Verizon HTC Thunderbolt Photos Leak

In advance of CES next week, a bucketload of press shots detailing the new HTC Thunderbolt have leaked onto the Interwebs. Nevermind that it is the first Verizon 4G capable phone, but this thing is flat out hot.

This Morning’s Top 3 Stories in Social Media, Tech & Business

Welcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,” a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world. We’re keeping our eyes on three particular stories of interest today.

SEC Probes Trading in Private Companies Including Facebook & Twitter

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has begun investigating the trading of shares of privately owned companies, including Facebook and Twitter.

HTC Thunderbolt Photos Leaked

Photos of the HTC Thunderbolt, the first LTE phone to land on Verizon, have been leaked ahead of CES.

Groupon Raising Up to $950 Million in Funding [REPORT]

Groupon has filed for a Series G funding round that authorizes it to raise up to $950 million, according to a new report. If the report is accurate, Groupon’s post-money valuation would be somewhere between $6.4 billion to $7.8 billion.

Further News

• After celebrating the inclusion of 100,000 apps in the Android Market just two months ago, it appears the Market has now unofficially broken the 200,000-app barrier.
• Scottish scientists have built a 1,000-core processor, claiming it will run 20 times faster than today’s chips while using less power.
• A new survey from Rasmussen Reports reveals that just one in five American voters want the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate the Internet, placing their faith instead in free market competition to protect the Internet’s U.S. users.
• HP has slashed the price of the Envy 13, suggesting a new ultrathin laptop may debut at CES.
• SCVNGR has teamed up with teen clothing retailer American Eagle for a New Year’s fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

• Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59

HTC Thunderbolt and Apple iPad 2 in different versions

HTC Thunderbolt and Apple iPad 2 in different versions. Apple is getting ready to host a saga with iPad 2. The tech giant is to offer three different versions of the popular tablet. The next generation iPad will be compatible with Wi-Fi, 3G and CDMA networks. Despite of any official clue tech blogs have been posting stories on the Apple tablet.

Quoting a few inside sources a Taiwanese website updated that iPad 2 will not be limited in any wireless network.

The new iPad will be more helpful for Internet use as it can be connected to different networks. Earlier, DigiTimes had reported that iPad 2 will hit the shelves around the second half of January.

Steve Job or any other Apple executives didn’t comment about the next generation iPad. The news on new tablet has added the flavor to the rumor of Verizon iPhone. Tech pundits predict the coming both iPad 2 and iPhone 5 up to the spring.

The inside sources shed light on the Apple’s work on the second-generation iPads equipped with three different Internet connection options. According to DigiTimes about 60% to 65% of incumbent iPads offer both 3G and Wi-Fi capabilities along with Wi-Fi only models. Now, Apple tries to give more wireless options to iPad users.

As of now, AT&T is the only carrier which offers 3G service for the iPad. Verizon and Sprint, on the other hand feature only Wi-Fi models. Meanwhile, Japanese website Macotakara, posted a spec claiming it’s the prototype of upcoming iPad. The video specs of iPad 2 showed that the next generation tablet would be with a flat back contrary to the rounded back of current one.

Meanwhile there are rumors that HTC is set to launch HTC Thunderbolt in the hotly awaited at CES. A report says, "Thunderbolt looks like a slimmed down HTC EVO 4G, which makes sense as HTC tends to reuse form factors that work several times. The device may be revealed at CES next week, but still may not launch on Verizon for a few months. It would be sweet to see Verizon roll out a LTE mobile phone in early 2011, don’t you think".

HTC Thunderbolt Photos Leaked? Verizon's 4G LTE Smartphone Allegedly Appears

Read More: Htc Thunderbolt, Htc Thunderbolt Photos, Htc Thunderbolt Pictures, Htc Thunderbolt Verizon, Thunderbolt, Verizon, Verizon 4g, Technology News

Droid Life has posted 12 pictures of what it says is the HTC Thunderbolt, a new smartphone that will allegedly be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show next week and which would be Verizon's first 4G LTE phone.

So is it the real thing? BGR notes that Droid Life is known for its "deep Verizon connections."

See the full set of pictures on Droid Life here.