Sprint quietly launched the Express on Friday, a new $20 Android smartphone manufactured by Huawei. The device runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and features a 2.6-inch display with a 320 x 240-pixel resolution, a full QWERTY keyboard, 512MB of RAM, a 1,600 mAh battery, a microSD slow for up to 32GB of storage, a 3.2-megapixel camera and the ability to share its 3G connection via a mobile hotspot feature. The Express is available now for $20 with a new two-year Sprint contract.

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AT&T announced a handful of new Android smartphones during the most recent CTIA show in San Diego, and the Samsung Captivate Glide BGR scooped back in July was among them. Samsung kept the phone close to the chest until recently, and we finally had a chance to meet up and check it out. The phone is very similar to the Galaxy S II, but it sports a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a different processor. The Captivate Glide, an Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) smartphone, is equipped with a vivid and crisp 4-inch Super AMOLED display with an 800 x 480-pixel resolution, an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p HD video, 1GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, and a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor clocked at 1.2GHz. It also supports AT&T’s 21Mbps HSPA+ network. We really enjoyed the keyboard and it didn’t seem to add too much bulk or heft to the phone. AT&T has yet to announce a price or release date. We should be bringing you a review shortly, but in the meantime be sure to check out our full gallery below.

Samsung announced the Transform Ultra for Sprint on Monday, an Android 2.3-powered smartphone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The Transform Ultra is powered by a 1GHz processor and has a 3-megapixel camera, a secondary front-facing VGA camera for video chat, a 3.5-inch touchscreen display with an HVGA resolution, 512MB of RAM, 2GB of on-board storage, a 1,500 mAh battery and support for Sprint’s 3G network. Neither Sprint nor Samsung have announced pricing or a release date for the Transform Ultra, although we suspect it will hit the market in time for the holiday season at a budget-friendly price. Hit the break for Samsung’s fact sheet.

Samsung Transform™ Ultra

Highly-customizable Android experience

Samsung Transform Ultra is a premium android powered device that delivers a truly customizable experience even faster than before and at an affordable price. Samsung Transform Ultra, powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread, features access to Google Mobile™ services and more than 250,000 applications through Android Market. It has a powerful 1GHz processor, a 3MP rear-facing camera and VGA front-facing camera for video chat while on the go. Equipped with Sprint ID users can also completely customize their experience based on their needs and interests. Users can automatically get ringers, wallpapers, apps and widgets downloaded to your phone in one click.

Productivity

• 3.5” HVGA touch screen with full QWERTY keyboard
• 1GHz processor
• Android 2.3 with Sprint ID customizable user interface
• Sprint 3G (EVDO Rev. A) network

Entertainment and Personalization

• Dual Cameras- 3 MP camera and VGA front facing camera
• Sprint ID, a user-friendly means of customizing Android content on mobile phones. Allows users to instantly download ID packs that deliver a predefined experience, including applications, widgets, ringtones and wallpapers, all at once.
• Android Market™ – browse and download thousands of free and paid apps from around the world
• WiFi and GPS capable
• MP3 Player with MicroSD card slot (supports up to 32GB)
• Stereo Bluetooth® Wireless technology

Specifications

• Processor: 1 GHz Qualcomm  MSM8655
• Dimensions: 4.57 x 2.40 x 0.55 inches; 4.9 ounces
• Display: HVGA 480 x 320 pixels
• RAM/ROM: 512MB/2GB
• 1500 mAh Li-ION inner cell battery with up to 7 hours¹ continuous talk time

Sprint announced that it will offer the Motorola ADMIRAL, the first Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) PTT handset with support for its new CDMA-based Direct Connect network, on October 23rd. The phone will cost $99.99 with a new two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate. The ADMIRAL meets Mil-Spec 810G ratings for dust, shock, vibration, solar radiation, low pressure and high and low temperatures. It is equipped with a 1.2GHz processor, a full QWERTY keyboard, a 5-megapixel camera capable of recording 720p video, support for sharing its 3G connection with other Wi-Fi devices with Mobile Hotspot, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and 4GB of internal storage. Read on for the full press release.

First Android-Powered Smartphone with Sprint Direct Connect, Motorola ADMIRAL, Available Oct. 23 for Under $100

Motorola ADMIRAL delivers the gold standard in push-to-talk to the Sprint Network; Boasts Android 2.3, a 3.1-inch touchscreen display with
QWERTY keyboard and military spec toughness

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Oct. 20, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced the availability of Motorola ADMIRAL™, the first smartphone that boasts Sprint Direct Connect® speed, powered by Android™. It goes on sale in Sprint direct ship sales channels, including Sprint Business Sales, Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1) and Web Sales (www.sprint.com) and can be ordered at Sprint Stores beginning Sunday, Oct. 23, for $99.99 with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement, after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1. It will be available Sunday, Nov. 13, through all Sprint sales channels.

Motorola ADMIRAL features Android 2.3, Gingerbread, a 1.2GHz processor, 3.1-inch VGA touchscreen display and QWERTY keyboard. It will use the Sprint 3G (EVDO Rev. A) network to provide the gold-standard push-to-talk capabilities of Sprint Direct Connect.

Ready for the toughest conditions, Motorola ADMIRAL is designed to meet Military Standard 810G for dust, shock, vibration, solar radiation, low pressure and high and low temperatures. Plus, with Corning® Gorilla® Glass®, Motorola ADMIRAL’s touchscreen display is scratch-resistant.

“Motorola ADMIRAL will be the flagship smartphone of Sprint’s all-new Sprint Direct Connect portfolio,” said David Owens, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “We know our customers will appreciate this tough Android-powered smartphone that combines 3G data speeds with push-to-talk capabilities. It is designed to offer mobile professionals instant communications and mobile broadband data access when it matters most while being able to withstand the toughest environments.”

“Motorola is excited to bring the first Android-powered smartphone to the Sprint Direct Connect portfolio,” said Jeff Miller, corporate vice president of sales, Motorola Mobility. “With Motorola ADMIRAL, Direct Connect customers can enjoy the instantaneous connection they have come to expect from a push-to-talk device, along with the speed, durability and security needed to get the job done, wherever the work day may take them.”

Built with business in mind, Motorola ADMIRAL supports Microsoft Exchange and other email systems. It is easy to push delivery of Microsoft Exchange email tailored to the needs of specific users, and with robust calendar capabilities, employees can access the corporate Global Address List to create, edit and share meetings.

Motorola ADMIRAL also has the security features IT departments demand and protects sensitive company data with enhanced on-device security features that can be managed via the existing Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync Server, including password support, remote wipe and data encryption, as well as more than 30 other security policies. It offers standard PIN and password lock support, but goes above and beyond to include an alphanumeric requirement, complexity standards, expiration, history and recovery capabilities that are considered best-in-class features for Android-powered smartphones in the industry. Data encryption at rest on the device and microSD card also helps ensure that sensitive company data remains confidential.

Key features of Motorola ADMIRAL include:
1.2GHz processor to unlock full multi-tasking possibilities, including instantaneous page downloads and seamless document editing
Quickoffice® to view and edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as Adobe® PDF documents anywhere, anytime
5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture, flash and 4x zoom
Full suite of Google mobile services, including Google Maps™, Google Talk™, Gmail™, Google Voice™ and YouTube™
Android Market™ for access to more than 250,000 applications, widgets and games
Adobe® Flash® Player to enjoy games, interactive web apps and websites with technical or training videos
3G Mobile Hotspot capability supporting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously
Wi-Fi® – 802.11 b/g/n
4GB internal memory with option to increase with up to 32GB micro SD card
Connected music player with access to all your favorite artists, including live, personalized recommendations for songs and videos, as well as news and event updates from the world of music

Sprint Direct Connect is a portfolio of push-to-talk services that allow individuals and groups to get more done – quickly and easily with just the push of a button. Among the initial Sprint Direct Connect services:
Sprint Direct Connect – Instant, one-to-one push-to-talk calling nationwide on the Sprint network, with any other Direct Connect subscriber. Direct Connect is the core push-to-talk feature and is designed for interoperability across Sprint and Nextel network platforms.
Guaranteed Talk Permit – The assurance that when you hear the push-to-talk “chirp” that your call was successfully transmitted.
Call Alert with Text – Send an audio alert with an optional text message to let another Direct Connect subscriber know you are trying to reach them and why.
Group Connect® – Communicate with up to 20 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers all at once – nationwide, at the push of one button.
TeamDCSM – Communicate with up to 200 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers at the same time nationwide2.
NextMail® – Send a recorded message to any email worldwide or mobile handset via text message by using the Direct Connect button.
Availability Notification – Request the availability status of another push-to-talk member and, if they are busy, request a notification when they are free.

With more than 18 years of expertise, Sprint is the industry leader in push-to-talk, serving the world’s largest push-to-talk community with millions of Direct Connect subscribers. Direct Connect from Sprint has set the industry standard for push-to-talk worldwide.

A pioneer in push-to-talk technology, Motorola Mobility has been providing devices for the push-to-talk community since the network’s inception. With the introduction of Direct Connect from Sprint, Motorola Mobility continues to innovate and provide reliable and compelling products that utilize the latest push-to-talk solutions.

Motorola ADMIRAL requires activation on a plan with unlimited data. Sprint Business customers may be eligible to activate Motorola ADMIRAL on a Sprint Business Advantage Messaging and Data plan, starting at just $59.99 per month plus required $10 per month Premium Data add-on for smartphones. Business Advantage Messaging and Data plans include Any Mobile, AnytimeSM for unlimited calling to and from any mobile in America, plus unlimited web, texting and Direct Connect.

For consumers, Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, Anytime includes unlimited web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $69.99 per month plus required $10 per month Premium Data add-on for smartphones and $5 Direct Connect add-on. Simply Everything delivers unlimited web, texting, calling and Direct Connect for $99.99 per month plus required $10 per month Premium Data add-on for smartphones.

The Mobile Hotspot option is available for an additional $29.99 per month supporting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously with up to 5GB of data while on the Sprint network3. (All pricing excludes taxes and surcharges).

For more information about Motorola ADMIRAL and Sprint Direct Connect, visit www.sprint.com/sprintdirectconnect.

T-Mobile on Monday announced the LG DoublePlay, an Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) smartphone with two displays and an industrial design that reminds us slightly of the Motorola CLIQ. The DoublePlay is equipped with a 3.5-inch primary display and a secondary 2-inch screen that divides a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, which looks a bit awkward. The phone is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, has a 5-megapixel camera capable of recording 720p HD video and supports T-Mobile’s HSPA+ “4G” network. T-Mobile expects the DoublePlay to be available in time for the holiday season, but did not provide pricing details. Full press release is below.

NEW LG DOUBLEPLAY, EXCLUSIVELY OFFERED BY T-MOBILE, RAISES THE STAKES AT THE 2011 LG U.S. NATIONAL TEXTING CHAMPIONSHIP

LG and T-Mobile USA Announce the LG DoublePlay™, with Unique Dual Touch Screens, Delivering Twice the Texting and Social Networking Capabilities

Thirteen Contestants Compete for Chance to Become Part of Texting History, a $50,000 Grand Prize and Named the Fastest Texter in the U.S.

SAN DIEGO and BELLEVUE, Wash October 17, 2011 LG Mobile is once again challenging the fastest thumbs in the nation to the ultimate text messaging challenge the fifth annual LG U.S. National Texting Championship, featuring the new LG DoublePlayTM. Announced today, the LG DoublePlay is the ultimate multitasking handset, featuring a split QWERTY keyboard and dual capacitive touch screens, making simultaneous mobile activities easier than ever. During this year’s competition, 13 contestants will use the LG DoublePlay, which is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon® processor, to compete in the ultimate texting showdown for the chance to win a $50,000 cash prize and a once-in-a-lifetime spot in texting history.

Equipped with dual customizable touch screens  a 3.5-inch main display and 2.0-inch sub display  that operate independently or in tandem, as well as a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard and Swype® for easy text input, the LG DoublePlay allows users to perform multiple tasks at once such as updating their Facebook pages while simultaneously surfing the Web, texting or checking email.

“The evolving nature of texting trends and mobile technology has brought LG and T-Mobile together to create a device that celebrates multi-tasking beyond a powerful processor,” said Carl Brown, director of trade marketing for LG Mobile. “With its split keyboard and dual screens, LG DoublePlay’s impressive hardware made it the obvious choice for the official mobile phone of the 2011 National Texting Championship. LG is proud to be leading the charge in the next generation of mobile messaging devices while continuing its legacy as a leading manufacturer in QWERTY keyboard devices.”

“Whether sending texts or emails, checking in on social media sites, or browsing the Web, consumers are looking for fun and easy ways to stay connected to the people and things that matter most to them,” said Kim Swanson, director, product management, T-Mobile USA. “With the introduction of the LG DoublePlay and its unique dual-screen design, we are bringing the ultimate multitasking tool to our customers.”

The LG DoublePlay comes with a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recorder, allowing users to capture and share pictures and videos via messaging, email or Facebook. The device also offers multiple messaging options, including Cloud Text™ and Group Text™, giving users the ability to send and receive texts from a PC or tablet or create group chats on-the-go for faster, more efficient content sharing. LG DoublePlay features Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) with access to Android Market™ and delivers complete user customization with seven home screens and up to nine touchscreen shortcuts for one-touch navigation.

2011 LG U.S. National Texting Championship
The fifth annual LG U.S. National Texting Championship will bring the fastest, most talented thumbs in America to the historic Altman Building in New York City to face-off for the chance to be named the winner of the 2011 LG U.S. National Texting Championship. Reigning champion Brianna Hendrickson, who took home the 2010 title at just 13 years-old, is the contestant to beat. This year’s competition will push contestants to dig deep and flex their texting muscles as they race through challenges designed to test texting speed, accuracy and dexterity. Competitors will need to type phrases on their LG DoublePlay exactly as they appear on LG plasma screens, while distracted by blind folds, complex phrases and marathon game play.

LG first set out to crown the fastest thumbs in America in 2007 when more than 500 contestants battled it out for the U.S. texting title. Now a national phenomenon, last year’s Championship featured a record 500,000 competition entries and became the subject of a MTV documentary called “Thumbs” by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Bill Couturié. Providing an exclusive look at the growing phenomenon of texting among today’s youth, the film provided a first-hand look at player preparations during the marathon race to the 2010 LG National Texting Championship. Moreover, “Thumbs” underscored the increasing importance of texting as one of today’s preferred methods of mainstream communication. For more information on the LG U.S. National Texting Championship, please visit www.facebook.com/lgtexterus.

We briefly met up with Samsung in San Diego to check out the new Samsung Stratosphere, Verizon Wireless’ first 4G LTE device with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The keyboard was comfortable to type on without adding too much bulk to the device. The back of the phone looks a bit plain — it is just matte plastic, and we think there’s definitely room for improvement in the style department. Samsung equipped the device with a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen that displays beautiful colors and very deep blacks. It is equipped with a feature set that is a bit below that of the current Galaxy S II devices, such as a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, a 5-megapixel camera, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. We’ll reserve our final judgement for the review but we’re already fawning over the 4G LTE capability, sturdy hardware and solid keyboard. Be sure to check out the gallery below.

Verizon Wireless on Monday unveiled the Samsung Stratosphere, the company’s first smartphone to feature a full QWERTY keyboard and 4G LTE connectivity. This new Samsung smartphone is highlighted by LTE compatibility and a 4-inch Super AMOLED that provides the deep blacks and vibrant colors that help separate Samsung smartphones from the pack. Other specs include a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, a 5-megapixel rear camera, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, mobile hotspot capability and the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. Samsung’s Stratosphere will launch this Thursday, October 13th, for $149.99 after rebate with a new 2-year contract. Verizon’s full press release follows below.

FIRST 4G LTE SMARTPHONE WITH QWERTY KEYBOARD FOR VERIZON WIRELESS: THE SAMSUNG STRATOSPHERE^™

Features a 4-inch Super AMOLED^™ Display, 1 GHz Processor and B2B Enterprise Solutions

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced the Samsung Stratosphere^™, a Galaxy S^® smartphone, will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com beginning Oct. 13.

The Samsung Stratosphere is the first 4G LTE smartphone from Verizon Wireless equipped with a five-row QWERTY keyboard and designed with Samsung’s four-inch Super AMOLED^™ display.  Additionally, the Stratosphere supports enhanced B2B-enabled connectivity services from Cisco^™, the most comprehensive mobile implementation of Microsoft^® Exchange ActiveSync^® (EAS) and support for secure remote device management from Sybase ^® Afaria^®.

Ideal for the business professional, the Samsung Stratosphere offers robust data management support.  The Stratosphere will support Samsung’s Enterprise Platform enhancements such as VPN, encryption and Mobile Device Management (MDM).  EAS includes features such as direct push, email, calendar, contact sync and Global Address List (GAL), as well as EAS policies including storage card encryption, device encryption, and simple and complex password support, all essential for streamlining business on the smartphone.

Key features:

• 4G LTE – customers can expect fast download speeds of  5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G LTE mobile broadband coverage areas
• Five-row QWERTY keyboard
• Samsung Super AMOLED^™ Screen Technology makes watching movies, viewing videos and playing games come to life, even in bright light and outdoor environments
• Android^™ 2.3 Gingerbread – support for Google^™ Mobile Services including Gmail^™, YouTube^™, Google Talk^™, Google Search^™, Google Maps^™ and access to more than 250,000 apps available to download from Android Market^™
• Samsung 1 GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor
• Front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video chat and 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus and flash (720p HD playback and 480p DVD-quality recording)
• Mobile Hotspot Capability – share 4G connection with up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices or a 3G connection with up to five devices
• AllShare^Ô – enables wireless connectivity through Digital Living Network Alliance^® (DLNA), so customers can send multimedia content to other DLNA Certified^®-enabled devices such as TVs and laptops
• Samsung Media Hub – Samsung’s own content service, offering a vast lineup of critically acclaimed films and TV programs for rent or purchase
• Bluetooth^® 3.0 technology – support for headset, hands-free, stereo, phonebook access, and object push for vCard and vCalendar
• Multiple video file formats supported, including DivX and XviD
• Wi-Fi Connectivity (802.11 a/b/g/n)

Business features:

Samsung’s enterprise mobility solutions will provide flexibility and connectivity for mobile workforces, ensuring that users are able to operate more efficiently on the go.

• Microsoft^® Exchange ActiveSync^® (EAS) – communicate directly with your Microsoft Exchange Server enabling push email, calendar and contacts
• Support for Cisco AnyConnect 2.1 SSL VPN – supports access to private corporate networks using industry-standard VPN protocols with enhanced security of 4G LTE networks helps users tap into VPN networks with no waiting
• Encryption Services – users and IT administrators can initiate a remote wipe command to erase private information
• Support for Sybase Afaria^® – MDM capabilities allow an integrated experience for the end user in the event it is required by their IT department or corporate policy

Pricing and data packages:

• The Samsung Stratosphere will be available on Oct. 13 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.  Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
• Customers that purchase a Samsung Stratosphere smartphone will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 for monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

T-Mobile on Thursday unveiled two new LG-built smartphones that will join the company’s lineup ahead of the holidays. The myTouch features a full touch form factor with a 3.8-inch display, a 1GHz Qualcomm processor, a 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture support, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The myTouch Q features nearly identical specs, though the display drops down to 3.5 inches and the phone sports a physical slide-out keyboard. ”When moving to their first smartphone, customers want a simple and uncomplicated experience without compromising on quality,” T-Mobile SVP of marketing Andrew Sherrard said in a statement. “With the introduction of these new myTouch smartphones paired with our worry-free data plans and fast 4G network, we’re making it easier than ever to step up to 4G experiences.” Pricing and availability for the myTouch and myTouch Q have not yet been announced, but T-Mobile did say that the phones will be available in time for the holidays. T-Mobile’s full press release follows below.

T-Mobile myTouch Line Expands with Two New Smartphones:
T-Mobile myTouch and T-Mobile myTouch Q

The latest in the myTouch family offer an easy transition for first-time smartphone owners

BELLEVUE, Wash. —Oct. 6, 2011— T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the upcoming availability of the new T-Mobile^® myTouch^® and the T-Mobile^® myTouch^® Q, both by LG, as the latest Android™-powered smartphones to join T-Mobile’s line of myTouch products running on America’s Largest 4G Network^®. The myTouch and myTouch Q, designed to be easily set-up on the first day and continue to be easy to use, are perfect for individuals adopting the benefits of smartphones for the first-time.

The myTouch and myTouch Q are designed with a number of features that make them approachable, including the option of two different styles of hardware to suit customer needs: the myTouch touts a 3.8-inch touch screen and a virtual keyboard with Swype^®, while the myTouch Q is equipped with a 3.5-inch touch screen plus a physical slide-out full QWERTY keyboard.

To help customers not only get up and running and keep running, the myTouch and myTouch Q offer a number of useful tools, including the following:

·         Set-up Wizard: Simple instructions for quick e-mail and social network integration

·         Tips Widget: A quick “how-to” providing an overview of the available device features, including a collection of instructional videos

·         Genius Button™: One-shot voice commands to call, text, or search the Web all with the press of a button

“When moving to their first smartphone, customers want a simple and uncomplicated experience without compromising on quality,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, marketing,
T-Mobile USA. “With the introduction of these new myTouch smartphones paired with our worry-free data plans and fast 4G network, we’re making it easier than ever to step up to 4G experiences.”

Both devices are powered by Android^™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) and a 1GHz Qualcomm^® processor giving customers the power and functionality they desire. Additionally, the myTouch and myTouch Q are equipped with advanced multimedia features, including a 5-megapixel camera and 720p HD video recorder for capturing photos and videos while on the go. The myTouch also includes a front-facing camera with access to T-Mobile Video Chat powered by Qik^™ for face-to-face video chat.

With access to T-Mobile’s 4G network*, the myTouch and myTouch Q allow customers to browse the Web, access email and social networking services, download free and paid applications through Android Market^™, and much more. Both devices also offer built-in entertainment applications, including T-Mobile^® TV in Mobile HD, Netflix^® and YouTube^® for real-time mobile video streaming and on-demand TV and movies.

Availability

The T-Mobile myTouch is offered in two colors – either black or white – and the T-Mobile myTouch Q is offered in two colors – either gray or violet. Both phones, exclusively from
T-Mobile, are expected to be available in time for the holiday season. Customers can visit www.T-Mobile.com for more information.

Verizon may soon launch its first 4G LTE smartphone with a full-QWERTY keyboard, the Samsung Straosphere SGH-I405, according to information and an image obtained by Pocketnow. The Samsung Stratosphere looks very similar to Sprint’s Epic 4G and will likely run Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread). Rumors suggest it could also offer a 5-megapixel camera, a 1.3-megapixel forward-facing camera for video chats and roughly 2GB of storage. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a Super AMOLED Plus display and a processor in the 800Mhz to 1GHz range, either. It is still unclear how much the Stratosphere will cost but the phone could hit store shelves as early as this week according to the report.

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Motorola on Tuesday unveiled a new Android smartphone that is likely soon headed to both AT&T and T-Mobile here in the U.S. The Motorola PRO+ runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and features a candy bar form factor with a full QWERTY keypad. The BlackBerry-like QWERTY sits beneath a 3.1-inch VGA touchscreen display, and spec highlights include a 1GHz processor, a 5-megapixel camera, 4GB of internal storage, microSDHC support, 512MB of RAM and a 1,600 mAh battery. “The Motorola PRO+ is built for people who want to take the pressure off and consolidate their work and personal lives with an efficient smartphone that acts like your personal assistant,” said Alain Mutricy, Motorola’s senior vice president, portfolio and device product management, in a statement. “Today, with our demanding 24/7 lifestyles your smartphone should make your complex life easier and give you an edge at work and at play.” Pricing and availability have not yet been announced for AT&T or T-Mobile. Motorola’s full press release follows below along with a video.

Motorola Mobility Delivers the Smartphone that Works and Plays as Hard as You Do: Motorola PRO+

A powerful smartphone optimized for business but fun enough to use for your personal life – Motorola PRO+ is your personal assistant and best friend

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Aug. 30, 2011 – Life is full of demands, and we all could use a little extra help. With the sleek and sophisticated Motorola PRO+, brought to you by Motorola Mobility Inc., you can have your own personal assistant that fits right in your pocket. Motorola PRO+ gives you the power to edit important documents on the go, multitask when every second counts, and encrypt sensitive work information so your IT manager can sleep at night. This supreme blend of touch screen, full QWERTY keyboard and Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) makes this smartphone ready for anything. The Motorola PRO+ will be available in Asia and Europe starting in October.

Motorola PRO+ has a super quick 1GHz processor and physical QWERTY keyboard for more efficient typing and texting when you need to update a client on the fly, for browsing for really important information, or multitasking as necessity demands. The device is also packed with productivity features to make your life easier and to help you impress your boss or your friends, including the pre-loaded Quickoffice Connect for accessing, creating and editing documents on-the-go. We know that in a fast paced world, going in and out of apps wastes precious time, so now key apps such as your calendar and email are scrollable direct from your home screen.

Motorola PRO+ merges all of your personal and business information for you in a convenient system designed to make your life easier. Take the pressure off knowing Motorola PRO+ syncs services from multiple sources, so all your contacts are viewable the way you want them, calendar options are available to arrange, edit, and respond to meeting invites, there are direct dial conference options, and intuitive email solutions that can anticipate who you may be sending an email to before you do. Its 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities enables you to connect multiple devices, such as a laptop or tablet, for quick access to the Web, corporate email and calendar syncing. Plus, it features scratch resistant Corning^® Gorilla^® Glass so tossing your phone in your bag or pocket doesn’t have to be a disaster.

“The Motorola PRO+ is built for people who want to take the pressure off and consolidate their work and personal lives with an efficient smartphone that acts like your personal assistant,” said Alain Mutricy, senior vice president, portfolio and device product management, Motorola Mobility. “Today, with our demanding 24/7 lifestyles your smartphone should make your complex life easier and give you an edge at work and at play.”

Motorola PRO+ knows how to have fun too – it is ready for full customization to bring you the games and applications most important to you. With Music, Motorola’s unique music player you have a dashboard for music discovery. You have easy access to all your favorite artists and song lyrics. Plus, you receive live, personalized recommendations for songs and videos as well as news and event updates from the world of music. With Gallery, you can aggregate all your photos from social networking and photo sharing sites like Facebook and Picasa for easy viewing. Plus, with Adobe^® Flash^® Player 10.3, you’ll be able to access the online content you love. Motorola PRO+ is also preloaded with the latest *Google mobile services including Google Maps™ 5.0, Google Talk™ and more than 250,000 apps from Android Market^™.

Motorola PRO+ is a smartphone that you and your IT department can agree upon. Nothing says business ready better than the leading security features; whether it’s remote wipe of your device and SD card, password expiration and history, or full encryption, your IT manager will breathe a sigh of relief. Motorola PRO+ comes loaded with 25 Exchange ActiveSync security policies – including PIN lock, auto-discovery of Exchange Servers, Extended Device Management API’s and 3LM integration. Your sensitive information – your career – is guarded in this virtual vault with Motorola PRO+. It’s fully loaded with support for Exchange and Gmail for business, including corporate directory options. With these leading features your IT manager just might give you a smile.

Smart Accessories

A suite of smart accessories ensures users get the most from the Motorola Pro+. Available accessories include a Bluetooth® headset, Bluetooth car kit, portable power, and car charger.

Motorola PRO+ Features and Specifications
Form Factor	Touch Screen, QWERTY
OS	Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Size	62 x 119.50 x 11.65mm
Display	3.1” VGA, 640 x 480 pixels, scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass
Weight	113g
Processor	1GHz
Battery	1600mAh
Talk and Standby Time1	Up to 8 hours of talktime and 13 days in standby
Bands/Modes	Dual-band WCDMA 850/1900/2100, 850/1700/2100, 900/2100 Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 2Mbps, EDGE Class 12, GPRS Class 12
Connectivity	3.5mm headset jack, USB 2.0 HS, BOTA, PC Sync 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities – Allows customers to connect up to five other Wi-Fi®-enabled devices and laptops
Messaging/Web/Apps	MMS, SMS, Email, IM (Dwnld Java, Embedded)
Camera	5MP auto focus with LED flash
Audio	FM Radio Receive, AAC, AAC+, AAC+ Enhanced, AMR NB, MIDI, MP3, RA, WAV, WMA
Video	Capture/Playback/Streaming, H.264, MPEG4
Storage & Memory	4G internal storage, expandable up to 32GB 512 RAM
Location Services	aGPS (assisted)
Pre-loaded Applications	Access to Google Maps™ with Navigation, Google Talk™and Web browsing
Sensors	eCompass, Accelerometer, Light and Proximity Sensor

It has been more than six months since HP officially took the wraps off of the Pre3 and it looks like the company is finally getting ready to bring the phone to market. Pre-orders for an unlocked model of the Pre3 have started on HP’s official German website, but don’t get too excited: the German variant has a QWERTZ keyboard instead of the QWERTY layout we’re accustomed to. Other specs include a 1.4GHz Qualcomm processor, a 3.6-inch 800 x 480-pixel resolution display and a 5-megapixel camera capable of recording HD video. The German Pre3 is priced at €349 ($500) and HP expects the phone to ship within one to two weeks. We expect to hear more about U.S. availability shortly now that the device is launching in other parts of the world.

[Via Engadget]

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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]

Verizon Wireless is now offering RIM’s highly anticipated BlackBerry Bold 9930 smartphone for $249.99 on contract. BGR exclusively reported last week that Sprint would soon be selling the new touch-and-type Bold for $249.99, and at that time we indicated that other U.S. carriers would likely launch the device at the same price point. Verizon Wireless is now the first carrier to do so, and while early adopters are sure to snatch up the long-awaiting 9900/9930 despite its $250 price tag, widespread adoption may be hindered until the new smartphone dips to $199.99 on contract. We reviewed the new BlackBerry Bold last week and found that the hardware is absolutely worth carriers’ high cost of entry. We also found that RIM’s BlackBerry 7 software, despite improved performance and fluidity, left much to be desired.

UPDATE: Verizon Wireless’ full press release now follows below.

VERIZON WIRELESS INTRODUCES THE NEW BLACKBERRY^® BOLD^™ 9930 SMARTPHONE

Thinnest BlackBerry Smartphone Features Power and the Perfect Union of a High-Performance Keyboard and Touch Display On the Nation’s Most Reliable Network

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless today announced the new BlackBerry^® Bold^™ 9930 smartphone is available online at www.verizonwireless.com and will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on August 25.

The BlackBerry Bold 9930 smartphone is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone yet, measuring only 10.5 mm, and is the first BlackBerry Bold to integrate a touch display with a BlackBerry keyboard.  This smartphone is performance driven and powered by the new BlackBerry^® 7 operating system to deliver the ultimate in communication, multimedia and productivity for Verizon Wireless customers.

BlackBerry 7:

·        Next generation BlackBerry browser has optimized zooming and panning for smoother Web navigation and optimized HTML5 performance.

·        Premium version of Documents To Go is now included at no additional cost, offering customers enhanced document editing features, as well as a native PDF document viewer.

·        The newest release of BBM^™ (BlackBerry Messenger) now offers the real-time BBM experience together with a range of apps including gaming and social networking.

·        Liquid Graphics^™ technology combines a dedicated high-performance graphics processor with a blazingly fast CPU and stunning high-resolution display to deliver a responsive touch interface with incredibly fast and smooth graphics.

·        Updated Social Feeds app has been extended to capture updates from media, podcasts and more all in one consolidated view.

·        Universal search capability now supports voice-activated search, allowing customers to simply say what they want to find on their device or the Web.

·        BlackBerry^® Balance is integrated in BlackBerry 7, allowing customers to enjoy the full BlackBerry smartphone experience for both work and personal use. BlackBerry Balance allows secure access to business information while preventing the information from being copied into, sent from, or used by personal applications. An administrator can also remotely wipe business information from the device while leaving personal information intact.

Key features:

·        3G coverage on the nation’s most reliable network

·        2.8-inch touchscreen display (640 x 480)

·        Full backlit QWERTY keyboard with trackpad navigation

·        1.2 GHz processor

·        5-megapixel camera with flash and 720p HD video recording capabilities

·        Global-ready – Quad band with support for UMTS, HSPA, GSM, GPRS and EDGE allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice and data service in more than 200 countries, including more than 125 countries with 3G speeds

·        Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, GPS and Bluetooth^® 2.1

·        microSD^™ card slot with support for cards up to 32 GB

·        Push to Talk capability will be enabled through an over-the-air update

Pricing and availability:

·        BlackBerry^® Bold^™ 9930 smartphone is available for $249.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

·        Customers that purchase a BlackBerry^® Bold^™ 9930 smartphone will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 for monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

For more 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.

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Another BlackBerry out of RIM? We might as well consider them done and finished. Or should we? With a brand new take on BlackBerry hardware and an improved and enhanced operating system in BlackBerry 7, RIM hasn’t been sitting still. I have been using a BlackBerry 9900 for over a week, and as a reformed BlackBerry addict, I have some thoughts on this latest flagship smartphone out of Waterloo. Is this the device that’s going to save RIM? Is this the phone that’s going to make iPhone and Android users switch to a BlackBerry? Can RIM finally compete in the smartphone arena? Will it take RIM 9 months to make a BlackBerry 9900 in white? Is Will.i.am going to haunt me for eternity? Hit the break to find out. (And I sure as heck hope not on those last two.)

Hardware / Display

RIM is no stranger to the hardware game, having been major smartphone vendor to really control the entire end-to-end hardware and software experience. Every BlackBerry release seems to show a constant trait — that RIM continues to improve its manufacturing capabilities — and the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is no exception. In fact, this is the finest hardware ever to come out of Waterloo (or Mexico, or Holland, or wherever your phone is made). From the beautiful black fascia to the stainless steel bezel surrounding the top notch components, to the soft-touch finished, carbon-fiber-laced back cover, this is a BlackBerry that exudes quality, and one that any executive would be proud to have grace his or her desk. The high quality materials RIM is using on the BlackBerry 9900 are apparent, I only wish the company would have made the switch sooner. It’s the first time metal has made an appearance instead of plastic, and it’s the first time I can remember a BlackBerry not feeling hollow, but feeling like a solid high-end product.

This is a BlackBerry that exudes quality.

Starting on the front of the device, you’ll see a pure white color accent scheme for the first time ever — even the send and end phone buttons are colorless, and it really works. While RIM isn’t a company that is known for focusing on design identity, or even obsessing over little details, the company makes the personality of the Bold 9900 come alive, and it meshes beautifully. Even the symbols on the keyboard aren’t a different color (they used to be red), but this new straight-forward color palette really works for me.

On the top of the phone you’ll find a screen lock/unlock button. On the right side there’s a volume up button up top, a mute key in the middle and a volume down button — all made out of metal, I might add. Below that you’ll find the camera shutter key. On the bottom of the phone you’ll see two charging contacts for compatibility with RIM’s charging docks, which not only makes a great alarm clock stand, but also reduce wear and tear on the microUSB port. It would have been great to see RIM take this one step further and use a similar technology for USB syncing as well, though it’s not that big of a deal. On the left of the Bold 9900 you’ll find a microUSB port, and 3.5mm headset jack.

Something I’d like to point out is that the thinness of the Bold 9900 is very competitive. At around 10mm thin, it’s impressive. For a device with a capacitive touch display, full size QWERTY keyboard — the best in the business — and technical specifications that bring the once stone-aged company into a near-competitive area, the Bold 9900 is an engineering feat, and one RIM should absolutely be proud of. Something RIM shouldn’t be proud of? The fact that the company didn’t include an autofocus camera in the Bold 9900. It would be comically funny if it weren’t a real sign of how RIM actually thinks — who needs an autofocus camera when we can make the phone thinner!

The display on the BlackBerry 9900 is excellent. It’s the first higher resolution device out of RIM, featuring a 640 x 480-pixel panel. While that’s not up there with Retina and qHD displays, the 2.8-inch touch screen on the Bold 9900 looks absolutely beautiful. It’s bright, it’s vivid, it’s crisp — this is an amazing display. Touch sensitivity and performance on the 9900 is also excellent, with touches being recognized immediately, swipes performing correctly, and flick and pinch gestures working properly in the web browser. It’s so good that it almost makes you forget that RIM is responsible for releasing the BlackBerry Storm. Almost.

RIM even went step further with outfitting all of its high-end devices with NFC capabilities, and even though the NFC functionality isn’t being used in the Bold 9900 at release, the engineering that went into the effort hasn’t gone unnoticed. The NFC chip is built into the battery cover with contacts that connect only when the cover it attached to the phone, and it’s just an ingenious integration; it makes you wonder why other manufacturers haven’t taken this approach.

Keyboard

Let’s just get this out of the way… the keyboard on the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the best physical keyboard on any smartphone, ever. I went there. It’s not just spacious, it’s tactile and it features the perfected RIM layout. It’s clickity, but not mushy, and it’s firm but not too firm. It’s also properly sized without being too big to type quickly — in short, it’s the best physical keyboard I have ever typed on as far as a mobile device goes. From currency symbols to exclamation points, the keyboard and keyboard layout on the BlackBerry 9900 is the best in the business. Even the backlighting on the keyboard is nothing short of glowing. Literally.

BlackBerry users will feel right at home, and it’s a refreshing change from the many terrible soft-keyboards out there. With that said, soft keyboards have an advantage in a couple of places, but if you’re a texter, a hardcore emailer or one of those old school individuals who just can’t make the switch to a touch-only smartphone, this is the best you’re going to get; and it’s really not even open to debate.

OS

BlackBerry’s latest operating system, BlackBerry 7, isn’t a drastic change from the previous operating systems out of RIM. In fact, at the very basic level, it’s the same. Sure there are some different APIs and enhancements but at the end of the day this is, at the core, the same BlackBerry that you’ve been used to using.

That’s not to say RIM hasn’t made improvements in different areas of the operating system. In fact, sources close to me have touted the fact that RIM has been able to strip bloated code from the OS in various places, undoing years of bandaging and complexity — and it does show. Coupled with a reasonably fast 1.2GHz single-core processor, the software on the BlackBerry runs extremely fast. There aren’t many slow-downs, and the dreaded BlackBerry spinning clock hasn’t made very many appearances on my 9900s.

With that said, the app game on BlackBerry devices is nothing short of a joke. App World is a joke. Third-party applications are a joke. User interfaces are a joke. This is a phone still primarily based on what corporate users of the past once wanted: the best email device in the world coupled with pretty solid personal information management like contacts, calendar, tasks and more. Unfortunately, that’s not enough in this day and age to move the needle, and the dated software and operating system show.

While something like web browsing, now based on WebKit, has improved, it’s still a ways off from competitive offerings from Apple and Google. Photo and video manipulation still feels like a struggle on the BlackBerry Bold 9900, even with a 1.2GHz processor. Scrolling is faster than on any other BlackBerry smartphone, though there are still random slow-downs and hiccups, something hopefully fixed when the company finally transitions to its QNX-based OS in upcoming devices next year.

Phone / Speakerphone / Audio

Voice calling on the Bold 9900 was a pretty solid experience. BlackBerry smartphones have been known for their superior RF performance and their ability to serve up solid connections, and the BlackBerry 9900 is no different. The device easily rivaled Apple’s latest smartphone and Google’s latest Nexus device in that department. As far as the ear speaker goes, however, calls sounded a bit shallow and lacked a low-end that is typically found on most top-tier smartphones.

The speakerphone on the BlackBerry 9900 is above average, though it also lacked the low-end response users look for in a high-end smartphone. Audio was even a bit choppy at times when using the speakerphone function, which was a pretty big disappointment. The sound just isn’t full, and the distortion compounds matters.

Playing back audio through the built-in speaker exhibited the same issues that the speakerphone did — the low-end was lacking, though mid and high-end performance was on point with other competitive devices. Max volume is also a bit lower than I was hoping, though the phone performed reasonably well with all things considered. After all, it’s not like it has Beats audio built in.

Battery

Battery life has been one of RIM’s strengths over the years, and that doesn’t change too much on the BlackBerry Bold 9900. While the battery is noticeably smaller than previous RIM devices (1,200 mAh compared to 1,500 mAh), and even though the processor speed has nearly been doubled,  I haven’t noticed that much of a difference as far as battery performance is concerned. That’s pretty impressive considering some phones can’t last an entire day, and the BlackBerry Bold 9900 has been able to power through almost two full days of on and off usage in my testing; again, this is quite impressive when you take the faster processor and smaller build into account.

With constant emailing, moderate Facebook and Twitter usage, light web browsing and light voice calling, the BlackBerry 9900 chugged along for nearly three days — a ridiculous feat.

Conclusion

RIM’s BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the company’s best BlackBerry ever. It combines everything a BlackBerry user and fan used to beg for into one incredible package. A touchscreen with amazing full QWERTY keyboard, an incredibly thin and solid hardware shell with high-end finishes like a stainless steel bezel, meshed with a soft touch rubberized finished backside, complete with carbon fiber insert, make for an almost irresistible offering.

With an improved and enhanced operating system that is speedier than any previous version, this could be the total package you’re looking for in a smartphone. Unfortunately, it’s still a BlackBerry, and outside of the core areas where a BlackBerry still offers a competitive advantage like email, for instance, I don’t see a reason to pick this smartphone over an iPhone 4 or one of the latest Android handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S II or Google’s Nexus S. There will always be a market for the current incarnation of BlackBerry smartphones, but that market is shrinking daily and RIM’s QNX-based mobile devices can’t come soon enough.

Hello, my name is Jonathan, and I was a BlackBerry addict. Forget having every BlackBerry the company released, including different variants of models that didn’t ever appear in the U.S., like the BlackBerry 8707g. Forget being one of the first people to discover BlackBerry Messenger and convert family and friends to the service, even though it was probably the slowest thing ever to run on a BlackBerry 7290. Forget getting a bunch of celebrities to attend the BlackBerry 8700 launch party in New York City just so I would be one of the first people outside of RIM to have an 8700. I even once paid to have a BlackBerry 8700 forged out of solid white gold, which barely functioned since gold doesn’t play nice with antenna (an early lesson on wireless communications — maybe the first real antennagate?). I had a dedicated BlackBerry Enterprise Server for over four years — I was so in. Read on for more.

So then, I started using another smartphone, but it wasn’t as advanced in some areas that I really relied on all the time. I began carrying two smartphones instead of just one, and eventually my BlackBerry was used simply for email and BlackBerry Messenger because other operations became terribly inferior. There came a point, however, when carrying two smartphones, even though I was used to it since years earlier when I had a StarTAC and Timeport P935, became tiresome. It’s a little over the top, even for someone like me, and my BlackBerry was practically useless for me once all of my contacts began switching.

We all know what happened and is happening with Research In Motion, though one thing that’s said I don’t believe is accurate. RIM didn’t stop innovating. The accurate statement would be: RIM stopped innovating where it needed to. The great thing about the BlackBerry 9900 is that it’s sure to be the best BlackBerry yet, and there is not one single person who gave up a BlackBerry for another smartphone who isn’t interested in the BlackBerry 9900, if even just a little bit. There’s something about that keyboard, there’s something about emailing on a BlackBerry, there’s something about phone calling on a BlackBerry, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a BlackBerry 9900 to review. It’s entirely possibly someone from Waterloo put something in my water, I’ll fully admit, but I checked, and the bottle was sealed.