original Optimus 3D, is reportedly equipped with 5-megapixel camera that can shoot 3D photos and videos, a front-facing camera, a dual-core CPU, and 1.2GHz dual-core Texas Instruments OMAP CPU.

No word yet from sources if the LG Optimus 3D will hit the United States market, but some tech sites believe that the new smartphone will go on sale in early Q2.

Google’s new Doodle is now up and running in Australia and New Zealand, set to invade the rest of the world later.

Oh Google, what a mushy Doodle — featuring the song of Tony Bennett entitled “Cold, cold heart.”

The new Doodle is now live in Google’s Australia and New Zealand websites, and it will presumably hit the international (including the United States Google website) Google page on Valentine’s Day, February 14th.

In case you want to see the new Doodle, you can visit the sites above.

The new Doodle is an embedded YouTube video, and after playing it, users will be redirected to “Valentine’s Day” search term. The YouTube video was uploaded by Google’s official YouTube account last week.

Tip: In case you want to sing-along, you can click the “CC” in the video.

iPad mini rumors resurrected from the grave, yup, and it is courtesy of the new statement of Ezra Gottheil, Technology Business Research’s analyst.

The story: Gottheil talked about the anticipated success of the iPad 3 which is rumored to go on sale in March. The analyst said Apple might launch a smaller iPad after the iPad 3 event, so if his prediction is accurate, the so-called iPad mini with 7-inch screen will hit stores before the launch of the iPhone 5, the long-rumored Apple smartphone.

Apparently, rumors say that the iPhone 5 will feature a larger than 3.5-inch screen, so here’s the catch, if Apple will release a smaller iPad before the launch of the iPhone 5, is it possible that customers will not upgrade to iPhone 5 and will just buy the smaller iPad which can be paired with the older but still sexy iPhone 4S?

Not all customers are rich, and based on the history of Apple’s product lineup, customers are shifting from one device to another. For example, more non-business customers are buying the iPad than the Mac OS X-powered MacBook Air because the iPad is cheaper and it also offers features like e-mail, web surfing and games.

An Apple iPad Mini might affect the sales of the iPhone 5 and similar to the larger iPad (original iPad, the iPad 2 and the rumored iPad 3), the smaller tablet might steal more market share from the Mac lineup especially if will use a cheaper tag price.

Other tech sites say the planned Apple iPad Mini is related to the success of the Kindle Fire, Amazon’s small Android tablet computer that is currently attracting customers due to its inexpensive, no strings attached $199 price tag.

The latest tally shows that more consumers are surfing the web using iOS devices, with 8.15 percent share of all web traffic against Mac OS X’s 7.96 percent.

Smartphones shifting from dual-core to quad-core CPU? Likely.

A new leak posted online has confirmed that HTC will launch a new device that will not include the arguably “not so popular” Sensation name, and the device will use the new “Endeavor” branding.

Aside from the new name, multiple reports have also confirmed that the HTC Endeavor, its final name according to the latest leak, is shipping with Tegra 3 CPU and its software is Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system running the latest version of HTC Sense user interface.

According to The Verge, a leaked RUU or ROM Upgrade Utility, has confirmed the device’s name, the phone’s lock screen and home screen, the widgets of the HTC Sense user interface skin, and other add-ons like wallpapers and ringtones.

Last week, Modaco leaked the specs of the HTC Endeavor and according to its unnamed source, the device will ship with a quad-core CPU clocked at 1.5GHz, Android 4.0 with HTC Sense, 4.7-inch HD touchscreen, 8-megapixel camera, and 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and the Taiwan-based company is reportedly scheduled to announce the phone in Europe this month at the MWC event.

Joining HTC Endeavor is the rumored HTC Ville, the mid-range device running Ice Cream Sandwich and other “mid-range” goodies like dual-core CPU, 8-megapixel camera, and qHD screen.

Apparently, Samsung will not launch its flagship Google Android device this month, the Samsung Galaxy S3, citing the US release date. According to rumors, Samsung wants to avoid the long gap between the international and United States release dates citing the Galaxy S2 as an example. Rumors also added that the Galaxy S3 will ship with quad-core CPU, HD Super AMOLED Plus screen, 12-MP camera, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with TouchWiz user interface.

Another smartphone worth mentioning is the iPhone 5, which is reportedly set to hit stores in June (while others say the release date of the iPhone 5 is in October). No word yet from Apple, apparently, but the iPad 3 might give clues about the phone’s processor and connectivity, it is HSPA+ or LTE.

Can the new HTC Endeavor compete against the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S3?

Product list of multiple online retailers have confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus or Google Galaxy Nexus is now sporting a “cheaper” price tag ranging from $550 to $600 compared to last year’s $650 to $700. The price tag change, according to one retailer, is due to new devices that will land in stores this quarter including the newly launched white Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Under the hood, the white Galaxy Nexus is the same exact phone as the original Titanium Silver Galaxy Nexus that joined the smartphone market last quarter and the only difference is the white back color. The CPU of the original/white Galaxy Nexus is Texas Instruments’ OMAP dual-core CPU clocked at 1.2GHz, phone sports 1GB RAM, a 5-megapixel primary camera, and features the 4.65-inch touchscreen with 720p resolution and Super AMOLED technology.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is running the latest version of Google’s mobile platform, the Android Ice Cream Sandwich version 4.0.

Other Android manufacturers, like HTC, Sony, LG and also Samsung, are expected to introduce new smartphones running the new Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, however, the devices are expected to ship with custom user interface. For example, the newly leaked HTC Ville will include ICS out of the box, but with the new HTC Sense user interface. Samsung’s flagship Samsung Galaxy S3 is also expected to run the company’s TouchWiz user interface. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is running the pure Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system that does not include “skin” or “bloatware.”

The white Samsung Galaxy Nexus is sporting the tag price of US$700 after conversion with additional charges for shipping and handling. The unlocked White Samsung Galaxy Nexus is still Pentaband HSPA+ so it will work on T-Mobile or AT&T’s 3G HSPA+ networks.

Unsurprisingly, e-mail usage is shifting away from web in favor of mobile, or specifically, mobile devices. For starters, data shows that more e-mail users are now using e-mail apps and other alternatives to communicate, while “traditional” e-mail access using the web browser is shrinking.

Among e-mail users aged 18 to 24, webmail usage dropped 34 percent in December compared to the total users two years ago. Shrinking webmail users also appeared among e-mail users aged 35 to 44 with 1 percent decline, and also the users aged 55 to 64 (by seven points). Users aged 12 to 17 are also using other devices to access electronic mail.

According to comScore, the numbers are related to growing smartphone owners, and new devices have “apps” like for example, Gmail or Yahoo Mail, that a user can install to access his/her e-mails. Aside from smartphones (that can call, text and browser the web), younger e-mail users have been using non-smartphone devices that can connect to the internet and browse the web like the iPod touch, other Android devices, and tablet computers like the iPad and other touchscreen devices that offer web access and applications.

Also this year, research firm Canalys said smartphone shipments last year have exceeded desktop (including tablet computers) devices with 487.7 million units compared to 414.6 million desktop PC shipments.

Apparently, Facebook’s new photo viewer is now live and running globally. Aside from its clean and attractive user interface, the new photo viewer also includes advertisements embedded below the comments thread. The ads on the photo viewer is called “Sponsored,” and it might confuse some users. It is worth noting that ads on the photos are not permanent, and it sometimes not appearing.

According to All Things D, the new photo interface could be related to its upcoming IPO trading, and by putting the ads prominently on images, Facebook’s new photo viewer might boost the company’s self-service ad sales.

Some tech sites say the new photo display of Facebook is strikingly similar to Google Plus, but Google’s new social networking site does not support ads yet.

Speaking of ads, Facebook is also reportedly planning to launch sponsored stories on its apps, specifically the mobile platforms, and also similar to the photo viewer, another ad placement will give Facebook another source of income.

According to a Business Insider report posted this month, Facebook’s mobile developers are now developing the new ad product, and it might go live before the public trading. The source of the news website adds that the plan was tipped by five employees of Facebook.

BI also suggested that Facebook will use the new revenue stream to convince the retail investors that there is future growth in a company.

Tech sites started talking about the Kindle Fire successor last year, and one analyst joins the fun by raising his Amazon tablet computer revenue estimate, adding that the larger Kindle Android tablets will debut by mid-2012 or after the iPad 3 release date in March.

According to All Things D, the Kindle Fire devices that will go on sale this year will focus on larger touchscreen, but no word yet about its other features like cameras for example, or better touchscreen resolution that can compete against the rumored iPad 3 that will reportedly include a Retina screen or 326 pixels per inch or close to it.

Pacific Crest analyst Chad Bartley also reduces his Kindle e-Reader sales estimate mainly due to obvious shift of Amazon strategy, from selling inexpensive e-readers to sell more e-books, to selling inexpensive Android-based tablets to sell more apps, music, movies and other digital products. Amazon’s new Kindle Fire, according to one analyst, has reached the 5.5 million sales mark last quarter.

Mid-2012 could also collide with the rumored iPhone 5 release date in June, so let’s wait and see if Amazon can convince the consumers that they need an Android tablet that doesn’t ship with the stock Android Market of Google.

The new Kindle Fire rumor, obviously based on earlier reports, suggests that Amazon might ship with a 8.9-inch Kindle Fire, close to the touchscreen size of the iPad 2 and presumably the iPad 3, and also an alternative 10.1-inch screen which is the common size of Android-based tablets.

Aside from Apple, Amazon’s new Kindle Fire is also expected to compete against the “more loyal” Android tablets that will ship with the latest version of Android, the Ice Cream Sandwich, and will come with the Android Market out of the box. It is worth noting that the Android Market now includes a music store and a movies rental store (In United States) and the market is curated by Google, compared to the Amazon ecosystem that has its own markets.

Rumors say Samsung will introduce a new tablet computer this month in Europe and it will include a powerful dual-core CPU, larger 11.6-inch touchscreen, and Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

Another Android manufacturer worth mentioning is ASUS courtesy of its ASUS MeMo 7-inch tablet that will not just compete against the iPad 3′s specs, but it will also play the same strategy of offering an inexpensive tag price of just $249 USD, the same price tag used by the Barnes and Noble’s new Nook Tablet.

Microsoft’s much-anticipated Windows 8 operating system will not support Adobe Flash, and will just focus on maximizing speed, power and battery life by supporting HTML5 and other industry standard document formats like hardware acceleration.

According to Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky, Windows on ARM or WOA, or Windows 8 on ARM, is a regular member of the Windows Family, but unlike the AMD and Intel version, the WOA’s Internet Explorer will not support Flash and other plugins, but the operating system will support dedicated apps like Mail, Calendars, Contacts, Photos, and also the productivity apps like Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and One Note and the apps will support touch for the tablet computers (and maybe, smartphones).

Windows on ARM is also expected to feature the same look and feel, sporting the Metro User Interface with the photo lock screen, and after logging in, Metro UI flashing the available applications will welcome the user, and will ship with Micro USB and SD card support.

Sinofsky’s post also sports a new video showing-off the prototype tablet computers with Nvidia, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments’ CPUs.

Other features of the Windows 8 for ARM-based devices also include support for mobile broadband, bluetooth, Printer, GPS, various sensors like accelerometer, gryo, compass, and will also ship with MTP over USB and IP support, and the wireless software update which is similar to other ARM-compatible platforms including the most popular Android.

Microsoft said the Windows on ARM will also focus on delivering apps available in the Market, and the WOA will get its own dedicated apps designed for x86/64. In short, Windows 8 running on ARM will offer new “apps” and will not support traditional software, but in contrast Intel and AMD Windows 8 will support the heavy software through the operating system’s Windows 7-like interface accessible by clicking an icon. It is also worth noting that the Windows 8 will not include the “Start” button.

No word yet about the release date of the Windows 8 tablet computers or laptops but Microsoft said the first set of devices will go on sale this year. Microsoft will push the Windows 8 Consumer Preview on February 29th.

Surprisingly, new Windows 8 details were posted online while the tech world is busy talking about the iPad 3 release date in March.

A new report posted by Modaco is claiming that HTC’s rumored Android smartphone, previously called “Edge,” will use the name “Endeavor” and similar to previous rumors, the unnamed source of the website confirms that the smartphone will ship with quad-core CPU clocked at 1.5GHz.

The HTC Endeavor is reportedly scheduled to hit the stage this month at the Mobile World Congress in Europe, and the Taiwan-based company’s new flagship device might go on sale this quarter.

Other features of the Endeavor mentioned are Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich operating system that will run with HTC Sense skin, 4.7-inch HD touchscreen, 1GB RAM, 8-megapixel camera, and 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.

In related news, HTC is also expected to compete against Nokia and Samsung in the mid-range smartphone category with the HTC Ville, the thin Android smartphone also with Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.

Oh Acer, that is a nice looking Android smartphone, and in my opinion it is one of the best looking Android smartphones that will join the smartphone market this year (aside from Sony’s Xperia S).

The phone’s name is Acer CloudMobile because according to Pocket-Lint, the phone will focus on document management through the AcerCloud technology so aside from targeting the Android fan-boys, the new CloudMobile is also set to compete against BlackBerry phones.

The phone will also challenge the thin Android phones, including the Galaxy S2 and the Galaxy Nexus of Samsung, with its less than 10mm thick body.

The Acer CloudMobile, aside from its sexy design, is also shipping with 4.3-inch HD display and comes with Dolby sound technology. Plus, the report added that it will ship with the latest and greatest Android version yet, the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The new CloudMobile of Acer is set to compete against other Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich smartphones, like the rumored quad-core HTC smartphone, the Acer Padfone also with quad-core CPU, plus the popular Samsung Galaxy S3, the Galaxy S2 successor that will reportedly feature improved cameras (rumor said 12-megapixel), HD screen and other goodies.

Can the CloudMobile outsell other Android 4.0 smartphones?

The new smartphone will join other Android devices at the Mobile World Congress in Europe, including the large “Galaxy Note killer” of LG, the Optimus Vu.

Oh look, two giant Android smartphones in one photo, the Samsung Galaxy Note and the LG Optimus Vu.

According to reports, the Optimus Vu will ship with a large 5-inch screen with 1024×768 resolution, Android Gingerbread with LG’s custom skin, an 8-megapixel primary camera, and 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S3 dual-core CPU plus a full 1GB RAM. Compared to the Galaxy Note’s specs, the Optimus Vu is somewhat similar, apparently.

Reports also added that LG will formally announce the Optimus Vu this month at the Mobile World Congress in Europe.

In related news, AT&T is scheduled to release the Long-Term Evolution equipped Samsung Galaxy Note, the first of its kind with faster data connectivity than the international HSPA+ model. The AT&T Galaxy Note will go on sale starting February 19, 2012 sporting the tag price of $299 on a two-year contract agreement with the carrier.