I'm not so sold on the shape of the Nokia HumanForm concept, but touches like flex controls and zooming are intriguing.

YouTube link

When the iPhone was Consumer Reports' highest rated smartphone it would not recommend it. Now the consumer group is recommending the iPhone 4S even though it ranks the device just behind its top Android competitors.

Android is on fire and Samsung stoking it with the Galaxy S II. It is the fastest selling Android device with 10 million units sold.

Apple is said to be planning an event to unveil the Cupertino company's latest mobile products on Tuesday, October 4.

A report from AllThingsD says new CEO Tim Cook will lead the event where Apple will reveal its new iPhone, and likely more than one.

Apple has been rumored to be developing a new iPhone with a substantially different design with a larger screen and more tapered design than the current iPhone 4. There have also been reports of an iPhone 4s, a freshened version of the current iPhone 4, that could launch as a lower priced device. iPod touch fans may also get news.

Without an official word, Apple could still be firming up plans or be waiting for the moment of maximum effect for the announcement.

Along with the buzz surrounding the iOS devices, eyes will be watching Cook's performance during the event.
 

The LTE Motorola Droid Bionic with Verizon has launched as the carrier's most potent smartphone. Along with the fast network behind it, the Bionic's 1GHz dual-core processor has Android Gingerbread 2.3.4 and 1GB of RAM to play with. Users will appreciate the 8GB available of the 16GB built-in storage along with the additional space on the included 16GB MicroSD card.

Motorola's Droid Bionic has had Android fans pining since it was first announced during the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The 4G LTE smartphone has the specifications to be a serious Droidzilla for some time.

While reports have been pointing to September for the new iPhone release, one analyst predicts that Apple will unveil two new iPhones and possibly with a new type of data plan.

The iPhone 5, which is rumored to be a large leap from the current iPhone 4, could be supported by a less expensive, lower spec device a la an iPhone 4S with a new twist on iPhone data plans.

"With Nokia and RIM struggling, the time is right for Apple to aggressively penetrate the mid-range smartphone market," says Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore according to BusinessInsider.com.

It is not the first time a two-model strategy has been mentioned, but as with the price and feature diversity in the Android lineup, it makes more sense now than ever.

Could Apple even be considering a pre-paid device? Whitmore goes further to suggest the device could have a data plan similar to that of the iPad.

A recent report from Bloomberg claims the new iPhone 5 running iOS 5 will be launched with a version of the A5 chip currently used in the iPad 2 and an 8-megapixel camera.

According to BGR's sources, consumers should expect a design radically different from the current device. Reports of a refreshed version similar to the current phone may have been based on a test mule.

Apple has already released its new mobile operating system iOS 5 to developers. It is believed to have substantial voice recognition and voice control features that are yet to be fully discovered.

Expensive smartphones and tablets are brandishing some gorgeous displays, and it seems such a shame to obscure them even with the best intentions. High-tech scratch resistant materials like Gorilla Glass offer impressive shielding, but an extra layer of insurance puts many users at ease.

The big reason for my last device upgrade was for its high quality display so I was hesitant to add a screen protector since they tend to slightly blur text and shift color balance.

3M provided me with one of their Natural View screen protector kits at no charge for us to review. Reluctantly, I applied the overlay. Besides, it can easily be removed.

Application was easier than many of these films I've used. Success can often depend on some luck as well as far as avoiding specs of dust. This time I ended up trapping some dust in my first attempt, but I had much better results using the second included protector.

The film is pretty impressive. It is as near as invisible. Text is crisp and with a small boost in contrast. Even though it is not a non-glare film, it does seem to reduce some reflection. After several months, the screen protector has picked up some faint scratches which are not perceptible when in use.

Should you get it?

If you think you want a screen protector, the 3M Natural View is definitely one to consider especially you do much reading on your smartphone or tablet.

Gallery: Triple screen smart phone

The triple screen Android 'Flip phone' is a concept with three Super AMOLED touchscreens protected by Gorilla Glass that fold into several configurations.

Kyocera's double display smart phone recently unveiled was met with mixed criticism mostly for the gap between the two displays. Can designers and manufacturers implement multiple screens successfully? We think this design is on to an intriguing start.

The device was conceived by Kristian Ulrich Larsen, Ewa Sendecka, Jeppe Vestergard and Victoria Kusk. The design was developed further by Larsen as part of his MA program at Kolding school of design.

On the jump see the embeded video of how Ulrich envisions Android on his triple display beauty.

AT&T does not need an iPhone fighter, but it wants to broaden its line up with a variety of compelling devices for consumers who want choices.  The HTC Inspire comes early in a year that may be AT&T's greatest product stream so far. 

The smart phone can go toe-to-toe with the iPhone and even trumps the iPhone 4 in some categories. Take a look a the vitals.

    * 4G (HSPA+)
    * Android 2.2 platform with built-in Adobe Flash Player support
    * Next-generation HTC Sense platform with cloud services
    * 4.3" LCD capacitive display
    * 1 GHz Snapdragon processor with 4GB internal memory
      and microSD slot with 8GB card included
    * Mobile Hotspot support
    * 8MP camera with 720p HD video recording
    * $99 with a 2 year contract

Every one of those lines out-specs the iPhone 4 in some way.

While Android is comparable to Apple's iOS, not everyone is going to prefer it. HTC's sense continues to evolve making Android even better. Included with Sense are HTCSense.com services like call forwarding, phone location, and security management.

The camera sensor out duels the iPhone in megapixels, but the Inspire's images seemed to need a bit more tweaking to my eyes.

No problem. The large 4.3" screen is HUGE compared to the iPhone. Tough Apple's phone has the Retina display which renders images and text beautifully even at with the smaller real estate, but as a media oriented device 4.3" is emerging as the screen to have. It makes for better browsing, a richer media experience and GPS navigation much easier to follow.

Speaking of GPS, I still love Android's free turn by turn navigation ...functionality that I ponied up $30 to buy RoadMate for on my iPhone.

There is a slick Facebook stream for social hounds, but don't look for a front facing camera…not there.

Light to moderate users should get through the day without charge, but gamers and heavy users might need to keep the charging cable handy.

Ready to try 4G over the HSPA+ network? AT&T says its has seen speeds as high as 6MBPS. Using the Ookla's speedtest app, I never saw download speeds more than 3MBPS and over 2MBPS was rare. Usually speeds were more in line with solid 3G performance, between 1.0 and 1.5MBPS.

Even so, browsing was fast and I doubt anyone except the most data demanding users would really be unsatisfied with the speeds. Nonetheless, I've queried AT&T about the data speeds providing the results of my Ookla tests.

The spec sheet and price may lean in the Inspire's favor compared to the iPhone so it will not be an obvious choice for everyone …and that is good sign.