Droid Bionic, new Sony Ericsson gear and most importantly -- Football! All sorts of news hit the blogs today so if you missed out on any be sure to check it all out. If you were here for all the action and want to discuss it some more, head on into the Android Central forums and be heard!

• Nexus Prime Forums - Samsung Galaxy Nexus?
• Droid Bionic Forums -  Did you get one? How is it? Do you like it? Discuss
• Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch Forums - Processor speed not 1.5GHz, why?
• Motorola Droid 2 Forums - Gingerbread update now MIA
• Sprint Photon Forums - [HOW TO] Setup Google Voice with Sprint and have separate numbers
  

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We've been squinting our eyes at this one for a little while now. Seen in a video montage from the Radio Shack Business Summit in Dallas a couple weeks ago is what's labeled the LG Marquee. ... And that's about it. It's seen here with the stock Android UI. ... And that's about it.

Only, we keep being drawn to the buttons you see on the left-hand bezel. They're actually vaguely familiar, possibly indicating the volume rocker and "G" of the LG Optimus Black. (Read our full review.) The general shape and bezel size looks about right, too.

That's inspired guesswork on our part, however, and not yet fact. (We've left e-mails with Sprint, seeking clarification.) But it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. Remember that we could possibly see a CDMA Optimus Black this month on US Cellular, and there once was a wee tip of an "Optimus B," so a Sprint version may be in the cards, too. We'll just have to see.

Update: Sprint's gotten back to us, saying, "We can’t comment on any speculation regarding devices coming to Sprint."

Check out the video after the break, as well as a close-up of the Optimus Black's buttons, and see what you think.

Source: Radio Shack Blog; Thanks, Kevin, for the tip!

Just picked up your Motorola Droid Bionic, eh?  After you've got it charged and ready to roll, for many the next step will be to root it and strip out the loads of carrier bloat Verizon so kindly supplies.  That will be a simple affair thanks to Pete Souza and his one-click Motorola Root Tools. The Bionic and any other Motorola phone running the 2.3.4 version of Gingerbread (like the Droid 3 and the Droid X2) can be rooted with a minimum of fuss, needing only a correctly set-up USB driver and the cable that came with your phone. Pete has things set up with easy to follow instructions for Windows, Mac, and Linux so you'll be rock and rolling in no time.

Now for the big fat warnings -- currently, there is no way to roll back the Bionic to the factory state.  Once done, consider this permanent until further notice.  Also, word is that Motorola is well aware and will be patching this method shortly, so mind those OTA updates if you're considering the root road.  Any HTC EVO 4G user can tell you tales of woe and waiting once an update was accepted.  If you're clear on all this, and ready to go forward, hit the source link and have a go.

Source: Pete's Motorola Root Tools; More: Droid Bionic Forums

Big G has updated Google Maps to version 5.10.0, and with the update comes two features that users might just love -- the ability to see places you've rated 4 or 5 stars right on your map view, and the ability to attach a photo to a place review.

Some of us just use maps for the awesome turn-by-turn navigation, or to find that little seafood place your brother-in-law told you about with the great clam chowder, but places and check-ins are another great feature we rarely mention.  With today's update, they get pushed a little closer to the front of the action, with places you like showing up right on your map so you don't forget about them.  Could be awful handy for the business traveler, deadhead, or anyone who often finds themselves jaunting across the country in a different bed each night.  And to help others know about those great places you visit, you can attach a photo to your review.

OK, so it's not the biggest update in the world, but it does offer a nice bump for the folks who use the places features, and is a good way to get more of us to use them.  It will be interesting just how Google works places and reviews from Maps into things now that they've bought out Zagat.  Grab the update from the Android Market, or we've got a handy link after the break.

Thanks, Jason! 

If you're planning on heading to Austin for the Big Android BBQ this year (we'll be there!) this one's for you -- we're giving away two nights at the Staybridge Suites hotel for a comfy place to crash after spending the day with a bunch of Android fans.  Check the details:

• You're entering to win one room for two nights
• The nights can be Friday, Sept. 30 and Saturday Oct.1, or Saturday Oct.1 and Sunday Oct. 2
• You're responsible for your own tickets to the event, and transportation
• Having fun is mandatory

You'll want to be sure to check out all the details about the BBQ, and you can do that right here.  It looks to be a load of fun with a bunch of like-minded people, with good food and plenty of Android talk and tips.  You don't want to miss it.  To enter, hit the forums and drop a line in the contest thread. We'll see ya there!

Enter to win in the Android Central contest forums

Last night Sony Ericsson threw a little party in London to celebrate the launch of the Xperia Ray and Xperia Active, and show off the upcoming Xperia Arc S and SE Live with Walkman. We were there, of course, and we've got full coverage of all of Sony Ericsson's new toys in the form of videos, pictures and words.

The Walkman brand might not be as synonymous with portable music as it once was, but it's continued to live on in Sony Ericsson's Walkman line of phones. In the past, these have typically been mid-to-low-end devices as opposed to anything with true smartphone functionality. That changes with the launch of the Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman, though, which is the first Android-powered Walkman device. Despite its budget leanings, the Live is no slouch, with a 1GHz second-gen Snapdragon and Android 2.3.4 on-board.

We got an early look at the Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman at the Xperia Party in London last night, and you can check out our first video walkthrough of the device after the jump.

The Xperia Arc is one of our favorite phones of 2011. Sony Ericsson really knocked it out of the park earlier this year, bringing to market a device with stunning aesthetics, solid specs and the best camera on any Android smartphone. So when they announced the Xperia Arc S -- a beefed-up Arc with a faster 1.4GHz CPU and updated software -- we were eager to put it through its paces. And that's exactly what we did yesterday, at the manufacturer's Xperia Party event in London.

Join us after the break to find out what we thought...

The HTC EVO 3D in white (ooo-la-la!) and the Kyocera Milano should be on your local Radio Shack's shelves come Friday Sept. 9 according to these information sheets we received from a friendly insider.  There's not much more to tell about the EVO 3D -- it's popular for a few reasons (fast as hell CPU and qHD display come instantly to mind) and if you don't mind a bit of gushing, it looks awful damn sexy in it's white dress.  If you have been on the fence and are a sucker for white phones (guilty!) go buy one and be sure to torture me with full frontal shots in the EVO 3D forums until I give in and get another Sprint line.

The Milano looks ready to pounce smack dab in the middle of the entry-level smartphone arena in a big way.  Combine an 800MHz CPU with a 3-inch touchscreen and 3.2MP camera, put a few goodies like Swype and Gingerbread on board, then sell it for $50 on a new contract and you have a pretty good formula for sales.  The real test will be how it performs a few weeks after the newness wears off, and we'll have our ears open to see just how it's received.  Hit the break to see the picture.

Thanks, Anon!