The Droid X continues to be an Android bestseller for Verizon Wireless, but the carrier’s price for the handset is $199 with a two-year service contract.

If you’re looking to pocket a Droid X smartphone, you can save a considerable amount by purchasing from a third-party.  WireFly is currently offering the Droid X for $19 with a new two-year contract, saving you $180 over the Verizon direct price.  If you’re a current Verizon customer eligible for an upgrade, the WireFly price remains the same: $19.

Shipping is also free.

Prices subject to change at any time.

D

AT&T just announced an upcoming Mobile Hotspot app which will allow a compatible device to share its data connection with up to 5 devices via Wi-Fi.  At the same time, changes to the company’s current tethering plan will also go into effect.

Currently, smartphone users who pay an additional $20 per month are allowed data to use with secondary devices (like laptops) via their tethered smartphone, but that data is deducted from smartphone’s own data allowance.  After the change goes into effect, customers will still pay $20 for tethering, but an additional 2GB will be added to the 2GB of data provided with the Data Pro smartphone data plan, for a total of 4GB of data across all devices for $45/month. Tethering is and will continue to be limited to those on the Data Pro plan ($25/month), and will not be available with Data Plus ($15/month) or the grandfathered unlimited data plan ($30/month).

All of this goes into effect on February 13, alongside the release of the HTC Inspire 4G Android phone.  Since the Mobile Hotspot app will likely be Android-only based on the wording of the press release, it’s unclear how this app differs from the built-in hotspot capability already included in Android OS 2.2 and 2.3.

Users already paying for tethering from AT&T will receive a text message when the plan changes to into effect.

You can read the full press release here.

Since they began shipping last April, 32GB microSDHC memory card prices have fallen steadily. At release, the SanDisk 32GB microSD card – the first available for purchase in the U.S. – was $199. By August, the price had fallen to around $130, and the next month dipped below $100.

Today, SanDisk’s 32GB microSDHC card has fallen below $70.  Amazon has the card for $69.56 plus shipping.

Most current Android smartphones support 32GB microSDHC cards, as do many 2009-2010 Windows Mobile phones.  The Windows Phone 7 OS supports 32GB cards, but only one currently-available Windows Phone, the Samsung Focus, has a memory card slot, and its utility has been the subject of some debate.  Many existing and upcoming Android tablets also support this memory card capacity.

The Kingston 32GB microSD card, the only other such card we recommend, price remains higher at over $100 with shipping.

We’re now beginning to see more details on T-Mobile’s upcoming G-Slate Android 3.0 tablet from LG that was announced at last month’s CES. 

The tablet, which runs Android “Honeycomb,” sports an 8.9-inch multi-touch display that’s 3D capable; this means you’ll be able to view 3D video and/or games with compatible glasses. In addition, users will be able to record their own 3D video using the G-Slate, courtesy of rear-facing stereoscopic cameras.  The screen can display 720p video, though exact resolution details have not yet been released.  Users will also have the ability to output 720p and 1080p HD video via a built-in HDMI port.

The G-Slate is powered by a Tegra 2 SoC with two application cores clocked at 1GHz (the same processor inside the Motorola XOOM, expected to be released in the next few weeks).  T-Mobile’s “4G” network is supported right out of the box.

32GB of flash storage is included, though no mention has been made of a memory expansion slot, which likely means there won’t be one. 

T-Mobile expects to begin offering the new Android tablet in the spring (April or May).  No pricing details were released.

Learn more about the T-Mobile LG G-Slate Android Tablet…

Read the full press release after the jump.

BELLEVUE, Wash., and SAN DIEGO — Feb. 2, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. and LG Mobile Phones today unveiled their Android™ 3.0 (Honeycomb)-powered tablet, the T-Mobile® G-Slate™ with Google™ by LG. With a brilliant, high-definition (HD) 8.9-inch, 3D-capable multi-touch display, the T-Mobile G-Slate delivers a groundbreaking mobile entertainment experience, including the ability to record 3D and full HD video.

Expected to be available this spring, G-Slate is built for speed on America’s Largest 4G Network™ and is the first tablet in T-Mobile’s pioneering G-series of devices, which began with the world’s first Android-powered smartphone just over two years ago. The first 4G tablet from T-Mobile and LG, the G-Slate is powered by Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), the latest version of Google’s Android platform, which is optimized for tablets. In addition, the G-Slate will be among the first tablets to feature 3D capabilities including built-in support for 3D graphics, enabling consumers to capture and share their own 3D videos and experience 3D HD content right on the device with the aid of 3D glasses.

“The G-Slate represents the next chapter in T-Mobile’s rich history of Android innovation,” said Brad Duea, senior vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA. “Tablets enable users to take with them the rich Web and entertainment experiences they have at home, and this will radically shift the way people interact with and consume content while mobile. The G-Slate delivers a powerful combination of premium mobile HD entertainment and T-Mobile’s lightning-fast 4G mobile broadband network.”

“We are excited to introduce the T-Mobile G-Slate by LG, which offers consumers an engaging new way to communicate, entertain and stay connected,” said Tim O’Brien, vice president of marketing for LG Mobile Phones. “Bringing consumers the latest in revolutionary HD tablet technology and an Android platform perfectly optimized for tablet use, G-Slate provides a unique multimedia experience.”

The sleek, lightweight G-Slate can easily be held upright in one hand for reading an eBook or magazine, watching streaming TV or browsing the Web while on the go. Featuring a rear-facing stereoscopic video recorder with 1080p for HD video capture and a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, the G-Slate makes it easy to capture moments on video or with a photo. With the front-facing camera, customers can video chat with friends and family over T-Mobile’s network or Wi-Fi with Google Talk™. The G-Slate also supports 720p HD on-device video playback and HDMI output to show 1080p content on 3-D and HD displays. With a NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor with dual-core CPU and full Adobe® Flash® Player support, the G-Slate enables quick and seamless browsing of rich Web content, multitasking and gaming. The G-Slate will also provide a superior entertainment experience when streaming live TV or downloading music and videos with lightning-fast speed over T-Mobile’s 4G network.

In addition, the G-Slate includes 32 GB of internal memory and features a built-in gyroscope, accelerometer and adaptive lighting for the latest applications and the ultimate gaming experience.

T-Mobile’s 4G network, America’s largest 4G network, has expanded into more than 100 major metropolitan areas, reaching more than 200 million people nationwide. Beginning today, T-Mobile’s network is also delivering 4G speeds to Albany, Augusta, Columbus and Macon, Ga., and Chattanooga, Tenn., in the South region as well as in Champaign, Ill.; Lansing, Mich.; and Rochester, Minn., in the Midwest. In addition to the expanding its 4G footprint, T-Mobile has aggressive plans to double the speed of its 4G network in 2011. T-Mobile expects that 140 million Americans in 25 major metropolitan areas will have access to these increased 4G speeds by midyear.

The AT&T Samsung Focus Windows Phone is now available free when you sign a two-year service contract at LetsTalk.com.  Shipping is also free.  This is currently the best deal going on this particular handset.

Existing AT&T customers who wish to upgrade are also eligible for a deep discount; an eligible upgrade at LetsTalk is $29.

The direct AT&T price for this Windows Phone 7 smartphone is $99.

Amazon Wireless also offers the Samsung Focus for $0.01 with a two-year contract.

Learn more about the Samsung Focus Windows Phone…

Nearly every smartphone and tablet currently sold in the United States has a 3.5mm audio jack for outputting stereo sound via wired headphones, earbuds and speakers – we all know that.  What goes unnoticed by a surprisingly large number of users, however, is that many of these devices also support wireless stereo audio, courtesy of a Bluetooth profile called A2DP.  But in order to enjoy this feature, you’ll need a pair of compatible Bluetooth headphones or earbuds to pull the whole thing off.

And there are plenty to choose from – but perhaps the most widely-used Stereo Bluetooth headphones are the Motorola MotoROKR S9.  These have been around for years and are generally well received – though like all of its competitors, has some quirks.

But there’s another model in the family: the MotoROKR S9-HD, an updated variant of the original, featuring better sound, easier controls, improved earpieces, and SRS Labs WOW HD.

The MotoROKR S9-HD is also a Bluetooth headset, meaning you can use the headphones for voice calls.  This feature, while included, probably won’t satisfy most for frequent use, but that’s okay.  The S9-HD is really for enjoying audio.

You’ll find A2DP Stereo Bluetooth support on many devices running Android (v2.1 and above), iOS 3 and 4, Windows Mobile 5+ and Windows Phone 7.  Check your product literature for details.

MSRP: $119

Best Online Price: $53

The Pocket PC Central Motorola XOOM Tablet Accessories Center is now online.

Accessories for this upcoming Android tablet are currently limited, but we’ll be adding new accessories for the device as they become available in February and March 2011.

Check back over the coming weeks for more Motorola XOOM accessories…

Learn more about the Motorola XOOM Android Tablet…

When Android 3.0 tablets begin shipping next month, users will have a welcome and very overdue surprise: the new tablet OS supports Bluetooth and USB keyboards right out of the box.

Android OS versions 2.2 and below require extra software in order to connect to and use Bluetooth keyboards.  Android 2.3 technically supports the HID Bluetooth profile, but is not necessarily keyboard friendly.

Learn more:  Android 3.0 Keyboard Support Information

We’ve come to expect a new Jawbone Bluetooth headset each year since Aliph shipped its original model in 2007.  This year is no different.

The newest headset from Aliph is the Jawbone Era, an evolution of an already impressive product with several new features. 

Perhaps the most interesting change is the included accelerometer, which makes it possible to control the headset with taps and shakes.  For example, shake the Jawbone Era four times (a Double ShakeShake), and the headset enters pairing mode.  Tap it twice (TapTap), to answer a call.  This functionality, powered by MotionX, will be updated over time with new commands.

NoiseAssassin, the noise cancellation technology that first put Jawbone on the map, has also been updated to v3.0 for better performance.  New, too, is a wideband “HD” speaker for clearer sounds on the user’s end.  The headset also supports A2DP for listening to music from many current smartphones.  iPhone and BlackBerry users will see a battery meter for the Era on their phone’s status bar.

Two processors power the Jawbone Era, likely required for all of the unit’s features.  MyTalk is back, a service which allows the headset to be updated, tweaked and otherwise personalized; it also allows you to install apps like Caller ID by Name. 

Basically the same size and dimensions as last year’s Jawbone Icon, the Era is available in four colors (shown above), each with a different external design pattern (the Silver Lining is shown at the top).  The Era also includes 7 earbud “fit options” and a removable earloop.  Battery life is rated at 5.5 hours, or 10 days standby, and charging is by way of a microUSB port. 

The Jawbone Era has an MSRP of $129 and is available now at the Jawbone web store. Amazon, along with other online and brick-and-mortar retailers will have the headsets in stock soon.

Unfortunately, no.  Skype is available for a range of smartphone operating systems, most notably Android and the iPhone’s iOS, but according to various reports, the folks at Skype are not planning to bring their popular VoIP software to Windows Phone 7 anytime soon.

Why?  The company cites issues with the tools Microsoft has made available for Windows Phone software development, along with certain limitations of the OS with regard to multitasking and sockets support. 

Some so-called ‘homebrew’ attempts are being made to bring Skype to Windows Phone 7, but they’re still in the early stages. Add to that the fact that company has been somewhat unfriendly to third-party developers (like Fring) who have integrated Skype service into their apps in the past, and the outlook on this front isn’t good.

Still, if Windows Phone grows in popularity and some of the OS restrictions are loosened, Skype might make a go of it at some point down the road.

BYA: You ask, we answer.