World's First Dual-Core Smart Phone

That's right, it's official. Needless to say, that LG Star we recently got our paws on is very real, though it won't go by that name at retail -- just as LG's own release materials had suggested, this monster has picked up the Optimus 2X name as it morphs from a prototype into brutally fast, overpowered reality. At the phone's heart beats a dual-core Tegra 2 processor running at 1GHz, the first such configuration to be officially announced by any smartphone manufacturer (though we're expecting others any day now). In case you're wondering how such power might be used, well, for starters, you've got both full 1080p TV-out via HDMI and video capture through an 8 megapixel primary camera paired with a 1.3 megapixel cam up front for face-to-face calling.

A 4-inch WVGA display is along for the ride along with 8GB of on-board storage (expandable with up to 32GB of microSD) and a 1,500mAh battery -- no larger than most single-core smartphones these days, so it'll be interesting to see if the final retail units hold up through a day of typical use. Unfortunately, the Optimus 2X is launching out of the gate with Android 2.2, but LG's already committing to releasing Gingerbread updates "in due course."

Will Windows Phone 7 Be A Hit?

Microsoft showed off its new Windows Phone 7 devices this week. There are a lot of questions about how Microsoft will perform in the smartphone space, though they're clearly up to the challenge. Microsoft's success in this space also has big implications for the company's performance in the search market, which means search marketers should keep an eye on this.

Do you think Windows Phone 7 will be a hit with consumers? I'll let you guys view this video and decide which is which!!!

Android... The Sony Ericsson Way!

We have to start off by noting that Sony Ericsson is calling its modified Android version the UX for now -- meaning User eXperience -- although we suspect it will revert to the more familiar Rachael naming scheme as soon as the lawyers have cleared a few hurdles and cashed a few checks. Part of a big "open OS" push by the company, this new interface will make appearances on a number of future handsets, both of the Android and Symbian persuasion, though Windows Mobile support sounded like something SE might consider only if there's much public demand for it (so much for a proper X2 successor, eh?).

The handset itself is pretty much what you might expect of a high end device -- it's full of appealing curves and slopes, which do nothing for usability (a physical keyboard might've helped), but give it a clean, uncomplicated, and relatively durable look. In our limited time handling it, we found the X10 comfortable enough, though you could tell you were holding a 4-inch device rather than something more compact like the original X1. Touring the outside reveals a MicroUSB charger / connector port, 8.1 megapixel camera, 3.5mm headphone jack, and an 8GB MicroSD card will be made part of the standard retail package.

A must have for this season.... damn!!!