Sony Xperia Mini Pro gets Android 4.0

While we're not surprised by this story considering Sony Ericsson confirmed all 2011 phones except the Xperia Play would be getting Android 4.0, we're no less excited.

The little bundle of joy named the Sony Xperia Mini will be getting an upgrade to Android 4.0. While you'll find that the corner-endowed Timescape UI will remain intact,Android 4.0 will bring about some minimal interface and feature changes with certain apps.

But you'll also get to take advantage of the many apps which use the new Android 4.0 design guidelines. The companion app for PC is all you'll need to get started, but note that this upgrade is for unlocked, unbranded versions of the device, and that carrier-specific versions will be updated according to the carriers' wishes and schedule. Get started here. [via The Verge]

Henge Docks Clique Review

The Clique from Henge Docks is a thin, rigid plastic tray with form-fitted recessions engineered to unite your Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. The Clique not only combines your Apple peripherals, but allows you to use your keyboard and Trackpad without needing a flat surface to place them on, making it perfect for your couch, chair, or bed.  Let's give it a look. This is a typical scene in our media room. I cannot tell you how many times that Apple Magic Mouse has crashed to the floor. I have wanted a solution to the clutter, difficulty manipulating the devices, need of a flat surface, and constant threat of droppage for a long time now.  The Clique seems to be the ideal answer to my situation. As you can see, the Clique has two slots specifically designed to securely hold the Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad together and in place. Inserting the wireless devices into the Clique is literally a 10 second effort/snap/click. Once inserted into the Clique, the keyboard and Trackpad combine into a single unit. As I stated above, the supportive tray design is excellent for using the Apple keyboard and Trackpad in a media or bedroom type of setting. The bottom of the Clique has soft rubber pads to protect whatever surface it is sitting on. Turning the Apple keyboard and/or Trackpad on and off is a snap. Henge Docks engineered a spring-loaded power button into the right side of the Clique that can be pressed to turn the Trackpad on and off. There is also a small slider switch underneath the keyboard that is used to turn the keyboard on and off without having to take the it out of the Clique. The Gadgeteer Kid is a lefty, and even though he is muddling through (we delegate control/navigation of the Mac Mini to him usually), Henge Docks is (thankfully) taking preorders on the Clique v.L, a left-handed version of the Clique. The Henge Docks Clique is well made, effective, and perfectly fitted to mate your Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. At $24.95, I think it is a worthy bang for the buck, especially if you need to unite or use your Apple wireless input devices and/or use them on a non-flat surface.

Verizon's HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE will be priced at $149.99, leaked document claims

Despite what one Verizon website claimed at one point (for just a short while though, after which it was taken down), the upcoming HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE may end up costing $149.99 with the obligatory two-year contract.

At least that's the pricing that has been revealed in the latest MAP list leak originating at Verizon. In this Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) list you can clearly see the new Droid Incredible being priced at that level.

Of course, this could be the pricing after a mail-in rebate, Droid Life speculates. In that case you'd actually end up paying $199.99 in-store, and then you'd get $50 back after mailing in that rebate form.

These MAP list leaks are usually pretty reliable, so it's entirely possible that we now know what the Droid Incredible 4G LTE will cost when it launches.

Microsoft debuts on{X} for Android, promises to 'automate your life'

Well, we can't exactly say we saw this one coming. Microsoft has today taken the wraps off a rather ambitious project dubbed on{X}, which is available exclusively for Android smartphones initially (support for more platforms is planned), and offers a range of tools that promise to help "automate your life." Developed by the company's R&D Center in Israel, the service consists of a website and an app, the former of which lets you select from a variety of scripts (or "recipes," as Microsoft calls them), while the latter executes them on your phone. The kicker is that anyone can create their own recipes and share them with others, and they can take all of the capabilities of a smartphone into account - performing an action when you arrive at a specific location, for instance, or setting reminders based on the weather forecast (all the actual processing is handled on the phone). Much like Kinect, Microsoft is hoping that folks will take the platform and run with it, developing new features that it hasn't even thought of.

Microsoft expanding $99 Xbox program to Best Buy, GameStop

$99 Xbox 360 consoles just got a little bit easier to find. Xbox Live programming director Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb said on Tuesday that Microsoft is expanding its pilot program that lets customers pay just $99 for a 4GB Xbox 360 as long as they sign a two-year service agreement to pay $14.99 a month for an Xbox Gold subscription. While the $99 Xbox deal was initially only available in certain Microsoft retail stores, Hryb said it will soon be available in select Best Buy and Game Stop locations as well. Hryb made sure to emphasize that the $99 Xbox deal is still a pilot program and that gamers shouldn't come to expect $99 consoles to become the new norm just yet. “This next phase of the pilot program will be limited in terms of both timing and the number of units available - we're excited to forge new ground and explore a new retail model for Xbox 360, but also want to emphasize that this is a pilot period for the program,” he said. “Call your local Best Buy, GameStop or Microsoft Store if you'd like more information about how and where to purchase.”

AMD shows off its first Windows 8 concept tablet, we go hands-on

If Intel and Microsoft have been the royal couple of Computex 2012 (aka the world's biggest Windows 8 Ultrabook tradeshow), AMD has been the third wheel. That doesn't mean it's opted out of the festivities, though. Nope, it's chosen this week to show off its next-gen Trinity chips, and it even has its first Windows 8 concept device on display. The reference design, made by Compal, has the same form factor we've seen over and over again this week: an 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768 tablet paired with a keyboard dock. The main differences are that it has a kickstand, and packs one of AMD's Trinity A6 APUs. The chassis is on the chunky side, at a shade under 20mm, and the screen's a fingerprint magnet, but then again, we don't put too much stock in prototype designs; such details are subject to change. Performance seemed smooth so far as we could tell, but then again, we haven't had the chance to put it through its paces, streaming HD video or attempting anything of productive value. We wish we could tell you a bit about rated battery life, but alas, AMD isn't ready to make any public claims just yet. As for the accompanying dock, the keyboard is far more spacious than what we're used to.

PC Koubou Librage BTO SL540aA8 Slim Desktop PC

Here’s the newest member to PC Koubou’s slim desktop PC line-up, the Librage BTO SL540aA8. This BTO (Build To Order) system comes with a 3.0GHz AMD A8-3870K APU (4-core) processor, an AMD A75 chipset, a Radeon HD 6550D graphics card, a 4GB DDR3 RAM, a 500GB hard drive, a DVD Super Multi Drive and runs on Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OS (Standard Configuration). Price is set at 49,980 Yen (about $625). [Product Page]

AOC AMI2252W0M-GP3R 21.5-Inch Full HD Monitor

AOC will launch a new Full HD monitor in Japan called the AMI2252W0M-GP3R. Featuring an IPS panel, this new 21.5-inch LED-backlight monitor provides 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution, 20,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 250 cd/m2 brightness, 5ms response time and 178/178 degree viewing angles. In addition, it also comes with two built-in 2W speakers and features DVI, D-Sub and HDMI connectors. The AMI2252W0M-GP3R will go on sale from February 25th for 14,800 Yen (about $185). [AOC]

Plextor M3P SSDs

Links International has released a new line of SSDs from Plextor called the M3P. Coming in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB sizes, these slim 2.5-inch SSDs (7mm thick) are equipped with 24nm MLC NAND Flash memory chips, a SATA 6.0 Gbps interface, a Marvell 88SS9174 controller, a MTBF of 1.5 million hours, TRIM support and capable of delivering read/write speeds of up to 535/350 MB/s (128GB Model), 540/420 MB/s (256GB Model) and 535/450 MB/s (512GB Model), respectively. The 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models are priced at 19,800 Yen (about $248), 38,800 Yen (about $485) and 59,800 Yen (about $748), respectively. [Product Page]

A-Data DashDrive UV100 USB Flash Drives

Here we have a new line of USB flash drives from A-Data, the DashDrive UV100. Available in three different storage capacities: 4GB, 8GB and 16GB, these extremely compact flash drives feature a capless design, a USB 2.0 connection interface and a strap hole which makes the drive easy to carry on a lanyard or keychain. Unfortunately, there’s no word on pricing yet. [A-Data]