Verizon Wireless and Casio are at it once again with yet another rugged phone release, and this time it’s the Casio G’zOne Ravine 2.

The successor to the G’zOne Ravine from last year, it has many of the same features that are designed for outdoor enthusiasts and field workers, like the ability to withstand immersion, water, shock and dust, vibration, salt fog, humidity, solar radiation, altitude, and low and high temperatures. It also comes equipped with Casio’s G’zGear suite of apps, which includes an earth compass, a walking counter, an astro calendar, and more.

What sets the G’zOne Ravine 2 apart, however, is that it’s also a global-ready device that can be used abroad. That presumably means it has a CDMA/GSM chipset that lets you use SIM cards while you’re abroad.

Other features of the phone include push-to-talk capability, an Opera Mini browser, VZ Navigator, Bluetooth, up to 32GB microSD card support, a 3.2-megapixel camera, a 1.38-inch external display, and more.

The Casio G’zOne Ravine 2 will be available online on Verizon’s Web site starting November 17 and in stores starting November 23 for $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year contract.

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Sound ID’s latest Bluetooth headset is called the Six, and it promises to be the company’s most advanced headset yet.

Sound ID stands out in the field of Bluetooth headset makers because the company was founded by an ear doctor from Stanford University, and the headsets are therefore designed with strong knowledge of the human ear. Sound ID headsets have usually prized comfort and audio clarity because of this.

The Six headset is also highly stylized with a new contemporary design. Notable features include background noise management, improved voice recognition due to a VoiceMenu system, an ActiveConnect feature that can connect to two A2DP devices simultaneously, and a Smart Touch Surface that lets you access a variety of controls (volume, voice mail, voice dial, and so on) simply by tapping the headset. You also get a Pass Thru Mode that amplifies surrounding noise when you’re not in a call, so that you can listen to your environment with your headset still in your ear.

The headset also works in concert with a new EarPrint 3.0 smarphone app for iPhones, BlackBerrys, and Android handsets. The app lets you access the voice command menu, a text-to-speech feature for Android devices, a Find Me option to locate a missing headset, a Personal Sound setting to customize listening preferences, and other options.

The Sound ID Six Bluetooth headset retails for $129.99.

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Amazon is turning the Droid Razr up to 11.

It’s no secret that Verizon Wireless is having a little fun with the Motorola Droid Razr’s launch date by releasing it exactly on 11:11 a.m. local time on November 11, 2011 (That’s 11/11/11. Get it?). But Amazon Wireless, a specialized Amazon store dedicated to all things mobile, is taking it a step further by pricing the phone not at $299.99, but at $111.11 instead.

That’s quite the price drop, and we’re not sure if it’s a one-day-only deal. In any case, if you’ve been wanting to buy one, you should jump on this opportunity before it disappears.

The Motorola Droid Razr is said to be the world’s thinnest smartphone and is the first Razr handset Motorola has released in years. It packs in a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, support for Verizon’s 4G LTE network, a 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1.3-megapixel front camera, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and several innovative Motorola applications like Webtop that turns the phone into a portable PC, and Smart Actions, an app that lets you automate tasks for battery conservation and more.

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Thin is in, baby.

Or at least that’s what many phone makers would have you believe. Ever since the release of the Motorola Razr in late 2004, the trend of the superskinny phone has taken the country by storm. Fashionable, sexy, and easily portable, slim phones are still popular today. Here are a few smartphones that manage to pack in plenty of features in a thin and light package.

Motorola Droid Razr
Motorola returns to its Razr roots with the Droid Razr, which packs in a 1.2GHz dual-core processor along with 4G/LTE speeds inside a stunningly skinny 0.28-inch shell. It’s not all the way skinny, however, as it has a slight bump at the top. Read the full review.

Samsung Galaxy S II (unlocked)
The original Samsung Galaxy S II that was released in the global market is actually the thinnest out of all the Galaxy S II phones we’ve seen so far. It’s only 0.3 inch thick, while the others–the Galaxy S II for AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint–are around 0.05 and 0.07 inch thicker. Read the full review.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
Sony Ericsson has always been known for its industrial design, and the Xperia Arc is no exception. It has a slim and sleek build that’s only 0.34 inch thick. It has sharp corners and slightly flared sides. Read the full review.

LG Marquee
The LG Marquee’s claim to fame lies with its 4-inch NOVA display, which the company claims makes it the brightest display ever on a smartphone. While that may be a bit of an exaggeration, the Marquee is quite slim at only 0.36 inch thick. Read the full review.

Apple iPhone 4S
The Apple iPhone 4S looks identical to its predecessor, the iPhone 4, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The iPhone 4S is still one of the thinnest phones around at only 0.37 inch thick, and it still looks and feels like a work of art. Read the full review.

The post Skinny smartphones first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

The Motorola Droid Razr is a marriage of Razr beauty and Droid brawn.

Like the original Razr, the superslim and ultralight Droid Razr has an undeniable wow factor the second you pick it up. It also has a wonderfully vivid 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display, and is remarkably durable with its scratch-resistant, water-resistant, and Kevlar-coated exterior. The Droid Razr has impressive specs, like a 1.2GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor (Correction: we were misinformed that it was a Qualcomm processor), support for Verizon’s blazing fast 4G/LTE network, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera, Webtop functionality, and more.

But, the phone isn’t perfect. Its large footprint and squared edges might scare off those with smaller hands, and the battery is sadly not removable. Picture quality was also not quite as smooth and vibrant as we wanted. However, we think the Droid Razr more than makes up for these deficiencies with its remarkable speed, power, and good looks. Its $299.99 price is very steep, yes, but for those who covet cutting-edge smartphone tech in a slender package, this top-of-the-line phone might be worth it. That is, until the next hot Android comes along (read: the Galaxy Nexus)

The good
The Motorola Droid Razr has an attractive, slim, and lightweight design that is also water repellent and scratch resistant. It has a fantastic 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, Verizon’s 4G/LTE speeds, plenty of multimedia features, corporate and government grade security, Webtop functionality, and decent battery life.

The badThe Motorola Droid Razr’s large size might feel awkward in small hands, we expected better picture quality from its 8-megapixel camera, and the battery is not removable.

The bottom lineWith its razor-thin design, jam-packed features, and blazing speed, the Motorola Droid Razr is easily one of the year’s top Android smartphones.

Watch the video, see the photos, and read the full Motorola Droid Razr review.

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U.S. Cellular has announced the Samsung Repp, an entry-level Android smartphone that ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

The Repp has a 3.2-inch HVGA LCD screen, a 3-megapixel camera, an 800MHz processor, and a 2GB microSD card that’s preinstalled. It can be expanded to 32GB if you want more storage. It’ll be free with a new two-year agreement.

U.S. Cellular is also introducing a new trade-in program for used phones and tablets. If you want to upgrade to the Repp, for example, you can trade existing handsets for a check. U.S. Cellular even accepts devices from other carriers and will pay up to $150 per device.

Additionally, select phones in U.S. Cellular’s lineup are free without activation fees from now through November 20.

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To tie in with the carrier’s impending Droid Razr launch on 11:11 a.m. on 11/11/11–aka Friday–Verizon Wireless will launch a promotion that doubles the amount of monthly data allotment for 4G smartphone owners.

Starting Tuesday, any customer who has a Verizon 4G smartphone will be eligible to get double the data for the same price. For example, someone who subscribes to the 2GB for $30 plan will receive 4GB instead. For $50 you can get 10GB instead of 5GB, and for $80 you can get 20GB instead of 10GB per month. Existing customers (those who have upgraded their service or purchased a 4G smartphone within the last 14 days) will have to request the change via customer service or through their My Verizon accounts, while new customers can request this when they sign up.

The doubling of data promotion is only for a limited time, so Verizon customers should get on this quickly. We’re not sure if the monthly data allotment will return to normal once the promotion is over.

Verizon is also catering to those who want a smaller data plan. You can opt for a 300MB data plan for any phone for $20 a month. The doubling of data offer does not apply to this lower tiered plan.

UPDATE: We learned that the promotional rate will remain “as long as customers remain on those features” according to a leaked document on VZBuzz. Verizon spokesperson Brenda Raney has confirmed that consumers can keep the double data plan as long as they are on a 4G smartphone. The limited time promotion refers to the length of the promotional sale, not the length of the contract. We should also note that the doubling of data does not apply to the additional data you get with a Mobile Hotspot add-on.

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Is there such thing as too much of a good thing? Verizon comes out swinging with superphones galore, we take a look at the next generation of Windows Phone handsets, and we have a good old-fashioned rant against a very very weird phone. All that and more on today’s Dialed In.

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Dialed In 198: Too many Verizon superphones!

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A glut of Verizon superphones
Verizon and HTC announced the HTC Rezound last week, and the Droid Razr is getting the major-promotion treatment this week. And the Samsung Galaxy Nexus hasn’t even arrived yet! Is there such thing as too much of a good thing?
HTC Rezound first impressions: Music to my ears
CNET’s full Motorola Droid Razr review
HTC Rezound vs. Motorola Droid Razr vs. Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Windows Phone’s fight for third place
We’re finally starting to see a few Windows Phone 7.5 Mango handsets trickle into the U.S. market. Jessica Dolcourt took a look at the Samsung Focus Flash as well as the hot new Nokia Lumia 800. Will the Lumia 800 win your heart? Hear us out as we discuss its merits.
CNET’s full Nokia Lumia 800 review
Samsung Focus Flash

Quick hits
Android 4.0 due in early 2012 for 7 HTC phones
Leaked HTC Edge could be world’s first quad-core phone
Verizon to double data amounts for 4G smartphones
T-Mobile MyTouch and MyTouch Q are available November 2

Other reviews
Samsung Stratosphere (Verizon Wireless)
LG Doubleplay (T-Mobile)

E-mail
Hi ladies, just started watching dialed in. And I have to say very entertaining. I just watched your podcast on the droid razor (with Antwan (love from cartech)) and was taken back on how there was a wow factor to it. From Bonnie and Nicole and that’s what I wanted out of the new iPhone. A wow factor not an o nice case man. I’m in a terrible relationship with Siri. We just have been at each others throats. She freezes up. I get mad, then she reboots, and then I say sorry Siri. I got my iPhone 4s on release date after my 3GS passed on. But theres nothing new and it’s somewhat of a let down, since my 3GS was running iOS 5 when she fell to her death. Form factor is the same. Phone slows down, freezes, and tons of dropped calls and I can only blame it on the in law. AT&T. I’ve already exchanged the 4s three times with apple. So like brain tong says. I’m giving them the bad apple.

Now that I have painted that picture. I’m moving to Verizon next week (since i have 30days to cancel my contract) and returning Siri to AT&T. But I’m not sure if I’m ready to take the plunge to android or stick with my uninteresting relationship with apple. Do droids have a way of syncing my iTunes library and content like apple or is it more of a drag and drop? My techy level I’m on level 7 out of ten. Love features but I feel that the droids camera even being 8megs isn’t a good quality camera compared to the 4s. Should I switch to the droid Razr or should I stay with apple and get another iphone 4s an hope things will be better?
Ruben

Hi Nicole & Jessica, Thank you for the fun and informative show, especially the Nokia Lumia launch details. I was very impressed by its design. Samsung Focus S, HTC Titan X310e, and Nokia Lumia 800 bring to light a big difference between WP7 fans: What’s more important form or function? I know post-Nokia, that many cannot live without the big specs (big screen, 4G, FFC), but I just fell in love with the Lumia 800’s design, so I will grab it as soon as I can figure out a way to get it 🙂 Nokia, I am ready to spend my money. Where are you?
Frederick

Hello Dialed In, I’m Jozef (pronounced like Joseph just spelled differently), a freshman in college. This is my first time writing in to you guys and I hope this gets read on your show because I absolutely love it (I will surely miss Bonnie bear leaving the show). I currently own the MyTouch 3G with the 3.5 mm headphone jack (which is becoming slow ever since the Froyo update) and my 22 months is coming up for me to be able to upgrade to a new phone. I would like to have a pure Vanilla Android experience phone such as the LG G2X which T-Mobile offers. However, since the announcement of Ice Cream Sandwich, I have been wondering if whether or not I should wait for a phone that already has Ice Cream Sandwich or get the LG G2X and wait for the OTA update for Ice Cream Sandwich? After doing some research of what consumers thought about the G2X, I started seeing lots of complaints of bugs because the phone is manufactured by LG. Is this claim true? I would really love to hear your guys advice.
Jozef

Talk Back
Response to last week’s Talk Back question
The Dell Streak. I want my phone as large as possible, but they released it with such a DATED version of Android. All it needs is to come back with all the latest specs and OS (and carriers) to completely rock the mobile world. — Ryan

This week’s question
Is there such thing as too many great Verizon smartphones? Sound off about your thoughts on the Rezound, the Droid Razr, the Galaxy Nexus, and which one catches your eye the most.

E-mail: dialedin@cnet.com
Voice mail: 1-866-402-2638

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We’ll admit it: The LG Doubleplay’s bizarre design just doesn’t work for us.

But if you disregard the design, the LG Doubleplay is actually a remarkably solid Android smartphone. It ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and has plenty of great features like Wi-Fi calling, mobile hot-spot capability, and support for T-Mobile’s 4G/HSPA+ network. We’re also mostly impressed with the 1GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor, and LG’s Android overlay does not offend us.

Yet, we can’t help but be put off by the subdisplay set right smack dab in the middle of the keyboard. We understand the multitasking reasoning behind it, but we don’t think it’s necessary–it feels like a solution waiting for a problem. The dual displays might even be a big contributor to the rather lackluster battery life. If you’re willing to suspend your prejudices, you’re welcome to take a chance with the LG Doubleplay for $99.99 after a new two-year service agreement with T-Mobile, but excuse us if we don’t share your enthusiasm.

The goodThe LG Doubleplay has a vibrant and sharp display, a 1GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, DLNA support, Wi-Fi calling, mobile hot-spot support, full WebKit browser with Adobe Flash, support for T-Mobile’s 4G/HSPA+ network, a 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture, and great call quality.

The badThe LG Doubleplay’s quirky dual screen and split-keyboard design is a little too strange for us. It’s a hefty and bulky handset, and has poor battery life.

The bottom lineThe LG Doubleplay has excellent features for a midrange Android smartphone, but its bizarre design is not for everyone.

Watch the video, see the photos, and read the full LG Doubleplay review.

The post LG Doubleplay review: A solution waiting for a problem first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Verizon Wireless has really been churning out the Android phones lately, what with the Motorola Droid Razr and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus a few weeks ago and now the HTC Rezound, which is one of a few HTC phones to come with Beats Audio integration.

Naturally, we wanted to see how the Rezound stacks up compared with the other two, so we created this chart for your perusal.

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table.geekbox tr.even{background-color:#CCCCCC;}
.ratingGood{color:#093;} .ratingAverage{color:#666;} .ratingBad{color:#C00;}

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