T-Mobile USA confirmed via Facebook on Monday that it will launch the HTC Radar, a Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) device, on November 2nd for $100 after a $50 mail-in rebate and with a new two-year contract. BGR had a chance to see the HTC Radar 4G up close in September, and we found it to be an attractive mid-level handset at its price point. The Radar 4G is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and is equipped with a 3.7-inch display, a 5-megapixel camera, 512MB of RAM and support for T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network.

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Verizon Wireless announced on Monday the Pantech Breakout will launch on September 22nd for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and with a new two-year contract. The Breakout is the first sub-$100 4G LTE smartphone from Verizon and it is equipped with a number of features typically found in more expensive devices. The Breakout’s specs include a 1GHz processor, a 4-inch display with an 800 x 480-pixel resolution, a 5-megapixel camera capable of recording 720p HD video, a secondary front-facing camera for video chats and 8GB of storage. The Pantech Breakout, which runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), is also capable of sharing its 4G LTE connection with up to 10 other Wi-Fi enabled devices. Read on for the full press release from Verizon Wireless.

Verizon Wireless to Launch Pantech Breakout™

Pantech Breakout Combines Tremendous 4G LTE Speed and the Latest Features with Affordability

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Verizon Wireless and Pantech today announced the Pantech Breakout™ will be exclusively available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com beginning Sept. 22.

The Pantech Breakout smartphone, brought to market by Personal Communications Devices, LLC (PCD), shines with super-fast downloads packaged in a slim and attractive design.  Customers will have access to custom Pantech widgets and can share media files between Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA)-enabled devices by using the Net Media app on their Pantech Breakout.

Additional features:

Powered by 4G LTE – customers can expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G mobile broadband coverage areas
Android™ 2.3 Gingerbread
1 GHz processor
4-inch capacitive touch display (480 x 800)
Support for Google™ Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Search™ and Google Maps™, as well as access to more than 250,000 apps available to download from Android Market™
4G LTE mobile hotspot supporting up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices
Virtual QWERTY keyboard featuring SWYPE™ technology for quick and easy typing of messages and emails
5-megapixel autofocus rear-facing camera with HD video capture up to 720p
VGA front-facing camera for still shots and video chatting
Wi-Fi connectivity 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth® 3.0 support includes headset, hands-free, object push, advanced audio distribution (stereo), audio/video remote control, file transfer and phonebook access
8 GB pre-installed microSD™

Pricing and availability:

The Pantech Breakout will be available on Sept. 22 in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $99.99 after a $50 mail in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.  Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
Customers that purchase a Pantech Breakout 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.

Apple’s official iCloud.com website is now live for developers as part of a new beta phase of the service. The website is complete with web applications for Calendar, Contacts, Mail, iCloud for Pages, iWork and Find My iPhone. It also currently has a look and feel very reminiscent of iOS, which we like. We already know that Apple will offer iOS users 5GB of free iCloud storage, but the Cupertino-based company also revealed the official pricing for those who want a bit more storage. Users can sign up for an additional 10GB of storage (15GB total) for $20 per year, 20GB of additional storage for $40 per year, or 50GB of added storage for $100 per year.

Sprint dropped the price of its Nexus S 4G smartphone to $99.99 on Friday. The Google-branded smartphone originally made its debut on Sprint on May 8th for $199.99. The Nexus S 4G offers a “pure Google” experience and runs the latest Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system. It also sports a 4-inch AMOLED display, a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 16GB of internal memory and support for Sprint’s 4G WiMAX network. If you’re looking for a solid device that’s going to be constantly updated with the freshest OS builds from Google, the Nexus S 4G is a good bet — and its new $99.99 price point just makes it a bit sweeter.

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BGR’s Throwback Thursday segment is typically reserved for extinct tech, but this week we make an exception. On June 16th, 1911 — one hundred years ago today — Charles Ranlett Flint merged three companies to form the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company. Headquartered in New York City, CTR manufactured and sold scales, card-punch machines, meat slicers and a variety of other products that have long since been replaced by several generations of improved offerings. CTR changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation, or IBM, on February 14th, 1924, to better align its name with its wide range of products. IBM would hit its stride building tabulating devices, and it was at the forefront of developing the PCs we now take for granted. Now, 100 years later with a market capitalization of just under $200 billion, IBM remains a leader in the technology space, producing software and hardware that will shape the future of computing. Happy 100th, IBM, and here’s to 100 more.

BGR’s Throwback Thursday is a weekly series covering our (and your) favorite gadgets, games, and software of yesterday and yesteryear.

It’s certainly not going to knock any socks off this year, but Apple has finally kicked off its annual back to school sale. A day behind schedule, Apple on Thursday announced that students making qualifying Mac purchases will receive a complimentary $100 iTunes gift card. The offer applies to college students and those accepted into college, and any MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac or Mac Pro purchase will qualify for the gift card. Apple’s promotion this year offers less than half the back-for-your-buck compared to past promotions that offered a free iPod touch with each purchase, but $100 toward software for your new Mac computer on top of a 10% student discount still makes for a decent deal. Apple’s offer runs from now through September 20th, so students have more than enough time to wait for that imminent MacBook Air refresh we’ve all been expecting.

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On Thursday T-Mobile introduced two new Android phones that will be priced under $100 after rebates: the Samsung Gravity SMART and the Samsung Exhibit 4G. The Exhibit 4G runs the latest Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system, has a 1GHz processor, a 3-megapixel camera, and offers support for T-Mobile’s 21Mbps HSPA+ 4G network. The Gravity SMART runs Android 2.2 (Froyo), has 3.2-inch touchscreen display, a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash, and also offers a full four-row slide-out QWERTY keyboard. T-Mobile says both phones should be available this month, although pricing was not announced. Hit the jump for the full press release.

T-Mobile USA and Samsung Mobile Introduce Two New Feature-Rich and Budget-Friendly Android™-Powered Handsets

Expected to become available this month, the Samsung Exhibit™ 4G and Samsung Gravity™ SMART will each deliver on-the-go entertainment and connectivity for less than $100

T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S. ¹, today announced the upcoming availability of two new feature-rich Android^™-powered handsets, the Samsung Exhibit^™ 4G and Samsung Gravity^™ SMART, each less than $100 after a $50 mail-in rebate and with a qualifying rate plan on a two-year agreement.

“The Samsung Exhibit 4G and Samsung Gravity SMART will expand T-Mobile’s product portfolio to include two affordable options for customers who crave rich connectivity and unique entertainment experiences,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. “T-Mobile is continuing to help families easily make the move to smartphones with these new Android-powered handsets, together with data plans as low as $10 per month, all running on America’s largest 4G network^™.”

“The Samsung Exhibit 4G and Samsung Gravity SMART are two examples of Samsung’s commitment to delivering quality smartphones at a variety of price points,” said Dale Sohn, president, Samsung Mobile. “The Samsung Exhibit 4G shows Samsung’s dedication to delivering premium entertainment content, while the Samsung Gravity SMART builds on the success of our Gravity line of phones with premium messaging options, both at an exceptional value.”

Samsung Exhibit 4G

One of the fastest smartphones running on America’s Largest 4G Network™², the Samsung Exhibit 4G is a full-featured, touch-screen device that does not compromise on rich entertainment capabilities. Powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread and equipped with a speedy 1GHz processor, the Exhibit 4G delivers a full entertainment package to the palm of your hand at blazing fast speeds.

Through the delivery of faster speeds comes an enhanced viewing experience when enjoying live and on-demand channels from preloaded T-Mobile® TV, including free programming from select stations like ABC News Now, FOX Sports, PBS Kids and Azteca America. Customers also have the option to rent or purchase their favorite movies and TV programs directly from the Samsung Media Hub, which features a robust collection of new releases and TV shows. In addition, the Exhibit 4G offers hours of amusement with preloaded family favorites such as Bejeweled^® 2, Hasbro’s SCRABBLE (in U.S. and Canada only) and Doodle Jump.

Becoming available in two color finishes — violet and black — the Exhibit 4G is the perfect companion for someone looking for their first, or next, Android smartphone. With theoretical peak download speeds of 21Mbps, capturing and sharing memories via email, social networks or video is quick and easy. The Exhibit 4G comes equipped with a 3-megapixel camera with flash and a camcorder, as well as a front-facing camera with video chat pre-installed, enabling customers to virtually connect with friends and family via T-Mobile’s network or Wi-Fi.

Samsung Gravity SMART

As the first Android-powered handset in the successful Gravity product lineup, running on Android 2.2 Froyo, the Samsung Gravity SMART is perfect for T-Mobile customers who are looking for an affordable, yet functional messaging device. Built to deliver a premium messaging experience, the Gravity SMART comes equipped with Group Text^™ and combines a spacious, horizontal, four-row, slide-out, QWERTY keyboard with a 3.2-inch touch-screen display featuring Swype^™ for easy text input, even with the keyboard closed. In addition, pin it notes enables customers to pin important messages to Gravity SMART’s home screen for quick reference.

Keeping in touch with friends and family is easy and fun with the Gravity SMART, which features integration with popular social networking sites and a full HTML Web browser for posting and viewing status updates. The Gravity SMART also includes a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash, digital zoom and a camcorder for capturing photos and videos.

The Samsung Exhibit 4G and the Gravity SMART offer access to more than 200,000 applications available on Android Market^™ and full integration with Google Mobile^™ services.

Availability

The Samsung Exhibit 4G and the Samsung Gravity SMART, both exclusively from        T-Mobile, are expected to be available to T-Mobile customers in June. Customers can visit http://samsung.t-mobile.com/exhibit-4g for more information on the Samsung Exhibit 4G or http://www.t-mobile.com or http://www.samsung.com/newsroom for more information on the Samsung Gravity SMART.

Are you dead-set on acquiring T-Mobile’s G-Slate Honeycomb tablet? Listen up. According to information garnered by TmoNews, you can chisel $100 off the device’s price tag by acting early. Here’s how it’s done: call T-Mobile at 1-866-464-8662, select option”3″, and reference promotional code “GSLATE100.” If you complete your tablet purchase using the above method before April 27th, T-Mobile will slash an additional $100 off the tablet’s $529 window sticker. Not a bad deal.

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T-Mobile USA has confirmed with BGR that the Sidekick 4G will be available to customers on April 20th for $99.99 with a new two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate. The Sidekick 4G — built by Samsung — runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) with a custom user interface that should appeal to Sidekick fans. It offers a throwback QWERTY keyboard with rounded keys and is powered 1GHz Cortex A8 Samsung Hummingbird processor — that’s more power than any Sidekick before it. As its name implies, it will also run on T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network. We really enjoyed using the Sidekick 4G during our hands-on at CTIA 2011 early last month, and we think Sidekick fans should be excited to get their paws the device that promises to revive the brand.

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Following in Apple’s footsteps, AT&T has reduced the price of original iPad models by $100 online and in its retail locations. A 16GB iPad will now retail for $529, 32GB for $629 and 64GB for $729. If you were contemplating an iPad before, and aren’t blown away by the new features of the iPad 2, hit up your local AT&T or Apple Store and save. Anyone out there going to pick up an original iPad in light of the iPad 2 announcement?

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According to blog Electricpig in the UK, Apple will be refunding the new price difference to customers that purchased an iPad between February 16th and March 2nd. “We were assured by Apple’s sales team that Apple would refund the £100 price difference, without any complicated returns and exchanges, so you can take advantage of the price drop on the original iPad,” writes the site. Apple’s standard return policy is 14-days, so if you purchased an original iPad in the last two weeks: get your head examined and then bring that tablet back to your local Apple Store for a price adjustment.

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Just one week after the nation’s No. 1 carrier finally unleashes its iPhone 4 on the world, Verizon Wireless may have another handset launch waiting in the wings. Granted, with HP’s webOS event less than a week away and the possibility of exciting new tablets and smartphones dancing through our heads, it’s not easy to get excited about an incremental upgrade from last year’s debut webOS phone. Granted, the Palm Pre 2 offers some nice improvements over its predecessor, such as a faster processor, a glass screen and the new webOS 2.0 operating system — but you’ll forgive us if a 3.1-inch display and that teeny tiny QWERTY keypad don’t exactly get our engines revving here in 2011. On the other hand, we do absolutely love the webOS operating system and $99.99 is a fair price point for Palm’s latest phone, especially if there’s a BOGO sale involved. If the screen shot above pans out, expect Verizon to finally let this little guy loose on February 17th.

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We’re not sure exactly what’s going on here, but reports started surfacing yesterday evening that some TJ Maxx store locations had Apple’s iPad on sale for $399. Those reports have been confirmed, with the 16GB Wi-Fi model quickly selling out at most TJ Maxx stores with that amazing price. The Twilight music isn’t getting any softer, however, as now Marshall’s stores are also retailing the device for $399. The pricing is lower than authorized Apple retailer’s cost, and no one is sure if the merchandise is coming direct from Apple or somewhere else. The $399 pricing is also much less than Apple’s own site is selling refurbished iPads for at $449. Black Friday blowout? Clearing inventory for the iPad 2 in January / February? Who knows, but $399 for Apple’s 10-inch tablet with no contract is the best deal on the planet, and they sure as heck know that.

AT&T has slashed the price of its flagship BlackBerry smartphone in half. The BlackBerry Torch, which became available in August 2010, is RIM’s first smartphone to feature both a touchscreen and a physical QWERTY keypad. It was also the first BlackBerry to launch with RIM’s new OS, BlackBerry 6. It initially hit store shelves at $199.99 and after roughly three months, the Torch is now available for $99.99 with a 2-year contract. A price drop after this length of time is not necessarily an indication of poor sales, as several blogs have speculated, though many analysts agree that sales have been less than spectacular. At it’s new price point, which is below the magical $100 mark, AT&T clearly hopes that the BlackBerry Torch will finally spread its wings this holiday season.

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It appears as though webOS junkies may soon have a new way to get their fix — two new ways, even. According to a screenshot allegedly depicting Sprint’s inventory system, not one but two new Palm handsets have materialized; the 120 and C40. Let’s look at what we’ve got: Sprint’s Pre is coded as 100, or P100 in internal systems. At Verizon, it’s pretty safe to assume the Pre has been dubbed P101 as we’ve seen several references to it. Both the screenshot above and the shots in this post also depict a device coded 12x — the 120 is listed above and the P121 is reportedly in Verizon’s inventory system right now. We’ve seen the 120 referenced earlier as well, and it was always thought to be the Eos. As both carriers are rumored to be getting Palm’s Centro replacement in the near future, the Eos being designated as 12x might still be a safe bet. As for what the C40 could be however, we’re stumped. If the C40 is actually the Eos and the 120 is a refreshed Pre of some sort, why does Verizon have both the P101 and P121 in its inventory right now? Does Big Red plan to launch 8GB and 16GB Pre models simultaneously, a la older iPhone models? Hit the comments and let us know what you think.

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