Read our complete HTC Merge review

Have a hankering for the HTC Merge? (We know you do.) And having a hankering for it on Celluar South? The little Android slider most of you will never get to have has hit the regional carrier. It's running $99 with a two-year contract. Sure, it's not the latest and greatest. But the 3.8-inch display is nicely done, and the keyboard is killer. That and you can show it to all your friends on Verizon and watch them slowly slink away, head bowed in disappointment. And who can put a price on that?

Source: Cellular South, Facebook; Thanks, Robin!

British networks O2, Orange, Three and Vodafone are now listing the sleek white version of Samsung's Galaxy S II on their "coming soon" pages, with a September release planned across all four networks. This fits with Samsung's plans for of the SIM-free white Galaxy S II, which is due to begin shipping from Sep. 1. T-Mobile UK is the only major network not yet listing the white version, but given its connections to Orange, we'd expect TMo to carry it alongside the currently-stocked black version.

So what's the verdict, would-be Galaxy S II owners? Buy the black model now, or wait a month, save a few more pennies and opt for the white version?

Source: O2 UK, Three UK, Vodafone UK, Orange UK

Before you get too excited, that's not Android 4.0 or anything crazy like that, it's software version 4.0.A.2.368 got Sony Ericsson's 2011 Xperia phones that's now being pushed out to European Xperia Arcs. This follows a slightly premature announcement on Sony Ericsson's support site last week. To grab the update, plug your Arc in and fire up the PC Companion software, or head to Settings -> About phone -> Software update on the phone itself.

Highlights in this new firmware version include --

• xLoud – boosts your music when played through the speaker
• Stereo recording – shoot video with high-quality stereo sound
• Digital home – enjoy entertainment content stored in your phone on DLNA certified media devices
• New themes and Landscape mode for your home screen

If you've got this new software on your Arc, be sure to hit the comments and let us know how the update went.

A new Samsung phone has passed through the FCC today, and based on the radios approved it looks to be headed to AT&T -- possibly as the Galaxy S II Attain, or whatever name they have picked out for this one.  Like most FCC documents, all the juicy details are under a confidentiality agreement, but we know for sure this one runs on the 850 and 1900 frequencies, is GSM/GRPS/EGDE/WCDMA/HSPA compatible, and packs a 1500 mAh battery.  Then there's the label location diagram, and this one sure looks like the Galaxy S II we all know and love. 

Why all the confusion?  Well we have seen more than one new Samsung destined for AT&T in the near future -- in a qwerty and non-qwerty version.  Safe money says this will be one of them.  Or maybe it won't.  We do know it's the i927, and someone is now allowed to sell it in the United States.  The rest is anyone's guess.

Source: FCC; via Android Central forums

Youtube link for mobile viewing

Phones coming this fall.

The rumors are running rampant as to what Thursday's "major news announcement" from HTC CEO Peter Chou will be.

• Bootloader unlocking? No.
• Honeycomb tablets? No.
• When your phone will get Gingerbread? No.

Seriously, folks. You don't hype a "major news announcement" for that stuff. You send a press release.

That said, All ThingsD is reporting that the big news is a $300 million collaboration with Beats Audio. As in Beats by Dre, and the same Beats Audio you'll find in a smattering of HP products -- including the HP TouchPad. The collaboration will be exclusive to HTC smartphones.

Now, that's nothing to turn your nose up at -- there's definitely a market for a proper Android MP3 player. (So long as it's priced right.) But with all the patent nonsense floating around and the world still waiting for its first Honeycomb tablet from HTC, the timing for a "major news announcement" sure came at an interesting juncture.

Anyhoo, whether or not the cat's out of the bag, be sure to join us for the liveblog Thursday morning.

Source: AllThingsD

Update: Added the picture you now see above, from the Beats By Dre Facebook page. Guess that makes it official. Thanks, andyp714 and rfmike!

Fresh from this week's Sprint PlayBook, we get word that the Motorola Titanium (read our mini-review) -- which has only been out a few weeks now -- is set to get an update starting next Monday. Here's what's coming in the update:

• Bugfix so you can dial a number from the a meeting entry in the Exchange Calendar

And that's it. Pretty minor, unless you desperately need to call someone from a meeting in the Exchange Calendar. But kudos to Sprint for pushing it out in a timely fashion.

Have a Kyocera Echo? Want a Gingerbread update that won't brick your phone? Android 2.3 is pushing out once again, following the initial rollout a week and a half ago that was kind of bricking phones instead of updating them. Whoops.

Anyhoo, the update's pushing out once more. Here's the official word from Sprint:

Sprint will restart the Gingerbread update to Kyocera Echo users beginning today (August 10). In an effort to provide the best possible customer experience, Kyocera and Sprint have addressed a previous issue with the update raised last week. The Gingerbread update will provide Kyocera Echo users with performance enhancements including faster response, improved power management, enhancements for gaming, and more.

And, no, it still doesn't add NFC or make waffles.

Source: Sprint; Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

The Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant for Bell and Virgin Mobile Canada has received the official Gingerbread update, but the bad news is that you'll need to use Kies to install it.  Just like the Froyo release for the T-Mobile US version, this means digging out your cable and sorting out drivers and generally a big mess that the average user won't be bothered to do.  But I'll go on the assumption that all you guys are not quite the average user, so if you're rocking a Bell or Virgin Vibrant, fire up the PC, step back to the 1990s, and flash your update.

Source:@virginmobilecan; via MobileSyrup

Samsung has announced the Galaxy Xcover, yet another Galaxy phone, and this one comes IP67 certified to take some real abuse.  This one is clearly aimed at folks who are less than gentle with their electronics, but still want or need an Android smartphone.  Like we first saw with the Motorola Defy, the IP67 certification means the Xcover is dust and dirt resistant, and can be submerged in water a meter deep for up to a half hour. 

No specs have been announced for the insides, but Samsung tells us that it will be packing a scratch-resistant display, a 3.2MP camera with LED flash, 7.2Mbps HSDPA radios, and Gingerbread skinned with Touchwiz.  Set to be released in October, no word on whether or not we'll see this on stateside.

Source: Samsung Germany (Google translate)