Verizon woos Android lovers with Xperia Play, launches three other new phones (Appolicious)

Verizon’s ramping up its smartphone roster with a new lineup of devices, all featuring entertainment perks, speed boosts and new features. The four new devices include the Xperia Play, LG Revolution, HTC Trophy and Motorola Droid X2.

The Xperia Play is the darling of the bunch, manufactured by Sony Ericsson, and donning the PlayStation mark. It’s a gaming phone, connected to the PlayStation Network, and designed to handle high-end games, making it a hefty gaming device that happens to have phone capabilities. With a 4-inch 480x854 display, 1GHz CUP and an 8GB memory card, the long-awaited Xperia Play will cost you $199 if you give Verizon two years of your life.

LG’s hoping to make a splash in the device arena with the Revolution, touting LTE capabilities as one of its selling features. This makes the Revolution a speedy phone, with faster data transfer on the go. It’s slightly bigger than the Xperia Play, with a 4.3-inch screen, a single-core 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 5-megapixel back camera (and 1.3-megapixel front camera), and 16GB of storage. You’ll pay a premium for the speed, however, with the Revolution’s price tag of approximately $250 with a two-year contract.

The HTC Trophy, on the other hand, is the device maker’s latest Windows phone, boasting WP7 OS. It’s the cheapest in this freshly launched group, costing about $150 with a two-year contract. It’s also on the smaller side, with a 3.8-inch display, a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 5-megapixel back camera and 16GB of storage memory.

Finally, there’s the Droid X2, which is roaring with power. It’s got the dual-core 1GHz CPU, with an 8-megapixel back camera and a 4.3 inch, 960x540 display. There’s no LTE on this phone, however, slightly dropping the price down to about $199 with a two-year contract. For all its beauty and brawn, the X2 is really missing out with no support for Verizon’s 4G capabilities, leaving it to city outskirts, while making way for faster phones.

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"Margaritaville" going 3D as Buffett launches Facebook game (Reuters)

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Billboard) – Jimmy Buffett has partnered with THQ to bring "Margaritaville Online" to Facebook and iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) this fall, but attendees of E3 in Los Angeles will get a first look at the game. The casual online video game is targeting Buffett's devoted followers, known as Parrotheads, along with the 45 million Facebook gamers who play FarmVille.

Buffett, who is currently touring, will be at E3 at the THQ booth to promote the new game. "The Margaritaville laid back state of mind is inherently social, and THQ has captured the spirit of that lifestyle in this game," said Buffett. "With Margaritaville Online, fans across the globe can party together any time and any place."

Developed by Exploding Barrel Games, the 3D open world features tropical environments and a full catalog of Buffett's music. Players will be able to create their own island resort, play mini-games and interact with characters from Buffett's songs and literary works including Captain Tony and Joe Merchant. They'll even be able to create their own band.

Hollywood producer Frank Marshall is responsible for bringing Margaritaville to gamers, according to Danny Bilson, THQ's executive vice president of core games. While THQ was developing games based on M. Night Shyamalin's "The Last Airbender," Marshall, who is close with Buffett, explained the vision of what has become "Margaritaville Online" to the game publisher.

"Frank Marshall is essentially one of the producers on the game," said Bilson. "He and Jimmy work very closely with us on every element in the game. Everything in the game is based on ideas from the songs and books." Bilson said this Facebook game will stand out from games like Zynga's CityVille because Margaritaville Online is an immersive 3D world. At the same time, it has all the great core tenets of a Facebook social game where players can build a unique island resort, embark on adventures and socialize with friends.

This is the second social game from THQ, which released UFC Undisputed Fight Nation last year. Bilson said a third social game will be announced after E3.

"We think social games are a big part of our future," said Bilson. "In the social gaming space it's important to have an ecosystem of games to make the whole thing work, so that people can share and go from one world to the next. You're going to see THQ focusing some energies around that in the next year."

Buffett is the first musician to completely embrace the booming casual online gaming space. Artists like Lady Gaga and Dr. Dre have partnered with Zynga to connect with fans in games like CityVille and Mafia Wars, but those have focused on promoting music. Just as he has with his Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain, Margaritaville Online will allow fans to connect with Buffett in a unique way.

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Mitt Romney launches exploratory bid for president

The Massachusetts legislation was partly the inspiration for a national health care law signed by Obama that Republicans such as Romney have attacked repeatedly. The fifth anniversary of Romney signing the Massachusetts measure into law is on Tuesday, April 12.

In his video, Romney talks about his record handling the Bay State's economy from 2003-2007 and his ability to create jobs, both as an elected official and in the private sector, as head of the management firm Bain & Co.

Romney becomes the second major Republican candidate to form a presidential exploratory committee, in what so far has been a slow start to the 2012 White House contest. Ex-Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty has also formed an exploratory committee.

The Gallup Poll has found Romney, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and ex-House speaker Newt Gingrich to be the best situated among GOP presidential hopefuls in terms of name recognition and for generating intensity among GOP voters.

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DNC Boss Launches Senate Bid in Online Video

Associated Press

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Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine said Tuesday he is running for the U.S. Senate, leaving an opening at the central committee as the party prepares for President Obama's re-election bid.

"I'm running for the United States Senate because America has big challenges and I'm convinced that Virginia has answers to help strengthen our nation," the former Virginia governor said in an online video.

The video never mentions his tenure at the partisan DNC and he appeals to work across party lines.

"While we still have an awful lot of work to do to help Virginians who are struggling in tough times, I know that Washington can learn a few things from Virginia. When we attack common obstacles -- instead of each other -- we solve problems and get things done," Kaine said.

Kaine would enter the race to succeed Democratic Sen. Jim Webb, who announced he was retiring from office after just one term.

Kaine has mulled a Senate run in recent weeks and had given strong signs he would mount a Senate campaign.

His candidacy leaves an opening for a DNC chairman to oversee the central party as Obama heads toward a re-election bid. The DNC also would have to help the party defend a majority in the U.S. Senate and fight to reclaim power in the U.S. House.

Among those under consideration to replace Kaine at as Democratic National Committee chairman are former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin. Party officials are weighing who would be the best surrogate for the president as he embarks on his re-election campaign. Both Strickland and Wasserman Schultz hail from all-important presidential battlegrounds, while Durbin is a close confidant of the president.

Kaine, who won election as governor in 2005, was among the first elected officials to back Obama's primary bid. Obama named him the DNC post and has nudged Kaine toward a run. Last week, he said Kaine was "not just a leader for Virginia; he's a leader for America."

On the Republican side, two former governors are competing for the nomination. Republican George Allen, who lost the Senate seat to Webb in 2006 and was governor from 1994 to 1998, announced his candidacy earlier this year.

He faces opposition for the nomination from tea party activist Jamie Radtke.

Allen was a strong 2008 presidential contender until a series of blunders derailed his Senate race and Webb won by just 9,000 votes.

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