The long-awaited 10.1-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab Android tablet will go on sale tomorrow at Verizon Wireless.  The Verizon Galaxy Tab 10.1 runs Android OS 3.1, has a dual-core nVidia processor and is available with Wi-Fi/3G/LTE wireless data options or Wi-Fi only.

The LTE models are available with either 16GB ($529 on contract) or 32GB ($629 on contract) of onboard storage, and each capacity is available in Metallic Gray or Glossy White.  The Wi-Fi only model ($499) will be available with 16GB of flash storage and only in Metallic Gray, at least at launch.  LTE versions requires a two year service contract for best pricing, with data plans starting at $30 per month for 2GB of wireless data.

Features include a 10.1-inch WXGA 1280×800 touchscreen, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 3MP rear and 2MP front-facing cameras, 1080p video playback, 1GB of RAM, and Bluetooth.

The LTE versions of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available for purchase both at Verizon Wireless retail stores and from the Verizon web site; the Wi-Fi model will initially be sold online only.  But if you want a Wi-Fi only version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, you can already purchase 16GB and 32GB models at Amazon.com.

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The first major update for the Windows Phone 7 OS, known as Mango, has just been approved for RTM.  RTM stands for Release to Manufacturing, which means the base of the upcoming version of Microsoft’s mobile operating system is now complete.

But that doesn’t mean you’ll be seeing a Mango update for your Windows Phone any time soon; handset manufacturers like HTC and Samsung, along with carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile in the United States, will now have to tailor the base OS for specific Windows Phone handsets, which can take some time to complete.  Also, carriers have an annoying amount of say-so when it comes to WP7 update releases, which could lead to further delays.

We have no timeframe for Mango’s release other than “this fall,” which could technically come as late as mid-December.  But it’s more likely that updates to Mango will come in October or November, though Microsoft is no stranger to product delays.

Windows Phone 7 “Mango” will include Internet Explorer 9 with HTML5 support, threaded email, text and IM, third-party app multitasking and more.  If you’re curious about Mango, head to Engadget for a detailed preview they posted in June.

Not many years ago, every gadget had its own unique charger, resulting in a confusing mess of separate wall chargers.  This is an issue we still we have to deal with to some extent, but mobile devices have taken a fortunate turn for the universal in the last couple of years, at least when it comes to sync and charge. 

Today, it’s very likely that most of your gadgets – smartphones, MP3 players, eReaders, handheld GPS, tablets, etc. – can be charged over USB, which is a convenience it itself; but a further convenience is having an independent charging station where you can easily power-up all of your mobile devices in one central location.

Let’s take a look at two of the best choices in USB Charging Stations:

Belkin Conserve Valet USB Charging Station (Model F7C008q)

This simple solution uses a single power cord to get wall power and includes four USB charging ports to charge your devices.  There’s an angled display platform with room for a primary device or two.

The Belkin Conserve Valet includes mini and micro USB cables – the latter is great for late-gen Android phones and other mobile devices -  or you can use your own cables to charge.  The station shuts off after 4.5 hours of charging to save energy.

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An update to Android 2.3.4 “Gingerbread” is now available for the AT&T Motorola Atrix 4G smartphone.  The update is marked v4.5.91. 

The update brings the latest version of the Android OS, along with various enhancements and fixes. 

To update, you must be connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot or network.  You may receive a notification that the update is available; if you do not, you can navigate to Settings > About Phone > System Updates to manually install the update. 

For more information including detailed release notes, visit this support page on the Motorola web site.

Samsung’s Galaxy S2 Android-powered smartphones are headed for the U.S. beginning next month.

The Galaxy S2 is one of the most advanced smartphones in the world.  With its zippy dual-core 1.2GHz Cortex-A9 Exynos CPU, 32GB ROM, 1GB of RAM, 1080p HD video recording, 8MP still camera, brilliant AMOLED+ display and slim form factor, many believe that it’s the Android phone to beat, even with the impressive additions we’ve seen so far in 2011.

Like the first-gen Galaxy S models, the S2s will be available from multiple American wireless carriers under different model names and with slight variations from unit to unit.  Here’s what we know – or think we know – so far about the U.S. versions of the Samsung Galaxy S2:

AT&T: The Galaxy S2 will come to AT&T as the Samsung Attain.  It’ll have HSDA+ “4G” wireless in addition to 3G, a 4.3-inch AMOLED display, a 2MP front-facing camera, Bluetooth 3.0 and a 1650mAh battery.  This may be the first S2 model we see in the U.S. starting next month, and will replace the Samsung Captivate.  Like all Galaxy S2 models, the Attain will run Android 2.3.x, aka Gingerbread.

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