Leave it up to our team of global ninjas — we’ve just got a shot of what we’re told will be one of Dell’s Android devices coming later this year. Yes, you heard that right — multiple handsets coming from Dell. It’s been rumored for a while, but we’re able to confidently report Dell is looking to introduce both 2G and 3G model devices in the near future. We don’t have any hard specs or even a name for the device pictured above, but we are able to report one thing: that UI is worse than Samsung’s TouchWiz interface cross-bred with a sea mammal.

Thanks, Daddy G.!

If you’re one of those people who hates it when celebrities meddle with your phones, you might want to skip this one. We’ve known for about a month now that U2 has partnered up with RIM for U2’s upcoming “U2 360″ World tour, but according to Canada’s Globe and Mail, there might just be a bit more to the RIM/U2 deal than a bunch of BlackBerry posters and SWAG at concert venues. When asked about the partnership, Bono had this to say, “I’m very excited about this. Research In Motion is going to give us what Apple wouldn’t — access to their labs and their people so we can do something really spectacular.” When asked if this meant that there is a possibility of a custom BlackBerry app that would allow the band to communicate with their BlackBerry-toting fans, Bono only responded with “you’re not far off.” Now, we’re not ones for unsubstantiated rumors at BGR, but was Bono trying to hint at a special edition BlackBerry loaded with U2 content much like 2004’s U2 Special Edition iPod? Perhaps a Product RED BlackBerry seeing as Bono was a founder of the initiative? We’re not too sure, but if all that does come out of this is a crummy app, color us unimpressed especially since there was all that talk of a “shared vision” when the partnership was announced.

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Apple and pop band U2 have long enjoyed a successful business relationship that proved to the world there is such a thing as an overwhelming display of smugness. It all started back in 2004 with the release of the iPod U2 Special Edition but now it looks like those days are over. RIM has signed on as official tour sponsor of U2’s upcoming “U2 360″ tour which will see U2 play in both Europe and North America. U2’s manager has already hailed this partnership as something that will foster a “shared vision”, but we’re not too sure we even want to know what that could possibly be.

There’s no official word yet on this one, but rumors are already circulating that John Mayer (who left Apple for a free BlackBerry Bold) is desperately trying to fill the void felt in Cupertino by winning back Apple’s heart via the sloppiest seconds the world has ever seen. Seeing as Mayer has no plans for a world tour let alone new album however, we doubt very much that Apple will take him back. Guess he’ll have to keep resorting to creative ways of earning income as the global recession has left his fanbase of pre-teens and pensioners without a penny to spare. Pitty.

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Last time we scooped a T-Mobile promotion it was so well received that we just had to go and do it again. While the prizes are way more intense this time around, compared to a free companion flight that may or may not have been handed over at least, the biggest news takes the form of a sweepstakes with one lucky winner. We’ve also got the word on a few new T-Mobile campaigns so let’s get right to it.

• myFaves Shot of a Lifetime: T-Mobile customers can enter for a chance to win a trip to the NBA Playoffs for you and your friends (Faves) as well as the opportunity to play a game of HORSE against… You guessed it… Dwyane Wade. If you’re smart you’ll just go ahead and consider that the whole prize – if the lucky T-Mobler manages to beat Wayde he/she will take home an even $50K but we really don’t see that happening. T-Mobile’s microsite is already up, though you can’t enter on the site until March 4th. Entry via SMS however, is set to begin this coming Wednesday.
• Jam Session: Pinky will be hosting an NBA Jam Session to take place during All-Star weekend where fans can get their game on in an interactive basketball theme park. There will also be an opportunity to watch a soon-to-be-named NBA player coach a kids clinic. Those of you in the Phoenix area can already see a massive T-Mobile ad on the Bank of America building near the arena featuring Dwight Howard, Yao Ming and Dwyane Wade.
• Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam game: To kick off All-Star weekend today, T-Mobile will host its third annual Rookie Challenge where 3,500 students from around the country will go to the game after having completed fitness, nutrition and community service requirements during the school year thus far. Dwight Howard and D-Wade will also be on hand as coaches during the Youth Jam games.
• New Commercials: Beginning today, T-Mobile also has a new myFaves commercial with Dwight Howard and other All-Stars. As soon as it begins airing it will also be up on T-Mobile’s YouTube channel.

Awesome? Exciting? Mind-blowing? Boring? Snooze-fest? Let us know in the comments.

If you’re one of the lucky ones that I’ve let follow me on Twitter, you’ll know that yesterday the BGR team hit Fat Joe and Akon’s music video shoot for “One”. Fat Joe’s a BGR buddy, but Akon has eluded our HD camcorders until now. Check out our brief interviews with both of them on the tour bus. Quick takeaways? Joe uses a Boost Mobile i880, Akon uses a BlackBerry Bold, and RIM, AT&T and Colorware need to start cutting us some checks.

Since the first iPhone was announced two years ago today, manufacturers of pretty much anything and everything electronic have been trying to cash in on the insatiable consumer demand for anything with a touchscreen. They’re definitely convenient, but a lot of times they seem to be more of a hassle than a benefit due to bloated GUIs that give some people, such as the legally blind, great difficulties. It was because of this that music legend Stevie Wonder went to CES yesterday to ask electronics manufacturers to consider those with visual ailments when designing devices. It might seem like a bit of a strange move considering that less that 0.5% of Americas are legally blind, but good ol’ Stevie raised a good point as to why his plea could benefit all. “We don’t want to hold up technological progress. What we’re saying is, think about the interface and set it up in such a way that it’s simple. The simpler you make the user interface of a product, it’s going to reach more people sighted or blind.” Well, it’s hard to argue with logic.

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With the Storm coming out soon, Blackberry is throwing a little shindig in Los Angeles later this evening with Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age providing the entertainment! A few who were in the know sent text messages to a specific number to try to win tickets to the show. The following morning, the winners were sent text messages with instructions on how to get into the show. Guess who’s going to be there? That’s right, the BGR team will be putting up pictures and giving you updates live from the party so be sure to check back here every so often after 7:30PM PST! Anyone else in the L.A. area going to the show? Hit us up!

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Not something terribly new, but kind of cool nonetheless. VH1 picked up some footage from our Pharrell interview earlier in the year and used in one of their episodes of The Fabulous Life. If you missed the interview we did or just want to check out some “geeked out hotness” including Pharrell’s famous solid gold iPhone, check the video!

Throughout the ages, mothers have always lectured their kids about the virtues of modesty, but it looks like some employees working at RIM never got that little nugget of advice. In a PowerPoint presentation courtesy of a RIM ninja, RIM shamefully proudly displays images of Lindsay Lohan, Michael Phelps, Cameron Diaz, John Mayer, Brad & Angelina, and Jessica Alba. But it gets even more lame. In a presentation note the following is written:

“In Australia, we have celebrities such as Jennifer Hawkins and Jamie Jury using BB
Micheal Phelps got a message on his BB from the president after winning 8 gold medals at recent olympics!!!!” [sic]

Look, all companies are proud when celebrities use and endorse their products because it means that they 1) have a degree of “cool” to them (whatevz, but it’s true), and 2) there are legions of obsessive fans out there who buy whatever their favorite starlets have. But the fact that there are people at RIM who get such a hard-on from celebrities that they start using paparazzi photos, misspelling names like Michael, and have to include not one but three exclamation marks is just absurd.

Larger photo after the break.

We know, we know, you’ve heard this all before… but we’re serious this time! Promise. We’ve totally overhauled the show format, brought along the world-famous DJ Clue to help host and produce, and we’ve got some kick-ass celebrities lined up! In this first episode, we’ve got interviews with Kim Kardashian, Carmelo Anthony, and Mary J. Blige. Carmelo doesn’t know what social networks are, Kim Kardashian loves her Curve, and Mary J. sends over a million emails a month on her BlackBerry. Hot stuff, right? Make sure you check out the full episode below. Big big shout out to TeleNav for sponsoring the show, and make sure y’all check back in every couple weeks — we’re going in!

Click on over to BGR Radio!

…is this the new mug for Vista? Our beloved, impeccable, and extremely user-friendly Windows OS? All kidding aside, it seems like Windows is still desperate as ever to push Vista into your home or office if you haven’t been forced to take it already. After a year-and-a-half on the market, Microsoft’s Vista has still been taking a backseat to Windows XP and pirated copies of XP Pro and other XP variants. Companies like Dell have even offered to install XP into their computers for free, though at one point there was a premium to pay for choosing XP over Vista. That’s not even counting how many people have “downgraded” to XP from Vista directly. With a reception like that, what is a company to do? Hire celebrities!

As we know, Microsoft is pouring $300 million into a huge ad campaign attempting to convince us Vista isn’t terrible – and Jerry Seinfeld’s help may just be the beginning. It’s also rumored that funny-boys Will Ferrell and Chris Rock are being considered for this face lift. With that kind of financial and celebrity backing, who knows? It just might be enough for people to overlook Vista’s shortcomings. You know what they say, if it ain’t broke, why fix it? And if it is broke, why fix it when you can push it with smart heavy advertising and famous celebrities? Expect to see them around starting September 4.

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“Stop hating and post my spy pictures of video mode haaaa.” Ok, Clue. Done. Next time just try not to send us grainy ass pictures. Thanks. One more shot after the break!

Pharrell and N.E.R.D. are hooking up 10 lucky BGR readers with a copy of their newest album, Seeing Sounds. How do you win? You know us, we don’t make it difficult. Just drop a comment below and we’ll choose 10 people at random. No fancy entries rules! Make sure to use a valid email address when commenting so we can contact you if you won. We’ll run this until this Friday! Regardless, hit the link to goto iTunes and check out the album which is straight crazy!

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We’re back with another episode of BGR Radio! This time we link up with fellow tech-fiend Just Blaze at Baseline Studios in New York. We did this around 3AM on Thursday morning, so forgive us if we’re not 100% on the ball. Well, what do we cover in this episode? Everything! We hit on the BlackBerry KickStart, a new exclusive look at a new RIM BlackBerry, Logic and Pro Tools, T-Mobile’s new Sidekicks and 3G network, and a whole lot else! Listen to it below on BGR, or subscribe to it in iTunes. Part two will be up here shortly.

iTunes

Download Part 1

Download Part 2

We’re suckers for a good giveaway around here, and BGR confidant Just Blaze is bringing some serious damage with this one. Everyone’s favorite Super Producer is giving away his very own PS3, along with a couple of other goodies. In addition to the PS3, one lucky winner will walk away with a copy of Transformers: The Game as well as a limited edition JB endorsed LRG T-Shirt. All you have to do is hit the jump and leave a comment telling him why you deserve to win. Simple? We thought so. Best act quickly though, as there’s no telling when this one will close for good. As an added bonus, the winner will be cast as Starscream in Just’s upcoming live-action Transformers-The Movie sequel.

UPDATE: Thanks for the comments, everyone, but in order to officially enter you have to head on over to themegatrondon2.com and leave a comment there. Comments left on BGR will not enter you into the giveaway. Hit the Read link for the full rundown.

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We just met up with Pharrell at the studio for a quick interview and we covered a wide variety of topics. From his gold iPhones and BlackBerrys, to this new online art gallery he put us onto, to world-traveling, we got it on camera! We also drop a few hints at the end about what we’re working on…It’s going to be war out there on the streets!

We caught up with recording artist Sean Kingston here at CES who was performing for a Sony Corporate showcase. He’s definitely on the ball when it comes to gadgets; an iPod Touch, Sidekick LX, Sony Ericsson phones, and a home recording studio. Now, where are all those "Beautiful Girls" he talks about…

Now that you’ve heard the news, we thought it was time to break things down and add a little more of what we know. When we said Apple and Jay-Z were starting a record label, it doesn’t mean that Jay is running it. It just means they are doing it together. What we think will happen is Jay will be on as an "urban" artist, and Apple will go out and make similar deals with other rock and country artists. But Jay-Z has 2 albums left at Def Jam, right? Well, he’s going to develop and attract artists like he did at Def Jam as president. Jay has the power to get artists on the radio, get them media ops, etc. Having him on board for urban artists is the ultimate stamp of approval, and makes total sense. We see this working as a straight distribution model, with little, but some marketing support. I guess Ringles weren’t enough to satisfy the fans…

This one’s been floating around like a hot air balloon, but we’ve just about confirmed it. For those that don’t know, Jay-Z left Def Jam as President last month, and everyone’s been talking about where he’s heading. While this might be one of his many other venutures, we just heard that Jay-Z is launching a record label with Apple. No, Beyonce will not be formally attached. This is from a high-up person attached to Jay (no, not who you’re thinking), and it’s said to be a go! Jay is supposedly totally into the business model, and really wants this to happen. Hey, Apple! Send us some MacWorld passes, and we’ll cut down on the leaks, ‘kay?

There isn’t too much to write about here. The goldmaster himself, Pharrell Williams, has upgraded from the BlackBerry 8800 we saw a little while ago, to a solid gold iPhone done by the one and only Jacob the Jeweler. 18k solid gold, and the best part? The black plastic piece at the bottom of the iPhone where the antenna is housed was not touched. What does this mean? Full service unlike the other gold devices. Let us know if you want help jailbreakin’ that bitch, P! One more shot after the jump!

You’re damn right! The Doggfather himself, Snoop Dogg, loves to get news of leaked BlackBerry specs, UMPC battles, and heck, maybe even a diamond-studded Playstation controller, right here on The Boy Genius Report. You dig’?

We’re going to use the excuse that Paris Hilton usually has the hottest new gadgets/cell phones as our tie-in to why we should post this. But to be honest, this really doesn’t have much to do with anything…we just thought this was hilarious:

GAUHATI, India (AP) – In a November story, The Associated Press incorrectly reported that Paris Hilton was praised by conservationists for highlighting the problem of binge-drinking elephants in northeastern India. Lori Berk, a publicist for Hilton, said she never made any comments about helping drunken elephants in India.  

Some love Xbox, some love Wii, but it looks like the Playstation’s got a serious fan, right? Made of 18k solid white gold and over 68.34ct of black diamonds, this is one impressive Playstation controller chain. The question we ask you, dear readers, is who’s chain is it? Jay-Z, Paris, or Shaquille O’Neal? Well, none of them. To find who rocks the rocks, hit the jump!

It’s BGR buddy Just Blaze, of course!

UPDATE: Just wants to tell all y’all to STFU! "It pays to have rich friends, get you some! It was a gift."

Jay-Z is retired. Yet, his new album "American Gangster," is trying bigger than ever. But, it will never find its way onto iTunes, namely because Jay Hova doesn’t want the record parted out track-by-track. “Let me make it clear – I don’t have a problem with iTunes. It’s just our interests were not in line,” he said. “No one can dictate to an artist, any artist, how they should express themselves.” Not to argue with someone who’s found so much success, but wouldn’t an "Album Only" option on iTunes solve the problem? Surely, someone of Jay-Z’s status could command a slightly different execution of essentially the same plan. Oh, we get it! ITunes sales don’t count as SoundScan, so the unretired "Roc Boy" wants to get as many scanned numbers as possible. Sneaky, sneaky!

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Me and Just Blaze killin’ the red carpet last night at T-Mobile’s Shadow launch party. Did anyone see me? No, because I am the Shadow…

We had a great event tonight! Diddy showed up to support BGR and check out the AT&T Tilt, Michael Strahan got it poppin’ in the VIP, Fabolous rocked the stage, DJ Clue released a "Desert Storm" on the turntables, and Just Blaze provided nothing less than musical perfection for the crowd. We’re forgetting people, but thanks to everyone that came out and partied with us! Super big shout out to AT&T for believing in us enough to sponsor our event and partake in the festivities, and also a big thanks to TeleNav (without them, we wouldn’t have found the venue). More updates later, but for now we’ve put together some quick pics in the gallery!

Take a look at our one-year anniversary event!

Just a tad better than Master P, don’t you say? If there was any question about it, T-Mobile has started to build a buzz around their upcoming Sidekick LX handset due to be released October 24th. I’d say that about the Sidekick Slide, but there hasn’t been much more than pictures released and let’s be real…We totally p0wned that! We love you, T-Mobile!

Motorola’s really not stopping with the David Beckham ads! Take a look at a new Korean ad featuring Becks donning a Motorola RAZR 2 chain. Hey, at least they know how to get people’s attention. Unlike some other manufacturer we know of…Ladies, does this make you want to move to Korea and buy a RAZR 2? Or could you not care less? Just wondering.

[Via GeekSugar]

Have you ever dreamt of being the personal assistant to the rich and powerful? Here’s your chance. Diddy, aka P. Diddy (only in England) aka Sean Combs, aka Puff Daddy, has decided to tap into the younger market in his quest for a new assistant. The music mogul is accepting online applications in the form of YouTube video auditions. Prospective candidates are encouraged to apply by posting their very own YouTube clip, 3 minutes or less, explaining precisely why they would be a suitable successor to the venerable Fonzworth Bentley. Be warned, however, that Diddy has quite the temper, and is known for his bizarre, and frequent requests. You may find yourself fetching a sugar cookie from Spanish Harlem before you know it. Applicants must possess a college degree of some sort. Over 600 people have applied thus far, so get to your digicam and make us proud!

[Via NYTimes]

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In an charity event for Keep A Child Alive, a bidder jumped to the front of the pack by offering $100,000 for an iPhone purchased by director Spike Lee for the charity. Included in the package are two Jawbone bluetooth headsets, two round-trip domestic airline tickets, and two VIP passes to the “Black Ball” charity concert in New York. And, to top it all off, the winner gets a personalized voicemail greeting from Keep A Child Alive ambassador Alicia Keys, who will present the phone to the winner at an event honoring Bono on October 25th. The auction ended on Friday at 6pm ET, but no word yet on whether the $100k bid was the winning one.Read