Verizon announced their next Android-powered smartphone today, putting the Samsung Illusion on sale beginning tomorrow, November 23rd. Details for the Android 2.3-powered handset include a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, a 3-megapixel camera, and 2GB microSD card.
Available as an online exclusive device until January, the phone will run $79.99 with new two-year service agreements. As part of a promotion, Verizon will be offering the handset for free with qualified two-year service agreements starting on Thursday, Nov. 24 and running through Monday, Nov. 28th.
Equipped with Stylish Form Factor, the Samsung Illusion is Made from Post Consumer Material and Has Attained UL Platinum Rating
BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced the Samsung Illusion™ will be available online atwww.verizonwireless.com beginning Nov. 23 for $79.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. The Illusion will be available for free with a new two-year customer agreement between Thursday, Nov. 24 and Monday, Nov. 28 as a online promotion.
The sophisticated Samsung Illusion smartphone features a sleek form factor and is powered by the nation’s most reliable 3G wireless network. The Illusion boasts a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird Application Processor, 3.0-megapixel camera, HTML Web browser, music player and integrated contacts, calendar and social networking applications, as well as access to more than 300,000 apps available to download from Android Market.
Key features:
Android 2.3, Gingerbread– support for Google Mobile Services including Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Search and Google Maps
SWYPE Technology – input text faster and in a more intuitive way with one continuous finger motion across the screen keyboard
Unique curved-glass display
Corporate email support for Microsoft Office Exchange® so customers can synchronize corporate email, contacts and calendars from their office email
Full suite of messaging options, including text, picture and video messaging
6-axis accelerometer with compass
Bluetooth® 3.0 technology – support for headset, hands-free, stereo, phonebook access and object push for vCard and vCalendar
Wi-Fi Connectivity 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot capability – share 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices
microSD™ card slot with support for up to 32 GB (2 GB pre-installed)
Additional features – Designed with the environment in mind:
UL Platinum Rating (Underwriters Laboratories) – the Samsung Illusion scored 84 out of 119 points to receive the “Platinum” UL rating
Rear casing and battery cover are made from 70 percent post-consumer material and 35 percent of the front casing is post-consumer material
Packaging made from bleach-free paper (post-consumer waste) and printed with vegetable ink
Box material uses 60 percent recycled paper (post-consumer waste)
High-efficiency charger with full-charge alarm
Availability:
The Samsung Illusion will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com on Nov. 23, and will be available in Verizon Communications Stores in January 2012.
Customers that purchase a Samsung Illusion smartphone will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 for monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.
For more information on the Samsung Illusion or for other Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
MetroPCS today announced that they will be offering their first HTC handset later this week in the form of the Wildfire S. Expected online and at Metro PCS locations around the country, the smartphone will run $179 and work with the carrier’s $50 and $60 monthly rate plans. Specifications for the HTC Wildfire S include Android 2.3 with Sense UI, a 3.2-inch HVGA display, 600MHz processor, and a 5-megapixel camera. Not high end stuff but we suspect Metro PCS customers don’t expect all that much anyways.
MetroPCS Says Hello to HTC Adding the Wildfire S to its Android Smartphone Line-up
DALLAS – (November 21, 2011) – MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (NYSE: PCS), and HTC Corporation (HTC) today introduced the HTC Wildfire STM, MetroPCS’ first Android smartphone provided by HTC. Available in MetroPCS stores and online this week, the stylish Android smartphone comes with HTC’s user-friendly HTC Sense, which makes it easy to personalize and navigate the device, along with quick access to the latest multimedia content.
With Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), the HTC Wildfire S packs a powerful smartphone experience, but with an affordable, compact and playful device with the unmatched value of no-annual contract service plans. Coming in a stylish white design, the HTC Wildfire S is created for social consumers, allowing them to easily stay connected with friends and family.
“As we continue to deliver Android for All to our customers, our partnership with HTC is yet another way we’re delivering today’s most advanced smartphones with the affordability and flexibility of our no-annual contract services,” said Tom Keys, president and chief operating officer of MetroPCS. “The HTC brand continues to increase in popularity given its high-quality, cutting-edge smartphones that allow consumers to do more while on the go. The HTC Wildfire S is a perfect example – a powerful, yet chic device that delivers the most of Android, while making it easier to enjoy the multimedia and entertainment consumers love.”
MetroPCS offers unmatched value with its $50 and $60 smartphone plans, which include all applicable taxes and regulatory fees. For just $60, consumers can choose between Rhapsody’s Unlimited Music or video entertainment with MetroSTUDIOTM – on top of unlimited Internet access, voice and texting services. With the vast music library provided by the new Rhapsody Unlimited Music service, music lovers can play, download or stream as many songs as they want, free from the per-track charges that come with most other music download services.
“Through our partnership with MetroPCS, we hope to continue providing our consumers with the affordable, yet advanced, smartphones and multimedia content they demand, all with the flexibility of a pay-in-advance service,.” said Martin Fichter, vice president, product management, HTC Americas.
HTC Sense is designed to enable the user to easily maneuver through the phone simply and naturally, in a way that’s intuitive and just makes sense. On the HTC Wildfire S, social networking is integrated into your contacts, so you can easily tag your friends in photos before posting them to Facebook or share your favorite apps at the touch of a button. And with its rear 5 megapixels color camera with flash and autofocus, capturing great images and video of friends and family has never been easier, allowing users to watch and view videos directly on the device’s 3.2” HVGA screen. In addition, the HTC Wildfire S is equipped with a 600 MHz processor and comes with fully customizable home screens, so you can add your favorite applications and widgets for even quicker social media access.
The HTC Wildfire S will be available for $179 plus tax. Consumers interested in purchasing the HTC Wildfire S can visit their local MetroPCS store or go online to purchase the phone and sign up for service.
The Motorola Admiral was announced late October as the first Android-powered smartphone with Sprint Direct Connect. I had the opportunity to get some hands-on time with the device and want to share with you guys my opinions on this “business ready,” “military grade,” piece of hardware. We’ll take a look at the hardware, software, and every other “ware” you can think of to help you decide whether or not this Admiral is fit to run your fleet.
Outer Shell
The Motorola Admiral was built to be “business ready” and shares a common business design most resembling its cousin the Motorola DROID Pro or a Blackberry Torch 9810 that doesn’t close. It has a very sleek QWERTY bar form factor with more curve than bar, giving it a classy look. It’s compact and lightweight but built to be tough. The Motorola ADMIRAL is designed to meet Military Standard 810G for dust, shock, vibration, solar radiation, low pressure and high and low temperatures, but believe me, you won’t be able to tell by holding the device, as it feels extremely petite and fragile.
I found the sides to be very smooth which made the device feel very slippery in my hands. On the left you have a volume rocker, Sprint Direct Connect button and micro USB port. The right side is pretty much clear with only a single camera button — which happens to be quite small in my opinion, especially considering it’s the only button located on the right side.
On the top of the device you will find a speaker phone button, a 3.5mm headset jack and a power/lock button. A microphone is located at the bottom of the device.
The front of the device features a 3.1″ scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass display, with an ear piece and notification light at the top and four capacitive buttons at the bottom. Below the display is a 4-row physical QWERTY keyboard, a speaker, and a second mic. The back of the phone features a cover which feels like cheap plastic and had me worried every time I took it off to get at the battery. I felt like it was going to snap which doesn’t really fit my definition of “tough.” Also on the back, you’ll find the 5MP camera with flash along with the familiar Motorola and Sprint logos.
Under the Hood
Under the hood you’ll find more than enough power to keep business moving. The Admiral comes equipped with a single core 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 processor, 512 MB RAM, a 1860 mAh Lithium-ion battery (which takes a while to charge) and 4GB of onboard storage, although I believe only 1.4GB is actually available to the user. The Admiral does have a microSD card slot for up to 32GB of expandable storage and you’re definitely going to want to pick a microSD card up since it doesn’t come with one.
The Display
The Motorola Admiral features a 3.1″ VGA (640×480) tough Gorilla Glass touchscreen display. The display is quite small compared to the behemoths we’re used to seeing nowadays, but given that the Admiral is marketed as more of a business device, and features a QWERTY keyboard, the small screen size fits well. Viewing most everyday tasks such as phone calls, emails, etc. are fine on the small screen, but you’ll definitely miss those extra inches once you get into web browsing, videos and games. I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting much out of this little VGA display but was pleasantly surprised at just how crisp and vivid it actually was.
The Keyboard
I found the Admiral’s QWERTY keyboard to be a little too compact for my liking. It’s a definite tough match for overweight opposable thumbs and makes for quite a few errors. Typing at a moderate speed was fine, but if you attempt a teenage speed text, your message will most likely resemble Klingon. Man hands beware.
The Camera
The Motorola Admiral has a 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture, LED flash and 4x zoom, but like most Motorola cameras I’ve used, I was not impressed. Quality was okay when taking pictures outside, but inside or under low light, photo quality was disappointing. Shutter speed is also painful, and there’s nothing I dislike more than having to wait 4-5 seconds after I hit the camera button for my picture to be captured.
Direct Connect
Sprint Direct Connect is Sprint’s new push-to-talk network which uses CDMA EVDO Rev. A and allows simultaneous PTT and data. This is going to be the future of PTT on Sprint as they slowly phase out support for iDEN technology. Many changes have gone into this new system and it includes several great features such as the ability to DC up to 200 handsets in a TeamDC call, as well as availability notification. Direct Connect is probably the single most reason you’ll be purchasing the Motorola Admiral and was unfortunately the only feature I was unable to test — due to not having a single contact with a DC number. I apologize, but you’re just going to have to watch the video provided by Motorola to see how DC works on the Admiral.
Software
You’ll find the Admiral running Android 2.3.5 with Motorola’s most recent “it’s not Motoblur” UI. While I personally prefer a vanilla Android experience, I will say that the Motorola UI reacts fast and is very responsive, in part, due to the device’s 1.2GHz processor, so no worries about performance.
The Admiral comes preloaded with a few Sprint specific “bloatware” apps which for the most part can be uninstalled, but after that — it’s all business:
Quick Office app – Create and edit documents in Word, Excel and PowerPoint as well as Adobe PDF documents anywhere, anytime.
Support and easy push for Microsoft Exchange and other email systems.
Full suite of Google applications and services, including Google Maps, Google Talk, Gmail, Calender, etc.
3G Mobile Hotspot capability supporting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously.
Enhanced on-device security features that can be managed via the existing Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync Server, including password support, remote wipe and data encryption, as well as more than 30 other security policies.
You’ll also find the use of “Profiles” to be helpful in maintaining mobile separation of work life and personal life. Switching between profiles is as easy as 1-2-3.
Final Thoughts
You’re most likely going to be buying the Motorola Admiral for work purposes so I’ll focus on that. The claim is that the Admiral is tough, and while I can’t vouch for its toughness (since returning review units in pieces is frowned upon), I will say that I’d feel uncomfortable using this device in a field such as construction. It just doesn’t “feel” durable enough and does not have enough of a grip to it. If you’re in a field where your mobile device really takes a beating, you might want to consider purchasing a rugged case to add protection and grip. Anyone in the business sector will love how sleek this phone looks and feels, but no matter what field you work in, one thing is for sure — the Admiral is ready to work.
It’s fast, reliable, features a responsive touchscreen keyboard as well as a full physical QWERTY, has Direct Connect and a battery large enough to last. Did I mention that the Motorola Admiral is only $99 on a 2-year contract? Not a bad price at all. As always, I recommend doing your own hands-on before making any decisions, but I’ll say this, I’d take the Admiral over a Blackberry any day. And for those that need Push-to-Talk, why not have it along with the worlds leading mobile phone OS!
To purchase the Motorola Admiral, or for more information, visit Sprint.com
AT&T has announced its second 4G LTE-ready Android tablet today, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9. Due on November 20th for $479.99 with a two-year commitment, the ultra-thin tablet joins the HTC Jetstream as the only other tablet on the network able to support the faster 4G connectivity. Speaking of which, AT&T is set to expand its 4G LTE footprint by another 6 markets on the 20th, hitting the goal of 15 total. Look for Charlotte, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, and San Juan, Puerto Rico to go early next week!
If you think you need a little bit of extra persuasion to purchase the Samsung tablet, consider that for a limited time, customers who select a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 will receive a Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket or Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone at no cost. Of course, you’ll still need to sign the appropriate two-year agreements for both units however that’s quite a deal!
NEW 4G LTE TABLET AVAILABLE FOR AT&T CUSTOMERS
Ultra-Thin and Lightweight Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Available Nov. 20 in AT&T Stores and Online
AT&T 4G LTE Expanding to Six New Markets, Total of 15 Nationwide
DALLAS, Nov. 14, 2011—
Key Facts
AT&T* introduced its second 4G LTE-enabled tablet for customers, the Samsung Galaxy™ Tab 8.9, an ultra-thin tablet perfect for Android fans who want an optimized Honeycomb experience in a best-in-class form factor.
Customers can purchase from AT&T stores and online beginning Nov. 20.
For a limited time, customers who select a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 will receive a Samsung Galaxy S™ II Skyrocket or Samsung Galaxy S™ II smartphone at no cost. A two year agreement is required on the smartphone.
Additionally, AT&T will launch 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) in six new markets on Nov. 20: Charlotte, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Nov. 20 launches will expand AT&T 4G LTE to 15 markets total, meeting its 2011 market commitment. AT&T plans to reach 70 million Americans by year-end 2011.
AT&T offers the only devices capable of 4G speeds utilizing both 4G LTE and HSPA+, for a consistently fast connection in and out of 4G LTE areas.
AT&T topped its goal to offer 20 4G devices this year. The addition of the new 4G LTE devices brings the 4G device total to 24.
Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9
Exclusive to AT&T customers, the 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9 is a slim, lightweight tablet, running Android™ 3.2 and packed with optimized services from Google, AT&T and Samsung. The new tablet features a vivid 8.9-inch 1280×800 pixel high-resolution screen, powerful processor 1.5 GHz dual-core processor for fast multi-tasking, and tabbed browsing with support for HTML 5 and Adobe® Flash® Player.
4G LTE backed by 4G HSPA+
Android 3.2 (Honeycomb)
15.9 ounces light, 8.6mm thin
Brilliant 8.9” HD widescreen
3.2 megapixel rear facing camera with LED flash, 2 megapixel front facing camera
Tabbed browsing, Adobe Flash and HTML support
Snapdragon 1.5 GHz dual core processor
16 GB internal memory and expandable up to 32 GB via accessory option
1 GB RAM
TouchWiz® UX
Dimensions: 230.9 x 157.8 x 8.6 mm
Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9 will arrive in AT&T company-owned retail stores and online Nov. 20 for $479.99 with a two-year commitment. For a limited time, customers who select a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 will receive a Samsung Galaxy S™ II Skyrocket or Samsung Galaxy S™ II smartphone at no cost. A two year agreement is required on the smartphone. Learn more atwww.att.com/tablets.
AT&T 4G LTE Data Plans
AT&T tablet customers can choose a $35, 3 GB monthly data plan option with a two-year contract, and customers who do not choose a long-term commitment may still select one of two existing monthly billing options for tablets:
Postpaid: $14.99 for 250 MB or $25 for 2 GB. Customers on the 2 GB plan who exceed their monthly data plan will be charged $10 per 1 GB of overage. Charges will appear on customers’ monthly wireless statements offering the simplicity of a single bill.
Prepaid: $14.99 for 250 MB or $25 for 2 GB. Customers on the 2 GB plan who exceed their monthly data plan may choose to purchase an additional 2 GB for $25. Charges will appear on customers’ credit card statements.
AT&T 4G LTE smartphone customers can choose from tiered data plans starting as low as $15 per month. Existing smartphone customers do not have to make changes to their data plan. All plans include access to AT&T’s national Wi-Fi network of more than 29,000 hotspots.
DataPlus provides 200 megabytes (MB) of data for just $15 per month. An additional 200 MB of data usage is $15.
DataPro provides 2 gigabytes (GB) of data for $25 per month. An additional 1 GB of data is $10. Customers who want to use their device as a mobile hotspot can sign up for DataPro 4GB for $45 a month, which lets you tether or share your data connection across multiple devices.
AT&T 4G LTE Footprint
With the Nov. 20 launches, AT&T 4G LTE will be available in 15 markets: Athens, Ga., Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.
AT&T is the only U.S. carrier providing 4G using both HSPA+ and LTE technologies. HSPA+, when combined with enhanced backhaul, provides customers with compatible devices 4G speeds, meaning customers get a faster and more consistent 4G experience, even when outside of an AT&T 4G LTE area. Customers of other carriers that have transitioned to 4G LTE without further speed upgrades to their existing networks are likely to see a jarring drop-off in speeds when they move out of LTE coverage.
Quotes
“The arrival of the Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9 adds to our outstanding Android lineup and our growing portfolio of premier 4G LTE devices,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We’re constantly adding new 4G LTE coverage and only AT&T offers 4G LTE plus 4G speeds through our HSPA+ network.”
Its seems that lately, all the “good” Android phones have been locked into a 2 year contract with one of the top carriers. It’s very rare that a pre-paid service provider like Boost Mobile or Virgin Mobile, produces a high end (or at least decent) smart phone. With the addition of the new ZTE Wrap and the Samsung Transform Ultra, pre-paid carriers are starting to pack some Android heat. Of course the term “high end” has been twisted and altered to mean insane specs, the Samsung Transform Ultra may not have incredible specs, but with everything taken into consideration, the Samsung Transform Ultra is a high end phone.
With a $229.99 price tag and decent specs to match, the Transform Ultra is no ordinary “pre-paid” smartphone. For all you doubters out there laughing at the sight of a $200+ phone that doesn’t include 4G or a dual-core, did I mention there is no contract? That’s right, you are buying this phone outright! Now consider buying a “high end” phone off contract and you’ll find yourself out $600-700 and let’s not forget about Boost Mobiles low cost plans. For just $50 a month you get unlimited everything, then every 6 months of keeping your plan (which do not have to be consecutive), the monthly cost drops $5. Five dollars may not sound like a big savings, but when you’re down to a $35 a month unlimited everything plan, you will surely rethink that statement.
Specs
1GHz Single Core Processor
512MB RAM
3.5″ Display (320×480)
3.2MP Camera; VGA Front Camera
QWERTY Keyboard
Hot Swappable 2GB Micro SD Card (and MSD to SD Adapter)
Design
When I think of a pre-paid device, I think of cheap plastic, lightweight, and boring design. Well, the Ultra only carries one of those traits — lightweight. For a full QWERTY device, the Ultra is very light and surprisingly stylish. With a gray/chrome color scheme and grip texture on the back, the Ultra feels like a high quality device. The 3.5″ screen is probably one of the few down sides to the phone, with a resolution of 320×480, text is a bit small, and websites are very pixelated until you zoom in enough to read. Also, the screen became unresponsive while moving icons around (see video for an example). The Samsung Transform Ultra is a slide-out QWERTY device, so obviously, it’s not going to be the thinnest phone around. Fortunately, since the phone is a small form-factor, the thickness of the Ultra feels surprisingly thin. One feature that was nice to see was a hardware camera shutter/auto focus button. It’s funny that these 8MP phones don’t have a camera button, but a 3.2MP phone does. Speaking of cameras, Samsung was able to squeeze two cameras into this small device — a front facing VGA camera and a rear facing 3.2MP camera with flash. As for the QWERTY keyboard, it was well spread out, but too flat, not OG Droid flat, but flat and very clicky.
Software
There’s nothing I hate more than annoying overlays covering up the beauty of Android. I think it’s safe to say almost all phone manufactures have their own sort of skin: HTC Sense, Motorola MotoBlur, and Samsung’s TouchWiz. With that said, I was relieved to see stock Android 2.3.4 on this phone (note this phone does have Sprints iD packs). Not to mention all the added speed it brings to this device, which is present, since this phone blows through tasks and laughs its way through the quadrant standard benchmark. Another annoying thing manufactures like to do, is loading up their phones with bloatware upon bloatware. So with that in mind, let’s count the amount of bloatware the Ultra has — 1! The Transform Ultra has one piece of bloatware, which I don’t even consider bloatware, ThinkFree Office (a document creating application). Samsung really did a great job not messing up the Android experience on this device and gave us a free (useful) application.
Performance/ Battery Life
To say this phone is your average “pre-paid” smart phone would be an insult. Underneath the solid build of this device is a 1GHz single core processor. Before looking away, because this is not dual core, hear me out. The phone was fast to say the least. The Ultra rivals my Droid 3 any day and blows through tasks. For all you guys and girls out there that can take someone’s word, I ran some quadrant standard tests. Compared to the norm 1000-1500 range that most phones of this caliber achieve, the Ultra whipped out consecutive 2000+ scores. With the speed of this device covered, next comes how well the battery stood up. Most smartphones nowadays seem to have 1500mAh batteries powering their dual-core, 4.3″ screens, and quite frankly, they can’t handle it. That’s why my Droid 3 can’t last more than 4-5 hours, well, when you pair a small, low-res display with this battery, you get flipped results. With the Transform Ultra, I got about 19 hours with hardcore use and 5-6 days on standby. If I may say, this is the type of battery performance we should be seeing in all phones.
Call Quality/ Data Speeds
I find myself forgetting that I review phones, you know, the things that are merely meant to call people. Well, after almost overlooking this category, I made a few calls. Just as you would expect, standard clear call quality and a surprisingly loud speaker phone. As for data speeds, I don’t usually cover them unless the phone is 4G or “4G like” speeds, but I did anyways. My highest download speed was 2.03Mbps and my highest upload was .70Mbps. While those aren’t the fastest data speeds, they actually beat the speeds I get on my Verizon Wireless device.
Video Camera Quality/ Photo Quality
The Samsung Transform Ultra has a 3.2MP camera so do not expect much. I have embedded some photos in the gallery below the video review. I do have to give a little bit more credit for adding a dedicated camera key and a front facing camera. Also, the Transform Ultra does not have HD video recording, so “while biting your tongue” you can check out the video quality below.
Wrap-Up
As you can tell, the Transform Ultra breaks the barrier between “on contract” phones and “pre-paid” phones. I can certainly say, if I was going to leave Verizon for a pre-paid carrier, I would be sprinting to my nearest Boost Mobile store and picking myself up a Samsung Transform Ultra. Don’t forget to check out the full video review, photo samples, and devices shots, all listed below.
The Motorola DROID RAZR has been all the hype lately, and for a good reason. Verizon is touting this as the latest and greatest new Android device on their network. The question is, however… is it? I was able to spend some good, quality time with the new RAZR before its release coming on 11/11/11 at 11:11 AM, and I’ve got a pretty solid feel for this super-thin device. The good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly. Want the full rundown? Check out below, and see if the hype lives up to real life for Moto’s new bouncing baby phone.
Coming off what we heard just hours ago, ASUS has officially announced the Eee Pad Transformer Prime. Sporting the new Quad-Core Nvidia Tegra 3 chip, an Android 4.0 update soon after launch, and the inherited keyboard dock from its predecessor, this tablet is surely one to grab attention.
Here is a quick rundown of the specs:
10.1-inch SuperIPS+ display with Gorilla Glass
1.3GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 Processor with 12-core GPU
1GB RAM
32GB or 64GB internal storage with microSD card slot
microHDMI port
8MP F2.4 rear shooter with continuous flash for video recording, 1.2MP front camera
8.33mm thin
586g (1.29 lbs.)
12 hour battery life playing 720p video, 18 hours with keyboard dock
Metallic spun finish
Two available colors: Amethyst Gray and Champagne Gold (show below, respectively)
Android 3.2 – will be updated to Android 4.0 as soon as possible after release
A few things to note from the spec sheet: display, battery life, and storage. The SuperIPS+ display with Gorilla Glass is said to be excellent in direct sunlight. It’s a very bright display. This may propose the question of how much it will affect battery life. As it turns out, the SuperIPS+ mode can be turned off to savor battery life. This would be ideal for dark rooms. Speaking of battery life, ASUS is touting that it can last 12 hours while watching an HD video, and 18 hours when docked with the external keyboard. This is astounding, and it will be interesting to see how the battery will play out in real world situations. Lastly, the internal memory options are nice. What’s even nicer? The price. The Transformer Prime will be available in 32GB and 64GB flavors at $499 and $599, respectively. This seems to be a great price to compete against the iPad 2, showing that the 16GB iPad 2 is the same price as the 32GB Transformer Prime (not even mentioning the quad-core chip inside).
The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime will be available in December. ASUS is claiming an Android 4.0 within the same month as launch. Recapping: Quad-Core Tegra 3, SuperIPS+, keyboard accessory, and starting at $499 with 32GBs… who is ordering one? Read the press release below and give us an answer in the comments.
[spoiler show=”Press Release”]ASUS Announces the Eee Pad Transformer Prime
Featuring the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 Quad-Core Processor the Transformer Prime is designed to greatly enhance the mobile computing experienceFremont, CA (November 8, 2011) — ASUS officially announces the world’s first tablet with the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor – the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime. The Eee Pad Transformer Prime is ultra-thin at 8.3mm (0.33”) and lightweight at 586g (1.29lbs) while featuring a stylish metallic swirl design with class leading enhancements including ASUS SonicMaster audiotechnology, an HD 8MP rear auto-focus camera with LED flash and battery life rated for up to 18 hours* when combined with the optional mobile dock. Pricing will range from $499** (32GB) to $599** (64GB), with the optional mobile dock accessory priced at $149**.
Incredibly Slim yet Incredibly Powerful
Featuring an ultra-slim form factor, the Transformer Prime is only 8.3mm (0.33”) thin and weighs in at a mere 586g (1.29lbs without dock). This makes watching movies, surfing the web, playing games, taking photos, finishing up homework or video chatting with friends or family so easy and natural that you’ll wonder if the Transformer Prime was designed specifically with you in mind. Its innovative metallic swirl design is made of aluminum for a secure yet extremely comfortable grip that comes in two gorgeous colors: Amethyst Gray and Champagne Gold.
The Transformer Prime is the world’s first tablet to feature NVIDIA’s next-generation quad-core Tegra® 3 processor. With the quad-core CPU, 12-core GeForce® GPU and vSMP technology, the Transformer Prime delivers an optimum user experience featuring smooth multitasking capabilities, lightning fast app loading, a rich and fluid web experience, full 1080P HD video for realistic media playback or recording and of course, incredible gaming performance that allows you to experience games in an entirely new way.
Fantastic Battery Life
While the Transformer Prime is extremely slim and light, ASUS did not forget about battery life. Thanks to the advanced power management features of the Tegra® 3 processor and ASUS optimizations the Transformer Prime has a battery life of up to 12 hours*, but when combined with the mobile dock, it lasts up to an incredible 18 hours*, the longest battery life of any current tablet. That’s enough battery life for a trans-ocean flight, all-night game session, viewing several movies on a long road trip or even video recording, editing, and then playing back your child’s school play all in 1080P HD clarity.
Unrivaled Visuals
The Eee Pad Transformer Prime boasts a wide 178° viewing angle IPS display, protected by Corning® Gorilla® Glass, which features new ASUS technology to enhance the brightness of the screen for a better outdoor reading experience while still offering a remarkably vivid and brilliant viewing experience of photos, books, videos, movies and web pages indoors. Thanks to Multi-Touch technology, you can use your fingers to do everything from swiping through photos, surfing the web, playing the latest games, typing emails, instant messaging, reading books or magazines, and starting your favorite movie.
A 1.2MP front camera allows for instant photos or high-quality video conferencing with friends, family or coworkers while an 8MP rear camera with auto-focus and LED flash takes brilliant photos or video thanks to a large F2.4 aperture, back illuminated CMOS sensor, touch-to-focus depth of field and low-light noisereduction to provide the clearest and sharpest photos or even 1080P HD videos.
Advanced Audio
The Transformer Prime offers impressive audio capabilities in a tablet, powered by ASUS exclusive SonicMaster technology, renowned for crisp and acoustically accurate audio. It produces crystal clear sound with a wide sound stage, increased audio fidelity, and distinct vocal enhancements for an immersive audio experience with your favorite music track, video, or movie.
Unlimited Productivity
The Transformer Prime is offered with either 32GB or 64B flash storage options for quick, efficient and reliable access to your applications. Both models feature a micro SD card slot, 3.5mm combo audio jack and micro HDMI port so sharing both what’s inside and on-screen is quick and easy. However, the function that gives the Transformer Prime its namesake is the mobile dock, which gives new meaning to the term versatility. This innovative and convenient design seamlessly provides the user with a keyboard and touchpad, along with limitless expandability options via the USB port and SD card slot.
ASUS will include several innovative applications like SuperNote that is fantastic for its ability to take, draw or record notes and Polaris® Office which is great for staying productive with the ability to read, edit or create Word, Excel and PowerPoint (MS Office 97-2007) compatible files. Thousands of top rated applications and games are also available at Android Market that fully takes advantage of the Transformer Prime’s amazing features and power.
I don’t normally like to speak in superlatives when it comes to Android devices because it often angers a person or two. Calling something the best or worst of anything is an easy way to invite confrontation. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I have to do here with the Samsung Galaxy S II for T-Mobile. Why? Because, simply put, this is easily one of the best Android phones I have ever seen hit the carrier’s network.
Short and Sweet
Good: The Samsung Galaxy S II is one of the first devices on the market to support T-Mobile’s faster HSPA+ network with theoretical speeds of 42Mbps. Toss in a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, a gorgeous Super AMOLED Plus touch screen and 16GB of internal memory and we have a definite winner
Bad: Priced slightly above other high-end Android phones on T-Mobile
Takeaway: If you want cutting edge hardware and access to T-Mobile’s crazy fast 4G network then Samsung Galaxy S II is on a very short list. You’ll pay a premium for this tech but it should last you quite a while. After the problems with the Vibrant, a chief concern of ours is how quickly the next update (Android 4.0) happens.
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[dropcap_1] F [/dropcap_1] rom the moment you power on the Galaxy S II it becomes obvious that this phone is not joking around. As a matter of fact, I might argue that you get this sense upon opening the box. One look and you know this phone is the perfect blend of beauty, class, and sophistication. In an age where it’s easy to phone in (pun intended) a slate, touch-only smartphone, the Galaxy S II pays attention to details. I really dig the back of the device an the chrome bezel as they add a touch of elegance to the phone and beg for attention.
I could go on and on about benchmarks, litmus tests, and all that real technical stuff but I won’t bore you average consumer types. The Samsung Galaxy S II is fast, real fast. I’m reminded of the difference in performance of my first Snapdragon experience after spending all my time with a 528MHz-powered G1. It’s a night-and-day difference from many of the phones I’ve had the opportunity to use and I suspect you’d say the same. Swiping from screen to screen, opening apps, installing apps, changing wallpapers, tweaking fonts, and notifications – all the everyday stuff? It’s blazing.
Again, much could be said about the display size and technology but I will break it down simple for you. It’s massive without feeling like a giant slab in your hand. Remember how big that EVO 4G felt the first time you picked it up? This ain’t that. The Super AMOLED Plus display is vibrant, clean, and a real joy for reading emails and text messages.
Overall Design
As a successor to the T-Mobile Vibrant, the Samsung Galaxy S II is quite stunning to behold. The soft-touch finish on back side not only makes the battery door stick to your hands although not quite as much as its Sprint counterpart, but it looks sharp with the chrome-like accents around the edge.
At 5.11 inches tall and 2.71 inches wide, the phone is somewhat cumbersome to hold when making calls. The thin design, however, makes for a more enjoyable experience than the EVO 4G or other thicker 4.0″+ phones. The Galaxy S II is very light in hand and fits quite nicely in pockets and feels “all display” when playing with it.
Display
There’s not much I can say about the Super AMOLED Plus display that can convey how beautiful it truly looks. It’s one of those “you just have to see it to understand it” scenarios. Sharp, vibrant, spacious, bright, and responsive are all adjectives that come to mind when spending time with the Galaxy S II. Coincidentally these were terms I would have used on last year’s models of Super AMOLED products. Today’s Plus stuff just happens to be that much better.
I would have loved to see something in line with the qHD (960×540) or HD (1280X720) display technology but this is still very crisp. Web pages, email, and games look stunning nonetheless and text renders as nicely as anything we’ve seen in 800×480 resolution.
The screen itself is responsive, registering taps, swipes, pinches, and the other stuff one does with their finger. We tried Swype, Swiftke,and the standard keyboard, and came away feeling satisfied with the results. The Gorilla Glass protection has a somewhat indestructible feel to it; typical pocket activity and daily carrying hasn’t resulted in any scratches or nicks.
User interface
As many of you know, the Samsung Galaxy S II runs Gingerbread (Android 2.3.5) with Samsung’s TouchWiz 4.0 user interface. Although handsets tend to lose cool points whenver they run anything but stock Android, the TouchWiz experience is better today than it was just one year ago. The aesthetics are very nice and no longer look as alien as it once did, blending into Android much smoother. Customizing the home screen is very easy thanks to seven panels, resizable widgets, and other nifty features. Additional items like simple screen capture, an integrated task manager, and a helpful drop-down notification panel also add to the overall value.
Speaking as an existing Android user, one complaint we had was the loading of so many T-Mobile apps and services. Often called bloatware, there’s no mistaking which carrier this model belongs with. If we could, we’d hide as many of these as possible, however new users may love the 411 & More, Bonus Apps, More for Me, My Device, T-Mobile Name, T-Mobile TV, and other apps. Although we couldn’t remove these titles, we quickly hid them with a custom launcher. This is not to suggest there is no value in Netflix, TeleNav, and Asphalt 6 as these are three we’d ultimately download on our own anyhow. Moreover, we’re glad to see T-Mobile has skipped on loading a feature-length movie this time around.
Camera
I simply adore the camera on the Galaxy S II. Picture quality is superb, even in less than perfect conditions. Recording video in 1080 HD also looks great, especially when shared across DLNA or an HDMI adapter. Thanks to 16GB of internal storage and the potential for an additional 32GB, there’s no excuse or shortage of space for breaking out the camera on a regular basis.
Performance
The fastest 4G experience we've seen yet from T-Mobile
I tested the Galaxy S II in Canton, Ohio and the surrounding areas, taking advantage of the T-Mobile 4G network. I routinely found that the handset would grab speeds of 15Mbps or higher, often topping out over 21Mbps. My fastest download test resulted in 23.05Mbps, considerably faster than anything I’ve seen on any other phone today. To think that this is almost twice as fast as my current home connection, this is impressive to say the least.
Call quality is as good as I would expect, if only occasionally a tad bit on the tinny side. Pairing over various Bluetooth speakers and headsets proved to be no problem and sound quality was right in line with other models.
Wrapping Up
Without a doubt, the Galaxy S II is one of the top Android phones on the market, if not T-Mobile’s best overall. There’s something to offer users across the entire spectrum – new smartphone buyers or seasoned vets. If you’re a high-end hardware enthusiast looking to replace an existing Android then this handset should appeal to you. The same should be said for consumers buying their first smartphone as the TouchWiz UI makes for an easy-to-learn experience. If you can justify spending the extra money, you’ll be seriously impressed with the Galaxy S II. For those who can’t really afford to spend more than $200 for a smartphone, I would still recommend looking on Amazon or Wirefly for this model. Catch it on the right day and you’ll be truly pleased.
U.S. Cellular has made two new announcements: a new Android phone, dubbed the Samsung Repp, and a new phone trade-in program. The Samsung Repp is a low- to mid-range phone, with specs that include:
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
3.2-inch HVGA LCD touchcreen
3 megapixel camera
800 MHz processor
2GB microSD expandable to 32 GB
To go along with their new device, U.S. Cellular has also announced their new phone trade-in program, which gives customers special benefits such as a battery swap program, as well as getting up to $150 from U.S. Cellular for their old phone. Customers who want to check out how much they can get for their current device or simply want more information can hit up uscellular.com/trade-in. Be sure to slide down below for the full press release.
[spoiler show=”Press Release” hide=”Press Release”]The Samsung Repp comes with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), a 3.2-inch HVGA LCD touchcreen, 3 megapixel camera, an 800 MHz processor and a 2GB microSD card that can be expanded to 32 GB. It’s lightweight, easy to use and a good choice for customers looking for their first Android-powered device, but also powerful enough for seasoned Android users.
All of U.S. Cellular’s devices are backed by its high-speed nationwide network, which has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier. Customers get unique benefits like free Battery Swap and a rewards program where they get points for paying monthly wireless bills on time, adding a line or referring new customers.
Customers who want to upgrade to the Samsung Repp can take advantage of U.S. Cellular’s new Trade-In Program for used phones and tablets. Customers can visit their local store or uscellular.com/trade-in to find out how much their old device is worth. U.S. Cellular also accepts devices from other carriers and will pay customers up to $150 for a device, which comes as a check.
The Trade-In Program is another way that U.S. Cellular is taking the cost out of switching wireless providers. Now through Nov. 20, select phones in the carrier’s cutting-edge device portfolio are free with no activation fee. Current customers who are adding a new line can also select one of the free phones with waived activation fee.[/spoiler]
Keeping track of all the Samsung Galaxy Tabs just got harder. T-Mobile has announced that starting Nov. 16, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus will be available for $249.99. The Galaxy Tab Plus is the latest Galaxy Tab to hit T-Mobile and also one of the thinnest and lightest 7″ tablets available. Weighing less than a can of soda, the Galaxy Tab Plus features:
A 1.2 GHz dual-core processor
16 GB of internal memory and a micro SD card slot that supports up to an additional 32 GB of expandable memory
A 3-megapixel rear-facing camera with flash for photo
2.0 MP front camera for video chat
Android 3.2 (Honeycomb)
T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus will join the recently announced T-Mobile SpringBoard as another affordable tablet option for T-Mobile customers and will be here just in time for the holidays. Hit the link below to stay up-to-date on the status of the Galaxy Tab Plus from T-Mobile and be sure to check out the full press release for more info.
[spoiler show=”Press Release”]T-Mobile Completes Holiday 4G Tablet Portfolio With the Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 7.0 Plus
T-Mobile’s newest ultra-mobile 4G tablet delivers a rich entertainment experience anywhere on America’s Largest 4G Network.
BELLEVUE, Wash. — Nov. 8, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today unveiled the ultra-mobile Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 7.0 Plus, the latest to join the company’s portfolio of 7-, 9- and 10-inch 4G-enabled* tablets. Featuring a brilliant 7-inch multitouch display and weighing just 0.77 lbs., less than a can of soda, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is one of the thinnest and lightest 7-inch tablets on the market, making it easy to watch popular TV shows and movies, download full-color magazines, compete in multi-player gaming and more – all while on the go.
“Consumers want a selection of affordable, highly mobile tablets that can deliver the content they want virtually anywhere they go,” said Jeremy Korst, vice president of mobile broadband and emerging devices, T-Mobile USA. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is a perfectly sized, ultra-thin and lightweight 4G tablet that easily fits in a coat pocket or purse and delivers a rich on-the-go entertainment experience.”
Offering a premium, ultra-mobile entertainment experience, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus from T-Mobile comes with a variety of pre-installed premium content, including the Samsung Media Hub so customers can rent or purchase movies and purchase TV programs and share that content on up to five compatible devices on the same account. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus also comes pre-loaded with WildTangent®, so customers can play premium games for free, as well as rent or purchase games.
The Android™ 3.2 (Honeycomb) Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is equipped with a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 16 GB of internal memory and a micro SD card slot that supports up to an additional 32 GB of expandable memory for easy storage of documents, movies, books and more. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus makes it quick and easy to browse rich Web content with support for Adobe® Flash® Player and read books and magazines though services like Zinio®, which offers more than 5,000 full color magazines to browse, and Blio® eReader, which shows eBooks in full color on the brilliant 7-inch screen.
Equipped with a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera with flash for photo, and Mobile HD video capture and playback in 720p** as well as a 2-megapixel front-facing camera which can be used to connect with friends and family via Video Chat, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus makes it possible to connect and share life’s most important moments while on the go.
Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus will join the recently announced T-Mobile® SpringBoard™ with Google™ and Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, as well as the T-Mobile G-Slate™ with Google, to offer an affordable and compelling portfolio of 7-, 9- and 10-inch 4G tablets with down payments ranging from $179.99 to $399.99***.
Beginning Nov. 16, customers can purchase the T-Mobile SpringBoard for a $179.99 down payment and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for a $249.99 down payment at T-Mobile retail stores. Each require a $50 mail-in rebate, with a T-Mobile Value Mobile Broadband plan, two-year service agreement, and 20 interest free monthly payments of $10 on approved credit. Overage-free Mobile Broadband Value plans start at $29.99 per month, and T-Mobile postpaid voice customers enjoy $10 off their monthly mobile broadband service. For more information, visit http://mobile-broadband.t-mobile.com/tablets.
*T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere. See coverage details at http://www.t-mobile.com. 4G used in connection with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus product refers to the fact that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is designed with HSPA+ technology.
**Playback on device limited to WSVGA (1024×600)
***After mail-in rebate card with a T-Mobile Value Mobile Broadband plan, two year service agreement and 20 interest free monthly payments of $10 on approved credit.[/spoiler]
