CES 2011 news round-up

With the Consumer Electronics Show now over, it’s been a busy week for mobile phone news. Here’s a round-up of all the big announcements from Las Vegas.

LG Optimus Black, first-look video

It’s the world’s thinnest, lightest and brightest smartphone, and judging by Ben Stevens’ first look hands-on video at CES (below), it also features some pretty slick gesture controls. With the Optimus 2X, and now the Optimus Black,  LG is really starting to throw its weight behind high-end Android smartphones and we like the results so far.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

Sony Ericsson officially reveals Xperia Arc

Sony Ericsson’s new smartphone features Android 2.3 – the latest version of Google’s Android operating system – and a new Exmor R camera sensor to improve picture snapping in low-light conditions.

Motorola announces Cliq 2

The Cliq 2 features a slide-out keyboard, 3.7 inch touchscreen, and runs Android 2.3. It will probably be released over here as the follow-up to the Motorola Dext, but no release date yet.

Motorola Atrix

Dual-core Motorola Atrix revealed

This is more like it! The Motorola Atrix packs some serious muscle with two 1Ghz processors and 1GB of RAM. During CES Motorola have been keen to demonstrate the Atrix while connected to a keyboard and HDMI monitor – a PC in your pocket.

Huawei Ideos joins the Android horde

Another Android 2.2-powered phone, this time from Chinese manufacturer Huawei. The Ideos X5 features a solid set of specs, but it’s getting rather lost in the crowd with all the other, much more exciting, smartphone announcements.

LG Optimus 2x first look video

The LG Optimus 2X will be the world’s first dual core processor phone when it launches later this month. It features Google’s Android 2.2 operating system (which LG says will be upgraded to Android 2.3), 8Mp camera, front-facing camera for videochat, 1080p TV-out via HDMI and a 4-inch WVGA display.

HTC Evo Shift announced

Yep, it’s another Android phone from HTC that probably won’t be released in the UK, but in the interest of comprehensiveness we thought we’d bring you all the details anyway. The Evo Shift features a slide-out Qwerty keyboard, Android 2.2 and WiMAX compatibility (useful if you live State side, not so useful if you’re in Blighty).

Acer Liquidmini

Acer Liquidmini coming to UK in April

With its multi-coloured line-up and social media focus, the Liquidmini looks squarely aimed at the teen market. It’s Android 2.2-powered and boasts a 5Mp camera, wi-fi, HSDPA and a 3.2 inch touch screen.

HTC Thunderbolt and Inspire 4G heading to US

These two HTC smartphones probably won’t make it to the UK as they’re both geared to take advantage of new ‘4G’ networks in the US, which we don’t have yet. But still, we can admire them from a distance.

Acer beTouch

Acer reveales the beTouch E210

The beTouch is a hybrid touchscreen/qwerty keypad phone running Android 2.2. We’re not sure if we really want to touch control a 2.6 inch screen, but for those of you who can’t decide if you want a touchscreen or keypad, this will be a safe bet!

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc first-look video

The Xperia Arc runs the newest version of Google’s Android operating system (2.3 codenamed Gingerbread) and is Sony Ericsson’s first phone to feature the Bravia Engine (which powers Sony’s Bravia range of televisions).