Contrary to popular belief, the LePhone is not named after "The Phone" in French but rather "Happy Phone" in Chinese. Set to be available in May 2010, the LePhone has a 3.7-inch 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen and is powered by 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset on the hardware side and Android 1.6 OS at the software front. It also includes cameras on both sides (3 megapixels at the back), A-GPS, WiFi, 3.5mm headphone jack, a 9-pin dock connector, and accelerometer-based controls.

If you like a physical keyboard without the bulkiness that goes with it, LePhone has solved that problem by offering an optional snap-on keyboard highlighted by a circular directional pad at the center.

To target the Chinese smartphone users, LePhone comes preloaded with the most popular apps in China and can download more apps that are fine-tuned for the phone.

No word on the price range and exclusive carrier (if there is any) as of this posting, but we will sure hear more from Lenovo about their LePhone in the coming weeks.

BBC reporter Dan Simmons, while filming a segment for his technology show Click, was dared by Sonim's CEO Bob Plaschke that if he managed to break the Sonim handset, he gets a free phone. Of course, with its record claims of being able to withstand 10-storey falls, being submerged up to 20 feet underwater for up to 30 minutes, and even being used as a hammer to drive a nail, Simmons would have to pull off something unusual to be able to find the phone's weakness.

And he did, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Simmons simply hit the Sonim handset hard against the aquarium's sharp corner several times and the screen was broken. Good thing Plaschke laughed about the boo-boo and commended the reporter for actually breaking the phone.Click the video over at the BBC website and see for yourself.

"I think we might stick to rugged rather than unbreakable now,"Plaschke commented on Engadget's take on the story.

But we guess it is back to the drawing board for the folks at Sonim.

In an environmental aspect, phone batteries (like any other battery in existence) contain chemicals that could destroy the ecosystem if disposed poorly. In addition, traditional batteries are expensive (as compared to a can of soda) and consume a lot of resources on manufacturing. This is why having bio batteries, or any other natural power sources, have become the buzzword among manufacturers and consumers.

The gadget works by generating electricity from carbohydrates gathered from the soda's sugar content and utilizing enzymes as the catalyst. A single can of Coca-Cola would be able to generate water and oxygen needed to power the mobile phone until it dies out. Battery time using a bio battery could last between three to four times more than a single charge of conventional lithium battery.

We are unsure if other soda brands would work, as each has a different sugar level, but this is an interesting design. We hope this gets developed for widespread distribution in the coming months.

Still with its 3.5-inch WVGA display, Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, Android 1.6 OS, 5-megapixel camera, and 3G connectivity, the Britons can now choose between a white Acer Liquid A1 and a black version of it. Either way, the phone's pretty fine.

The Acer Liquid A1 still sells at around 330 quid (about US$537) and is available atClove andHandtec.

Image source: Acer

The prices of Verizon's first two webOS smartphones are more consumer-friendly compared to other popular brands. However, bear in mind that this information is not yet confirmed and we will have to wait until January 25 to know the real deal about the pricing.

Image source: Palm viaPhone Arena

The new Sony Ericsson Xperia features a panel interface that can be personalized to provide one-touch access to several desktop interfaces. A full touch display helps make it easier along with the QWERTY keyboard. It follows an arc slider design to make easy access to the keyboard as well as provide a more distinctive look to the Xperia X2. It also has an 8.1 MP digital camera, Bluetooth wireless connectivity and a host of other features most smart phones now come ordinarily with. Since it is a new release, there is no news yet on how much the Sony Ericsson Experia X2 would cost. It is expected to come out sometime this spring.

Image Source: Sony Style