Top 10 Luxury Resort in the world

Pack your bags! We have put together our list of the Top 10 Luxury Resorts in the world; where shimmering opulence is the norm, personal service is unrivaled and paradise is just a few steps from your room. Whether your idea of paradise is your own secluded sanctuary four degrees below the equator in Seychelles or being surrounded by ancient Roman ruins in Turkey, these resorts have got your greatest expectations covered and then some.

1. Wakaya Club, Fiji

Located in one of the most pristine corners of the South Pacific lies the Wakaya Club on the western side of Wakaya Island, Fiji. Known as “Paradise on Earth,” Fiji is surrounded by a protected coral reef and endless sandy white beaches. At the Wakaya Club, there are ten free standing waterfront cottages that each have 1,650 square feet of privacy as well as a private garden, spacious living room, personal wet bar, cathedral ceilings, indigenous yaka wood flooring, and individual hammocks strung between coconut palms. With natural beauty encompassing the island, there is always something to do whether you’re soaking up rays on the private beaches, hiking, jogging, golfing, or croquet

2. North Island, Seychelles

This particular island was specifically bought for one purpose: to restore and rehabilitate natural habitats on the island. They pride themselves with their “unceasing endeavor to turn back the ecological clock.” So it’s no surprise that each of the eleven Villas are handcrafted; made with wood, local stone, glass and thatched roofs to specifically honor nature and “offer a home-to-home ambiance” to their island vacationers. With crystal clear waters surrounding the establishment, there is a plethora of activities for their guests to partake in. Seychelles is a part of the largest coral reef system in the world so it’s no surprise that North Island has Open Water dive courses available with their very own Dive Centre. Other activities include snorkeling, sea kayaking, and fly fishing. Each of the Villas come with their own island buggy for guests to move freely throughout. Outdoor adventurers and nature lovers look no further, this is your ideal destination!

3. Turtle Island, Fiji

With the neighboring Yasawa Islands and Blue Lagoon in full view from every villa, Turtle Island is the perfect exotic destination. Every villa is artfully constructed by Fijian craftsman and each are built to be eco-friendly with a modern touch. The all-inclusive resort only hosts fourteen couples at a time ensuring ultimate privacy. The seven private beaches on the island beckons guests to relax, sunbathe, or ride horseback along the cascading waters.

4. Fregate Island Private, Seychelles

Four degrees south of the equator lies Fregate Island where unparalleled beauty is met with ultimate seclusion and magnificence. With a uniquely peaceful setting, the island also prides itself in preserving and protecting the wildlife as well as the fauna and flora that live there. Fregate is not only a romantic destination for two, but it is also family friendly with its very own Castaway Kids Clubhouse. Equipped with sixteen spacious villas with marble flooring and one Presidential villa, guests experience the rare luxury of space and serenity.

5. Hotel le Toiny, St Barts

Hotel le Toiny is situated in the area of the island known as Cote Sauvage overlooking the Bay of Toiny and the Caribbean Sea. Their fifteen bungalow suites are surrounded by lush, tropical vegetation that has a way of seducing everyone that visits with its beauty. Not only is this a perfect golfing destination, but its great for surfing and big game fishing as well. Other activities include their top-of-the-line body fitness and cardio gym and their relaxing Serenity Spa Cottage.

6. Burj Al-Arab, Dubai

Located along the spectacular Dubai coastline, the exquisite Burj Al- Arab resort was architecturally built to resemble a billowing sail. The resort is just minutes away from Jumeirah beach and provides full helicopter transfers and scenic tours. There are six award-winning restaurants within the resort with private reception areas on every floor and highly trained butlers at your service. If you really want to go all out, you can always upgrade your experience with a personal chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce

7. Le Sirenuse, Almafi Coast, Italy

In 1951, this elegant resort opened after the Marchese Sersale family renovated their old summer house and made it into a 59-room hotel. Located in the middle of the village of Positano, Le Sirenuse has an at home feel while still maintaining a hotel atmosphere. All of the rooms look over the Bay of Positano, have private terraces and balconies, and the flooring is ornately crafted with handmade tiles. The hotel resort has its own designer boutique and its very own fragrance line called Eau D’Italie.

8. Armani Hotel, Dubai

The Armani philosophy is to provide a home-away-from-home atmosphere while offering the very best service to its patrons. With its modern and sophisticated beauty, the hotel is nothing short of aesthetically pleasing with exclusive residences personally designed by its founder, Giorgio Armani. There are seven premier restaurants serving everything from Japanese to Italian cuisine.

9. W Hotel, Puerto Rico

The W Hotel Puerto Rico is where modern architecture meets natural aesthetics. Situated on the alluring Vieques Island, this resort is contemporary and stylishly eclectic. Every room has stunning views of Puerto Rico’s bioluminescent bay, abundant mountains, and the turquoise Caribbean. The spacious rooms also have pillow top mattresses, goose-down duvets, and 400-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. Indulge in some tasty libations at their famous WET bar and when those midnight cravings come, 24-hour in room dining service is just one buzz away.

10. Amanruya, Bodrum Peninsula, Turkey

Matched with classical history and natural beauty, Amanruya is in the heart of the Aegean region of Turkey. An all-season resort, Amanruya was named after the Sanskrit word for peace ‘aman’ and is Turkish for ‘dream.’ All of the resort’s pool terrace cottages have their own garden, private swimming pool and outdoor shower. They also offer a 50 meter swimming pool, tennis courts, a three-story library, boutique, art gallery, and two spa suites. The Mediterranean swallows you in her beauty and the ancient Roman ruins from ages past mesmerize everyone who visits Amanruya.

Credit to : http://mogultheory.com

Athlete Quotes

Lolo Jones

women's 50m hurdles winner

"I had not raced in so long. The question was, 'how was I going to react?' This year I have just been working on my core strength and speed. I didn't even know what the world record was. I knew that I had to go out there and just run. It felt good. What I learned from the Olympics last year is that anything can happen."

Asafa Powell

men's 50m winner

"I had a good time. It was the start and right away the race was over. I have proven I have a good start. I need to work on running the last part of the race. I don't even remember running the 60m before this. Right now I am very fit, but not fast. I have been working hard this week."

Veronica Campbell-Brown

women's 50m winner

"Not a lot of people have run the 50 meters. This is a step in the right direction. Now I have to get back to training. Hopefully this is a preview of what is to come. The start is the key. I felt okay. I have to watch the tape to see how things looked. Feeling something and seeing something are different. I just want to do my best and hopefully my best will be victorious."

Terrance Trammell

men's 50m hurdles winner

"I feel really good. This is a blessing more than anything. The life span for a hurdler to be at the highest level doesn't last 12 years. I'm having fun and I want to continue. My training isn't much different but I am focusing more on the recovery. I really wanted to come here and compete well. It was my first indoor meet since 2010. I'm extremely happy with the win and next week we will start working again."

David Oliver

second in men's 50m hurdles

"The 50m was kind of cool. There was an emphasis on the start, but it's the outdoor season that matters. Things really didn't feel any different. I'm just here having fun. This is definitely one of the best indoor meets around. There was a good crowd. I would have given anything to feel this good five or six months ago. I have to execute my start and I didn't execute it well. Terrence (Trammell) has an amazing start. He is a tough guy to beat indoors. Right now it's really competitive practices."

Bernard Lagat

second place in the men's mile

"Inside the race I knew I was going to have to change my strategy to win. I was a little disappointed with the time today. The atmosphere was the same (as the Millrose Games). I didn't feel anything different. The crowd was amazing. For Silas to come in and win his first meet is very good. That tells you how good he is."

Silas Kiplagat

men's mile winner

"Running against someone with so much experience was tough. It is a big win for me. It will help me to get ready for the Olympics. I can say the time was a bit slow. I was not knowing where we were going to be at."

Jesse Williams

men's high jump winner

"Last year I opened at 7-3 and this year I opened at 7-6 and it was good to get a win. It was an excellent way to start the year. Every competition matters. I was getting a little of the rust out and I just wanted to have fun. Dan (O'Brien) helped me out a little with the crowd. This is the second highest height I have opened at. To get a win is awesome. "I haven't had the target on my back on the world stage before but I have been the No. 1 rated jumper in the U.S. since 2006. It helps being a world champion. I know every time I step out I have to go all out. This is a good atmosphere to be in."

Renny Quow

Men's 600 yard winner

"It felt good. Training has been going good, I can't complain. It's still early, I can't complain.I came out here and did what I wanted to do, so I'm happy."

Bershawn Jackson

second place men's 600-yard

"I came into the indoor season not being too competitive. I wanted to use the indoor season to prepare for outdoors. This year I need to work on my sprint. When you take 15 strides instead of 13 (between hurdles in the 400m hurdles) you have to be strong. Last year I was injured and didn't have the base. Normally I start training in October or November and last year I started in January. I didn't have it last year. This year I'm working on getting that base. I love this meet. There is something about this place. When Michael Jordan has been here he put up big numbers, when Lebron James has been here he put up big numbers. I like this meet a lot."

Keshia Baker

women's 500-yard winner

"It was fun. I wanted to come out and have fun. The people here just told me what to do and I have an ability to just run. I knew I had to cut and there would be a bell lap. I'm glad to be here. I didn't really know the history (of Madison Square Garden). This if my first race as a professional and I'm glad for the opportunity. It was a great start. My family lives here and it was good they could come and see me."

Ryan Whiting

men's shot put winner

"It was a lot of fun, I was hear last year and got used to it. It was really my first professional meet last year, and it is a great atmosphere, the best in the U.S. "It's a lot of fun, I wish they would do more of this, with a distance based incentive system. They've been teaching me a ton. They are three guys I respect and they are always there with me telling me what to expect. It's great to beat World Champions and Olympic medalists."

Brenda Martinez

women's mile winner

"I just want to keep the momentum going, but off to a good start. I actually feel a lot stronger than I did a few years ago. I'm not even doing any speed right now, it's all based off strength."

Jillian Schwartz

women's pole vault winner

"It was my first meet of the year and it was good. I really didn't have any expectations coming into the meet. I started jumping really late in training. These are new poles for me and I just got them last week, so everything was kind of new to me, but it was good."

Ajeé Wilson

women's 800m runner-up

"It was very exciting, honestly I was kind of nervous coming into this race knowing everyone was faster than me and had run faster times. But I was also excited because I knew if they were running faster than me, they would pull me to a better time."

Credit to : http://www.runnersweb.com

Top U.N. nuclear team lands in Iran, state media reports

By the CNN Wire Staff

January 29, 2012 -- Updated 1846 GMT (0246 HKT)

(CNN) -- Top International Atomic Energy Agency officials arrived in Iran Sunday, state media reported, after the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog expressed fresh concerns that the Islamic republic was trying to develop nuclear weapons. The six-member delegation, including chief inspector Herman Nackaerts, arrived at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport, Press TV reported. "We are trying... to resolve all the outstanding issues with Iran," Nackaerts told reporters earlier, as he was about to leave Vienna, Austria, according to Press TV. "We are looking forward to the start of a dialogue, a dialogue that is overdue."

A mission to Iran by such a senior team -- which also includes the agency's second-in-command, Rafael Grossi -- is unusual, the agency said when it announced the visit on Monday. The team is due to be in Iran through Tuesday, the IAEA says. The announcement of the mission came shortly after the European Union imposed a tough round of new sanctions on Iran, aimed at cutting off funding to the country's nuclear program. The United States and Australia have also ramped up sanctions on Iran in the past week.

The United States and its allies think Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies it. Speaking Friday at the Davos Forum in Switzerland, energy agency Director General Yukiya Amano told reporters the visit is intended "to clarify the issues with possible military dimensions. "We are not very sure whether Iran has declared everything and, therefore, we are not very sure that everything stays in peaceful purpose," he said. "In addition, we have information that Iran has engaged in activities related to the development of nuclear weapons. Therefore, we need to clarify."

"The preparations have gone well, but we need to see what actually happens when the mission arrives," he said. Inspectors are in and out of the country regularly, an agency spokeswoman said Monday, but a high-level visit of the kind taking place at the end of the month is more unusual. Iran's envoy to the energy agency said Saturday he was hopeful the trip will "resolve any ambiguity and show (our) transparency and cooperation with the agency."

"This trip is aimed at neutralizing enemy plots ... and baseless allegations, and proving the peaceful nature of our nuclear activities," Ali Asghar Soltanieh told state-run Islamic Republican News Agency. Amano said that the energy agency proposed the mission, and Iranian authorities "agreed to accept" it. But the Islamic news agency reported Nackaerts is traveling at Tehran's invitation.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said he was ready to discuss the program with a group of world powers that have been having on-and-off negotiations with the country over its nuclear ambitions -- including Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. The energy agency reported in November that it can no longer verify that the Iranian nuclear program remains peaceful, and Iran is under increasing international pressure to halt its nuclear fuel work.

Western sanctions have targeted its currency, the rial, driving up prices for goods within Iran, and the European Union announced Monday that it would stop importing Iranian oil as of July 1 in an effort to starve the country's nuclear program of funding. In response, an Iranian official said Sunday that Tehran would stop oil exports to "certain countries," soon, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi made the statement after a cabinet meeting Sunday, as Iranian lawmakers are debating whether to halt oil exports to European countries, IRNA reported.

Credit to : http://edition.cnn.com

Worls champion dinghy crew on top of the world

AUSTRALIA'S world champion 470 dinghy crew Malcolm Page and Mathew Belcher have won a gold medal at the World Cup in the US. The pair entered Saturday's medal race off Miami's coast with a commanding 10-point lead over Dutch brothers Sven and Kalle Coster and having already guaranteed at least a silver medal. Page and Belcher, who are key Olympic medal hopes this year, finished the race last in light and variable conditions.

But the Coster brothers only managed eighth, giving Page and Belcher overall victory by six points. It is the first time in four attempts that the Australian duo has won in Miami. "It's nice to finally get the win here. We've been second the last three years and I can tell you that one first is always better than three seconds," Belcher said.

Page and Belcher won a silver medal at the first World Cup event of the season, in Melbourne in November. They next head to the northern hemisphere to compete in European World Cup regattas and begin preparations for the Olympics.

Australian women's match racing team Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty took a silver medal in Miami. The trio lost out in the final race to gold medal winner Britain. Australian sailor Brendan Casey finished fourth in the Finn class.

Credit to : http://www.theaustralian.com.au

Monk and a tiger

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7 of the Healthiest Foods You Should Be Eating But Aren't

By Matthew Thompson, Associate Food Editor for EatingWell Magazine

When it comes to choosing what to eat, I like to get a lot of nutritional bang for my buck, so to speak. The best deals? “Superfoods” that are far more plentiful in nutrients than they are in calories and that research has shown deliver health benefits. You’re probably already eating a lot of everyday superfoods -- like bananas, eggs and broccoli -- and maybe even some exotic ones. (Acai, anyone?)

But what about the power-packed foods filled with good-for-you vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytochemicals you aren’t eating? Rather than rattling off a laundry list of every fiber-rich, antioxidant-packed, vitamin-saturated food I can imagine, I’m going to focus on seven of the healthiest foods that I, and probably many of you, have mostly missed the boat on eating, especially on a regular basis.

1. Kale

2. Sardines

3. Pomegranate

4. Oatmeal

5. Quinoa

6. Kefir

7. Lentils

Zhangjiajie, China

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Apple in 2012: Things to expect?

Posted By: Dattatreya Mandal

For many of us tech enthusiasts, the year 2011 will be marked with baleful essence of the exalted Steve Job's demise. Yet on the technological and commercial front, Apple did take quite a few progressive strides. The year was started with the launching of Mac OS X 10.6.6 Snow Leopard. They followed it up with a newer digital download marketplace and suites, ultimately culminating in the much touted Mac OS X Lion (the very first PC OS in digitally downloaded format). Regarding mobile devices, Apple also debuted their awaited iPad 2, infused with a more boisterous A5 processor.

The second half of the year will be chiefly remembered for the announcement of Apple's very own cloud computing service (iCloud) and the introduction of the next iteration of iPhone (in the form of iPhone 4S). And finally to aptly seal the fruitful year, the company released the fourth generation of iPod Touch with a slimmer design and Retina Display.

Deliverables 2012:

Now, we can all agree that 2011 had been a commercially successful year for Apple. But if the rapturous buzz is anything to go by, the company has even bigger plans for 2012. So, without further ado, let us briefly check out some of probable Apple concoctions for this year.

iPhone 5

Of course, this product should be the first on our list, just to satiate our geeky senses. Now, what we call a proper iPhone 5 should have a wealth of features over its predecessor. This includes an A6 processor (possibly with a more powerful quad core set up), an ergonomic and even sleeker design, with a larger display. Finally, the wish list should be complete with LTE support and NFC features.

iPad 3

Quite logically, Apple should also notch it up a level in the tablet segment with the robust iPad 3. According to rumors, this next version of iPad will seriously pack a punch with its A6 quad core processor, integrated Siri personal assistant and a better camera system. But the definitive element would surely be the whopping 1536 x 2048 pixels, 330-dpi Retina screen, as compared to its previously paltry 1024 x 768 pixels, 132-dpi resolution iPad 2 display.

Improvement in iCloud

While, iCloud was certainly a welcome step for many a Apple user, there is still some avenues which can be addressed for improvement. This is true, when we consider the syncing criteria between Macs and PCs. But on every major networking field, the integration of desktops for this syncing purpose remains important, especially when reaching out to greater number of users.

Apple TV

With the grapevine ripe with rumors of grandiose iPhones and fascinating iPads, shall we be witness to the next iteration of Apple TV in the form of ever elusive iTV? The chances are bright, but the scope of improvement for these 'media receivers' (along with brand new TV sets) is still a subject to conjecture. Maybe, the designers can contrive an innovative system that will include a wealth of features like a full App Store, iCloud support and even Siri related attributes.

New Mac

Now, the Mac realm has been the area where Apple has arguably given the least of its concentration in 2011. But on the brighter side, we do see a righteous trend of Apple going for more classy, subtle and slimmer models, when it comes to laptop computing. As a matter of fact, if MacBook Air Pro is anything to go by, we can come across an even more svelte design consideration for a newer Mac of 2012.

Successor to Mac OS X Lion

Lion was a much anticipated follow up to the Snow Leopard platform. In relation to this, Apple is known for capitalizing on its success, and thus we can actually look forth to a successor to Mac OS X Lion in 2012. But unfortunately we cannot make any educated guesses about this next generation OS, except for the system will more likely to be conducive to an improved iCloud service (with better PC integration).

iOS 6

Traditionally, Apple has released updates to its exalted mobile OS every year since 2007. So, as aficionados we know iOS 5.0.1 is going to get an update for 2012. The only question remains that will this update be comprehensive enough to go up to version 6 or stay within the constraints of the current fifth generation.

Improvised SIRI

From an unbiased perspective, SIRI was one among a few features that really counted (as a credible user oriented software) in iPhone 4S. Fueled by this success, Apple will obviously look forth for a technological evolution of its voice software assistant. This will include the incorporation of other languages, improved response to colloquial phrases and, most importantly, its availability in other Apple devices such as iPad and iPod.

Credit to : http://digg.com

Top Fitness Trends 2012 - Calorie Intake Counter A Digital Food Journal

Posted in Article on January 27, 2012

A calorie intake counter is a digital food journal. The advantages of a calorie intake counter over a pen and paper journal is that the amount of calories in each food are already programmed into the counter. This means that you get a running total of the amount of calories you have consumed throughout the day.

One of the biggest problems that dieters have is that they have no idea of the actual calories they are consuming. For one thing, they underestimate the actual portions they are eating. They also underestimate the calories in each portion. Many foods that are supposedly “good” for us are very high in calories. For instance, a one cup serving of orange juice has 122 calories. Many dieters try to stick to a 1200 calorie diet. So, that glass of orange juice, which is supposedly part of a “balanced” breakfast, takes up 1/10th of the calories for the day! A calorie intake counter will help you avoid pitfalls like this one.

It will also provide a running total of the amount of calories you have had. So, if you have an extra cookie at lunch, you will know that you have to make up for it by exercising more or eating less at dinner.

As the calorie intake counter works like a journal, you will be able to identify your “trouble spots” after using it for just a week. For instance, you may find that the lunch options you have at work force you into eating more calories than you would “budget” for that meal. Therefore, you might make the choice to pack your own lunch so that you can have your calories spread out through the day in a way that you would prefer.

You will also be able to track how many calories you are burning with a calorie intake counter. Again, you may be surprised by some of the results. For instance, running a mile can burn off 78 calories if you are a 120 pound woman and 117 calories if you are a 180 pound man. Knowing exactly how many calories you are burning rather than just estimating is a good way to stay on track as far as losing weight.

Another thing that might surprise you is that you can burn calories by doing things you wouldn’t consider exercise. For instance, playing with your children, playing the piano, and gardening all burn calories.

A calorie intake counter is a sophisticated journal to help you keep track of your weight loss journey. You can buy them as stand alone devises or buy add ons to your iPhone, PDA, or other electronic equipment. In this day and age when we keep track of everything electronically, a calorie intake counter is just one more tool in the battle of the bulge.

Credit to : http://digg.com

Top 10 Best Upcoming Android ICS Smartphones 2012

Posted In Android, Mobile - By Kent On Sunday, January 29th, 2012

Say, Do you have any idea about this year’s upcoming Android ICS Smartphone? If you do, then you’re probably thinking of getting one. It may take a while but this year will surely be filled with lots of high-end smartphones that will, of course, be powered by Google’s latest Android platform. The Galaxy Nexus may have been the world’s first phone to be equipped with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich but it would be a lot better if you can choose the one that’s ideal for your needs.

That is one of the main reasons why we have compiled a list for this year’s best upcoming Android ICS smartphones. We want you to have a choice and we want you to choose the phone that you like most. So, without further ado, feel free to scroll over our list below. The phones are in random order though.

1 – Huawei Ascend P1

The Ascend P1 is a decent-looking handset that’s made by Huawei, one of the leading manufacturers of budget-friendly Android devices. But it seems that this phone won’t be as affordable as the rest. Officially announced at the recent CES, the smartphone flaunts a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Capacitive Touchscreen Display with Corning Gorilla Glass and full screen resolution of 540 x 960 pixels. Though there are speculations that the handset will be sold under the $600 price tag, its official retail price remains unannounced.

Status: Officially Announced

Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Processor: 1.5GHz Dual Core TI OMAP 4460 Cortex A9

RAM and Storage: 1GB of RAM and 4GB of ROM

External Memory: up to 32GB micro SD

Camera: 8MP with auto focus, geo-tagging and LED flash (rear) / 1.3MP (front)

Display: 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Capacitive 540 x 960p Display

Weight: 130 grams

2 – Huawei Ascend P1 S

The Huawei Ascend P1 S is the slimmer counterpart of the Ascend P1. Sporting a sleek form factor that doesn’t go any thicker than 6.7mm, the handset’s specs can somewhat be compared to its thicker variant. It has also been speculated that the phone will be priced somewhere in between $300 – $400 and will cost a bit more than the Ascend P1.

Status: Officially Announced

Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Processor: 1.5GHz Dual Core TI OMAP 4460 Cortex A9

RAM and Storage: 1GB of RAM and 4GB of ROM

External Memory: up to 32GB micro SD

Camera: 8MP with auto focus, geo-tagging and LED flash (rear) / 1.3MP (front)

Display: 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Capacitive 540 x 960p Display

Weight: 130 grams

3 – HTC Edge

Fresh from the rumor mill is the Tegra 3 powered HTC Edge. The smartphone will no doubt be part of this year’s quad core line-up. There’s no clear statement that could confirm the phone’s official date of release but leaks have been eyeing for a possible late Q1 – early Q2 launch. The phone’s price remains unknown

Status: Not Officially Announced

Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Sense UI

Processor: 1.5GHz Quad Core NVIDIA Tegra 3

RAM and Storage: 1GB of RAM

External Memory: up to 32GB micro SD

Camera: 8MP with auto focus, geo-tagging and LED flash with front facing camera

Display: 4.7 inch Capacitive Touch Screen 720 x 1280p Display

Weight: unknown

4 – HTC Primo

The fourth ICS-powered smartphone in the list is the HTC Primo. Unlike its quad core cousin, the Primo will be equipped with a 1GHz Dual Core Processor. So they say, the handset will be offered as a mid-ranged handset with pretty decent features and specs. But what makes this phone even more tempting is that it will have its Beats Audio system. The HTC Primo will be sold around $300 to $400 and will most likely hit the shelves by Q3 2012.

Status: Not Officially Announced

Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Sense UI

Processor: 1GHz Dual Core CPU

RAM and Storage: 512MB of RAM

External Memory: up to 32GB micro SD

Camera: 5MP with auto focus and geo-tagging

Display: 3.7 inch Super AMOLED Capacitive Touch Screen Display

Weight: unknown

5 – HTC Ville

Similar to the HTC Primo, the HTC Ville will also be equipped with Beats Audio. But that’s not all. The handset will also be one of HTC’s thinnest smartphones. Recent leaks have also stated that the sub-8mm thick mobile device will soon be making its long-awaited debut at T-Mobile. Do expect that you will be required to avail the carrier’s two-year network subscription. The phone’s price remains to be told.

Status: Not Officially Announced

Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Sense UI 4.0

Processor: 1.5GHz Dual Core CPU

RAM and Storage: unknown

External Memory: up to 32GB micro SD

Camera: 8MP with auto focus, geo-tagging and LED Flash / Secondary front-facing camera

Display: 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Capacitive Touch Screen 540 x 960p Display

Weight: unknown

6 – LG X3

If you’re currently looking for a quad core handset, then you’d better not miss this new phone from LG. Dubbed as the LG X3, the handset will most likely be making its first ever public appearance at the forthcoming 2012 MWC. Appearance wise, the smartphone looks very slim (which will probably be less than 9mm thick) and it will also be equipped with a long-lasting 2000 mAh battery. There are also speculations stating that the X3 will be launched by the end of this year’s second quarter. Sadly, the phone’s price remains unknown.

Status: Not Officially Announced

Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Processor: 1GHz Quad Core CPU

RAM and Storage: 1GB of RAM with 16GB of storage

External Memory: up to 32GB micro SD

Camera: 8MP with auto focus, geo-tagging and LED flash / 1.3MP front facing camera

Display: 4.7 inch IPS LCD Capacitive Touch Screen 720 x 1280p Display

Weight: unknown

7 – Sony Xperia S

Of all the phones that we have mentioned, the Sony Xperia S can definitely be considered as one of the most elegant-looking phones of this year. As of now, the phone can be pre-ordered at selected UK e-retailers for £450 that’s more or less equivalent to $700. There’s no exact date as to when the phone will be officially launched but some stores have already claimed that the Xperia S will be put on sale by the 5th of March. As of now, the phone is currently being offered with Android Gingerbread but Sony did promise to upgrade the handset’s firmware to Android Ice Cream Sandwich.

Status: Officially Announced

Operating System: Android 2.3 Gingerbread (upgradeable to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich)

Processor: 1.GHz Dual Core Qualcomm MSM8260 Snapdragon

RAM and Storage: 1GB of RAM with 32GB of internal storage

External Memory: NONE

Camera: 12MP with auto focus, geo-tagging and LED Flash

Display: 4.3 inch LED Backlit LCD Capacitive Touchscreen 720 x 1280p Display

Weight: 144 grams

8 – Sony Xperia Ion

If you think that the Sony Xperia S is too classy, then you might as well check this newly-announced phone from Sony. Dubbed as the Sony Xperia Ion, the handset can definitely take pride of its modern-styled form factor. Just like the Xperia S, the Ion’s Android Gingerbread firmware will later on be upgraded to Android 4.0. The phone’s official date of release remains unknown (sometime around Q2) but it has already been revealed that the phone will be part of AT&T’s blazing-fast 4G LTE network. Guess you will have to save some money even if the phone’s price has still been left untold.

Status: Officially Announced

Operating System: Android 2.3 Gingerbread (upgradeable to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich)

Processor: 1.GHz Dual Core Qualcomm MSM8260 Snapdragon

RAM and Storage: 1GB of RAM with 16GB of internal storage

External Memory: up to 32GB of micro SD

Camera: 12MP with auto focus, geo-tagging, LED Flash, 3D sweep panorama and face/smile detection

Display: 4.55 inch LED Backlit LCD Capacitive Touchscreen 720 x 1280p Scratch-Resistant Display

Weight: 144 grams

9 – Sony Ericsson LT22i Nypon

Still in the rumor mill, the Sony Ericsson LT22i Nypon has recently made an appearance in the NenaMark Benchmark. Though the phone’s official date of release remains unannounced, a lot are speculating that Sony will unveil their fruity-flavored Nyphon at the MWC next month. Even so, a recently leaked roadmap has revealed that the handset will most likely be put on sale sometime around April under its 370 Euro (around $450) price tag.

Status: Not Officially Announced

Operating System: Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread with Timescape UI (upgradeable to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich)

Processor: Dual Core NovaThor U8500 Chipset

RAM and Storage: 1GB of RAM with 16GB of internal storage

External Memory: no micro SD card slot

Camera: 8MP with auto focus, geo-tagging, LED Flash, 3D sweep panorama and smile detection / 1.3MP 720p front facing camera

Display: 4.0 inch LED Backlit LCD Capacitive Touchscreen 540 x 960p Display

Weight: unknown

10 – Samsung Galaxy S III GT-I9300

Of course, who would let this phone slip out from our list! We’re speaking of the next-gen Samsung Galaxy S smartphone aka the Samsung Galaxy S III. There’s no word as to when this phone will arrive in the market but we’ve been hearing some reports that the handset will appear at next month’s Mobile World Congress. It is also very expected that the Galaxy S 3 will part of this year’s pool of high-end handsets.

Status: Not Officially Announced

Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with TouchWiz UI 4.0

Processor: 1.8GHz Quad Core Exynos 4212 Chipset

RAM and Storage: 2GB of RAM with 16GB – 32GB of internal storage

External Memory: up to 32GB of micro SD storage

Camera: 12MP with auto focus, geo-tagging, LED Flash, face and smile detection / 2MP front facing camera

Display: 4.6 inch Super AMOLED Plus Capacitive Touchscreen 720 x 1280p Display with Corning Gorilla Glass Protection

Weight: unknown

Credit to : http://digg.com