HP on Thursday announced that its HP TouchPad tablet will become available on July 1st. The TouchPad, which was first unveiled at a media event this past February, is the first webOS-powered tablet offering from HP. It features a 9.7-inch XGA display, a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and NFC capability that facilitates unique interactions between the slate and HP phones. Two versions of the TouchPad will be available initially: a 16GB version for $499.99 and a 32GB version for $599.99. HP also said a 3G model for AT&T will be available later this summer, though pricing has not been announced. Pre-orders for the Wi-Fi only models begin June 19th. HP’s full press release follows below.

HP Announces HP TouchPad Availability for United States, Europe and Canada

Wi-Fi version of first HP webOS tablet also coming to Asia Pacific later this year

PALO ALTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced that the Wi-Fi version of HP TouchPad will be available in the United States on July 1.

“The platform’s unmatched features and flexibility will continue to differentiate HP products from the rest of the market for both personal and professional use. This is only the beginning of what HP’s scale can do with webOS.”

HP’s first webOS tablet will be available in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Germany a few days later and in Canada in mid-July, with availability scheduled to follow later this year in Italy and Spain, as well as in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore.

HP TouchPad will be available from U.S. retailers, commercial resellers and direct from HP with the option of either 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage⁽¹⁾ for $499.99 and $599.99, respectively.⁽²⁾ Preorders in North America and Europe will begin June 19.

“What makes HP TouchPad a compelling alternative to competing products is webOS,” said Jon Rubinstein, senior vice president and general manager, Palm Global Business Unit, HP. “The platform’s unmatched features and flexibility will continue to differentiate HP products from the rest of the market for both personal and professional use. This is only the beginning of what HP’s scale can do with webOS.”

With webOS, HP TouchPad users have a next-level multitasking experience, access to the web, premium audio playback with stereo speakers and Beats Audio™ technology, the ability to find information on the device or in the cloud using the Just Type feature, integrated access to their information with HP Synergy, and HP’s exclusive Touch to Share capability for sharing web addresses between HP TouchPad and compatible webOS phones.⁽³⁾

Optional accessories for HP TouchPad include the HP Touchstone Charging Dock, the HP TouchPad Wireless Keyboard and the HP TouchPad Case (sold separately).

HP also announced it will be partnering with AT&T to introduce a connected version of HP TouchPad later this summer. More information will be available closer to availability.

U.S. retailers and commercial resellers for HP TouchPad will include Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot, Walmart, Sam’s Club, OfficeMax, Amazon.com, Fry’s, Microcenter, other leading local and regional retailers, and HP’s online stores. Specific pricing and availability for HP TouchPad in Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom will be announced regionally. Details for Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore and Spain will be announced at a later date.

More information about HP TouchPad, including product features and specs, is available at www.hpwebos.com/us/products/pads/touchpad.

Moments ago, Google announced it will begin pushing out Android 2.3.4 in the “next few weeks.” The company notes that the software will contain bug fixes for the Nexus One and, more excitingly, video chat capabilities for the Nexus S. “You can now video or voice chat with your friends, family and colleagues right from your Android phone, whether they’re on their compatible Android tablet or phone, or using Gmail with Google Talk on their computer,” reads the press release. “You can make calls over a 3G or 4G data network (if your carrier supports it) or over Wi-Fi.” A video demo of the new video chat feature is waiting for you after the break. Enjoy!

The first-quarter financial figures for Verizon Wireless were not all that surprising. The nation’s largest wireless carrier was widely expected to post strong quarterly results, and it did. Verizon Wireless saw its churn rate fall year-over-year to 1.01 for postpaid customers and 1.33 overall. The company’s data revenues were up 22.3% from the same period last year, fueled by 1.8 million net additions, 2.2 million new iPhone activations, 260,000 HTC ThunderBolt activations, and 32% of retail postpaid customers using smartphones. Verizon Wireless now has 104 million total connections on its network, which represents a 6.1% increase year-over-year. If you are interested in reading the entire Verizon Communications release, it is waiting for you after the break.

Update: Although not included in the Q1 press release, the company’s conference call presentation indicates that 2.2 million iPhone 4s were activated during the three month period. Title updated to reflect this new information.

Verizon Reports Strong Start to 2011 as Wireless, FiOS and Strategic Services Continue to Generate Profitable Growth

First-Quarter Performance Affirms 2011 Revenue and Earnings Guidance

1Q HIGHLIGHTS

Consolidated
· 51 cents in diluted earnings per share (EPS), compared with EPS of 16 cents and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) of 48 cents in 1Q 2010.

Wireless
· 6.3 percent year-over-year increase in service revenues in 1Q 2011; data revenues up 22.3 percent; 25.8 percent operating income margin and 43.7 percent Segment EBITDA margin on service revenues (non-GAAP).
· 1.8 million net additions, excluding acquisitions and adjustments, includes 906,000 retail postpaid net customer additions; continued low retail postpaid churn of 1.01 percent.
· 104.0 million total connections, includes 88.4 million retail customers.

Wireline
· 207,000 net FiOS Internet and 192,000 net FiOS TV additions; 4.3 million total FiOS Internet connections and 3.7 million total FiOS TV connections.
· 10.5 percent year-over-year increase in consumer ARPU; FiOS consumer retail revenues now represent approximately 54 percent of total consumer revenues.
· 12.8 percent increase in strategic enterprise revenues, which now represent approximately 46 percent of total global enterprise revenues.

NEW YORK — Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) today reported strong first-quarter 2011 earnings, as industry leader Verizon Wireless continued to effectively balance customer growth and profitability, while growth in FiOS and strategic enterprise services contributed to another quarter of improvement in wireline margins.

Verizon reported 51 cents in EPS in first-quarter 2011, compared with first-quarter 2010 earnings of 16 cents per share. There are no adjustments to first-quarter 2011 earnings results. Adjusted first-quarter 2010 earnings, excluding the impact of divestitures and non-operational charges (non-GAAP), were 48 cents per share.

On Track to Meet Revenue and Earnings Objectives

“In the first quarter, Verizon Wireless solidified its industry leadership with results that once again showed sustainable, profitable growth,” said Verizon Chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg. “We are executing on our business plans and building momentum, and we are on track to meet both our revenue and earnings objectives for the year.”

Seidenberg added, “Wireline EBITDA margins expanded for the fourth consecutive quarter, driven by continued strength in FiOS revenues and disciplined cost management. Our strategic acquisition of Terremark, which closed earlier this month, improves our ability to provide integrated, enterprise-class cloud solutions and accelerate growth.”

Consolidated Revenue Growth Accelerates

On a consolidated basis, Verizon’s total operating revenues were $27.0 billion in first-quarter 2011, an increase of 0.3 percent compared with first-quarter 2010. Last year’s results included revenues from operations that have since been divested.

On a comparable basis (non-GAAP), first-quarter 2011 total operating revenues increased 5.3 percent compared with first-quarter 2010 — up from growth of 2.3 percent on the same basis comparing fourth-quarter 2010 with fourth-quarter 2009. Approximately 77 percent of first-quarter 2011 revenues were generated by higher-growth wireless, FiOS and strategic enterprise services, compared with approximately 72 percent of comparable first-quarter 2010 revenues.

As previously stated, Verizon is targeting comparable top-line revenue growth rates in the range of 4 percent to 8 percent for full-year 2011. The company is also targeting EPS growth of 5 percent to 8 percent in 2011, over a comparable adjusted base of $2.08 per share in 2010.

Verizon continues to expect 2011 capital spending to be essentially flat, compared with the 2010 investment of $16.5 billion. In first-quarter 2011, Verizon’s capital expenditures totaled $4.4 billion, compared with $3.4 billion in first-quarter 2010, as the company aggressively invested in growth opportunities, including the deployment of Verizon’s nationwide 4G LTE (fourth-generation, Long-Term Evolution) wireless broadband network. With 4G LTE deployment well under way, Verizon’s capitalized interest will be lower in 2011, resulting in higher interest expense of about $150 million for each quarter this year.

Cash flow from operations totaled $5.0 billion in first-quarter 2011, down from $7.1 billion in first-quarter 2010. Operating cash flow from higher net income in first-quarter 2011 was offset by the launch of the iPhone and satisfaction of Verizon’s full-year 2011 pension funding obligation of $392 million. In addition, the first half of last year included cash flows from since-divested properties.

Verizon said its cash flow outlook for 2011 remains strong, and there is no change regarding the anticipated 2012 timing of a Verizon Wireless dividend to its parent companies.

The effective income tax rate attributable to Verizon for the first quarter was 30 percent. For full-year 2011, Verizon anticipates an effective tax rate to be in a range consistent with the past three quarters, post the Frontier and Alltel divestitures.
Verizon Wireless Delivers Strong Operational and Financial Results

Verizon Wireless delivered strong growth in revenues, retail customers and other connections; increased retail postpaid ARPU (average monthly service revenue per user) and smartphone penetration; and delivered a strong EBITDA margin. In the first quarter of 2011:

Wireless Financial Highlights
· Service revenues in the quarter totaled $14.3 billion, up 6.3 percent year over year. Data revenues were $5.5 billion, up $1.0 billion or 22.3 percent year over year, and represent 38.1 percent of all service revenues. Total revenues were $16.9 billion, up 10.2 percent year over year.
· Retail postpaid ARPU grew 2.2 percent over first-quarter 2010, to $53.52. Retail postpaid data ARPU increased to $20.51, up 17.3 percent year over year. Retail service ARPU also grew 2.2 percent, to $51.88.
· Wireless operating income margin was 25.8 percent. Segment EBITDA margin on service revenues (non-GAAP) was 43.7 percent.

Wireless Operational Highlights
· Verizon Wireless added 1.8 million total connections, including 906,000 retail postpaid customers, and 897,000 wholesale and other connections. These additions exclude acquisitions and adjustments.
· At the end of the first quarter, the company had 104.0 million total connections, an increase of 6.1 percent year over year, including 88.4 million retail customers and 15.6 million wholesale and other connections.
· At the end of the first quarter, 32 percent of Verizon Wireless’ retail postpaid customer phone base were smartphones, up from 28 percent at the end of fourth-quarter 2010.
· Retail postpaid churn remained low at 1.01 percent, and total retail churn was 1.33 percent. Both improved year over year.
· Following the launch of its 4G LTE mobile broadband network in 38 markets in December 2010, the company so far has named more than 100 additional markets where 4G LTE is being rolled out. By year-end, Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network, the fastest and most advanced 4G LTE network in the U.S., is expected to be available in more than 175 markets, covering a population of more than 185 million people throughout the country.
· The company introduced three 4G LTE devices: the ThunderBolt by HTC, the first 4G LTE smartphone; the Verizon USB551L, a modem made by Novatel Wireless; and a Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot.
· Demand was strong for new LTE devices — as well as for Apple’s iPhone 4, which produced the most successful first-day sales in Verizon Wireless history when it was introduced in February to existing customers.
· Verizon Wireless continued to invest in its 3G network, the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G network.
· The company announced plans to open the Verizon Wireless Application Innovation Center in San Francisco later this year, where developers, engineers and others can work together on innovative applications that will run on the company’s 3G and 4G networks.

Continued Wireline Margin Expansion and FiOS Growth

Verizon’s Wireline segment delivered continued margin expansion and growth in FiOS customers and revenues, as well as accelerated growth in revenues for strategic enterprise services. In the first quarter of 2011:

Wireline Financial Highlights
· Segment EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 23.6 percent, compared with 21.1 percent in first-quarter 2010. This was Wireline’s fourth consecutive quarter of sequential margin expansion.
· First-quarter 2011 operating revenues were $10.1 billion, a decline of 2.2 percent compared with first-quarter 2010. This is an improvement from a decline of 2.8 percent comparing fourth-quarter 2010 to fourth-quarter 2009. First-quarter 2011 total operating expenses were $9.9 billion, a decline of 3.9 percent compared with first-quarter 2010.
· Revenues for Verizon’s FiOS fiber-optic services to consumer retail customers generated approximately 54 percent of consumer wireline revenues in first-quarter 2011, compared with approximately 45 percent in first-quarter 2010.
· Consumer revenues grew 1.9 percent compared with first-quarter 2010. Consumer ARPU for wireline services was $90.55 in first-quarter 2011, up 10.5 percent compared with first-quarter 2010. ARPU for FiOS customers continues to be more than $146.
· Global enterprise revenues totaled $3.8 billion in the quarter, up 1.0 percent compared with first-quarter 2010. Sales of strategic enterprise services — such as security and IT solutions, as well as strategic networking — increased 12.8 percent compared with first-quarter 2010, and accelerated from a growth rate of 8.0 percent comparing fourth-quarter 2010 with fourth-quarter 2009. Strategic services now represent approximately 46 percent of global enterprise revenues.

Wireline Operational Highlights
· Verizon added 207,000 net new FiOS Internet connections and 192,000 net new FiOS TV connections in first-quarter 2011. Verizon had 4.3 million FiOS Internet and 3.7 million FiOS TV connections at the end of the quarter.
· FiOS Internet penetration (subscribers as a percentage of potential subscribers) was 33.1 percent by the end of the first quarter, with the product available for sale to 13.0 million premises. This compares with 29.0 percent and 12.0 million, respectively, at the end of first-quarter 2010. FiOS TV penetration was 29.1 percent by the end of first-quarter 2011, with the product available for sale to 12.6 million premises. This compares with 25.4 percent and 11.5 million, respectively, at the end of first-quarter 2010.
· Broadband connections totaled 8.5 million at the end of first-quarter 2011, a 3.0 percent year-over-year increase. FiOS Internet connections more than offset a decrease in DSL-based HSI connections, leading to a net increase of 98,000 broadband connections from fourth-quarter 2010. These are the most broadband net additions since second-quarter 2009. Total voice connections, which measures FiOS Digital Voice connections in addition to traditional switched access lines, declined 8.2 percent to 25.5 million — the smallest year-over-year decline since first-quarter 2008.
· During the quarter, Verizon moved decisively to accelerate its “everything-as-a-service” enterprise cloud strategy by announcing its acquisition of cloud and managed IT infrastructure leader Terremark Worldwide, which closed in April.
· Verizon continued to deploy secure IT and communications solutions that enable better business outcomes for multinational enterprise, medium-sized and government customers. These included a new cloud-based unified communications service, an enhanced set of Enterprise Identity Management offerings, and delivery of SAP’s Customer Relationship Management service through Verizon’s flagship cloud offering, Computing as a Service. In addition, Verizon completed new agreements during the quarter with a range of multinational corporations, including Delphi Automotive.
· Verizon expanded its global network infrastructure, continuing to broaden its global scope and capabilities. The company installed 38 additional Private IP edge routers for a total of 852 edge routers in 238 sites throughout 63 countries; activated the first 100GE (gigabit Ethernet) transmission trunk between routers on Verizon’s backbone network; implemented Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) on its public IP backbone in Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions; and activated 7,021 miles of the Europe India Gateway submarine cable system, which connects the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
· The Wireline workforce totaled 92,000 at the end of first-quarter 2011, a year-over-year decline of 16,000 (adjusted for divested operations), primarily as a result of incentive offers that led to voluntary separations.

Via a press release today, AT&T announced that it will be offering two, Android-based LG handsets in both the prepaid and postpaid variety. The postpaid Phoenix and prepaid Thrive both sport a 600MHz processor, 3.2-inch touchscreen display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, aGPS, 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera, microSD card slot, and 7.2Mbps HSDPA radio. Both smartphones, which run Froyo (Android 2.2) will be available on April 17th with the Phoenix retailing for $49.99 with a signed two-year agreement and the Thrive retailing for $179.99 contract-free. Prepaid customs that purchase a Thrive must sign-up for one of three new, prepaid data-plan offerings also announced: $25 for 500MB, $15 for 100MB, or $5 for 10MB. The full press release is after the break.

AT&T and LG Launch First Smartphone for GoPhone

LG Thrive™ and its post-paid version, LG Phoenix™ available on April 17 from LG Mobile Phones. Both Android 2.2 Devices Available In AT&T Stores Nationwide

Dallas, Texas, April 12, 2011

Key Facts

• AT&T* will begin selling LG Thrive™ and LG Phoenix™ on April 17.
• LG Thrive™ is AT&T’s first prepaid smartphone. GoPhone customers can choose from new data packages with no long-term commitment required.
• Both smartphones will be available for purchase nationwide at AT&T company-owned retail stores and in select national retail locations.
• Both feature a 3.2 inch color full-touch display, Android™ 2.2 platform, Exchange email support, unlimited Wi-Fi usage on the entire national AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot network and a 3.2-megapixel camera.

Android Portfolio

AT&T is a pioneer in smartphones and devices, and expects to widen its portfolio in 2011. In January, AT&T committed to a robust Android portfolio, including more than 12 new Android devices this year. Delivering users on-the-go access to the growing Android Market™, LG Thrive™ will be the first Android smartphone available for GoPhone customers.

LG Thrive™ Data Packages and Voice Plans

In addition to providing access to applications and contacts, AT&T is introducing a new prepaid data package with the LG Thrive, offering 500 MB of data for $25. Each of the following options are available to customers who choose the Smartphone $0.10/min Plan or Smartphone $2/day Unlimited Talk and Text Plan. Prepaid customers who choose a smartphone like the LG Thrive must choose a data package in order to use data services.

• NEW: $25 FOR 500MB
• $5 for 10MB (previously $4.99 for 1MB)
• $15 for 100MB (previously $19.99)

The above data packages include unlimited Wi-Fi usage at thousands of AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots from your smartphone.

AT&T is also adding value to data pay-per-use pricing for non-smartphone customers with five times the data for the same price. The new pricing is $0.01 per 5kb (previously $0.01 per kb).

LG Thrive ™ and LG Phoenix™

LG Thrive™ boasts the latest Android features, including robust HTML browsing, integrated synching of Google ™ account features, Facebook® and Twitter apps for social networking, flexible personalization with up to seven customizable home screens, and unlimited Wi-Fi usage at thousands of AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide, included as part of the smartphone data plan required with either device.** LG Phoenix™ offers similar features to its prepaid counterpart as well as Mobile Hotspot and data tethering support which allows the sharing of the phone’s mobile broadband connection with other devices.***

Key Specifications

• Android 2.2 platform
• HSDPA 7.2 3G data speeds
• 600MHz application processor
• 3.2” 320 x 480 262k color full-touch display
• Wi-Fi/aGPS capable
• 160MB User Memory w/ microSD storage (up to 32GB)
• 2GB microSD card installed
• 3.2MP Auto-focus camera
• Stereo Bluetooth
• Quad-band GSM / Tri-band 3G (world capable)
• 1500 mAh long-life battery
• Text/Picture and Video Messaging support
• POP3/IMAP/Gmail/EAS email support

On April 17, AT&T will begin selling LG Thrive™, in silver for $179.99. To use data services on the Thrive™, a GoPhone smartphone plan and data package are required.

The LG Phoenix™ will be available on the same day in dark blue for $49.99 and requires a two-year agreement.

Both devices will be sold in company-owned retail stores and in select national retail locations.

Learn more about the LG Thrive™ and LG Phoenix™ at www.att.com/mobilephones-news.

Quotes

“We are excited to add LG Thrive™, the first smartphone for GoPhone, to AT&T’s growing Android portfolio,” said Judy Cavalieri, vice president, Voice and Prepaid Products, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “Thrive brings more choice and more value to our GoPhone customers by delivering the benefits of a smartphone, balanced with functionality and affordability.”

“The range of smartphones available at LG and AT&T is a tribute to our consumers,” said Tim O’Brien, vice president for marketing for LG Mobile Phones. “LG Thrive optimizes data capabilities and value with a fully customizable experience. We look to continue our history of AT&T firsts.”

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

** Restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.

*** Mobile Hotspots and Tethering require a DataPro 4 GB Plan. Devices connected to your Mobile Hotspot or by tethering use data from your DataPro 4 GB Plan. An overage rate of $10 per each 1 GB provided, applies if you exceed the included monthly data allowance. Performance may vary depending on the number of devices connected and other factors. If you do not use a password, others will be able to use your Mobile Hotspot connection. For more details on Data Plans, go to att.com/dataplans.

**** Prices may vary at independent retailers.

LG Phoenix: Limited time only. Qualified customers only. Subscriber must live & have a mailing addr. within AT&T’s owned wireless network coverage area. Requires two year contract and new activation, and an eligible voice plan and eligible smartphone data plan starting at $15 a month. $36 activation fee. Early Termination Fee: Up to $325. Sales tax calculated based on price of unactivated equipment.

Mobile Broadband Coverage not available in all areas.

Price and Availability****

Good news for those of you reading this from across the pond. Samsung has let it be known that its new flagship handset, the Galaxy S II, will be available in the United Kingdom on May 1st. The company confirms that the S II — which will be knighted with the model number GT-I9100 — will indeed have its processor upgraded to 1.2GHz as rumored last week. Other specifications include a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, 21Mbps HSPA+ radio, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p video recording, front-facing camera, and the Gingerbread operating system (Android 2.3). Price was not specified, but Samsung noted that the handset would “be available in the UK across all major networks and retailers.” The official press release is after the break.

SAMSUNG ANNOUNCES UK AVAILABILITY OF THE GALAXY S II

Samsung’s most powerful smartphone yet set to hit UK shores on 1st May

11th April 2011, London, UK – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., today announces that its slimmest and lightest smartphone yet, the Samsung Galaxy S II (Model: GT-I9100), will be available in UK shops on 1st May 2011. The Galaxy S II is the first handset to offer Samsung’s Super AMOLED Plus screen technology, the largest, brightest and most colourful screen available in Samsung’s portfolio of devices.

Super slim (8.49mm) and lightweight (116g) Samsung’s Galaxy S II runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and is super-fast thanks to its dual-core 1.2GHz processor. The device’s exceptionally bright screen makes it perfect for watching movies and TV or playing games and looking at apps, with its ground-breaking ‘organic’ LED technology, Super AMOLED Plus also saving energy so you can enjoy watching content without affecting the battery life.

The Galaxy S II is built for multi-tasking, its dual-core processor makes switching between applications and loading web pages such as Google, Yahoo and YouTube quick, whilst superior 3D hardware means games and videos can be loaded and played with ease. What’s more, there’s immediate access to content and services such as catch up TV and movie downloads, thanks to super-fast connectivity and WiFi, with speeds up to 21Mbps which provides increased download speeds, and Bluetooth 3.0+HS which reduces data transfer times significantly.

Simon Stanford, Managing Director, Mobile, Samsung UK and Ireland said: “From the moment it was revealed at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona there has been a huge buzz about the Galaxy S II, so we’re pleased to announce that it will be available for UK customers to buy from 1st May. Our slimmest, lightest, fastest smartphone is our first device to offer of Super AMOLED Plus screen technology, alongside the most advanced technical specifications including the latest Android OS and a dual core processor. We’re confident it’s a great package for anyone wanting a superior smartphone experience.”

The Galaxy S II also features an 8 megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording and playback, Samsung’s patented AllShare technology so you can share pictures, movies, and music with other devices and Samsung’s new Kies Air which lets people manage their smartphone contents from their PC via local WiFi connections.

A new ‘Live Panel’ feature on the Galaxy S II allows aggregation of live web, social networking and application contents to a single customisable home-screen, whilst it’s possible to place all the important parts of your life onto three adjacent home screens which you can switch between simply by pressing and holding on the screen. As with all the Samsung Galaxy family, the Galaxy S II features Samsung Hubs, providing a huge range of entertainment content, advanced mobile games and the ability to manage social networking accounts.

The Samsung Galaxy S II will be available in the UK across all major networks and retailers.

Today, Samsung and Boost Mobile jointly introduced a new member of the Galaxy family, the Galaxy Prevail. Running a fairly-stock iteration of Android 2.2 (Froyo), the device sports a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, 2 megapixel rear-facing camera, Bluetooth, GPS, and microSD card slot (support for up to a 32GB card). The device is the first CDMA, Android-based device to be offered by the prepaid wireless carrier. The Galaxy Prevail will be available in “late April” for $179.99 contract free. Pair the handset with Boost Mobile’s $50 monthly unlimited plan, and you have yourself a pretty nice setup. The full press release is after the break and we’ll have our hands-on posted momentarily.

Why Settle When You Can “Prevail” with the new Android-powered Phone from Boost Mobile and Samsung

The new Samsung Galaxy Prevail combines all the features of Android with Boost Mobile’s $50 Monthly Unlimited plan, which includes nationwide talk, text, Web, e-mail and payments that shrink

IRVINE, Calif. – Boost Mobile, the top carrier in the recent 2011 J.D. Power and Associates Wireless Non-Contract Customer Satisfaction Index StudySM, unlocks the power of Android with the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy Prevail™, available exclusively with Boost Mobile on the Nationwide Sprint Network. As the first CDMA Android device on Boost Mobile, the Galaxy Prevail is designed to provide an uncompromised Android experience while maintaining the great value of Boost’s $50 Monthly Unlimited plan with no hidden fees and no contracts required.

The Galaxy Prevail will be available late April for $179.99 (excluding taxes) at Boost Mobile’s exclusive retail stores, select independent wireless dealer locations across the country and at www.boostmobile.com with free shipping. By the middle of May, the Galaxy Prevail will be available in select retail outlets nationwide.

”We are excited to partner with Samsung to launch this innovative touchscreen phone for wireless users who are interested in upgrading to an Android experience without spending more on their monthly plan,” said Andre Smith, vice president-Boost Mobile. “The Samsung Galaxy Prevail delivers the power of the Android platform to our customers’ fingertips while bringing tremendous value to our customers’ wallets.”

The Galaxy Prevail will be available on Boost Mobile’s $50 Monthly Unlimited with Shrinkage plan, where the longer you stay, the less you pay simply by making on-time payments. For every six on-time payments, a Boost Mobile customer’s monthly cost will shrink by $5, eventually getting down to as low as $35 a month for unlimited nationwide talk, text, Web, e-mail, IM and calls to 411. Payments do not need to be consecutive to qualify for the next savings milestone. The first wave of Boost customers will be hitting their first six-month milestone this month and will be paying $45 per month for Monthly Unlimited service.

Galaxy Prevail features include:

· Android 2.2 with Access to Android Market™

· 3.2-inch touchscreen

· 2MP camera with video

· GPS enabled · Bluetooth® capable

· Easy access to Gmail™ and Google Talk™

· Wireless Web enabled

· Switch between portrait and landscape

· Speakerphone with voice-activated dialing

· Telenav navigation, free and unlimited

· Supports microSD™ cards up to 32GB (2GB card included)

· Voice mail, caller ID, call waiting and three-way calling

With Android, consumers can create their own arsenal of fun and productivity by selecting from more than 100,000 applications. In addition to the features listed above, the Galaxy Prevail’s preloaded applications include SCVNGR™, Poynt™, Twidroyd™, Facebook©, Hookt™, ThinkFree Office© and YouTube©.

Customers can also protect their Samsung Galaxy Prevail with Phone Insurance that is now available for Boost Monthly Unlimited customers. For $5 per month customers are covered if their device breaks, is lost, stolen or damaged – even by liquid. Go to www.boostmobile.com for more information.

The IEEE Standards Association has given its seal of approval to the next generation WiMAX standard, dubbed 802.16m. The new standard supports a “wide range of data rates in multiple user environments” and has a theoretical maximum throughput of around 300Mbps. “We are delighted that IEEE has recognized the completion of this comprehensive technical effort that has involved hundreds of creative and diligent professionals from over twenty countries during the last four years,” said Dr. Roger Marks, Chairman of the 802.16 Working Group. “Our organization was able to efficiently harmonize these innovative technologies into a clear set of specifications guiding the future development of the mobile broadband marketplace.” The standards group notes that 802.16m will provide the speed and performance necessary to “support future advanced services and applications for next generation broadband mobile communications.” The full press release is after the break.

IEEE Approves IEEE 802.16mTM Advanced Mobile Broadband Wireless Standard

The WirelessMAN-Advanced Air Interface, already approved by ITU-R as an IMT-Advanced technology, provides a future evolution path for existing IEEE 802.16TM service providers

PISCATAWAY, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–IEEE, the world’s largest professional association advancing technology for humanity, today announced that the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) Standards Board has approved IEEE 802.16mTM (“Amendment to IEEE Standard for Local and metropolitan area networks, Part 16: Air Interface for Broadband Wireless Access Systems – Advanced Air Interface”).

IEEE 802.16m provides the performance improvements necessary to support future advanced services and applications for next generation broadband mobile communications. In October 2010, ITU-R agreed to incorporate this technology into its IMT-Advanced Recommendation specifying systems that support low to high mobility applications, a wide range of data rates in multiple user environments, high-quality multimedia applications, and significant improvements in performance and quality of service.

A globally relevant standard, IEEE 802.16m incorporates innovative communications technologies such as multi-user MIMO, multicarrier operation, and cooperative communications. It supports femto-cells, self-organizing networks, and relays. Major worldwide governmental and industrial organizations, including ARIB, TTA, and the WiMAX Forum, are adopting this standard.

“We are delighted that IEEE has recognized the completion of this comprehensive technical effort that has involved hundreds of creative and diligent professionals from over twenty countries during the last four years,” said Dr. Roger Marks, Chair of the IEEE 802.16 Working Group. “Our organization was able to efficiently harmonize these innovative technologies into a clear set of specifications guiding the future development of the mobile broadband marketplace.”

Additional details can be found at .

Up until now, Roku devices have only been available online, but that changes today. Roku has just announced nationwide availability of their Roku XD model at all Best Buy locations. This is a pretty large move for the company, and with the success Roku has had online, there’s no question it will translate into retail sales. Press release after the break.

Roku Enters Retail with Nationwide Availability at Best Buy

Roku XD model featuring 1080p playback and 802.11n WiFi now available for purchase at your local Best Buy Store.

Saratoga, Calif. – March 30, 2011 – Roku, Inc., maker of the best-selling and award-winning Roku streaming player, announced today that its Roku XD player is available for purchase at Best Buy stores nationwide and at BestBuy.com. With up to 1080p HD streaming support, integrated 802.11n WiFi and Instant Replay the Roku XD offers unlimited entertainment choices and incredible value to customers. The Roku XD has a list price of $79.99 and is available at Best Buy stores and at BestBuy.com for purchase today. Roku players can also be found at other leading retail stores including BJ’s Wholesale Club, Fry’s Electronics and RadioShack.

“Having sold over 1 million Roku players through online sales only up until now, we are incredibly excited to announce our entrance into brick and mortar retail with nationwide availability from the preeminent consumer electronics retailer,” said Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku, Inc. “Customers can now grab a Roku off the shelf at Best Buy, take it home and be up and running, enjoying their favorite TV show, movie, music or sports team in just a matter of minutes.”

All Roku players continue to deliver the largest collection of streaming entertainment available for the TV, including over 100,000 movies and TV shows from Netflix, (NASDAQ: NFLX) Amazon Instant Video (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Hulu Plus; live and on-demand sports from NBA Game Time and NHL GameCenter Live; music from Pandora, MP3tunes, MOG and Rdio; photo and video sharing from Flickr and Facebook; plus news and entertainment from thousands of sources around the world.

First introduced in May 2008, the Roku player provides an easy, affordable, and reliable way for over 1 million customers to watch movies and TV shows instantly on their TV. Since the launch of the Roku Channel Store, all Roku customers now have access to over 150 channels from 85 unique content services, with more added all the time.

Pricing and Availability

The Roku XD is available for $79.99 and can be purchased at any Best Buy in the United States and at BestBuy.com. In addition to being available at Best Buy, select Roku players are available at BJ’s Wholesale Club, Fry’s Electronics and RadioShack. A full list of retailers and which Roku models are available at each one can be found at

Apple has just announced that the company will, indeed, launch the iPad 2 in 25 more countries this week. Apple is coordinating an international launch time of 5:00 p.m. local time on Friday, though customers can order online at Apple’s website starting at 1:00 a.m. in the morning. Full countries include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK, with Hong Kong, Singapore, and Korea getting iPad 2 in April.

Hit the break for Apple’s full press release.

iPad 2 Arrives in 25 More Countries This Friday

Available in Hong Kong, Korea & Singapore in April

CUPERTINO, California—March 22, 2011—Apple® today announced that iPad® 2, the second-generation of its third post-PC device, will go on sale in 25 additional countries this Friday, March 25. iPad 2 will be available at Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers at 5 p.m. local time, and online through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) beginning at 1 a.m. Apple today also announced that all models of iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April.

“While competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, we’ve changed the game again with iPad 2,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’re experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the US, and customers around the world have told us they can’t wait to get their hands on it. We appreciate everyone’s patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone.”

iPad 2 features an entirely new design that is 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter than the original iPad, while maintaining the same stunning 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD screen. iPad 2 features Apple’s new dual-core A5 processor for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics and now includes two cameras, a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime® and Photo Booth®, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video, bringing the innovative FaceTime feature to iPad users for the first time. Though it is thinner, lighter, faster and packed with new features, iPad 2 still delivers up to 10 hours of battery life* that users have come to expect.

Pricing & Availability
iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK on March 25 for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, $699 (US) the 64GB model. iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April, and in many more countries around the world in the coming months. Further international availability and pricing will be announced at a later date.

iMovie® and GarageBand® for iPad apps are available for $4.99 (US) each from the App Store℠ on iPad orwww.itunes.com/appstore. The Smart Cover is available in a range of colors in vibrant polyurethane for $39 (US) or rich leather for $69 (US).

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

Credit card giant Visa has announced a new payment service for U.S. consumers set to launch in the second half of 2011. The new offering closely mimics services offered by PayPal, allowing users with a Visa-branded credit, debit, or pre-paid account to transfer money amongst each other. “Consumers in the U.S. will soon be able to receive and send funds to any eligible Visa credit, debit or prepaid account, anywhere in the world,” reads the press release. “By simply entering the recipient’s 16-digit Visa account, email address or mobile phone number, consumers can send funds directly from their bank account to a recipient’s Visa account.” The company has also partnered with payment networks CashEdge and Fiserv, allowing them to integrate their person-to-person payment platforms with the new service. The personal payment program outlined by Visa is already offered outside the U.S. in dozens of different countries. The full press release is after the break.

Visa Moves Beyond the Point-of-Sale – Delivers Personal Payments to U.S. Account Holders

Critical network enhancement, new transaction type, and strategic agreements with CashEdge and Fiserv enable U.S. Visa account holders to pay each other for the first time

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Visa Inc. (NYSE:V), the global leader in payments, today announced that consumers in the U.S. will soon be able to receive and send funds to any eligible Visa credit, debit or prepaid account, anywhere in the world. The breakthrough service extends the utility of Visa’s network from enabling payments at the point of sale, to enabling consumers to pay one another.

The new Visa personal payments service, which eliminates the inefficiencies of cash and checks for payments between individuals, was made possible through technical enhancements to VisaNet, Visa’s global payments processing network, and through the introduction of a new Visa transaction type that allows financial institutions to accept incoming funds.

Additionally, Visa today announced strategic product agreements with CashEdge Inc. and Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), two of the leading providers of electronic person-to-person payment, account transfer and bill payment services to U.S. financial institutions. Through the agreements, CashEdge and Fiserv will have access to VisaNet, enabling them to integrate the Visa personal payment service into their respective person-to-person platforms – Popmoney® and ZashPay®. This will allow a participating bank’s customers to send money directly to a Visa account.

“For fifty years, Visa has worked to simplify payments at the merchant point of sale; we are now evolving our network capability to make it easier for our account holders to pay one another,” said Jim McCarthy, global head of products at Visa Inc. “Through our agreements with Fiserv and CashEdge, we can accelerate the delivery of new and innovative Visa payments services, and better enable financial institutions to extend these services to customers.”

How it Works

Bank customers of participating financial institutions will have the option to select a Visa account as the destination for funds when making a personal payment. By simply entering the recipient’s 16-digit Visa account, email address or mobile phone number, consumers can send funds directly from their bank account to a recipient’s Visa account. This makes sending money to a niece for her birthday or to a son in college simpler, faster, and more convenient than before.

“Providing a variety of fast, flexible payment options and establishing a large network through which consumers and small businesses can send and receive money are essential if we want them to trade checks and stamps for electronic payments,” said Erich Litch, president of Digital Channels at Fiserv. “Partnering with Visa allows Fiserv to grow not only the number of consumers and small businesses we can reach with the ZashPay service, but the ways we can reach them.”

“We are extremely pleased to be working with Visa on this initiative and leveraging their global network, which not only will allow Popmoney users to send money to recipients around the globe, but also will provide Visa customers with improved access to the convenience and security of Popmoney,” said Neil Platt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, U.S. Banking, CashEdge Inc. “The global market is eager to adopt personal and mobile payments and by partnering with Visa we can help meet this demand.”

Visa personal payments are already offered by financial institutions outside the U.S. with more than 70 programs around the world enabling consumers to send funds to Visa accounts. Availability of the service in the U.S. marks the first time a major payment network has introduced a global requirement for account issuers to accept incoming funds and thus enable a new generation of personal payment services.

The first U.S. financial institutions are expected to make Visa personal payments available to their customers through CashEdge and Fiserv by the second half of 2011.

In a press release today, Sprint announced the successor for its push-to-talk (PTT) iDEN network, Sprint Direct Connect. Running on the company’s nationwide CDMA network, Direct Connect will offer users a larger coverage footprint, improved in-building coverage, and increased voice and data capacity. The new protocol will also add several new features, including 200 participant Direct Connect sessions, Land Mobile Radio (LMR) interoperability, and availability notifications. The company expects the move to increase the number of devices that incorporate the Direct Connect service — the press release specifies that an “Android smartphone” along with sets from Motorola and Kyocera are due in the near future. “During the nationwide implementation of Network Vision, Sprint expects to continue operating the iDEN network at current best-ever performance levels,” reads the press release. “As the customer base shifts to more broadband-centric push-to-talk applications on the CDMA network and Sprint launches Sprint Direct Connect, iDEN cell sites are expected to be phased out in 2013.” The Direct Connect service will launch later this year. The full press release is after the break.

Sprint Unveils New Gold Standard in Push-to-Talk

Planned 4Q launch of Sprint Direct Connect will offer increased push-to-talk coverage, more broadband data capabilities, new features – and more enhancements to come as Sprint Network Vision deploys

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), March 16, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced plans to expand its gold-standard push-to-talk leadership, unveiling fourth-quarter launch plans for next-generation push-to-talk capabilities powered by Sprint’s broadband CDMA network. As part of the launch, Sprint will offer an initial set of handsets packed with features designed for workgroups that rely on push-to-talk and establish a new push-to-talk brand – Sprint® Direct Connect®.

Sprint Direct Connect service is being built to deliver higher bandwidth capacity to keep up with customers’ demand for data. Sprint also is working to deliver enhanced applications on Sprint Direct Connect, best-ever in-building coverage and is planning to provide triple the square-mile reach of Sprint’s current push-to-talk service.

Sprint Direct Connect will launch with an initial portfolio of rugged devices from Motorola Mobility and Kyocera. The devices will feature most of the capabilities available on current Sprint push-to-talk phones, plus next-generation push-to-talk applications and functionality including high-speed data access, high-resolution cameras and Bluetooth®. The planned portfolio will include an ultra-rugged camera flip phone and an Android™ Smartphone with a touch screen and a QWERTY keyboard. In 2012, Sprint expects to deepen its push-to-talk portfolio, adding more devices with new form factors and features.

The devices are expected to enable group push-to-talk for up to 200 participants, Land Mobile Radio (LMR) interoperability, and availability notification. In early 2012, Sprint Direct Connect is expected to add more capabilities, including international push-to-talk.

Network Vision

Sprint Direct Connect service is a tangible benefit of Network Vision, Sprint’s blueprint to deploy a cost-effective and innovative network. Announced in December, Network Vision is expected to consolidate multiple network technologies into one seamless network resulting in enhanced coverage, quality and speed; better network flexibility; reduced operating costs; and improved environmental sustainability. The plan includes a complete upgrade of Sprint’s current wireless networks accompanied by changes in device chipsets and network infrastructure.

The benefits of Network Vision to Sprint’s PTT customers will be wide-ranging:

Better coverage and capacity

• Push-to-talk coverage footprint is planned to increase to nearly 2.7 million square miles and is expected to cover a population of 309 million (with the addition of 1xrtt and roaming coverage) – an increase from the iDEN network’s 908,370 square miles covering a population 278 million.
• In-building coverage is expected to improve significantly through investment in the most advanced CDMA technology and radio equipment.
• Voice and data capacity is expected to increase significantly as Sprint will be able to fully leverage its industry leading spectrum holdings in 800 MHz, 1.9 GHz, and – through its partnership with Clearwire – 2.5 GHz.

• More push-to-talk enabled devices including handsets, rugged devices, and PDAs that combine industry leading push-to-talk and mobile broadband data services over a larger coverage area.
• Enhanced features for push-to-talk users on the new CDMA platform.
• Interoperability with all existing Sprint push-to-talk devices.
• During the nationwide implementation of Network Vision, Sprint expects to continue operating the iDEN network at current best-ever performance levels. As the customer base shifts to more broadband-centric push-to-talk applications on the CDMA network and Sprint launches Sprint Direct Connect, iDEN cell sites are expected to be phased out in 2013.

“Our customers are asking for broadband push-to-talk now,” said Paget Alves, president-Sprint Business. “We’ve seen steadily increasing demand for faster data speeds, better and broader coverage, and more applications on push-to-talk devices. Sprint Direct Connect is designed to solve for all three, and is expected to come with sub-second push-to-talk call set-up time initially in Sprint CDMA RevA coverage areas. Sub-second call set up is expected to expand across the U.S. with the implementation of Network Vision.”

Alves added, “We believe the new push-to-talk service powered by a broadband network and featuring competitively priced rugged handsets and smart phones will represent an unmatched offering in the market.”

Sprint plans to identify customers who require custom push-to-talk solutions and assist with their migration to the CDMA network. The company also plans to engage partners in developing a robust portfolio of push-to-talk accessories and involve developers in the creation of new applications through its Sprint Gets Rugged application developers program. The program will provide information, support and tools needed to port developers’ applications to Sprint Direct Connect devices. More information on the Sprint Gets Rugged application developers program can be found at http://developer.sprint.com/SprintGetsRugged. Sprint will hold a conference on March 22 at the International CTIA WIRELESS® meeting in Orlando for developers who are interested.

With Sprint Direct Connect, Sprint expects:

At the company’s 2011 product lineup event today, Samsung announced the U.S. availability of the 4-inch and 5-inch Galaxy Player. First spotted at Mobile World Congress last month, the two devices closely resemble the European Galaxy S smartphone currently in market. The duo will look to capture both the mind and market share of those consumers who would otherwise be looking to purchase Apple’s iPod touch or Microsoft’s Zune. Both devices will run Google’s Froyo (Android 2.2) operating system — upgradeable to Gingerbread (Android 2.3) — and will sport Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, DLNA support, 8GB of on-board storage, 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera, VGA front-facing camera, and microSD card slot (support for up to 32GB cards). The 5-inch model will have a WVGA TFT-LCD display while the 4-inch model will boast a 4-inch Super Clear LCD screen. The burning question we all want the answer to, when can we buy one and how much will they cost, was not disclosed in the announcement. Hit the jump to read the official press release.

Samsung Unleashes Galaxy Player Ultra-Mobile Devices – Communication, Entertainment and Information Are in Hand

Two Light and Slim Devices Deliver the Full Internet and Thousands of Android Apps Without Monthly Connection Fees

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsung Electronics America Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today expanded the Galaxy Family of portable devices with the addition of the unique Galaxy Player, the first in a new category of Android-based ultra-mobile devices. The large 4” or 5” screen on the two new models offer an ideal to enjoy games, music, videos, social media and e-books, yet still easily fit in a pants pocket.

The 4” and 5” screen models of Galaxy Player, weighing just 5 and 7 ounces respectively, deliver powerful features for entertainment, communication and information on the go. Both devices boast Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) connectivity for quick and easy access to online services, front and rear cameras (including flash on the 5” model) for videoconferencing or photography, stereo speakers for enjoying music or videos, and support for Adobe Flash 10.1 to access virtually any content on the Web.

“Our Galaxy Family – including Galaxy S mobile phones and Galaxy Tab – has been a success because we give people what they truly wish for – access to thousands of Android Apps coupled with Samsung’s sleek design,” explained Tim Baxter, President, Consumer Business Division at Samsung Electronics America. “Our new Galaxy Players deliver that same experience in two terrific, ultra-portable form factors – without incurring fees for a monthly data plan.”

Convenient Communication Features

Galaxy Players comes with Qik applications for VoIP calls over a WiFi connection; Skype will also be pre-loaded on the 4” model. A microphone and speaker in the device provides a comfortable and natural communications experience.

Video-conferencing is a joy through the front-facing camera on the devices and the large 4” and 5” screens provide for a crystal-clear view of the other side of the conversation.

Social networking comes alive on the Galaxy Player models – users can download popular apps like Facebook, Twitter and many others to take full advantage of the generous 4” and 5” screen real estate. Now, users can connect with more friends than ever without squinting on a tiny screen.

Unprecedented Multimedia, Gaming in Style – and Drag ‘N Play

Galaxy Player’s large 4” or 5” screens are perfect for reading e-books on the go, while the built-in Wi-Fi makes it easy to browse and download new books from almost anywhere.

Stereo speakers, with Virtual 5.1 surround sound and Samsung’s SoundAlive post-processing technology, makes the Galaxy Player a portable boombox to enliven any occasion. The LCD WVGA display on the 5” model makes watching movies or TV shows a superb experience, while the Super Clear WVGA LCD screen on the 4” model provides bright, clear access to online videos.

In addition, both Galaxy Players support numerous multimedia formats natively, eliminating the need to transcode files. Videos in the popular DivX, Xvid, WMV, MPEG4 and H.264 formats play effortlessly. Music lovers will love the audio support for MP3, WMA, AAC, Ogg, and Flac.

Drag ‘N Play support means files can be simply dragged from a PC right onto the player – no need for installing special software of any kind on the PC. A MicroSD slot allows 32 GB of extra storage, supplementing the on-board 8 GB.

Galaxy Players are DLNA Certified® and support AllShare – so content can be streamed to and from a PC or television without wires – anywhere in the home.

Gamers are sure to embrace the Galaxy Player – the vibrant and expansive 5” and 4” screens, stereo sound, access to thousands of games via the Android Marketplace, and extreme portability all add up to a package that is simply perfect for both hardcore and casual games.

Access to an Amazing Lineup of Apps- and Flash 10.1

The two Galaxy Player devices are the only Mobile Internet Devices with Google certification – so they can access over 100,000 Android applications via Google’s Android Market. The Web browsing experience on the Galaxy Player devices is unparalleled. Support for Adobe Flash 10.1 means no limits – and no frustration – when browsing online.

Both devices run Android version 2.2 (Froyo) and will be upgradeable to version 2.3 (Gingerbread).

The day has finally come, Verizon Wireless has made the HTC ThunderBolt handset officially official. We’ve seen leak after leak — and even an authorized third-party provider announcement — but now, straight from the horse’s mouth, the handset has been anointed with a March 17th release date and $249.99 price tag. LTE data plans, which have been the topic of much discussion, will retail for the same price as their 3G counterparts — $29.99 per month for unlimited use. Verizon is also providing mobile hotspot capabilities to all ThunderBolt owners for free until May 15th. Get those credit cards ready, Thursday is the day. Hit the jump for the full press release.

THE THUNDERBOLT™ BY HTC, THE FIRST 4G LTE SMARTPHONE FOR VERIZON WIRELESS ARRIVES MARCH 17

ThunderBolt™ by HTC Available Beginning March 17

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless and HTC today announced that the ThunderBolt™ by HTC, exclusively from Verizon Wireless, is available on March 17 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $249.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

Powered by Android™ 2.2, the ThunderBolt by HTC is the first smartphone to take advantage of Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network. The ThunderBolt by HTC features the latest version of the HTC Sense™ experience, which offers enhancements including new personalization options, a consolidated e-mail inbox, and unique camera effects and filters. The ThunderBolt by HTC is equipped with support for Google Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™ and Android Market™ with thousands of free apps. Additionally, the ThunderBolt by HTC will feature 4G LTE optimized apps such as EA’s Rock Band, Gameloft’s Let’s Golf, Tunewiki and Bitbop.

Additional features:

• 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 area
• 4.3” WVGA display
• 8- megapixel rear facing camera and HD (720p) video recording
• 1.3- megapixel front facing camera with video chatting capabilities
• Newest generation of the 1GHz Snapdragon processor
• Mobile Hotspot capability – share 4G connection with up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices
• 8 GB of onboard memory and a pre-installed 32 GB microSD card (Actual formatted capacity will be less)
• Built-in kickstand for easy media viewing

With the ThunderBolt by HTC, customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a 4G LTE data package. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access and an unlimited 4G LTE data plan is $29.99 monthly access.

Mobile Hotspot allows users to connect up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the nation’s fastest wireless network via an application available on the ThunderBolt by HTC. Mobile Hotspot will be included through May 15 for no additional charge. After May 15, customers may choose to activate Mobile Hotspot for $20 for 2 GB of data per month. Customers can track their data usage by downloading the My Verizon app available in Android Market or by logging on to their My Verizon accounts online at www.verizonwireless.com/myverizon.

For additional information on Verizon Wireless 4G LTE visit www.verizonwireless.com/4glte. For more information about the ThunderBolt by HTC please visit www.verizonwireless.com/thunderbolt. For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

On the heels of today’s MacBook Pro unveiling, Apple announced that it would be making a preview of Mac OS X 10.7 — codenamed Lion — available to developers. The company writes that Lion “takes some of the best ideas from iPad and brings them back to the Mac.” Apple details several, previously disclosed, features — such as Mission Control, Launchpad, and multitouch gestures — along with a handful of new, unannounced feature additions:

• A new version of Mail, with an elegant, widescreen layout inspired by the iPad; Conversations, which automatically groups related messages into one easy to read timeline; more powerful search; and support for Microsoft Exchange 2010;
• AirDrop, a remarkably simple way to copy files wirelessly from one Mac to another with no setup;
• Versions, which automatically saves successive versions of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, edit and even revert to previous versions;
• Resume, which conveniently brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app;
• Auto Save, which automatically saves your documents as you work;
• The all new FileVault, that provides high performance full disk encryption for local and external drives, and the ability to wipe data from your Mac instantaneously; and
• Mac OS X Lion Server, which makes setting up a server easier than ever and adds support for managing Mac OS X Lion, iPhone®, iPad and iPod touch® devices.

The new operating system has been given a “summer of 2011″ due date. A link to Apple’s new Mac OS X Lion page and the full press release are waiting for you after the break.

Apple Releases Developer Preview of Mac OS X Lion

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today released a developer preview of Mac OS® X Lion, which takes some of the best ideas from iPad™ and brings them back to the Mac® for the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system. Lion features Mission Control, an innovative new view of everything running on your Mac; Launchpad, a new home for all your Mac apps; full screen apps that use the entire Mac display; and new Multi-Touch™ gestures. Lion also includes the Mac App Store℠, the best place to discover, install and automatically update Mac apps. The Lion preview is available to Mac Developer Program members through the Mac App Store today, and the final version of Lion will ship to customers this summer.

“The iPad has inspired a new generation of innovative features in Lion,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Developers are going to love Mission Control and Launchpad, and can now start adding great new Lion features like full screen, gestures, Versions and Auto Save to their own apps.”

Mission Control is a powerful, entirely new feature that unifies Exposé®, Dashboard, Spaces®, and full screen apps to give you a bird’s eye view of every app and window running on your Mac. With a simple swipe, your desktop zooms out to display your open windows grouped by app, thumbnails of your full screen apps as well as your Dashboard, and allows you to instantly navigate anywhere with a click.

Launchpad makes it easier than ever to find and launch any app. With a single click, Launchpad displays all your Mac apps in a stunning full screen layout where you can launch, re-order or organize apps into folders. You can also arrange apps into multiple pages and swipe between them.

Lion brings the full screen experience that iPad users love to the Mac. With one click, your application window goes full screen, taking advantage of your Mac’s brilliant display. You can swipe from one full screen window to another and even back to your Desktop or Dashboard.

New Multi-Touch gestures and fluid animations give you a natural and intuitive way to interact with your Mac. New gestures include pinching your fingers to zoom in on a web page or image, swiping left or right to turn a page or switch between full screen apps and swiping up to enter Mission Control.

Lion also includes the Mac App Store, where you can find great new apps, buy them with your iTunes® account, and download and install them in just one step. Apps purchased from the Mac App Store are installed directly into Launchpad.

Additional features in Lion include:

• A new version of Mail, with an elegant, widescreen layout inspired by the iPad; Conversations, which automatically groups related messages into one easy to read timeline; more powerful search; and support for Microsoft Exchange 2010;
• AirDrop, a remarkably simple way to copy files wirelessly from one Mac to another with no setup;
• Versions, which automatically saves successive versions of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, edit and even revert to previous versions;
• Resume, which conveniently brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app;
• Auto Save, which automatically saves your documents as you work;
• The all new FileVault, that provides high performance full disk encryption for local and external drives, and the ability to wipe data from your Mac instantaneously; and
• Mac OS X Lion Server, which makes setting up a server easier than ever and adds support for managing Mac OS X Lion, iPhone®, iPad and iPod touch® devices.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Read

Today at Mobile World Congress, HTC announced the new, 7-inch, Flyer tablet; the company’s first foray into the tablet market place. The device’s specs are interesting — as the company has opted to forgo the dual-core processor route, instead using a single-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm chip along with a smaller 4,000mAh battery. The Flyer will also bring 1GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, micro-SD card slot, HDMI-out, DLNA support, and Android 2.4 into the 7-inch tablet arena. The device will be available globally, at an unknown price point, in Q2 of 2011. Hit the jump for the full press release.

HTC UNVEILS HTC FLYER™, THE FIRST TABLET WITH HTC SENSE™

Aluminum unibody design with touch and pen interaction make HTC Flyer unique

First tablet with HTC Watch™ video service, HTC Scribe™ Technology and OnLive® cloud gaming

BARCELONA, SPAIN – Mobile World Congress – February 15, 2011 – HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced its first tablet, the HTC FlyerTM. HTC Flyer blends HTC’s trademark design language with an all-new HTC Sense user experience that has been reimagined for the tablets. Using an intuitive and innovative approach to tablets, HTC Flyer combines natural touch and pen interaction. HTC also announced HTC Watch, a new connected video service that will debut on HTC Flyer tablet, and will collaborate with OnLive, Inc. to launch the first cloud-based mobile gaming service on a tablet.

“Clearly, smartphones have transformed our lives but as we observed how people use smartphones, computers and other technologies, we saw an opportunity to create a tablet experience that is different, more personal and productive,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “We are progressing down a path as an industry when people will no longer be in a single device paradigm, but have multiple wireless devices for different needs; this is the direction we are moving.”

Encased in a sleek aluminum unibody, the HTC Flyer tablet exudes the iconic style and build quality HTC is known for. It is also ultra-light, weighing as little as a paperback book, and compact enough to fit in a jacket pocket only. With a seven-inch display, lightning fast 1.5Ghz processor and high-speed HSPA+ wireless capabilities, the HTC Flyer tablet is perfect for those who have been waiting for a tablet that is both compact and powerful.

HTC Sense for Tablet
HTC Sense revolutionized smartphones by placing the person at the center of the experience. HTC Flyer’s tablet-focused HTC Sense experience focuses on surprising and delighting people with its gorgeous 3D home screen. A unique carousel of widgets puts a user’s most important content and information at the visual center of the experience. The HTC Flyer tablet also offers uncompromised Web browsing with Flash 10 and HTML 5.

HTC Scribe Technology
Touch interaction lights up the HTC Flyer tablet experience, but it also offers a groundbreaking pen experience. With the new HTC Scribe Technology on the HTC Flyer tablet, people can rediscover the natural act of writing. HTC Scribe Technology introduces a wave of integrated digital ink innovations that make it easy and natural to take notes, sign contracts, draw pictures, or even write on a web page or photo.

HTC Scribe Technology on the HTC Flyer tablet transforms traditional note-taking into smart note-taking by integrating natural onscreen writing with thoughtful and integrated innovations. A feature called Timemark enables you to capture the audio of a meeting in line with your written notes, so tapping on a word in your notes instantly takes you to that exact place in time in the audio recording of the meeting. Notes are also integrated with the calendar so when there is an appointment reminder you are automatically prompted with an opportunity to begin a new note or in the case of recurring meetings, to continue where the last meeting left off. In an industry first, the HTC Flyer tablet also features built-in synchronization with Evernote™, the world-leading notes application and service.

Streaming Mobile Movies with HTC Watch
The HTC Flyer tablet premieres HTC Watch, HTC’s new video download service. The HTC Watch service enables low-cost on-demand progressive downloading of hundreds of High-Definition movies from major studios. The intuitive, natural design of the HTC Watch service makes it easy to find the latest movie and video content, while advanced technology on the back-end enables instant playback over the HTC Flyer tablet’s high-speed wireless connection.

Mobile Cloud Gaming with OnLive
HTC takes mobile gaming to an entirely new level by being the first mobile device in the world to integrate OnLive Inc.’s revolutionary cloud-based gaming service. OnLive is leading in the home gaming market by letting people play top video games on their televisions and computers without the need to buy expensive gaming hardware or software. When integrated fully, the OnLive service will enable customers to pipe the OnLive service through the HTC Flyer tablet’s broadband wireless to their television sets, or let them play directly on the tablet. When integrated on the HTC Flyer tablet, people can play a variety of games, including hits like Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood™, NBA 2K11 and Lego Harry Potter™.

Availability
HTC Flyer will be available to customers globally during Q2 2011.