We had heard early rumors, but now it’s official — the 16GB Wi-Fi edition of RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook is now available from Sprint for $499.99. If you’re unfamiliar with the specs, here’s a quick rundown of what the tablet has to offer: the PlayBook sports a 7-inch 1024 x 600 WSVGA display, a 1GHz dual-core processor, support for 1080p HDMI-out, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat, 1GB of RAM, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR support. If you’re looking for 4G speeds on the go, Sprint has also said that it expects to launch a WiMAX version of the tablet sometime this summer. Hit the jump for the full press release.

BlackBerry PlayBook with Wi-Fi Available from Sprint on June 5

The much anticipated BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet with Wi-Fi® connectivity and 16 GB of storage will go on sale in all Sprint direct ship sales channels, including Sprint Stores, Business Sales, www.sprint.com and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1) on Sunday, June 5, for $499.99 (plus tax).

BlackBerry PlayBook delivers a professional-grade, consumer-friendly experience that redefines the possibilities of mobile computing. This ultra-portable tablet, measuring less than half an inch thick and weighing less than a pound, looks and feels great. It features a vivid 7-inch high-resolution display that is highly-responsive with a fluid touch screen experience. It also offers industry-leading performance, uncompromised web browsing with full Adobe Flash support, true multitasking, HD multimedia, advanced security features and out-of-the-box enterprise support.

Customers that have a BlackBerry smartphone can also benefit from BlackBerry® Bridge™, a unique feature that allows the user to wirelessly and securely connect their BlackBerry smartphone, running OS 5.0 or higher, to the BlackBerry PlayBook over Bluetooth®. The secure connection allows the user to access their BlackBerry smartphone’s email, address book, calendar, memo pad, task list, BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger™) and browsing functionality using the large display on the tablet.

BlackBerry Bridge is available as a free download on BlackBerry App World™ and will be supported on BlackBerry smartphone data plans from Sprint for no additional charge.

BlackBerry PlayBook features include:

7-inch 1024×600 WSVGA capacitive LCD touch screen
Ultra-portable at less than a pound and less than one-half inch thick: 0.9 lbs (425g) and 5.1″ x 7.6″ x 0.4″ (130mm x 194mm x 10mm)
1GHz dual-core processor
BlackBerry® Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing
MP3, AAC and WMA audio playback
Support for high resolution video playback (H.264, MPEG4, WMV)
1080p HDMI output
Two 1080p HD cameras for video conferencing and video capture – 3 megapixel front-facing and 5 megapixel rear-facing
1 GB RAM memory
16 GB internal storage
GPS, Orientation Sensor (Accelerometer), 6-Axis Motion Sensor (Gyroscope), Digital Compass (Magnetometer)
Stereo speakers and stereo microphones
Wi-Fi® (802.11 a/b/g/n) connectivity
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR support
In addition to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet with Wi-Fi, Sprint and RIM are working together on the BlackBerry 4G PlayBook tablet.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited.

AT&T officially announced the Pantech Crossover on Tuesday, Pantech’s first Android smartphone. The Crossover is powered by a 600MHz processor, runs Android 2.2 (Froyo), sports a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 3.1-inch touchscreen display, support for 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi networks, a 2GB microSD card, a 3-megapixel camera, and a 1,500 mAh battery good for up to five hours of use. It may not offer the best specs, but it does come with an affordable price tag. You’ll be able to pick up the Pantech Crossover on June 5th for just $69.99 with a new two-year A&T contract. Hit the jump for the full release.

AT&T to Offer the Sporty Pantech Crossover

New Android 2.2 Smartphone Available to AT&T Customers June 5

AT&T Inc.

DALLAS, May 31, 2011 — /PRNewswire/ –

Key Facts

• Perfect for first-time smartphone users, the Pantech Crossover™ is the first Android™ smartphone from Pantech in the U.S.
• Crossover boasts a slide out full keyboard, a 3.1-inch touchscreen display, 600 MHz processor, 3-megapixel digital camera with camcorder, the popular AllSport GPS™ app and Mobile Hotspot support.
• Pantech Crossover will be available from AT&T* at company-owned stores and online at www.att.com on June 5 for $69.99 with a two-year contract and minimum monthly data plan.
• Pantech Crossover will be one of the premier phones promoted this summer on the Dew Tour, a major coast to coast action sports tour, of which Pantech is the official handset sponsor.

Customer Benefits

The Pantech Crossover™ makes it seamless for active people to stay connected through messaging and social media. Ideal for customers looking for additional features, personalization and convenience in their next phone, Crossover runs the Android 2.2 platform, has a side-sliding, full QWERTY keyboard, a five screen customizable interface, and an easy-to-use 3.1″ touch screen to access apps, widgets and more. For users ready to make the switch from a messaging phone to smartphone, Crossover is a simple take on the popular Android operating system.

Crossover’s durable design means it can go wherever you go. With a textured back cover and rubberized corners, it’s not afraid of a little action and is packed with features customers use most. The full QWERTY keyboard makes it a breeze to text, email and surf the web, and from the touchscreen, AT&T customers can use Android Market™ to grab the latest apps for social networking, games and more. Crossover is preloaded with AllSport GPS™, an application that offers workout tracking, maps, a calorie counter and more features for your active lifestyle. Sporty good looks and durable design come together to make Crossover a perfect fit for any active lifestyle.

In addition, Crossover also offers AT&T Mobile Hotspot to connect up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices for customers who choose a tethering plan. Customers can also enjoy unlimited Wi-Fi usage on the entire national AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot network with qualifying data plans.

Key Specifications

• Android™ 2.2 (Froyo)
• 3.1″ Full Touchscreen Display with Full Keyboard Slider
• HSPA Tri-Band 850/1900/2100 MHz; Quad-Band GSM850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
• 2GB card preinstalled
• microSD™ Memory Card Supports up to 32GB
• 4.45″ (L) x 2.28″ (W) x 0.56″ (D), Weight: 5.15 oz
• 3-megapixel camera with camcorder, fixed focus, 4x zoom
• 600 MHz processor
• Micro USB and 3.5mm headset jack
• 1500 mAh Lithium-ion battery; Up to 5 Hours, Standby Time: Up to 360 Hours
• Voice Recognition
• Accelerometer

To learn more about the Pantech Crossover, visit www.att.com/mobilephones-news.

“Our Android portfolio continues to grow with unique options for customers of all types,” said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Device Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “The Pantech Crossover with its unique finish and full keyboard will introduce new and existing customers to smarthphone features for the first time.”

“Crossover is the latest addition to our popular lineup of AT&T mobile phones,” said Wyatt Whaley, vice president of product planning for Pantech Wireless. “As our first Android™ smartphone for AT&T customers, we’ve made sure that Crossover has all of the features our users consider indispensible and more – a full keyboard for messaging, a touchscreen for apps and games, easy access to favorite social media pages and many others. Crossover is a simple, sporty Android device for people on the move and it will be a central part of this year’s exciting Dew Tour.”

If you’ve been patiently waiting to get your paws on the Sidekick’s sweet, sweet, keyboard, the wait is over. The T-Mobile Sidekick 4G — built by Samsung — sports a 1GHz processor, Android 2.2 (Froyo), 3-megapixel rear-facing camera, and HSPA+ radio for access to T-Mobile’s 4G network. Despite packing more heat than any other Sidekick before it, the device still maintains the same lovable form factor of the Sidekicks from yesteryear. We dug the colorful user interface and sturdy build quality during our initial hands-on, and think it will be a big hit with Sidekick fans everywhere. T-Mobile’s offering the phone for $99.99 with a new two year contract, and it’s available in matte black and magenta.

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Mingchi Kuo, a senior analyst at Digitimes Research, is predicting that an 11.6-inch Macbook Air — complete with Intel Core i-series processor — will be released in the second half of 2010. Kuo cites “discussions with upstream component makers,” and states that the new hardware will be manufactured by Quanta Computer. Kuo also wrote, “The new iPod touch will feature a 3-megapixel camera, capable of both photo and video recording, and will adopt Apple’s latest A4 processor.” The prognostications are not that shocking or outlandish, as both the Macbook Air and iPod Touch are due for a product refresh. Typically, Apple will refresh its iPod line before the holiday buying season, the refresh cycle of the Macbook Air has been slightly more sporadic.

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Lost in the hubbub surrounding smartphone powerhouses like the DROID X and iPhone 4 is the fact that the average person simply wants a phone that makes calls. To satiate this need, and throw in a few extra feature for good measure, T-Mobile today announced the immediate availability of the LG Sentio. An affordable device that brings to the table a 3″ touchscreen, 3 megapixel camera, visual voicemail and 3G connectivity. A UI with a set of customizable widgets as well as Social Buzz, an application that will not only handle your social media needs, but email as well. The LG Sentio from T-Mobile is available for $69.99 with an Even More plan, or $9 per month with Even More Plus.

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It looks like MetroPCS is getting ready to hop on the Android bandwagon, as AndroidGuys has scored images of what is purported to be the carriers first Android handset. Featuring a styling similar to but much nicer than T-Mobile’s CLIQ, the unnamed Motorola handset is said to have Android 2.1 with MOTOBLUR, a sliding QWERTY keypad, 3 megapixel camera and a 600MHz processor. The actual size of the capacitive display is unknown, although it’s likely to come in at just a hair over 3″. What’s the consensus on this one?

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Here it is, folks. Motorola has gotten around to announcing the FLIPOUT, aka that strange and square Motorola smartphone. The big news here apart from its strange, swivel design and 67mm square body and Android 2.1, are the enhancements made to MOTOBLUR. In a nutshell, you’re going to be able to resize widgets, implement filters in your Happenings and Messages widgets, and have access to corporate email. Apart from the modern Android staples of digital compass, Wi-Fi, GPS and 7.2Mbps HSDPA, the FLIPOUT has to its name a 2.8″ QVGA display, 3 megapixel camera and 512MB internal memory. We’re trying to find out processor powers this thing, but we imagine it won’t be anything too special. The Motorola FLIPOUT will be available in Europe sometime this quarter. Hit up the break to check out a trio of videos which show off the FLIPOUT and the changes made to MOTOBLUR.

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Apple’s not the only company dealing with a misplaced prototype this morning, as the Samsung GT-i5801 has been giving the hands on treatment by HoFo founder Howard Chui. Much like the Galaxy Spica, the i5801 — which may or may not be branded as the Galaxy 3 — is an entry-level Android smartphone. What sets it apart however, is that it is sporting Android 2.1 and appears to have an AMOLED display — albeit at a resolution of 240×400. Other features include: a 3 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth (possibly 3.0), around 300MB of internal memory, and the same awful custom UI as seen on the Galaxy S. Is this something you’d rock? Check out the video after the break and report back!

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What you see above might just be the entire spec sheet for that mysterious Android slider from Motorola we caught a glimpse of the other day. Allegedly known as the Twist, the strange smartphone is said to measure in at 67mm-squared and 15.8mm thick, and possess a rather underwhelming feature set which includes a 2.8″ QVGA multitouch display, 3 megapixel camera, aGPS, Wi-Fi, dual-band HSPA (850/1900MHz), 700MHz OMAP 3410 processor and 512MB ROM / 256MB RAM. The slide mentions the Twist as running Android 1.5, so unless the information is badly outdated, it looks like those rumors of the device running Android 2.1 in conjunction with MOTOBLUR were wishful thinking. That is if any of this is even real.

[Via Android Central]

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While we’d have greatly preferred it if Verizon sent out a press release about its Nexus One now being on sale, we guess this morning’s announcement about the immediate availability of the Motorola DEVOUR will do for now. If you think the DROID was too masculine and the DROID ERIS was a little on the lower end, then all that stands between you and the sexy aluminum slider is $149.99 after a $100 MIR on a two year agreement.

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Remember that mysterious LiMo-powered smartphone we exclusively showed you a week back? Well today it was made official alongside another handset as well as a new internet service, Vodafone 360. The two devices, manufactured by Samsung, have been dubbed the 360 H1 (the device we showed you) and 360 M1. The 360 H1 looks to be an all around solid device with a 3.5-inch OLED touchscreen display, 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash, 16GB of internal memory, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HSDPA. The 360 M1, on the other hand, leaves a little bit to be desired but still packs a bit of a punch with a 3.2-inch touchscreen display,  1GB of internal memory (expandable by microSD), GPS, Bluetooth 2.0 and HSDPA. As for Vodafone 360 platform, what we previously told you was correct in that it incorporates more or less the same sort of social media approach as webOS and MOTOBLUR, but with a slightly stronger emphasis placed upon games, apps and music. Nothing too crazy, but it’s something we think every smartphone should have as we draw nearer to a new decade. Of note, Voda’s 360 services will also work on dozens of Nokia and Sony Ericsson handsets so if this new dynamic duo isn’t your thing, rest easy. Oh, and just one more thing… The H1 and the M1? H1 and M1? H1M1? A bit too close for comfort.

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Damn are our ninjas good. Dell’s Android-based China Mobile-bound Mini 3i, a smartphone that we first caught a glimpse of in mid-June, is now official. Unveiled today in Beijing, the Mini 3i (also apparently MINI3i) is an Android-based smartphone that runs on the Open Mobile System. Spec wise, the Mini 3i is not particularly impressive especially considering that it is EDGE-only and lacks Wi-Fi. Regardless, the handset is definitely a contender in the Chinese market where not even the carrier-pwner that is Apple can manage to release a Wi-Fi-enabled handset. Here’s the low-down on the specs:

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE class 12
• Size: 68.6cc
• 103g grams weight
• Dimensions: 58 x 122 x 11.7mm
• Display: 3.5″ nHD 640×360 LCD, 18-bit, 262K colors
• OTA capable
• Microsoft Exchange support
• Google, AIM, Yahoo and MSN IM support
• 3 megapixel auto-focus, flash, 8x digital zoom camera with 30fps video shooting mode, built in photo editor
• USB 2.0, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
• A-GPS
• On-screen QWERTY keyboard, hardwriting recognition, multi touch UI
• MicroSD slot

Hit the jump for a few more shots.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

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It’s not a T-Mobile myTouch 3G (aka the dumbest name in marketing history), but Samsung is going to take care of that feature-phone segment with a new 3G handset — or at least try to. The Samsung Highlight will be available this month if you’re interested. It’ll retail for $150 after rebates and here are the official specs:

• Large touch-screen display, thin-profile design
• Available in two colors options: fire and ice
• 3 megapixel camera with 3x digital zoom and video capture
• Stereo Bluetooth
• microSD slot for up to 16 GB of optional removable memory
• Music player supports MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+ and eAAC+
• Support for SMS, MMS, instant messaging (IM) and e-mail
• IM support: AIM, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger
• E-mail support: AOL, Yahoo!, additional POP3 accounts
• Complete Web access through T-Mobile web2go
• A-GPS with Location Based Services by TeleNav
• Quad-band GSM world phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
• UMTS/HSDPA-capable (1700/2100 – AWS Band IV)
• Display: 1.61 x 2.64 inches, 240 x 400 pixels, 262k TFT display
• 4.27 x 2.11 x 0.54 inches; 3.7 ounces

Despite it being another sleepy Sunday, yesterday Samsung decided it was good timeto announce four new entry-level handsets that it hopes will prove popular with the average consumer. Starting off with the S6700 that Samsung has previously shown off at various trade shows, we find a dual-band HSDPA slider with a 2.4-inch QVGA display, 3 megapixel camera with auto-focus and dual-LED flash, GPS and 120MB of internal memory plus microSDHC support. Next up we have the C5510 with its basic 2 megapixel shooter, smaller 2.2-inch QVGA display and microSDHC support. Taking a more music-centric approach is the M2510, which has dedicated music keys, a 3.5mm headphone jack, DNSe audio enhancement, FM radio tuner with RDS and a 1.3 megapixel camera. Finally we have the M2310, the only clam shell device in the bunch and easily the most underwhelming handset we’ve seen in quite some time. It has a VGA camera, 9MB of internal memory, 8GB microSD support and quad-band EDGE connectivity. Pricing and availability for the S6700, C5510, M2510 and M2310 have yet to be announced.

[Via GSM Arena]

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Today Verizon took the wraps off of three devices we feel like we already know all too well. Starting off with the successor to the Voyager, the evV TOUCH features a 3-inch touchscreen display on the exterior, a non-touch 3-inch display on the interior, full-QWERTY keypad, 3.2 megapixel camera with a Schneider Kreuznach lens and auto-focus, 3.5mm headphone jack and the ability to view Microsoft Office documents from a microSD card. The enV 3 features a full-QWERTY keypad as well, but it has a 2.6-inch external display coupled with a 1.56-incher on the inside and support for microSD cards up to 16GB. Moving on to the Glance, not much to see here other than the 1.3 megapixel camera, 2.5mm headphone jack and slim silhouette. All three devices feature GPS by way of VZ Navigator, mobile email, web and IM in addition to threaded SMS and MMS. The enV TOUCH will be available on June 5th for $149.99 after a $70 MIR with the Glance coming out the same day for $49.99 after a $50 MIR. The enV 3 will be available tomorrow for $129.99 after a $50 MIR.

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