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A new smartphone was announced by Research in Motion (RIM) during an event held by AT&T today. It also happens to be the first BlackBerry phone to carry the new BlackBerry 6 operating system that has been in development. The BlackBerry Torch 9800 smartphone is their latest entry, and it is exclusive to AT&T.

The new phone carries a 3.2” touchscreen at 360×480 resolution which is not exactly stellar. At least they included a full slider keyboard, which should make existing BlackBerry owners very happy. Other features include a 5-megapixel camera, and 4GB of built-in storage (up to 32GB via memory card).

Although the BlackBerry Torch only has a dismal 624MHz processor and a low resolution screen, the really big story here is the new BlackBerry 6 OS, which is RIM’s latest attempt to catch up with the iOS and Android platforms. It brings a new look and feel to the UI as well as a new web browser with features you expect like pinch-to-zoom. Additionally they have included a new universal search feature so you can quickly find nearly anything on your phone.

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After a short existence it appears Microsoft has pulled the plug on it’s KIN line of phones. The phones were targeted at a “hip” generation of young people, and even got a series of commercials produced that highlighted the product. When it was released, there were many questions raised about whether the product would be successful.

With Windows Phone 7 on the near horizon, the KIN phones were almost destined for failure. Now that the KIN is dead, Europe is no longer expected to get it in the fall. It shouldn’t really come as a surprise that Microsoft is moving their internal KIN team to work on Windows Phone 7. So another product is a dismal failure and here is Microsoft’s response.

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It is sad to see this day come but AT&T has announced that they will stop offering unlimited data for new plans started after June 7. The wireless company has introduced new tiered rates to replace the existing $30 unlimited data plans, including ones used by the iPad 3G.

The new plans start at $15 per month for the “DataPlus” plan with 200MB of data, which leads to $15 for another 200MB if you run out before 30 days. The more expensive “DataPro” plan offers 2GB of data for $25 a month, and another $10 per GB after that. AT&T claims that only 2% of it’s smartphone customers use over 2GB of data in one month. They have also finally announced tethering for the iPhone, which will cost $20 a month on top of the “DataPro” plan.

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Bad news for anyone who is looking to get out of their AT&T contract in the future. According to reports today, the phone provider is looking to increase the fees a customer gets when they cancel their contract early.

These fees are currently $175 for customers who want out. Now AT&T is looking to raise early termination fees for smartphones to $325 for any new contracts after June 1. AT&T’s Mark Siegel confirmed the new changes in the following response.

“The idea is, and we think that it’s fair approach, that if you spend less on a device, your early termination fee should be less,” he said. “If you spend more, your early termination fee should be more.”

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Apple’s next iPhone was already leaked last month by Gizmodo and now another prototype has been discovered, but this time in Vietnam. The form factor is nearly identical, minus a few screws that were on the Gizmodo version. This probably means the design is close to complete and it is not likely Apple will make anymore cosmetic changes. The product id on the new leak is “N90 PRO2” while the Gizmodo one was “N90 DVT” which apparently stands for design verification test.

Photos and videos have been published of the new leak, one particular teardown photo also confirms that the next-gen iPhone will carry the Apple A4 processor, the same one that can be found in the iPad. This also means it will carry 256MB of RAM, which is the same as the iPad and iPhone 3GS. The next-gen iPhone has the same front-facing camera, rear camera with flash, and glass backing as the earlier leak. Many people are still speculating about a higher resolution screen, but there has been no way to confirm that so far.

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Today HTC fired back at Apple by filing a complaint with the International Trade Commission claiming that they are infringing on five of HTC’s patents. If you don’t remember, Apple filed a similar complaint earlier this year against HTC for infringing on patents. This seems to be a direct response to Apple, starting the patent war between the two companies.

The lawsuit against Apple is asking for all imports and sales of the iPhone, iPod, and iPad to halt due to patent infringement. Seems on par with most patent infringement claims. Just like the Apple lawsuit there is no timeline for when or if this will go to court. There is not enough details about the five patents that HTC claims Apple is infringing, but it will be interesting to see how many of the claims are valid.

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The next iPhone release is right around the corner and Verizon might already be working on a campaign to advertise it’s availability on their wireless network according to CrunchGear. Just yesterday it was confirmed that Apple had signed a five year exclusivity contract with AT&T for the iPhone. It turns out exclusivity deal might have been re-negotiated to end at an earlier date, something that has also been rumored due to rumblings about Verizon carrying the next iPhone.

The question remains, will the iPhone remain an AT&T exclusive, or will Verizon become the second US carrier to sell the device? If the rumors are true, then Landor Associates could be working on a Verizon ad campaign ahead of the launch. This is the closest we have come to confirming a CDMA version of the iPhone required to operate on Verizon’s network. The recent iPhone leak from Gizmodo did nothing to confirm the presence of a CDMA chip on the next version.

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For the first time ever The NPD Group is reporting that Android sales out numbered Apple’s iPhone, at least for the first quarter of 2010. The numbers show Google’s Android OS moving up to take the number two spot at 28 percent, while the iPhone only takes 21 percent. RIM of course has the most sales at 36 percent, keeping Blackberry devices well in the lead. Back in march it was reported that Android’s market was growing at the blazing fast rate of 153 percent over the competition. It appears Apple’s numbers are slowing down, but what is the reason?

It could be the increasing number of Android manufacturers. Not only has HTC produced a huge amount of them, but both Samsung and Motorola have added to the mix. The large variety of devices means more options and price points to consumers. The iPhone is currently only available on AT&T in the US, while Android devices are available on many carriers, most notably the Motorola Droid being sold by Verizon. The Droid has received a huge advertising campaign to help sales, and it has certainly paid off.

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The new social networking phones from Microsoft, the Kin One and Kin Two will be available for sale starting tomorrow. At first the phones will only be available online, but will be in Verizon retail stores on May 13. The Kin One will be sold for $49.99, while the Kin Two goes for $99.99, and both require a two-year contract. They are priced that low after a $100 mail in rebate, which seems a little odd. The phones seem to be targeted at teens, but the prices seem a bit steep. Plans start at $39.99 for the cheapest Verizon Nationwide Talk plan, and require an additional $29.99 for unlimited data. I don’t know about you but if Microsoft is targeting a younger audience with these phones, they might be asking too much with the way they have priced it.

Microsoft announced the Kin handsets last month. The phones feature a custom interface focused on social connectivity. Both phones come with a full slide out QWERTY keyboard. The Kin One is smaller than the Kin Two, but both offer the ability to share videos, photos, and more with an easy to use interface. The Kin is seen as a less advanced smartphone, making use of cloud features to store data online. It does feature the Zune HD player for music playback, but it is not app-focused like the iPhone or Android phones.

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After searching for a potential buyer for some time, it appears Palm has finally found someone to bring them out of their financial woes. Today HP has announced that they will be acquiring Palm for $1.2 Billion, or $5.70 per share. After confirming the buy out, the two companies hosted a conference call where they went over the details of the merger. They mentioned that they would be “doubling down on webOS” and expect the Palm developed OS to grow substantially thanks to the new resources. HP also said that between phones, tablets, and other devices, there is much potential for webOS to be used in those kinds of devices.

“Palm possesses significant IP assets and has a highly skilled team. The smartphone market is large, profitable and rapidly growing, and companies that can provide an integrated device and experience command a higher share. Advances in mobility are offering significant opportunities, and HP intends to be a leader in this market.”

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