Welcome to the Speech Tech blog’s first installment of a regular feature — “Crushes & Hexes.” Appearing every Wednesday, we’ll be highlighting companies, places, technologies, or people we deem praise-worthy, or cringe-inducing within the speech/tech/IT world. As always, your feedback is appreciated! Email us at blog@speechtechblog.com if you have a crush or hex item you’d like to see online.

Crush: The GSMA’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona
Why We Love It: In addition to Monday’s Android-related announcement, today we got our first look at an actual prototype! No big surprises here: it looks exactly like the typical smartphone (Qwerty keyboard, small screen), and was manufactured with a core processor by the company ARM. The big news? Two big-deal mobile makers, LG and Samsung, announced they would start producing Android phones either later this year, or in early 2009. Here’s a picture of the phone that makes our heart swell [Image courtesy TheAge.com]

Hex: The Geek Squad
Why We’re Hating: Oops, Best Buy lost your laptop! That’s what happened to Raelyn Campbell, a Washington, D.C. resident whose laptop was broken, and later lost, by the electronics store’s repair service, Geek Squad. Originally, Campbell’s on/off switch broke, but thanks to a three-year warranty she purchased, she brought it to the store for repair. That’s when the problems started. Told she would have to wait “two to six weeks” for the computer to be fixed, Campbell freaked (understandably so — she’s a frequent business traveler). The worst part? The Geek Squad then proceeded to LOSE her laptop, which contained a bevy of personal documents. The punishment? Campbell is suing Best Buy for $54 million! Worst customer care EVER. [Image courtesy Javatyger.com]

Related Stories:
- Woman Sues Best Buy For $54M Over Lost Laptop [DailyTech]
- Android Prototype Unveiled; More to Come Next Year [Dealerscope]