According to CEO Joe Kennedy, Pandora has surpassed 150 million users in the United States and is the second most downloaded app in the history of Apple’s App Store, CNET reported on Wednesday. The Internet radio service has big plans for the future and is working with automakers to integrate the service into virtually all future vehicles. “We truly believe this is just the beginning,” Kennedy said at the CTIA Wireless trade show in New Orleans. Over the past year, the company has faced increased competition from streaming service Spotify, however it doesn’t seem to have affected Pandora’s continued growth.

Read

AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega said he feels good about the future of the company’s shared family data plans. “I’m very comfortable with the plan that will be offered to our customers,” de la Vega told CNET at the CTIA Wireless trade show. The comments mark a 180-degree reversal from previous statements the CEO made in January. De la Vega had said the company had run into complications over IT and billing issues, as well as complications regarding how the carrier would subsidize devices. “We want to make sure we get it right,” he said in January. A shared data plan would allow families to buy a larger bucket of data that can be shared by multiple devices, like a pool of voice minutes. The executive wouldn’t comment further on specifics and only said plans will be available in the coming months, though AT&T may be looking to beat Verizon Wireless to the punch.

Read

As sales of smartphones and tablets reach all time heights, consumers in the United States are streaming more movies, downloading more apps and viewing more websites on their wireless devices. According to a recent report from the CTIA, annual wireless data traffic in the U.S. grew 123% from 388 billion megabytes in 2010 to 866.7 billion megabytes in 2011. The survey also found that the number of active smartphones in the U.S. increased by 43% to 111.5 million units in 2011 compared with 78.2 million in 2010. “As the President, bipartisan members of Congress, FCC Chairman and Commissioners and other policymakers have repeatedly advocated, the U.S. wireless industry must have access to more spectrum so we can continue to improve our nation’s economy and meet our consumers’ demands,” Steve Largent, president and CEO of CTIA, said in a statement. In order to handle the massive demand for wireless data, U.S. mobile carriers are continuing to invest in their networks through 4G upgrades and increased coverage and capacity with more cell sites. Read on for CTIA’s press release.

CTIA-The Wireless Association® Semi-Annual Survey Shows Significant Demand by Americans for Wireless Broadband

Americans used more than 123 percent more wireless data traffic in 2011 than 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The amount of wireless data transmitted by Americans continues to increase at an impressive rate, as the CTIA-The Wireless Association® semi-annual survey revealed, which was released today. The annual U.S. wireless data traffic grew 123 percent from 2010 (388 billion megabytes) to 2011 (866.7 billion megabytes). According to the survey, there was a 43 percent increase in the number of active smartphones and wireless-enabled PDAs in 2011 (111.5 million) compared with 2010 (78.2 million). With almost 95 percent of these devices capable of transmitting wireless data, Americans’ voracious appetite for anywhere and anytime mobile access is why the wireless industry needs more spectrum.

To put the wireless data traffic of 2010 compared with 2011 into perspective, if you were walking and listening to five songs per mile and each song lasted for four minutes:

In 2010, you would walk 77,601,961,033 miles, or the equivalent of 3,116,419 times around the world for 2,952,890 years and listen to 97 billion songs.

In 2011, you would walk 173,364,056,929 miles, or the equivalent of 6,962,132 times around the world for 6,596,806 years and listen to 216.7 billion songs.

In order to handle Americans’ demand for wireless data, mobile providers continued to make significant investments in their infrastructure, from upgrading networks from 3G to 4G to increasing the number of cell sites to improve coverage and capacity. In 2011, they reported $25.3 billion in capital expenditures, which was up 2 percent from 2010. Since 2001, wireless providers invested $246 billion in capital expenditures, so they can meet consumers’ demands for wireless access anytime and anywhere. This number does not include the billions that wireless companies paid the U.S. government to license spectrum. Also important to meeting demand was the 2009 FCC shot clock ruling that required local governments to make decisions on tower siting proposals within specific timeframes. 2011 was the largest annual increase of operational cell sites with 283,385 at year-end, which was 30,299 more than 2010.

The 12-month survey results for 2011 are:

Wireless subscriber connections: 331.6 million (104.6 percent penetration); Dec. 2010: 311 million (7 percent increase).

Wireless network data traffic: 866.7 billion megabytes; Dec. 2010: 388 billion megabytes (123 percent increase).

Active smartphones and wireless-enabled PDAs: 111.5 million; Dec. 2010: 78.2 million (43 percent increase).

Number of active data-capable devices: 295.1 million; Dec. 2010: 270.5 million (9 percent increase).

Wireless-enabled tablets, laptops and modems: 20.2 million; Dec. 2010: 13.6 million (49 percent increase).

Minutes of Use (MOU): 2.296 trillion; Dec. 2010: 2.241 trillion (2 percent increase)

SMS sent and received: 2.304 trillion; Dec. 2010: 2.052 trillion (12 percent increase).

MMS sent and received: 52.8 billion; Dec. 2010: 56.6 billion.

Average local monthly wireless bill (includes voice and data service): $47.00; Dec. 2010: $47.21.

“Americans’ love for mobile products and services continue to grow. Our survey shows yet again that we are choosing to have more than one wireless device, including smartphones, tablets and e-readers, which is why the wireless penetration rate is almost 105 percent. Yet as the President, bipartisan members of Congress, FCC Chairman and Commissioners and other policymakers have repeatedly advocated, the U.S. wireless industry must have access to more spectrum so we can continue to improve our nation’s economy and meet our consumers’ demands. While the spectrum identified in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation was a great start, there is much more work to be done,” said Steve Largent, President and CEO of CTIA. “We look forward to working with all of the interested parties to quickly bring more spectrum to auction so our members may purchase it, continue to invest and create jobs and ensure wireless U.S. consumers remain enjoying the world’s best wireless products and services.”

The CTIA on Monday announced that President Bill Clinton will be the final keynote speaker at this year’s International CTIA Wireless event in New Orleans, Louisiana. President Clinton will “share his unique perspective on preparing leaders to meet the challenges of global interdependence and implementing innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues.” His address will come on the third and final day of the event and run from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. CDT. The International CTIA Wireless convention is scheduled to take place from May 8th through May 10th at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. As always, we will be on hand to bring you all the news as it breaks. Read on for the CTIA’s press release.

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON TO DELIVER DAY THREE KEYNOTE AT INTERNATIONAL CTIA WIRELESS® 2012

42nd President of the United States to Close the Show with 2:00 p.m. Remarks on May 10th

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 12, 2012 – International CTIA WIRELESS® 2012 today announced President Bill Clinton, Founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States, as the final keynote speaker at the premier international marketplace for wireless, telecom and all things mobile. International CTIA WIRELESS 2012 will take place May 8-10, 2012 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

On Thursday, May 10 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. CDT, President Clinton will share his unique perspective on preparing leaders to meet the challenges of global interdependence and implementing innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues.

“We are honored to have President Clinton keynote at International CTIA WIRELESS 2012 and to have him share his extraordinary experiences and insight regarding the importance of leadership and the invaluable role technology can play in helping solve challenges around the world,” said CTIA President and CEO Steve Largent. “The president has been a long-standing believer in the power of mobile communication, and played a leading role in forming policy during his terms in office that created an environment in which a young wireless industry flourished and provided immense benefits to Americans that have substantially increased over time.”

The United States House of Representatives approved the Wireless Tax Fairness Act on Tuesday, an initiative that prevents new local and state taxes on wireless bills for the next five years. “We need to encourage the development and adoption of wireless broadband, not tax it out of existence,” Representative Zoe Lofgren said. The average tax rate on goods and services in the United States is 7.4% but consumers with wireless contracts pay an average of 16.4% in taxes and fees, WirelessWeek said. “The exorbitant discriminatory taxes on wireless customers are not only unfair, they are counterintuitive, adding another costly impediment to the success of so many American businesses who are struggling in the midst of a prolonged recession,” Representative Trent Franks argued. Read on for more.

Representative Judy Chu from California was the sole Representative who held out on voting in support of the act. “This will deny states the flexibility to respond to economic downturns during the moratorium and therefore undermine the ability of states to pay for essential services,” Chu said.

“On behalf of the 300 million wireless customers in the U.S., CTIA applauds the Wireless Tax Fairness Act’s lead sponsors, Representatives Lofgren and Franks, who worked tirelessly to get the bill approved in the House,” the CTIA said in a statement. “Today’s vote is a crucial step toward providing wireless subscribers with some much needed relief by putting a five-year freeze on new, discriminatory taxes and fees on their monthly bills. In light of the challenging economy, we hope the U.S. Senate moves swiftly to pass the companion bill.”

[Via Phone Scoop]

Read

We just met with Motorola in San Diego during the CTIA Enterprise & Applications 2011 trade show to get a first-hand look at the newly announced Motorola ATRIX 2, and we love what we see so far. The phone is made of plastic, and while we generally prefer more high-end materials such as aluminum, it feels weighty and solid in the hand. We also appreciate that Motorola added a dedicated camera button this time around, which makes it easy to launch the camera app for quick photo taking. The ATRIX 2 is also equipped with a beautiful 4.3-inch qHD display that was very sharp, a 1GHz dual-core processor, 8GB of storage, 1GB of RAM and support for AT&T’s HSPA+ 21 network. Additionally, it runs the latest Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system. The ATRIX 2 will be available on Sunday, October 16th for $99.99 with a new two-year contract. We’ll reserve final judgements until we write our full review, but we’re definitely respecting the high-spec build-out at an affordable price point. Be sure to check out our gallery below.

For the first time, the number of wireless devices connecting to cellular networks in the United States and its territories over the past six months has surpassed the country’s total population. A semi-annual survey conducted by the CTIA found that wireless subscriber connections now total 327.6 million while the population of the U.S. and its territories is now 315.5 million people. This means the wireless penetration rate in the U.S. in now 103.9% according to the CTIA, marking the first time that wireless penetration has surpassed 100% in the U.S. The CTIA also noted that wireless data connections increased 111% compared to its previous semi-annual survey, and wireless service revenue in the U.S. totaled $164.6 billion during the 12-month period ending June 2011, up 6% from the same period in 2010. The association’s full press release follows below.

CTIA-The Wireless Association® Semi-Annual Survey Reveals Historical Wireless Trend

U.S. Wireless Subscriber Connections Surpassed U.S. Population for First Time

Wireless Network Data Traffic Increased 111 percent and Highlights Industry Need for More Spectrum

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — For the first time in history, the semi-annual survey conducted by CTIA-The Wireless Association® shows the number of wireless subscriber connections (327.6 million) has surpassed the population (315.5 million) in the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands), which means the wireless penetration rate in the U.S. is 103.9 percent. The survey, released today at CTIA ENTERPRISE & APPLICATIONS™ 2011, tracks U.S. wireless trends including subscribership, usage, revenue and investment from January 2011to June 2011. The survey also showed a 111 percent increase in wireless data traffic. The tremendous increase in data usage, wireless subscriber connections and other metrics from the survey underscore the industry’s need to purchase more spectrum from the federal government to meet the significant demands by consumers and businesses so Americans continue to lead the world with the best wireless products and services.

The January 2011-June 2011 wireless survey results are:

• Wireless subscriber connections: 327.6 million; mid-year 2010: 300.5 million (9 percent increase).
• Wireless network data traffic: 341.2 billion megabytes; mid-year 2010: 161.5 billion megabytes (111 percent increase).
• Average local monthly wireless bill (includes voice and data service): $47.23; mid-year 2010:$47.47 (less than 1 percent decrease).
• Number of active smartphones and wireless-enabled PDAs: 95.8 million; mid-year 2010: 61.2 million (57 percent increase).
• Number of active data-capable devices: 278.3 million; mid-year 2010: 264.5 million (5 percent increase).
• Wireless-enabled tablets, laptops and modems: 15.2 million; mid-year 2010: 12.9 million (17 percent increase).
• Minutes of Use (MOU): 1.148 trillion; mid-year 2010: 1.138 trillion (1 percent increase).
• SMS sent and received: 1.138 trillion; mid-year 2010: 982.9 billion (16 percent increase).
• MMS sent and received: 28.2 billion; mid-year 2010: 32.1 billion.

In order to try to meet the demand for wireless devices and services by consumers and businesses, CTIA’s provider members continued their investments in their networks and infrastructure to improve their customers’ coverage and speeds. From June 2010-June 2011, the annual capital investment increased by 28 percent to $27.5 billion. Since 2001, wireless companies have reported a cumulative total investment of $223 billion. These figures do not include the billions our carrier members paid to the U.S. government for spectrum.

“CTIA’s semi-annual survey proves that Americans love wireless and continue to rely on the most cutting-edge and innovative devices and services in the world. Clearly, we’re using wireless more every day, and the consensus of experts is that demand will continue to skyrocket by more than 50 times within the next five years. These are the reasons why our members need more spectrum,” said Steve Largent, President and CEO of CTIA. “By making underutilized or unused spectrum available for auction, carriers will continue to invest billions of dollars in their infrastructure, generate hundreds of billions of dollars in benefit to our economy and create up to a half a million new jobs while ensuring the U.S. maintains its position as the world’s wireless leader.”

Wireless annual service revenue was $164.6 billion in the 12 months ending June 2011, up 6 percent from the same period in 2010.

To see a summary of the report or to purchase the full report from the CTIA Research eStore, please visit: http://www.ctia.org/advocacy/research/index.cfm/AID/10316.

San Francisco approved the ordinance in July, which passed in a 10-1 vote, and asked retailers to post “general warnings” about risks. However, the CTIA says the city may actually be causing users to rethink using their cell phones during an emergency. “The City’s warning materials create the false impression that the FCC’s standards are insufficient, suggest that phones are dangerous, and urge consumers to limit their use and turn them off when not in use,” the CTIA said. “If the millions of wireless subscribers in the Bay Area heed the City’s misguided warning to avoid cell phones, use them less, and turn them off when not in use, it will limit the value and convenience cell phones provide and impact public safety by limiting access to 911 and emergency alerts that can save lives in emergencies.”

The World Health Organization recently said cell phones are “possibly carcinogenic,” but The Economist quickly shot the report down and said devices do not cause cancer. Researchers who studied the WHO report also said there is evidence “increasingly against the hypothesis that mobile phone use can cause brain tumors in adults.” The CTIA’s full press release follows below.

CTIA-The Wireless Association® Files Challenge to San Francisco’s “Cell Phone Right-to-Know” Ordinance

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2011 – Today, CTIA-The Wireless Association® asked a federal court to block the enforcement of San Francisco’s “Cell Phone Right-to-Know” ordinance. CTIA’s challenge argues that the Ordinance is barred under the First Amendment and conflicts with federal law governing the safety of wireless devices.

As CTIA explains in its motion, the Ordinance requires retailers to distribute misleading statements and graphics that send the false message that cell phones approved by the FCC are not safe.   In fact, the FCC limits radiofrequency emissions from cell phones to ensure that phones sold in the U.S. emit RF energy far below levels shown in scientific testing to have any adverse health effects.  The FCC’s standard includes a wide margin of safety for all users.  Last year the FDA categorically concluded that there is “No Evidence Linking Cell Phone Use to Risk of Brain Tumors,” and earlier this year the Chairman of the FCC, Julius Genachowski, said that he was “confident that [the FCC's] standards are protecting the health of people.”

CTIA-The Wireless Association Vice President of Public Affairs John Walls released the following statement:

“The materials the City would require be posted and handed out at retail stores are both alarmist and false.  The FCC and FDA have repeatedly found that cell phone use does not pose a danger to human health.  The Ordinance recommends such things as turning the phone off when not in use, a suggestion that would render critical emergency communications unavailable to San Francisco residents.”

BACKGROUND

In July 2010, CTIA filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California challenging an earlier version of the Ordinance that would have required retailers to post misleading information about the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) values for each cell phone they sold.  In response to the lawsuit, the City amended the Ordinance to eliminate the SAR disclosure requirement.  But the City’s second version of the law is even worse than its first.  The new Ordinance directly challenges the FCC’s determination that wireless handsets are safe by mandating that retailers tell consumers that there are “potential health effects” from FCC-compliant cell phones and that they should use their phones less and keep them turned off.  It also requires that retailers post and distribute alarmist graphics and misleading statements that send a clear message that the RF energy emitted from these phones is dangerous and should be avoided.

CTIA seeks a preliminary injunction from the Court because the City has set the compliance date for later this month.  The City’s warning materials create the false impression that the FCC’s standards are insufficient, suggest that phones are dangerous, and urge consumers to limit their use and turn them off when not in use.  The materials also suggest, without any credible scientific basis, that children are at special risk.  If the millions of wireless subscribers in the Bay Area heed the City’s misguided warning to avoid cell phones, use them less, and turn them off when not in use, it will limit the value and convenience cell phones provide and impact public safety by limiting access to 911 and emergency alerts that can save lives in emergencies.

Samsung has just announced that the product launch event at CTIA Fall planned for next week with Google won’t be happening. Here’s Samsung’s statement:

Samsung and Google have decided to postpone the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event during the CTIA in San Diego, previously scheduled for Oct. 11. Under the current circumstances, both parties have agreed that this is not the appropriate time for the announcement of a new product. We would ask for the understanding of our clients and media for any inconvenience caused. We will announce a new date and venue in due course.”

We know the Google and Samsung teams have been working around the clock on the Galaxy Nexus, but a postponement a few days before the event doesn’t make too much sense. We’ve reached out to Samsung and Google for further clarification, but it looks like we’ll have to keep re-watching that leaked video from this morning over and over for a bit longer now.

UPDATE: Updated with newer statement from Samsung.

Samsung recently sent out press invites to an event on October 11th during which Google’s next Android iteration, Ice Cream Sandwich, and the Nexus Prime are expected to be unveiled. Samsung’s invite is titled “Google Episode” and it promises “a look at what’s new from Android.” We reported exclusively in June that the Nexus Prime is manufactured by Samsung, much like the Nexus S was, and we expect it will be packed with high-end hardware. Our sources said the device will likely be powered by a OMAP4460 processor, will be equipped with a large 720p display 1GB of RAM, a 5-megapixel camera with advanced low-light performance and a 4G LTE radio. Reportedly, Google has been working with multiple carriers on the device and early rumors suggested it will hit the market this month, too. BGR will be reporting live from the Samsung event, so tune in for all the news as it breaks on October 11th.

The city of San Francisco has approved an ordinance that will require cell phone retailers to warn customers about the dangers of cell phone radiation, the Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday. The ordinance, which was passed in a 10-1 vote, asks that phone retailers “post general warnings” about risks. It’s unclear what exactly will be required of the retailers, and researchers have flip-flopped on whether or not there are any real risks associated with mobile wireless devices. On May 31st, the World Health Organization published a report that said cell phones are “possibly carcinogenic,” but The Economist fired back shortly after and said there’s no way the devices cause cancer. A second group wrote published a separate report in an issue of Environmental Health Perspectives and argued there is evidence “increasingly against the hypothesis that mobile phone use can cause brain tumors in adults.” A similar law was passed last year that required cell phone makers to publish specific absorption rate (SAR) figures on boxes of cell phones, but the CTIA sued before the law took effect. 

Read

Mickey Mouse and pals stepped aside this week in sunny Orlando, Florida to make way for the latest and greatest gear wireless companies had to offer. After a killer Consumer Electronics Show in January and an action-packed Mobile World Congress in February, we wondered if our favorite brands had enough juice left in the tank for CTIA Wireless 2011 this week. While there weren’t quite as many announcements as in other shows this year, we definitely saw some exciting new devices showcased by companies like Sprint, HTC, Samsung and more. Hit the break for a rundown of all the biggest announcements from this year’s show.

We kicked the show off this year with the Nokia Astound, a sleek Symbian smartphone set to launch on T-Mobile early next month. We didn’t see much more from Nokia at the show this year, but the Finnish giant will likely be relatively quite for most of 2011 as it transitions to Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform. In fact, the Astound could very well be one of the last Symbian smartphones pushed out by a U.S. carrier. We’ll pour some out.

Another company that didn’t make much of a showing at CTIA Wireless this year was Sony Ericsson. The Swedish joint venture did have some representation at the show, however. Sony Ericsson’s beast of a gaming phone — the Xperia PLAY — was found lurking at the show dressed in Verizon Wireless branding, and we spent s few minutes putting it through the paces. This gaming Goliath definitely packs a punch, and we can’t wait to get our hands on a review unit. Bonus: if you missed them earlier, you need to watch these Xperia PLAY promo videos recently released by Sony Ericsson.

T-Mobile didn’t stop at the Astound, of course, as the soon to be acquired carrier announced several new devices at the show. The dual-core processor packing T-Mobile G2x by LG was definitely one of the stars of the show for us, and we can’t wait for it to launch. T-Mobile also had its upcoming Sidekick 4G and LG G-Slate on hand at the show, and we enjoyed taking both devices for test spins. Don’t forget to check out our video hands-on with the Sidekick 4G, the T-Mobile G2x and the LG G-Slate.

Samsung came to CTIA Wireless packing two new tablets this year — the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and a redesigned Galaxy Tab 10.1. These puppies are thin and sleek, and they definitely represent a nice step up from the original 7-inch Galaxy Tab. We also spent some time looking at Samsung’s TouchWiz UX, which will be the first custom UI layer for Google’s Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) platform when Samsung begins pushing it out later this year.

Next up was Sprint’s event, and it was easily one of the biggest shindigs at the show this year. Sprint unveiled two terrific new devices by HTC — the HTC EVO 3D and the HTC EVO View 4G tablet — which were among our favorite new gadgets shown off at CTIA. The EVO 3D will be the the first device to launch in the U.S. with a glasses-free 3D display, and it sports top of the line specs that rival any smartphone on the market. The EVO View 4G will be a WiMAX-equipped rebranded version of HTC’s Flyer tablet, and while there are definitely still a few wrinkles to iron out, this 7-inch slate has a lot to offer. Sprint also showed off a new version of Google’s latest smartphone — the Nexus S 4G — which is just like the original save for the addition of a WiMAX radio. Be sure to check out our hands-on videos of the HTC EVO 3D and HTC EVO View 4G if you haven’t already — and check out our new hands-on with the Kyocera Echo as well.

Not one to be left out of the fun, AT&T brought a few new devices to the show… which were all likely overshadowed by the recent announcement that it plans to acquire T-Mobile USA for $39 billion. The carrier unveiled two new smartphones to the show — the Windows Phone 7-powered HTC HD7S and the LG Thrill Android phone. The HD7S was the only new Windows Phone announced this week, though it will be AT&T’s version of the HTC HD7 currently offered by T-Mobile so it isn’t even really new. The LG Thrill is a rebranded LG Optimus 3D and it features an awesome 3D display along with solid build and high-end specs. Finally, AT&T noted that it will launch the 10-inch Acer Iconia Tab A501 Android tablet this coming summer. We shot some hands-on video of the HTC HD7S and the LG Thrill on Wednesday, so don’t forget to check them out.

We met up with LG on Tuesday to check out its inductive Wireless Charging Pad, which it hopes will compete against competitors like Powermat. During our hands-on, we weren’t able to test the device — it seems someone forgot to charge the charger — but we were able to get a feel for its size, weight and some of its features. The Wireless Charging Pad has a power indicator that alerts you just how much power is left, and LG says it takes about two hours to charge itself up fully. All you have to do once it’s juiced up is pop a special back onto your smartphone and drop it onto the charging pad. In our eyes, the Wireless Charging Pad wasn’t a whole lot different than the Powermat; it’s light in the hand and can easily be packed in a briefcase, backpack or even a Florida tourist-friendly oversized fanny pack. LG hasn’t said which of its phones the Wireless Charging Pad will be compatible with just yet, but we think it’s a little counter intuitive for LG to make it only compatible with LG phones. Don’t forget to check out our photo gallery below!

We stopped by Kyocera’s CTIA booth to get a second tour of the dual-screen Echo from Sprint. The device, which will be available on April 17th for $199.99 with a 2-year agreement, really does have some innovative features. Applications and games that are optimized for the echo can leverage the second screen to display an enormous, thumb-friendly keyboard, provide more on-screen information, and enhance game-play. Kyocera assured us that the hinge on the device is ready for battle, and should stand up to most of the use and abuse inflicted by teens and tweens — the two main groups the phone will be marketed towards. The hinge itself was a bit finicky when we handled the device, however. Hit the break for more, including a video, and don’t forget to check out our Kyocera Echo photo gallery.

The phone is designed to be used in three positions: closed, which gives the device one usable screen, candybar layout; opened, which is what you see above; and tilted, which allows the use of both screens with one screen tilted towards you — similar to the HTC Arrive. When in the opened and tilted positions, you can shake the phone and feel a fair amount of play in the hinge. We’re not exactly sure how an OEM would make a hinge capable of doing all the things the Echo does without a little wiggle, but it is definitely something discerning customers will notice. The phone is — without a doubt — a first, and while the Echo is a Sprint exclusive, Kyocera says it is the first in a line of dual-screen phones that it plans on producing.

After our initial caffeine-fueled lap around the Orange County Connection Center, we made the rounds one more time to collect some videos for your scrutiny. One device on our hit-list was the HTC HD7S, AT&T’s third Windows Phone 7 smartphone. If you’re a Windows Phone fan, this one is sure to be up your alley. Its 4.3-inch screen was bright and its build was solid thanks to thick plastic and metal accents. We do feel the design is getting a bit stale, though, given that it has a body that’s very similar to the HD7 on T-Mobile and the EVO 4G on Sprint. It even features the same kickstand, which is good if you want to watch movies and set the device in landscape mode on your desk, but it also adds some bulk. The HD7S would be our top choice of Windows Phone 7 devices on AT&T too, because it has the latest NoDo update that includes copy/paste functionality. Hit the jump to see what the HD7S is all about, and check out our photo gallery as well.