According to the latest ChangeWave survey, the iPhone still leads as the model that most potential buyers want for their next phone. But the Apple handset better not look over its shoulder because coming up right behind it is Android. Out of 4,068 current and potential smartphone buyers, 21% say they would prefer to buy an Android device for their next phone. That is an increase of 15% from the prior year. In the same time period, those who want the iPhone for their next model dropped from 32% to 28%. Potential BlackBerry buyers rose from 17% to 18% while a Windows Mobile phone was the choice of 6% of those surveyed, down from 9% last year. Those looking to purchase a webOS device dropped in half to just 3%.

In terms of happiness, 77% of iPhone users are “very satisfied” with their device compared with 72% of Android users who say the same thing. 41% of BlackBerry users are “very satisfied” with their phone while 33% of Palm owners and 25% of Windows Mobile users say “ditto” about the handset that they are using. One note, ChangeWave says that the Palm Pre on its own scored a “very satisfied” rating of 58%.

How will the Nexus One change the rating when the Android powerhouse gets launched? ChangeWave reports that those looking to buy a phone in the next 90 days still prefer to buy the iPhone 3GS. Still, Android has the momentum and could overtake the Apple touchscreen device sometime in 2010.
source: arstechnica

Does your Motorola DROID feel a draft from the lack of its rear battery cover? With reports circulating about loose battery covers on Verizon’s flagship device, the carrier was offering a replacement with overnight shipping all totally free. Most replacement covers will set you back close to $5, so it is no surprise that Verizon has run out of inventory for the time being. With no word from Big Red as to when another shipment is expected, keep checking in here and we will stay on top of the situation for you. After all, there is nothing worse than continually getting taunted by others that your battery is showing. If you can’t wait for Verizon to restock, a flat head screwdriver and a strategically bent flap can provide a decent solution.
source: Verizon, HowardForums via AndroidAuthority

After the guys at Engadget were able to procure an HTC Nexus One in advance, they wrote all about the functionality of the handset. Perhaps the biggest difference between the new device and the current Android benchmark, the DROID, is the speed of the former. The site notes that you can certainly see the difference in quickness between the two handsets thanks to the Snapdragon 1GHz processor in the Nexus One. And while they say that the N-One has a better design and feel than the Motorola device, Engadget does note that there is nothing substantially different between the two handsets. Their hands-on experience also points out the animated wallpaper that seems to be part of Android 2.1. In addition, the sliding drawer where applications reside on earlier Android models is now gone and the number of home screens is up to 5. Navigation to each home page is done by clicking on dots on the bottom of the screen or by clicking on a thumbnail view of each page. A widget on the home screen brings you news headlines and weather information. The bottom line is that Engadget calls the Nexus One and Android 2.1 more polished than earlier versions of the OS including the DROID and version 2.01. We are looking forward to getting our review unit of the handset so that we can provide you with our hands-on opinion of what is the hottest phone thus far of the brand new year.
source: Engadget

AT&T customers may have something truly exciting to look forward to if rumors about a 3G compatible version of the Nexus One that’s bound for the number two wireless carrier pans out to become true. BGR is reporting that a trusted source has hinted to a good possibility that a separate version of the Nexus One, which will make its debut with T-Mobile, would most likely see its way onto AT&T. It’s touted as being a “second” unlocked model – no word yet on what pricing model it’ll follow or whether it will take the same path like the one we’ve heard with the T-Mobile version. With Google’s big special event only days away, the mobile world is eagerly awaiting some concrete information about the Nexus One – AT&T customers can only cross their fingers until the big day arrives.
source: BGR via Ubergizmo

Merely a day after the new year started, Motorola’s alleged Calgary has been photographed in its silver shell. It’s still unclear whether or not Motorola will be launching this Android handset in a variety of colors to choose, but the silver casing harkens back to the RAZR days. From the information BGR has received, the QWERTY keyboard on this was “nice” and the phone was “easier to use” when comparing it to the Motorola DROID.

As you can see, there’s some spacing in between the buttons on the QWERTY as opposed to the space-less ones on the DROID. MotoBLUR is in full swing on the handset which makes it somewhat more simplified to use. Finally we see a trackpad towards the lip and is heard to be a fantastic navigational control to get around the interface. In addition to offering the usual Wi-Fi, GPS, and 1420 mAh battery, there is no indication that it’ll be a global ready device with the lack of a SIM card slot – it’d really be hard pressed to see this one get that treatment over the more powerful DROID. The paint job on this one may not please everyone, but it’ll ultimately come down to personal opinion whether it’s a deal or a dud.
source: BGR

Considering that a prototype was used, it shouldn’t be too worrisome for the many who are eagerly awaiting the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, that some test snapshots taken with the unit’s 8MP camera were less than stunning. Backing up a bit, it seems that Android PocketPC was able to grab a pre-production model of the Xperia X10 and was testing out the camera. After posting the results on the web, the comments were mixed. One critic noted that the left side of the pictures appeared blurry. Another compared the results favorably to pictures taken with the camera on the HTC HD2 and the Motorola Milestone. One respondent said that there was too much red in the pictures. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and again, the snapshots were taken with a pre-production version of the handset. Also, blurry pictures could also be the result of an unsteady hand (or too much coffee). The Xperia X1 site says that the pictures are not as good as photos taken with the 8MP camera on the Sony Ericsson C905. But the site also notes that since the latter model is a photo centric CyberShot unit, it should take better pictures to begin with. Take a look at the photos and compare them with the results you are getting from your current device and let us know what you think.
source: AndroidPocketPC (Translated) via XperiaX1

The bigger names out there have been steady when it comes to pushing out one Android handset after another – they have it all too easy and plan everything accordingly. Not to be outdone by some of the more experienced manufacturers, General Mobile has quietly revealed some information about its latest Android handset. Following their earlier model, the DSTL 1 Imaginary, the COSMOS has a streamlined industrial look that makes it more attractive and  is placed on the same level of some recent Android offerings. You’ve got all the necessities to make it a decent mobile phone – Android 2.0, 3.2” 320 x 480 HVGA touchscreen, 5-megapixel auto-focusing camera, 1500 mAh battery, FM radio, and powered by a Marvell PXA935 processor. It looks to stand toe to toe with some of the more popular handset available. Still, it makes for a nice addition to the ever growing Android family.
via mobileburn

Tablets are becoming the center of attention for this upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. One of the biggest smartphone makers intends to make a splash with two touchscreen tablets – one of them running Android. HTC has become a juggernaut in the mobile world thanks to its high quality handsets – offering a decent mix of platforms to choose from. The Taiwanese based manufacturer has been hard at work for the last 18 months gearing up to unveil this rumored tablet. One of them will be running Android and feature a Qualcomm processor, touchscreen display, and new software from Adobe. Not everyone will be getting a sneak peak at this device at CES – only a select group of HTC customers will be allowed at the private showing. The other tablet expected to roll out will feature Google’s Chrome OS. With CES inching ever so close, we’ll see if HTC can really expand and capture the eyes of consumers with these tablet devices.
via Slashgear