Read on for 8 things you need to know about Amazon’s new Fire phone, starting with…

1. It’s got a 4.7-inch display…

…that adds the illusion of depth to the Fire’s on-screen menus, lock screens, user interface, and so on.

No, you won’t need 3D glasses to see this so-called “dynamic perspective” effect. Instead, the Fire phone tracks your head’s movement with a quartet of tiny, front-facing cameras and adjusts the image accordingly.

Sounds neat (and no, I haven’t actually seen the 3D-ish screen in action yet), but doesn’t this also mean that the Fire phone is … well, always watching you through those four itty-bitty cameras? Hmmm.

2. It can recognize more than “100 million” products (says Amazon) at the press of a button

The feature is called “Firefly,” and it (again) uses the Fire phone’s camera to zero in on books, DVDs, artwork, bar codes, and so on.

Once it recognizes an item, it pulls up all the details you can stand—plus, of course, a “buy it now!” button for anything that Amazon happens to sell.

Firefly can also dial phone numbers or input email addresses it sees printed on, say, billboards or newspapers, and it can even identify songs on the radio or TV shows playing on your HDTV.

Last but not least, you won’t need to pull up an app to start ID’ing products with Firefly; instead, you just press the dedicated Firefly button on the side of the phone.

3. Unlimited “cloud” photo storage

Unlike Apple and Google, Amazon is promising unlimited online storage for all your Fire snapshots.

So yes, feel free to snap away, then go ahead and check out your pictures—all of them—in your Amazon Cloud Drive.

4. It’ll scroll automatically as you’re reading

Reading a Kindle book (what else?) on your Fire phone? Just tilt the screen to scroll through the text automatically. You can also lock the scrolling speed once you’re reading at a steady pace.

In case you’re curious, the same four front-facing cameras that do the “dynamic perspective” trick also help out with the Fire’s tilt-to-scroll feature.

5. It’ll stream all your purchased Amazon music and videos, as well as download your Kindle books…

…just as Amazon’s Fire tablets do. No surprise there.

6. You’ll only be able to get the Fire phone on AT&T…

…good news for those with great AT&T reception, bad news for anyone (like me) who doesn’t.

7. It’ll cost $199 with a two-year contract…

…for the 16GB version, or $299 with contract for the 32GB model. Also worth noting: Amazon will toss in a year-long Prime membership (worth $99) as part of a “limited introductory” offer. Not bad.

8. It’ll ship on July 25…

…and you can pre-order it now—on Amazon, of course.

Got questions about the Fire Phone? Post ’em in the comments below!

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Read on for eight of Yosemite’s most promising bells and whistles, from the ability to juggle standard SMS messages to a revamped Mail app that lets you doodle on photo and PDF attachments.

At a glance: OS X “Yosemite” is set to arrive this fall as a free update for Mac users, and you can get all the details at Apple.com.

1. Instant Hotspot

Maybe it’s just me, but getting my iPhone to work as a Wi-Fi hotspot for my MacBook Air has always been a royal pain.

Yosemite’s “Instant Hotspot” feature promises to tether your iPhone to your Mac in a flash, no setup required.

First, I have to dig into my iPhone settings to turn on the “personal” hotspot feature (and no, simply leaving it on all the time never seems to work). Then I turn off my MacBook’s Wi-Fi and turn it back on, since my iPhone never shows up in my Mac’s Wi-Fi menu without my poking it first. Ugh.

That’s why I’m pretty excited about Yosemite’s new “Instant Hotspot” feature, which promises to let us “tether” our iPhones (or iPads) to our Macs in a single step, no fiddling with your iPhone required.

All you’ll have to do—theoretically, anyway—is open your Mac’s Wi-Fi menu, and your iPhone will appear there whenever it’s in range; just select it, and you’re connected.

Sounds great … provided it works as advertised, of course.

2. Dark mode

Ever feel distracted by all the bells and whistles on your Mac’s desktop? Yosemite’s new “dark mode” is designed to keep you focussed by dimming all your bright menu bars and windows to a dark, unobtrusive gray, all the better for burying your beak in your work.

3. Drag-and-drop widgets in Notification Center

I admit, I rarely open the Notification Center on the right side of my Mac’s screen—well, not unless I’m clearing out unread (and weeks-old) notifications.

Coming soon to Notification Center: drag-and-drop widgets.

Well, the neglected (in my case, anyway) Notification Center looks to get a lot more useful thanks to the drag-and-drop “widgets” coming in Yosemite.

Among the widgets on tap in Yosemite: weather, stocks, battery life, reminders, and world clocks, as well as a handy desktop calculator. Developers of Mac apps will also get a crack at writing their own Notification Center widgets, too.

Best of all, you’ll be able to drag and drop widgets into (and out of) Notification Center as you see fit.

4. Marking up your email

Ever wish you could just scribble some quick notes onto the PDF or the snapshot that you’re attaching to an email?

Ever wanted to doodle on an email attachment? Once Yosemite arrives, it’ll be easy.

The new Mail app for Yosemite will let you sign a PDF with your fingertip, draw an arrow with your mouse, circle a key paragraph, or even scribble a joke into a thought bubble, all without leaving the Mail program.

5. Answer iPhone calls on your Mac

I already mentioned this feature in my recent iOS 8 preview, but it bears repeating: you’ll be able to answer iPhone calls on your Mac.

Whenever your iPhone is nearby, incoming voice calls will pop up an alert in the corner of your Mac’s screen, complete with the name and photo of the caller (provided they’re listed in your address book).

If you wish, you can go ahead and answer the call on your Mac, effectively turning your iMac or MacBook into a speakerphone.

Love it.

6. iMessage now gets your SMS texts, too

I’ve found the Mac’s iMessage app to be pretty handy for answer incoming iMessages from my desktop’s full-size keyboard. Now, if only iMessage app could send and receive standard SMS text messages, too…

Well, good news: the new iMessage app in Yosemite (see the image at the top of this article) will, indeed, be able to juggle regular text messages, perfect for texting Android-toting pals from your iMac or MacBook.

7. New birds-eye tab view for Safari

Pinch your trackpad in Safari for OS X “Mavericks” and you’ll get a “tabs view” that lets you scroll quickly through all your open tabs. Not bad, but it’s not really all that useful—in fact, it’s a Safari feature that I rarely use myself.

Yosemite’s new “tabs view” for Safari will make it easier to see all your open browser tabs at once.

I’m hoping to get a lot more use out of Yosemite’s new-and-improved Safari tabs view, which gives you a top-down view of all your tabs at once, neatly stacked according to site. (The new Yosemite tabs view is also coming to the iPad, incidentally.)

8. iOS AirDrop feature works with Mac

One of the first things I tried with iOS 7’s year-old AirDrop feature was wirelessly “dropping” a file from my iPhone to my iMac—and yes, I was instantly disappointed to find that it didn’t work. Indeed, up to now, wireless AirDrop transfers have strictly been an iOS-only affair.

All that’s set to change thanks to OS X Yosemite, which will finally let iMacs and MacBooks get in on the AirDrop action—meaning that sending (for example) a folder of photos from your Mac desktop to a friend’s nearby iPhone or iPad is about to get a whole lot easier.

Got questions about OS X Yosemite? Post ’em below!

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Read on for eight new iOS 8 features that caught my eye, from the ability to answer iPhone calls on your iPad (neat!) to the kid-friendly “Ask to Buy” button for the iTunes store.

At a glance: Apple’s iOS 8 update for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch is slated to arrive this fall—and yes, it’s free. For all the details, check out Apple.com.

1. “Family Sharing” for iCloud accounts

Setting up iCloud for a family has always been a major pain, with family members who want to share calendars, contacts, music and videos essentially having to sign in to multiple iCloud accounts, often as each other. Not great.

At last: an easier way for family members to share iTunes wares through iCloud.

The good news is that Apple is finally taking families the consideration they deserve with “Family Sharing,” an iOS 8 feature that’ll let up to six family members share address books, calendar events, and—most importantly—a single credit card for iTunes and app purchases.

Also included are a couple of kid-friendly features: first, the ability to track your kid’s iPhones and iPads, plus a new “Ask to Buy” button that’ll let your little ones run any iTunes or app purchases by you before your credit card gets charged. Nice.

2. Handoff

Ever been working on an email on your iPhone that you wanted to finish off on your iPad—or your Mac, for that matter? Sure, you can do it right now by saving an email to Drafts on one device and plucking it out of the Drafts folder on another, but get ready for an easier way.

Handoff is a new iOS-slash-Mac feature that’ll let, say, your nearby iPad know what your iPhone is up to—anything from composing an email to reading a webpage on Safari.

Want to finish that iPhone email on your iPad? Just go to your iPad, and in the corner of the lock screen you’ll see a Handoff button that says (for example) “Mail”; just swipe up on the button, and you’ll instantly see the message your were composing on your iPhone.

3. Answer iPhone calls on your Mac or iPad

Is your iPhone ringing in your bedroom while you’re working in the den on your MacBook or your iPad? No need to drop everything and dash to take the call.

With iOS 8 and the OS X “Yosemite,” your Mac or iPad can display the name and picture of the caller in a little alert banner in the corner of the screen—and yes, you’ll even be able to take the call in speakerphone mode. Love it.

4. Better group messaging

You can already send group texts or iMessages under iOS 7, but the next big version of iOS will bring some much-needed improvements: specifically, the ability to silence a group thread with a new “Do Not Disturb” switch, as well as a “Leave conversation” button.

Send quick voice memos to pals in group messages with the iOS 8 “Tap to Talk” button.

You’ll also be able to name your own group threads—yes, something better than “Susan, Ben & Claire”—as well as send quick voice memos, photos or videos to the group by tapping and holding a button (“Tap to Talk,” in the case of voice clips).

And unless you specify otherwise, photos, voice memos and video clips that you share will be deleted automatically to conserve storage space.

Here’s perhaps my favorite new group messaging feature: the ability to see all the photos you’ve shared in the thread in a single place (by tapping the “Details” button), saving you the trouble of sifting through a lengthy conversation for snapshots.

5. Support for third-party keyboards

I’ve long groused that Apple didn’t allow custom keyboard for iOS like Android does for Google—and up until now, that meant iPhone and iPad users missed out on apps like Swype, which let you “type” on the keyboard with long, looping swipes rather than scores of annoying little taps.

Well, it seems Apple finally got the message. Starting with iOS 8, third-party developers will finally be able to tap into the iOS keyboard, meaning that Swype and the like will (very likely) be coming soon to an iPhone or iPad near you.

6. QuickType “predictive” typing

Not quite ready to make the leaping to typing with a swipe? Well, you still might get a kick out of QuickType, a new “predictive” typing feature that pops up little buttons above the keyboard with suggestions for your next word—not just the current word you’re (mis-)typing.

The new QuickType keyboard for iOS will (supposedly) guess your next word before you’ve even typed it.

For example, type “Want to schedule a” in a message to your boss, and QuickType might chime in with a “meeting” button before you’ve even begun to type the word.

Interesting.

7. iCloud Drive

Looks like Apple is finally getting serious about turning iCloud into a full-on file-sharing app to compete with the likes of Dropbox and Google Drive.

Slated to arrive with the upcoming new version of OS X for Mac (dubbed “Yosemite”) iCloud Drive will let you drag, drop, and share just about any file you want with any of your iCloud-connected iPhones, iPods, and Macs—yes, just like Dropbox and Google Drive.

But unlike those two (very popular) file-sharing apps, iCloud Drive will be easily accessible within and throughout iOS 8—meaning, for example, you’ll be able to easily open a Word app saved in your iCloud Drive with, say, an iOS word processing app, or the main iOS Mail app.

8. “Interactive” notifications

You know those little banners that pop up on your iPhone or iPad—you know, the notifications that alert you to recent text and email messages, or of upcoming calendar events?

Tap a banner in iOS 7, and it’ll merely take you to, say, the Messages or Mail apps.

In iOS 8, though, those notifications will (in some cases) let you take action within the actual alert—meaning, for example, that you’ll be able to reply to a text message inside the actual banner, no app-switching required.

(And yes, such “interactive” notifications will be old news to anyone with a newer Android phone.)

Got questions about iOS 8? Post ’em below!

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So, annoyed that your good-as-new iPhone already looks obsolete next to the just-announced iPhone 5 and its jumbo-sized touchscreen? 

Well, good news: your old iPhone is about to get a fresh coat of paint.

Besides the iPhone 5 and its snazzy four-inch display, Apple has another trick up its sleeves: a brand-new version of “iOS,” the software that powers the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Slated to arrive on September 19, iOS version 6 (or “iOS 6” for short) packs in a slew of must-have features, including a revamped Maps application, easier Photo Stream and Facebook sharing, on-the-go FaceTime calling, and a long-overdue “do not disturb” mode.

(And yes, your iPhone will alert you when the “over-the-air” update is ready to download.)

Best of all, you don’t need an iPhone 5 (which is set to go on sale September 21, by the way) to take advantage of the goodies in iOS 6.

Indeed, most of the new iOS 6 features will work on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, and even the three-year-old iPhone 3GS, not to mention last year’s iPod Touch and the two most recent iPads. (Yep, lots of confusing makes and models, I know…)

I’ll have in-depth coverage and tips on many of the new iOS 6 features in the days and weeks ahead. In the meantime, though, let’s take a quick tour of the highlights, starting with…

1. New and improved Maps app with turn-by-turn driving directions

Apple has rebuilt the iPhone’s Maps app from the ground up, adding nifty new features like eye-popping 3D “flyovers” of major metropolitan areas, smoother map scrolling, and real-time traffic alerts.

In addition to turn-by-turn car navigation, the new Maps app in iOS 6 also features real-time traffic alerts.

Best of all, through, the native Maps app is finally getting true, turn-by-turn navigation complete with spoken directions, just like on the latest Android phones.

The catch? Turn-by-turn directions and 3D “flyovers” will only work on last year’s iPhone 4S and the new iPhone, not the iPhone 4, 3GS or any other prior iPhone models.

Update: Hate the new iOS 6 Maps app? You’re not the only one, and even Apple has apologized for its patchy, glitchy map data. Luckily, there is a way to get Google Maps back on your iPhone.

2. A full-screen version of the Safari web browser

Want web pages on your iPhone to fill the entire display? With iOS 6 on board, you’ll be able to tap a new “full screen” icon when you’re holding your iPhone in a “landscape” orientation. Nice.

3. A “do not disturb” mode for calls, notifications and alerts

Want a little peace and quiet? A new “do not disturb” mode will shush all those insistent beeps, ring tones, banners and other alerts from the iPhone’s Notification Center, perfect for keeping your iPhone quiet at the movies or while you’re trying to get some shut-eye.

Just activate the iPhone’s new “do not disturb” mode to take a break from beeps, buzzes, and other alerts.

You’ll also be able to set the “do not disturb” mode to turn itself off and on automatically at certain times of the day, as well as designate specific contacts who will always be able to get through, no matter what.

4. Photo Stream sharing

Want to show off the latest snapshots in your iPhone’s Photo Stream? The latest version of iOS makes it much easier to share Photo Stream pictures with fellow iPhone and iPad users: just tap the photos you want to share and choose some names in your contact book.

You’ll also be able to share Photo Stream photos over the web, or comment on the Photo Stream images that your pals have shared with you.

5. Vastly-improved Facebook sharing

Annoyed that you can’t post your latest snapshots to Facebook without opening the Facebook app or composing an email? Well, thanks to iOS 6, you’ll be able to post photos directly from the iPhone’s camera application or your photo albums.

You’ll also be able to sync the profile photos and personal info of your Facebook pals with the iPhone’s contact book, as well as add Facebook birthdays and other events to the calendar.

6. Decline calls with a text message

With iOS 6 on your iPhone, you’ll be able to send a text message at the same time you’re declining a call.

Android phone users have long had the ability to decline a call and send a text message to the caller at the same time—and now iPhone users will have the same nifty feature, plus the option of getting a reminder after turning down a call.

7. FaceTime over cellular data

Until now, FaceTime video chat on the iPhone and iPad has been restricted to Wi-Fi only. Starting with the release of the new iOS software, however, you’ll be able to make FaceTime calls over cellular 3G and 4G data networks on the new iPhone, the iPhone 4S, and the new iPad.

Unfortunately, owners of the iPhone 4 or earlier iPhones will still be stuck with Wi-Fi when it comes to FaceTime.

Also, don’t forget that mobile data isn’t free, and that some carriers (such as AT&T) may demand you switch to a new plan before making mobile FaceTime calls.

Looking for more iPhone tips? Click here!

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iLounge took the “sturdy and structurally solid” HandStand for iPad 2 for a whirl (a version for the original iPad came out last year) and praised its “smooth” rotating and “secure, but not uncomfortable” hand strap. That said, the reviewers complained about the “somewhat difficult” process of snapping the iPad into the HandStand’s shell. Another problem: the case’s lip, which blocks the iPad 2’s built-in microphone.

Related:
Hub International HandStand for iPad 2 review [iLounge]

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But here’s the burning question: do you really need the latest iPad if you’ve already got the iPad 2?

Of course, the initial reviews of the latest iPad (which lands in stores March 16, starting at $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi-only version) weren’t completely positive.

Among the nitpicks: a slightly thicker and heavier shell; no Siri, the voice-activated “assistant” that debuted on the iPhone 4S; and no revolutionary new features that demand an upgrade from last year’s iPad.

So, what about this new, high-resolution “retina” display we’ve been hearing so much about? Well, expect to be amazed at the difference, writes USA Today’s Ed Baig:

Examine the new screen side-by-side with one of its near-10-inch predecessors, and you’ll swear you just had Lasik surgery. Text on Web pages or in books is so crisp and sharp that you don’t want to go back to reading on an older iPad. Movies and photographs reveal rich detail.

Also winning raves is the iPad’s new support for speedy 4G LTE data networks, with Joshua Topolsky of tech blog The Verge writing:

On the data side of things, at least on Verizon’s LTE network, this thing (unsurprisingly) screams. If you own a Verizon 4G phone, or know what they’re capable of, then you’ll get the gist of what the new iPad can do. Actually, the iPad seemed faster to me then many phones I’ve tested.

Of course, something had to give to accommodate the iPad’s “stunning” new display and “zippy” 4G speeds, while still maintaining the same battery life (about 10 hours, or 9 hours when connected to 4G data networks): namely, size and weight, writes the New York Times’s David Pogue:

The new iPad is one millimeter thicker, and 1.8 ounces heavier, than the iPad 2. It’s a very slight difference, but fingers used to handling the old iPad will feel it, and that’s too bad.

So, is the new iPad a must-buy? That depends on whether you already own an iPad 2, concludes Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal:

If you already own an iPad 2, and like it, you shouldn’t feel like you have to rush out to buy the new one. However, for those who use their iPads as their main e-readers, and those who use it frequently while away from Wi-Fi coverage, this new model could make a big difference.

As for me, I’ll be getting my own “new” iPad delivered to my doorstep on Friday, so stand by for my initial impressions.

The new iPad (Apple has made a point of not calling it the iPad 3) goes on sale Friday, March 16, but good luck getting it on launch day unless you’ve already pre-ordered one. Apple’s initial shipment has already sold out, and those who order online now can expect to wait two to three weeks before getting their new toy.

Another options is to camp out in front of an Apple store or queue up at an Apple-authorized retailer (doors will open at 8 a.m. Friday). If you really want to walk away with a new iPad, though, plan on lining up early—very early.

Have any questions about the new iPad? Let me know!

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Read on for 8 things you need to know about the latest iPad, starting with…

1. It’s called, er … the “new” iPad

At first, everyone assumed the new iPad would be called the iPad 3; after all, last year’s iPad was the iPad 2, right?

Then, in the days leading up to Apple’s announcement Wednesday, there was heavy speculation that the next-generation iPad would be called the “iPad HD,” referring to its gorgeous new display. (More on that in a moment.)

But when Apple CEO Tim Cook finally unveiled the new iPad, he called it … well, “the new iPad,” plain and simple. Huh.

2. It’s a little thicker and heavier than the iPad 2

At first blush, the new iPad (or the “iPad New,” perhaps?) looks practically the same as its predecessor.

With a girth of 0.37 inches, though, the next-gen iPad is a tad thicker than the 0.34 inch-thick iPad 2—and at 1.4 pounds, it’s a bit heavier, too.

3. It boasts a new, razor-sharp “retina” display

With a resolution of 2048 by 1536 pixels—for a total of 3.1 million pixels, or a million more pixels than on a 1080p HDTV screen—the new iPad’s new display is four times sharper than the iPad 2’s 1024-by-768 screen, and it promises to look just as sharp as the “retina” display on the iPhone 4 and 4S.

(For the record, the iPad’s version of the retina display packs in 264 pixels per inch, or a little less than 326 “ppi” for the iPhone 4S’s screen. Still, good luck telling the difference with the naked eye.)

The new iPad: brighter, faster, but also a little thicker.

Of course, powering a 2048 by 1536-pixel display takes quite a bit of horsepower—and indeed, Apple announced a new chip, its so-called “A5X,” complete with quad-core graphics (think four graphics processors on a single chip) to make it all happen.

4. It connects to speedy 4G LTE data networks

Yes, the new iPad does 4G LTE data through both AT&T and Verizon Wireless. That’s the good news; the bad news is that there’s still no iPad for Sprint or T-Mobile. Also, you’ll still have to buy a specific iPad model depending on which carrier you go with, at least as far as AT&T and Verizon are concerned.

5. It doubles as a mobile hotspot

At last, you’ll be able to share your iPad’s data connection with other nearby gadgets via Wi-Fi, just as you can with the iPhone. Expect to pay extra for the privilege, though.

6. It comes with improved camera

The new, 5-megapixel “iSight” camera on the back of the latest iPhone now boasts features like 1080p video recording (versus 720p for the iPad 2), image stabilization for steadying your video clips, and face detection for zeroing in on smiling mugs.

7. It won’t cost any more than the iPad 2 did

The new iPad will still start at $499 for the 16 GB version, same as the iPad 2. A 32 GB “new” iPad will go for $599, while the 64 GB iPad sells for $699. If you want an iPad that does 4G and Wi-Fi, expect to pay $130 extra—think $629 for the 16 GB verision, $729 for the 32 GB model, and so on.

8. It’ll land in stores March 16

And pre-orders start today, although Apple’s servers already seem to be buckling under the strain of eager customers.

And one more thing… 

Looking for a bargain? Apple is now selling last year’s iPad 2 with a $100 price cut—meaning the cheapest iPad is now the 16 GB iPad 2, for $399.

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Starting now, you can find the movies you’ve previously purchased from iTunes—well, most of them, anyway—sitting on the Purchased page in the iTunes Store.

You can stream your movies over the new-and-improved Apple TV, too.

Just launch iTunes, sign in with your Apple ID, then click the “Purchased” link in the left column of the main iTunes Store page.

Next, click the Movies button at the top of the page, and presto—you’ll see most of the movies you’ve purchased from iTunes in the past.

To start downloading, click the appropriate iCloud icon.

You can also re-download your purchased movies from your iPhone or iPad. Just launch the iTunes app, tap the Purchased tab at the bottom of the screen, then browse to Movies.

Last but not least, you’ll also be able to stream your purchased movies from the new and improved Apple TV—which, by the way, is getting a revamped, more iPhone-like interface, plus the ability to stream 1080p-quality video (versus 720p for the previous-generation Apple TV).

Now, what’s all this about only “some” of your purchased iTunes movies being available to re-download?

Well, turns out that not all of the big movie studios have agreed to Apple’s terms for re-downloading their films, with All Things Digital reporting that 20th Century Fox and Universal have yet to sign on due to prior pay-TV deals. When and if the two hold-outs join the iCloud party remains to be seen.

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In a blog post Tuesday, Google said it was consolidating the Android Market, Google Music, and Google eBookstore sites into Google Play to reduce the “hassle” of finding and organizing apps, tracks, videos and books for your various Android devices.

That’s the theory, anyway. In practice, Google Play (which you can check out right here) looks an awful lot like the old Android Market.

You can still browse for apps just as before, with the main app product pages (like this one) serving up product descriptions, screenshots, user reviews, and buttons for buying and/or installing a given app to your Android device.

Up at the top of the Google Play page, just above a rotating carousel of promos, you’ll find tabs for “My Music” (the new home of Google Music), “My Books” (which replaces the Google eBookstore), and “My Movies” (for video rentals and purchases).

OK, so what happens to your old apps from the gone-but-not-forgotten Android Market, or your Google Music tune collection? Don’t worry—they’re still there, just where you left them. Indeed, the books and albums I bought from Google Music and the eBookstore are present and accounted for, except now they’re sitting under a “Google Play” banner.

What will be changing, though, is the Android Market app on your Android smartphone or Tablet. Google says it’ll be upgrading the app to the “Google Play Store” app in “the coming days.”

Google is also promoting the Google Play launch with daily discounts during the next week; check out this blog post for more details.

So, what do you think: will putting all of Google’s Android wares under a single “Google Play” roof make it easier to shop for apps, music, videos and books? Or will you miss the Android Market? Let me know what you think!

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All the phones featured below are making their debut this week at Mobile World Congress, an annual technology convention held in Barcelona, Spain that’s become a showcase for the latest and greatest smartphones.

No, you won’t see any iPhones at Mobile World Congress (Apple generally shows off its latest wares at its own press events), and none of the handsets in this roundup are on sale just yet. (Unless otherwise noted, by the way, specific release dates and pricing for these new phones have yet to be announced.)

Still, the six phones below—from the likes of HTC, LG, Nokia, and Samsung—represent the new state of the art for smartphones … well, for 2012, anyway.

Click a thumbnail below to start your slideshow…

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