SAMSUNG LAUNCHES THE GALAXY NEXUS WHITE

Samsung’s latest Android device coming to UK shores 13th February

6th February 2012, London, UK – Samsung has today confirmed the availability of a white variant of the Galaxy Nexus in the UK. The first smartphone to feature Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Galaxy Nexus White can be bought in a range of stores across the country from 13th February.

Simon Stanford, UK & IRE Telecommunications & Networks Division said: “After much speculation, we are pleased to announce the availability of the Galaxy Nexus White which follows the great reception the phone has received since it was launched back in November. One of the things we at Samsung pride ourselves on is the choice we offer customers, and we’ve enjoyed huge success to date by introducing white variants of our most popular models to our product portfolio.”

The Galaxy Nexus™ White offers customers all the features found in the original Galaxy Nexus, from the 4.65” HD Super AMOLED display which boasts a market-leading resolution of 720p (1280×720), to the 5 megapixel camera and super-fast 1.2GHz dual core processor and HSPA+ connectivity so owners can connect to and browse the internet quickly and easily when they’re out and about.

Images and specs of a new LG phone codenamed the “CX2″ were recently leaked. The phone is thought to possibly be the successor to the Optimus 3D and may be unveiled during the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona next month. Pocketnow, which leaked the image and specs, says the CX2 sports a dual-core Texas Instruments processor clocked at 1.2GHz, a NOVA display capable of displaying 3D content, a 5-megapixel camera capable of snapping 3D photos, 8GB of storage, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC and support for 21Mbps HSPA+ networks. The phone could launch as soon as this spring, but unfortunately the phone is said to run on Google’s older Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system rather than Ice Cream Sandwich. A second image of the CX2 follows after the break.

Read

T-Mobile announced on Tuesday that it will begin selling Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus Android Honeycomb tablet on November 16th for a $249.99 “down payment” with a T-Mobile Value Mobile Broadband plan. T-Mobile will charge an additional $10 on top of the standard monthly data plan, which means you’ll pay for the full price of the tablet during the span of your contract. The Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is equipped with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 16GB of storage, a microSD card slot for adding up to 32GB of additional storage, a 3-megapixel camera capable of recording HD video and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chats. If you want the same tablet without support for T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus will soon be available from Amazon for $399.99. T-Mobile also announced that the SpringBoard, manufactured by Huawei and originally expected on November 9th, will be available on November 16th. T-Mobile’s press release follows after the break.

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

T-Mobile USA, Inc. today unveiled the ultra-mobileSamsung 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^™ andSamsung 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.

Global shipments of smartphones with embedded 4G are expected to grow at a staggering rate over the next five years, reaching 245 million devices in 2016. Market research and intelligence firm ABI Research recently released 4G smartphone shipment projections that show shipments growing at a compound rate of 72% annually over the next five years. Just 4.6 million 4G smartphones shipped worldwide in 2010 according to the firm, but the rapid deployment of LTE networks combined with consumers’ collective need for speed will see that figure increase dramatically moving forward. “Nearly all of the world’s mobile operators, including the largest, are supporting LTE,” ABI Research analyst Michael Morgan said in a statement. “It is an important driver for the LTE ecosystem that dwarfs any other drivers of 4G in general or of WiMAX and LTE, specifically.” ABI’s full press release follows below.

Business and Technology Complications Keep 4G Smartphones to Just 25% of the Volume in Five Years

NEW YORK – October 10, 2011

Shipments of 4G smartphones are expected to grow from 4.6 million in 2010 to 245 million in 2016. LTE smartphone shipments will surpass WiMAX smartphones in 2011 and grow at a 72% CAGR over the forecast period.  Senior mobile devices analyst, Michael Morgan, notes, “Nearly all of the world’s mobile operators, including the largest, are supporting LTE. It is an important driver for the LTE ecosystem that dwarfs any other drivers of 4G in general or of WiMAX and LTE, specifically.”

4G smartphones are emerging as the next major platform opportunity for mobile operators, device OEMs, IC vendors, network equipment vendors, and content companies. Despite the growing number of 4G-capable device segments, smartphones will remain the largest and most important device segment for incumbents and new entrants. Shipment volumes of 4G smartphones will far surpass all other device segments and will greatly affect the design choices and technology paths of products and services looking to cash in on the 4G opportunity.

Initial 4G smartphones are being brought to market to fulfill strong operator demand in spite of numerous technological and business concerns that have yet to be fully addressed. As the 4G device ecosystem charges forward, questions around spectrum allocation and alignment loom over operators and device OEMs seeking to maximize their addressable markets and achieve economies of scale. Despite the superior spectrum alignment and lower component costs of WiMAX technologies, operators are supporting LTE smartphones and hoping that LTE eventually delivers the most robust device ecosystem.

“Mobile operators prefer to support LTE over WiMAX since it makes the most sense strategically to put their weight behind the technology that is best suited to maintaining the status quo among wireless network incumbents,” says Kevin Burden, vice president and practice director, mobile networks.

ABI Research’s new report, “4G Smartphones,” highlights key drivers and barriers faced by market participants in the emerging 4G (LTE & WiMAX) smartphone markets. Regional and country level forecasts demonstrate the potential market value for 4G smartphones and 4G IC vendors.

It is part of ABI Research’s Smartphones and Mobile Devices Research Service.

AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint are all launching the iPhone 4S next Friday, but AT&T is doing its best to ensure consumers know that not all iPhones are created equal. The presence of HSPA 14.4 gives the iPhone 4S a theoretical download speed ceiling of 14.4Mbps, but only if you’re on an HSPA network. Here in the U.S., Verizon Wireless and Sprint both employ EV-DO 3G networks while AT&T customers will enjoy speeds over HSPA that are twice as fast, the company says. ”We can’t wait for our customers to experience the incredible new iPhone 4S on our 4G network and enjoy download speeds of up to twice as fast,” said AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega in a statement. “When you combine the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network with iPhone 4S, as well as our new pricing for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, we think we have the best iPhone line up in the industry.” AT&T’s full press release follows below.

The iPhone 5 will support 21Mbps HSPA+ data networks, China Unicom vice president Huan Wenliang said during the Macworld Asia 2011 conference. T-Mobile and AT&T both offer 21Mbps HSPA+ connectivity in the United States and market the networks as “4G,” although a recent letter from T-Mobile’s chief marketing officer suggests T-Mobile USA will not carry the device. The image above shows Apple’s progression from EDGE on the original iPhone to 3G support on the iPhone 3G, 3GS and iPhone 4 and, finally, to “4G” support in the iPhone 5. We reported exclusively in August that Apple is currently in a carrier testing stage with a 4G LTE-capable iPhone, too. Apple is set to unveil its latest iPhone on October 4th and current reports suggest the Cupertino-based company will reveal the iPhone 5 as well as a watered-down iPhone 4S device. Rumors suggest the iPhone 5 will offer an 8-megapixel camera, a thinner and lighter aluminum unibody design and a larger display.

[Via MacRumors]

Read

SIMPLE Mobile announced on Friday that its customers can now sign up for several new plans, including a $40 unlimited nationwide talk, text and web option that is available for smartphone users. SIMPLE Mobile also introduced two new BYOB (Bring Your Own BlackBerry) prepaid plans including a $50 option with unlimited talk and text, and a $60 plan that supports “4G” speeds. SIMPLE Mobile is an MVNO that uses T-Mobile’s nationwide network to support its services, so customers interested in the BYOB plan should note that a T-Mobile BlackBerry will be required to take advantage of the carrier’s 4G HSPA+ network. SIMPLE Mobile also introduced a $25 4G nationwide wireless broadband data plan that provides 750MB of data per month, as well as a $45 2GB option. Read on for the full press release.

SIMPLE Mobile® Continues the Wireless Revolution With New Unlimited $40 Everything Plan, Unlimited Everything BlackBerry® Plans and Wireless Broadband Data Plans

Irvine, CA  (September 23, 2011)  SIMPLE Mobile®

(www.mysimplemobile.com) is revolutionizing the wireless world with new plans thatwill change how people think about, and pay for
wireless service! The company that began the SIM card revolution in 2009 with their innovative B.Y.O.P. (Bring Your Own Phone) program, is shaking up the wireless landscape once again by introducing a multitude of new pre-paid, flat-rate plans on one of the strongest nationwide networks. Effective September 23, 2011, SIMPLE Mobile will be offering a $40 Unlimited Nationwide Talk, Text & Web plan, two BlackBerry specific plans and two 4G Nationwide Wireless Broadband plans that are going to unite mobile users across the US against overpriced wireless service.

SIMPLE Mobile¹s $40 Unlimited Nationwide Talk, Text and Web plan gives smart phone users (including Android devices) more of what they want, for less money. The plan includes unlimited talk, unlimited domestic and international text messaging, in addition to unlimited Web access at up to 3G speeds on a major national network. When compared to the competition, this new $40 Unlimited plan is the best value in the business. This plan rounds out SIMPLE Mobile’s other voice offerings, which includes their $25 Unlimited 15-Day Talk & Text plan and their $60 Unlimited Nationwide Talk, Text & 4G High
Speed Web plan.

Due to popular demand, SIMPLE Mobile will now be offering two unlimited B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own BlackBerry) pre-paid, flat rate plans. The $50 BlackBerry plan includes unlimited talk, unlimited text (domestic and international), BlackBerry Email (BIS), BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), access to the BlackBerry App World and unlimited Web browsing at up to 3G speeds. The $60 BlackBerry plan contains everything in the $50 plan, but also includes high speed Web browsing at up to 4G speeds. Additional information on features and supported devices can be found on SIMPLE Mobile¹s BlackBerry plans page at www.mysimplemobile.com/BlackBerry.

For wireless broadband devices, such as GSM tablets and USB data sticks, SIMPLE Mobile is debuting $25 and $45 4G Nationwide Wireless Broadband plans. The $25 plan provides access up to 750MB of high speed Web connectivity for a consecutive 30-day period. For heavier users, the $45 plan allows for up to 2GB of high speed Web access, also during a consecutive 30-day period.

“SIMPLE Mobile is continuing the mission of giving today¹s new generation of wireless consumers what they want. Great national coverage, no contracts and the flexibility of bringing your own phone at amazing, flat rate price options,” commented Tim Garrett, SVP of Marketing for SIMPLE Mobile. “The old way of paying for wireless in the US is dying a slow death. People across the country are quickly realizing that SIMPLE Mobile’s hassle free way of wireless is a better option.”

As with all of SIMPLE Mobile’s wireless plans, these new offerings come without contracts, credit checks, or hidden fees. More information on SIMPLE Mobile and the company¹s new plans can be found online at http://www.mysimplemobile.com.

During a press event in New York City on Tuesday, Samsung officially took the wraps off of its U.S. GALAXY S II smartphone family. Sprint’s Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch will support the carrier’s 4G WiMAX network while the T-Mobile and AT&T devices will run on each carrier’s respective HSPA+ network. Each iteration of the GALAXY S II smartphone is equipped with a 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 16GB of storage, an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p video, and a 2-megapixel forward-facing camera for video chats. T-Mobile and Sprint’s GALAXY S II phones offer more rounded cases while AT&T’s maintains the sharper edges of the European GALAXY S II. AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile expect to launch the GALAXY S II this fall, although pricing details were not revealed. We’re here at the event live so stay tuned for hands-on reports for each device. Read on for the full press release.

UPDATE: Be sure to check out our hands-on impressions and photos of the T-Mobile GALAXY S II, the AT&T GALAXY S II and the Sprint GALAXY S II Epic 4G Touch.

NEXT GENERATION OF SAMSUNG’S FLAGSHIP SMARTPHONE PORTFOLIO – GALAXY S II – READY FOR U.S. ARRIVAL

Samsung’s fastest selling smartphone in the world coming soon to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile

DALLAS, August 29, 2011 — Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile)¹, the  No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S., today announced the Galaxy S™ II will be available  with AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile starting this fall. The U.S. launch follows the successful debut of the Galaxy S II in Europe and Korea, where consumers bought 5 million smartphones in 85 days, making the device Samsung’s fastest selling smartphone ever. The next generation Galaxy S II portfolio packs industry-leading hardware and software and the latest version of the Android smartphone platform into each device. The Galaxy S II portfolio is highlighted by  Samsung’s own  Super AMOLED Plus display technology, a powerful dual core application processor and a robust array of entertainment, messaging, social networking and enterprise experiences.

“The unveiling of the Galaxy S II is a landmark achievement for Samsung, our carrier customers and consumers,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile. “Five million Galaxy S II smartphones have been sold around the world and that number increases every day. We believe the cutting-edge design, features and user experience of this innovative device will share the same level of success in the U.S.”

The three smartphones within the Samsung Galaxy S II portfolio are designed with an ultra-thin form factor and brilliant Super AMOLED Plus touch screen display. Recent independent studies showed that Samsung’s Super AMOLED Plus display technology was preferred 2 to 1 over any competing display technology in the market today², thanks to touchscreen’s ability to deliver brilliant colors with the most contrast, providing a vivid and crisp viewing experience.

All three Galaxy S II smartphones are enabled with 4G³ service for fast connectivity speeds and dual core processors for seamless web surfing, console-like game play and rapid content downloads.

Personalized Customization

The Galaxy S II portfolio features an improved Samsung TouchWiz user interface, providing superior multi-tasking, application management, and customization and includes Live Panel which provides a magazine-like widget view for immediate access to weather, social updates, email, news, photo gallery and more, all of which can be customized on the home screen.  All of the Samsung Live Panel widgets can be positioned and re-sized to create rich, visual home screens and provide one-touch access to the information consumers use most. Touchwiz UI also includes Quick Panel which allows instant access to commonly used device settings like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and other key device features. The TouchWiz UI notification service on the lock screen notifies users to the number of unread or new text messages, and missed calls that have been sent to you on your Galaxy S II. Users get direct access to missed calls and text messages from the lock screen by swiping the notification boxes without having to navigate through the applications menu.

Each of the Galaxy S II devices feature six-axis motion sensing using an accelerometer and gyroscope that support advanced touch screen gestures, including motion to zoom in on images, silence a ringing phone, and even move widgets on the menu screens.

Premium Content

Galaxy S II will also include Samsung’s popular Media Hub movie and TV content service.  Media Hub features thousands of new release and top-grossing titles from major Hollywood studios and leading television networks, including NBC Universal, Paramount, MTV, Warner Bros., CBS and FOX. The content service has added a new feature called Media Hub Show, allowing the user to playback Media Hub content on a TV through an HDMI cable connected to a Galaxy S II dock or HDTV Smart adapter accessory. Users can share purchased to own film or TV content across up to five devices enabled with Media Hub at no additional cost.  Alternate premium video options include Android Movies, Netflix, and others which are available to download from Android Market™.

Samsung’s Social Hub service on the Galaxy S II transfers email, instant messaging, contacts, calendar and social network connections, including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, into “Feeds” and “Messages” folders that can be either separated into separate tabs or combined into comprehensive lists.

Samsung’s Galaxy S II portfolio is powered by the open and innovative Android Gingerbread platform, complete with full support of Google Mobile Services including Android MarketÔ with access to more than 250,000 applications, Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk and more.

In addition, Galaxy S II and the Android Gingerbread platform support an array of cloud services including content sync across the Galaxy branded portfolio with Google services (Books, Music, Videos, Email, Calendar) Samsung Media Hub and cloud photo sync through Picasa Web Albums and Google+.

Uncompromised Convergence

The Galaxy S II portfolio offers a number of convergence features to share content in tethered and wireless formats. With Samsung’s All Share application, which enables inter-device connectivity through DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) technology, users can send user-generated video content wirelessly to other DLNA-enabled devices, such as TV’s, monitors and laptops, allowing for an interactive entertainment experience. The TV Remote App, also available through Android Market, transforms the Galaxy S II into a remote control for several top models of Samsung HDTVs. Smart Show and Media Hub Show enables the user to tether an HDMI over micro USB connection to an HDTV to play user generated or Media Hub DRM protected content respectively directly from the Galaxy S II device to the HDTV screen.  Samsung Kies Air service allows users to connect their PC or Mac via WiFi without a preloaded application to easily view and manage your content. Users can transfer files, manage contacts and messages and send SMS from the PC.

Optimal Enterprise Solutions

Galaxy S II integrates a range of enterprise solutions that expand the business capabilities of the devices. The Galaxy S II portfolio provides support for exchange device management policies, offers increased security of data and services and enables mobile conferencing while on the go.  Galaxy S II also features productivity enhancement capabilities such as the ability to create and respond to meeting requests, view, edit, and create Microsoft®-compatible documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, global address lookup (GAL), and more.

Additional enterprise solutions include:

• On-device encryption of user data
• Full support for Exchange ActiveSync® version 14
• Cisco VPN (Virtual Private Network)
• Sybase MDM (Mobile Device Management)
• Cisco WebEx mobile conference solution

Additional features of the Galaxy S portfolio include:

• 8-megapixel Rear-Facing Camera with Autofocus & Flash & 1080p HD Video Recording/2-megapixel Front-Facing Camera: The Galaxy S II portfolio features an 8 megapixel camera with flash and can record video in 1080p HD high profile offering the richest video content on a smartphone. Plus, the front-facing 2 megapixel camera provides video chat capabilities for personal and business communication on-the-go. Galaxy S II supports popular video conferencing services like Skype, Fring, Qik and Tango.
• Voice Talk: The Galaxy S II Voice Talk feature allows users to give their Galaxy S II device voice commands, including voice dial, text message, navigation, music, Web browsing and search. When docked into the car dock, the Galaxy S II automatically defaults into Voice Talk mode.  Users can instantly activate the Voice Talk application by a long press on the search key.
• Task Manager: View and close the applications users have active, what items have been downloaded and check on memory usage via the Task Manager widget.
• Screen Capture Feature: Users can easily take a screen grab of the phone screen by pressing the power button and the home key simultaneously.
• Memory: All three Galaxy S II devices offer 16GB of on-board memory, as well as a microSD card slot that supports up to a 32GB memory card.

Premium Accessories Portfolio

A host of premium Galaxy S II accessories, including convenient solutions for docking, convergence, and backup battery charging will be available for each smartphone, providing users with an enhanced mobile experience.  A multimedia dock is the perfect smart accessory, allowing users to transform their Galaxy S II into a home stereo by connecting speakers or plugging it into a home entertainment system via the 3.5mm stereo connector. Its ability to orient with the phone while docked makes it easy to view content in portrait and landscape mode, while the auto-launch of its Desk Dock UI makes for easy access to music, video and other applications.

Additional accessory solutions include:

• Vehicle dock: The dock charges the phone while docked to ensure uninterrupted GPS usage on long car rides. The dock is windshield or dashboard mountable and includes the sophisticated Vlingo Voice Talk, allowing users to enjoy hands-free control of their Galaxy S II.
• Battery charging stand with spare battery: This charging solution ensures a backup battery is always on hand, while providing a convenient kick stand for the Galaxy S II.

HDTV Adapter: The HDMI adapter supports HD video up to 1080p from the phone to an HDTV, projector, or monitor. Use on the go to connect the Galaxy S II to a TV, monitor, or projector to view purchased Media Hub content, videos, presentations, games, or internet on a big HD screen, or listen to downloaded music from the phone on a home entertainment system.

The Thrill 4G is the second Android smartphone in the United States capable of recording and displaying 3D video and photos without the need for special glasses. We first saw the phone during CTIA earlier this year and, after delays, it will launch soon on AT&T for $99.99. I spent the better part of the last three weeks carrying the LG Thrill 4G everywhere I went. Are the 3D effects useful and fun or are they just a lame gimmick? Does the “4G” in its name equate to faster data speeds or does it surf on a par with 3G phones? All of this and more is answered in my review, so hit the read link to get started.

Hardware

The LG Thrill 4G is identical to its European cousin, the LG Optimus 3D, in nearly every way. It’s equipped with a 4.3-inch 800 x 480-pixel screen that’s capable of displaying both 2D and 3D content on the fly. Measuring in at 5in x 2.7in x 0.47in and with a weight of 5.9oz, the Thrill 4G is a bit bulkier than other high-end smartphones on AT&T, such as the Infuse 4G, but it’s not terrible.

Despite its plastic back cover, the Thrill 4G feels very study just like its LTE counterpart, the LG Revolution. The front of the phone has black faux-brushed metal accents around the screen and AT&T ditched the matte gray back on the Optimus 3D for a more attractive matte black design with a faint cross-hatch etching. The back of the Thrill 4G is also home to two camera lenses capable of recording 3D content, and a single LED flash. There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the Thrill 4G and microUSB and mini-HDMI hatches on the left side of the device. A single button on the right side of the phone can be pressed to quickly enter the phone’s “3D Space” application, and I wish it was a camera quick-launch button instead. AT&T also included an HDMI to mini-HDMI cable, which means you’ll be able to connect the phone up to your TV right out of the box.

The Thrill 4G is a nice package overall but I noticed two yellow splotches towards the bottom of the screen. The discoloration was most noticeable while accessing the web, since most websites have a white background. The defect is too subtle to see in the various images in this review, but it’s there. At first I assumed this was just a one-time flaw with my unit, but I noticed the same problem on my European Optimus 3D and confirmed the discoloration with another journalist, too. Perhaps the screen is responsible for AT&T’s delayed launch of the phone, although that is not confirmed. (Update: A second device from AT&T didn’t have this issue so it was clearly limited to my phone or at least an early batch.)

Software

The LG Thrill 4G runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) out of the box but AT&T has promised an Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) update is on the way. Android ran smoothly and I rarely saw any lag thanks to the phone’s dual-core 1GHz processor. LG overlays Android with its own lackluster and ugly user interface. There aren’t any worthwhile widgets aside from a decent third-party weather app, and the icons that infiltrate the status bar and the main menu are too colorful and toy-like for my tastes. The entire UI reminds me of LG’s experience on feature phones, which was never a good thing. Thankfully there are free applications such as LauncherPro that can rid your phone of the ugly icon and UI problem, but I wish LG had left this a “pure Google” experience as it did with the T-Mobile G2x. LG also added several 3D-specific applications and I’ll go over them in the following section.

3D

3D. Whenever I hear the term I immediately think I’m being sucked into a gimmick no better than a holographic trading card. I won’t even go to a 3D movie. You may remember my impressions on 3D when I reviewed the Nintendo 3DS; the display wasn’t impressive and it took away from the gaming experience in a number of titles.

The Optimus Thrill 4G definitely has a superior screen compared to the 3DS though, and since 3D is optional for the most part I, oddly enough, enjoy using it. LG included a full 3D menu that allows you to quickly browse 3D YouTube videos, 3D pictures and videos in your gallery, and fast access to 3D games.There are a couple of decent games that definitely suck you into the 3D experience. I liked playing Let’s Golf 2 in three dimensions and Fragging in Nova was also decent fun, but it wasn’t much better than playing in 2D. Additionally, there aren’t a lot of games pre-loaded, so you’ll need to buy more to keep the experience going. While there’s a YouTube application with dedicated access to 3D videos, I spent most of my time showing off the pre-loaded videos to friends and strangers in bars. The response was nearly always “that’s cool, but who cares?” And that’s the problem: who cares? 3D is somewhat exciting and it works, but at the end of the day it’s totally unnecessary.

Camera

The Thrill 4G’s camera is capable of shooting in both 2D and 3D modes. In 2D mode you can capture 5-megapixel photos and record video in 1080p HD. The stereoscopic 3D cameras are also capable of snapping 3-megapixel 3D images and recording 720p HD video in 3D. Videos came out well. In fact, here’s a video of a Jane’s Addiction concert on YouTube that was filmed entirely in 720p 3D video with a number of LG Thrill units, if you want a better sample of the camera’s quality.

The tricky part with the camera is that if you aren’t in the right light or aren’t careful enough when snapping a photo, there’s actually an overlap of two images and it looks like a blurry 3D mess. When I was careful to steady the phone and snap a photo of an object in a well lit area, the photos came out pretty well. If I held the phone in a darker area, to avoid any glare, the images didn’t appear to pop off of the screen. A shot of chips, salsa, and plates on a coffee table came out really well, as did a picture of a coffee mug on a bookshelf. Other shots, such as those taken down my street, weren’t as impressive. You’ll need to really get up close to your subject in order for it to appear to pop off of the screen. Otherwise the image looks like it has a lot of depth but it doesn’t pop off of the screen.

Another cool feature: you can take shots in 2D and then view them in 3D, although the effects are much better if you take the pictures in 3D originally. Worse, 2D pictures were often on the blurry and washed-out side (see above). Overall, I liked snapping photos better than recording video; the results came out better. Unfortunately, I didn’t have access to a 3D TV to see my home videos blown up.

Call Quality and Data

Call quality on the Thrill 4G was good during my tests. I used the phone daily for a solid two weeks to place a number of phone calls and didn’t have any complaints. I was able to hear the callers on the other end loud and clear and they said I sounded “crisp.” I dropped a couple of conversations but that’s par for the course on AT&T in New York City. One issue I did notice: the signal strength indicator would frequently jump around between two and four bars. The icon doesn’t always reflect the actual signal strength, but there could be issues with the phone’s ability to maintain a solid signal.

As its name implies, the LG Thrill 4G runs on AT&T’s HSPA+ “4G” network. I ran a number of tests with the Speedtest.net application in my apartment, where I usually run my tests, and rarely saw the phone peak over 1Mbps while running a download test. Instead, I averaged about 750Kbps, which is slower than I’ve seen with a number of 3G phones. The phone’s upload speeds were solid, however: I averaged 1.6Mbps in my upload throughput tests.

Battery

I was able to get through a full day with the Thrill 4G without a problem using the phone moderately. Obviously your mileage will vary if you’re spending more time using the 3D display or streaming video, but generally the battery was on a par with the Infuse 4G on AT&T, which is one of the longer lasting Android devices out there.

Conclusion

I like the Thrill 4G because LG tried to differentiate itself with a device that could display and record 3D content. It’s a fun concept and works in practice, but it’s hard to recommend a phone simply because it offers 3D as an option. The third dimension, as it stands in mobile, is purely for entertainment purposes, and the problem is the phone has so many other faults.

The Thrill 4G has a solid build, despite its plastic accents, but it’s far bulkier and heavier than many of its competitors. Call quality was satisfactory, but I had issues with its download speeds in New York City.

Overall, the LG Thrill 4G is just a mediocre device. You might be better served picking up a Motorola ATRIX 4G for the same $99.99 price, as it still packs a mean hardware punch. If it’s power your after though, my advice is to stick around and see how Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S II handset for AT&T turns out.

HTC’s 10-inch Puccini Android tablet will hit the market in September or October, HTC’s chief financial officer Winston Yung said during a press conference at the Taiwan Stock Exchange. We published the first solid images of the Puccini in July when we noted the tablet will likely offer a 1.5GHz processor, an 8-megapixel camera and stylus input support similar to what the HTC Flyer offers. While earlier rumors suggested the Puccini would launch on AT&T with 4G LTE support, we think the September/October time frame might be too early for that to happen. We expect the Puccini to run on AT&T’s HSPA+ network instead. Yung also reaffirmed HTC’s plans to appeal a recent ITC ruling that found HTC guilty of infringing on Apple patents.

[Via DigiTimes]

Read [Translated]

A leaked internal T-Mobile document obtained by TmoNews suggests that the unannounced Samsung Hercules and the HTC Ruby, which we brought you exclusive details about earlier today, are set to launch on October 26th. The Hercules is expected to be T-Mobile’s version of the Galaxy S II, which Samsung will officially announce on August 29th during a press conference in New York City. It will of course sport a dual-core processor, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), HSPA+ support, a Super AMOLED Plus display and other high-end specs. The Hercules will launch as the more powerful successor to the Sensation. It is equipped with a 4.3-inch display, a dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and it will be the first smartphone to support the T-Mobile’s 42Mbps HSPA+ network.

Read

One of our sources was able to get some hands-on time with the HTC Ruby, a device that is said to be the “big brother to the HTC Sensation.” It’s going to feature a 4.3-inch display and a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, and our source says that any talk of the device being an entry-level phone is out of bounds; this is a flagship smartphone, and one that is not part of the myTouch family. T-Mobile reportedly hasn’t settled on a name for the device, though we can exclusively report that is going to be the first smartphone to run on T-Mobile’s incredibly fast 42Mbps HSPA+ network. The current launch is set for early Q4, so we’re still a couple months out unfortunately.

Research In Motion announced via its official Twitter account on Monday that AT&T will launch the BlackBerry Torch 9810 on August 21st. We recently had hands-on time with the Torch 9810, which is nearly identical to the Torch handset that came before it, but appreciated the first-class keyboard and updated BlackBerry OS 7 operating system. The Torch 9810 is also equipped with support for AT&T’s HSPA+ network and has a 640 x 480-pixel display, 8GB of storage, a 5-megapixel camera capable of recording 720p HD video, and a 1.2GHz processor. AT&T confirmed on its Facebook page that the Torch 9810 will cost $49.99 with a new two-year contract.

[Via MyDaily-Gadget]

Read [AT&T] Read [RIM]

The HP TouchPad 4G with HSPA+ support is now available for pre-order from Amazon. The online retailer doesn’t give a specific launch date and instead says “this item has not yet been released,” and that customers “may pre-order it now and [Amazon] will deliver it to you when it arrives.” The TouchPad made its debut on July 1st as a Wi-Fi only device with a 1.2GHz processor. In our review we said the device was “just good” and that its software needed a “shot of adrenaline.” However, AT&T’s upcoming version will sport a faster 1.5GHz processor, the aforementioned HSPA+ support and HP’s latest webOS 3.0.2 software. Amazon is currently listing the TouchPad 4G for $699.99, which means you’ll be paying a big premium for 4G, but that’s also probably before any AT&T’s subsidies.

[Via Netbooknews]

Read

Last month, we brought you exclusive images of HTC’s first 10-inch tablet, the HTC Puccini. Now, a few screenshots have leaked that give the device a little more context. We expect the Android Honeycomb tablet to be equipped with an 8-megapixel camera, a dual-LED flash, a 1.5GHz processor, and to end up landing on AT&T with support for the carrier’s HSPA+ network. The shots leaked on Friday all but confirm the tablet’s launch on AT&T. We can see it’s loaded with a few bloatware applications including AT&T Code Scanner, AT&T MyText and AT&T FamilyMap. It also looks like the Puccini will come preloaded with a few games including Cordy and Let’s Golf 2. HTC’s Snapbooth software is present, but we don’t see Scribe installed, which means this tablet might not offer all of the stylus-friendly features the HTC Flyer did. Read on for more images.

Read