Android and Me |
- HTC Flyer comes to Sprint this summer as the EVO View 4G
- Sprint and HTC announce the EVO 3D, available beginning this summer
- It looks like T-Mobile is future proofing their new phones to run on AT&T
- T-Mobile reveals markets for faster 4G network with 42 Mbps downloads
- Verizon to expand 4G LTE coverage to over 145 markets by year’s end
- Samsung announces world’s thinnest tablets, available June 8th from $469
- Watch Samsung’s CTIA event live
- Amazon App Store is now open for business, including Angry Birds Rio
- T-Mobile G2x confirmed as first dual-core phone with stock Android
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 spec sheets spied early: Weighs just a pound and is even thinner than the iPad 2
| HTC Flyer comes to Sprint this summer as the EVO View 4G Posted: 22 Mar 2011 12:50 PM PDT Today Sprint announced they would be launch the EVO View 4G, their first tablet with HTC’s Sense experience. This device is the same as the HTC Flyer that was revealed last month at Mobile World Conrgres, with the addition of support for Sprint’s 4G WiMAX. Highlights of the EVO View 4G include HTC Sense for tablets, 7-inch 1024 x 600 display, 1.5 GHz single-core Snapdragon, 5 megapixel main camera, 1.3 megapixel front camera, 32 GB internal storage, 1 GB RAM, and a 4000 mAh battery. To improve the tablet experience, the EVO View 4G allows the user to draw, take notes and highlight text on documents on the tablet with the HTC Scribe digital pen. A new feature called Timemark allows for voice-synchronized note taking, which makes it possible to capture the audio of a meeting at the same time as written notes. Pricing was not announced, but Sprint did say the EVO View 4G would be available beginning this summer. Now that Samsung has priced their larger and faster WiFi-only tablets below $500, it will be interesting to see how Sprint decides to price theirs. To sign up for updates on the EVO View 4G, visit Sprint's official site. Key Features:
Gallery   For an idea of what to expect from the EVO View 4G, check out the this quick intro the HTC Flyer.
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| Sprint and HTC announce the EVO 3D, available beginning this summer Posted: 22 Mar 2011 11:59 AM PDT Today at CTIA, Sprint and HTC announced the EVO 3D, the successor to their most successful product ever. Highlights of the device include a 4.3-inch glasses-free 3D display, dual 5 megapixel main 3D cameras, dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor, 1 GB RAM, and 4G of internal storage. “Sprint is taking wireless innovation to the next level once again as we bring our customers the ability to experience 3D on their phone without glasses,” said Steve Elfman, president – Network Operations, Product and Wholesale, Sprint. “HTC EVO 3D makes it easy to take pictures or movies in 3D when you are on vacation, and then feel like you are there again when you view it months later. This device takes full advantage of Sprint's powerful 4G network and offers the innovation one would expect as the next benchmark device in the prestigious EVO product line.” The EVO 3D was heavily leaked, so most of the details were already known. About the only surprise when it comes to the hardware was the omission of the popular kickstand. When it comes to software the EVO 3D will feature the latest Android 2.3 with HTC’s new Sense UI. The EVO 3D will also be the first device pre-loaded with the new Blockbuster On Demand app that has access to a large catalog of movies, including 3D titles. Pricing was not announced, but Sprint did say the EVO 3D would be available beginning this summer. The original EVO 4G launched in June of last year, so we would expect something similar this time around. To sign up for updates on the EVO 3D, visit Sprint’s official site. Key Features:
Gallery  
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| It looks like T-Mobile is future proofing their new phones to run on AT&T Posted: 22 Mar 2011 10:39 AM PDT According to the official specifications for the LG G2x, it appears that T-Mobile will begin to future proof their phones by including radios that operate on both their network and AT&T’s, in anticipation of the merger. T-Mobile currently operates their 3G and 4G HSPA+ networks on AWS Band IV (1700), but AT&T wants to re-purpose that spectrume for their 4G LTE coverage. AT&T operates their 3G and 4G HSPA+ networks on UMTS bands 850 and 1900, so current T-Mobile handsets would need to be replaced when the network changes are made. The proposed merger is not expected to close for another 12 months and AT&T says the transition to 4G LTE on AWS spectrum could take several years, so we don’t see this as a big deal for current T-Mobile customers. The day will come when some T-Mobile phones need to be replaced, but AT&T has said in previous transactions they "allowed customers to choose a comparable device at no charge if their device was not compatible with the network." We know that AT&T and T-Mobile had been in negotiations for at least three months, so it looks like they decided on letting T-Mobile produce phones that would work on both networks to make the transition process easier.  The bands (frequencies) supported by the G2x. The T-Mobile G2x is the first phone that supports UMTS bands 1700/2100 for T-Mobile and 850/1900 for AT&T. The global version of the LG Optimus 2X did not support all these bands, so someone at T-Mobile had to request a special radio that could handle both networks. We don’t know if the UMTS bands for AT&T’s HSPA+ network will be turned on when the G2x hits stores, but a future update to the radio’s firmware could easily enable them when needed. So if you were thinking about purchasing the T-Mobile G2x and were concerned it might not work in a couple years, you can put your worries to rest because it has the hardware needed to operate on AT&T.
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| T-Mobile reveals markets for faster 4G network with 42 Mbps downloads Posted: 22 Mar 2011 09:59 AM PDT The T-Mobile we know and love could be going away, but it is business as usual until the merger is approved and today they announced the initial markets for their HSPA+ upgrade to 42 Mbps. “As T-Mobile continues the aggressive expansion of America's Largest 4G Network, we're doubling our maximum speed in more than two dozen markets, starting with three important cities today,” said Neville Ray, CTO of T-Mobile USA. “We will continue to build on our 4G network advantage this year, providing customers with an industry-leading mobile data experience.” Customers in Las Vegas, New York and Orlando, Fla., will be the first in the country to experience the increased 4G speed from T-Mobile, followed closely by Chicago and further expansion of the New York network into Long Island, N.Y., and Northern New Jersey. By the middle of the year, T-Mobile expects 140 million Americans in 25 markets to have access to increased 4G speeds. T-Mobile only offers one handset that supports 21 Mbps (Galaxy S 4G), but more are on the way like the Sidekick 4G. Later this summer T-Mobile expects to release a USB modem that supports 42 Mbps speeds and I suspect a similar handset could be in stores by year’s end. To check T-Mobile 4G coverage in your area, visit their coverage page.
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| Verizon to expand 4G LTE coverage to over 145 markets by year’s end Posted: 22 Mar 2011 09:44 AM PDT Today Verizon Wireless announced an additional 59 markets where it plans to roll out 4G LTE coverage by the end of the year. Their current 4G LTE network already covers most of the largest cities and reaches 110 million people, but the new medium-sized cities and smaller communities will help Verizon reach their goal of 100% 4G coverage in their current 3G footprint. David Small, CTO for Verizon Wireless, said, "Aggressively expanding this powerful network beyond major metro areas reflects the reality that the 4G LTE ecosystem is growing quickly.” Verizon just launched their first LTE handset, the HTC Thunderbolt, and several more are on the way including models from LG, Motorola, and Samsung. These handsets provide some of the fastest mobile broadband speeds and Verizon advertises they can deliver 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink. Currently Verizon charges $29 per month for unlimited 4G LTE data, but company executives have hinted at tiered plans similar to AT&T in the future. To see if Verizon 4G is coming to your city, check out their updated coverage map. Additional areas to be covered by Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network in 2011 include:
* Indicates a metro area previously announced in 2011
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| Samsung announces world’s thinnest tablets, available June 8th from $469 Posted: 22 Mar 2011 09:16 AM PDT Samsung will not be outdone. Today at CTIA in Orlando, they unveiled their lineup of the world’s thinnest and lightest tablets. Measuring just 8.6 mm deep, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 8.9 will be thinner and lighter than the iPad 2. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 was first unveiled last month, but Samsung went back to the drawing board with the design so they could top the iPad 2. In the last month Samsung managed to shrink the Galaxy Tab 10.1 from 10.9 mm to 8.6 mm and got the weight down to 595 g. Specs wise, it appears that the new Tabs feature the same internal hardware as the last time we saw one. Both Tabs feature a WXGA 1280×800 display, 1 GHz dual-core application processor, 3.0 megapixel camera AF with LED Flash main camera, 2.0 megapixel front camera, and come with internal storage of 16, 32 or 64 GB. No details were provided on which application processors would be used, but we believe the Tab 10.1 still features a Tegra 2 chip and we hear the Tab 8.9 will use Samsung’s Exynos. Samsung announced that both Galaxy Tabs would support 4G HSPA+ 21 Mbps when they launched to be followed by LTE and WiMAX models at a later date. On the software side, Samsung will include their new TouchWiz 4.0 user interface on top of Android 3.0. The new TouchWiz UX features a Live Panel menu of widgets for the homescreen and a Mini Apps Tray which includes commonly used features such as task manager, calendar and music player. Just like the original Galaxy Tab, Samsung has brought back their Media Hub, Music Hub, Readers Hub, and Social Hub. Overall there were not many surprises in today’s announcements except when it came to pricing and availability. Samsung does not normally share this info, but they revealed the pricing details for the WiFi-only versions of the 8.9 and 10.1 inch versions. The cheapest model runs only $469 and there is a $30 premium for the extra inch of display in the larger model. Galaxy Tab 8.9 WiFi pricing (available this summer):
Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi pricing (available June 8th):
For complete specs and more details visit Samsung Mobile’s site.
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| Watch Samsung’s CTIA event live Posted: 22 Mar 2011 07:47 AM PDT Samsung Mobile’s Unpacked event is about to kick off at 11 AM EST and you can find a live broadcast stream on Samsung.com. We expect Samsung will announce their next-generation of mobile devices including the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and maybe the US version of the Galaxy S II. Tune in live and let us know what you think about Samsung’s announcements below in the comments. Update: If you missed the live stream, an on-demand recording of the broadcast will be available on SamsungUnpacked.com.
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| Amazon App Store is now open for business, including Angry Birds Rio Posted: 22 Mar 2011 04:56 AM PDT As of late last night, Amazon has officially launched their app store for Android devices. Amazon’s app store includes several of the more popular applications on the Android market, many of which are either priced similarly or slightly below the price listed on the Android market. Additionally, Amazon has landed a couple of exclusive applications, including the hotly-anticipated Angry Birds Rio application, which happens to be their “free app of the day” for today (normally $0.99). The launch of the Amazon App Store marks the first big competitor to the Android Market. It will be interesting to see how the application market changes over the next 6-12 months with Android users now having another big-name choice when it comes to consuming applications. Time will tell if having more market choices benefits or harms the Android platform as a whole. I hope to see a way to integrate the two markets somehow so that downloading applications you already own isn’t a pain in the arse when it comes time to upgrade our devices. Regardless of how it all plays out, Amazon’s App Store is here and ready to play. The user experience is just as awesome as you’ve come to expect from Amazon, and landing a massive exclusive application for their launch was a great move on their part to ensure the App Store takes off. Not only that, they went ahead and offered this application free of charge to all willing to give their App Store a chance. I’m still undecided on whether or not having multiple app markets is a good thing or not, so I want to hear from you. Let us know what you all think about it by sounding off in the comments below. Update: Since the Amazon App Store comes across as an apk file that you must download and install (or “Sideload”), it is not currently available to AT&T users. I have an email out to AT&T for an update, and will update if I hear back from them.
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| T-Mobile G2x confirmed as first dual-core phone with stock Android Posted: 21 Mar 2011 09:57 PM PDT Today T-Mobile officially announced the G2x with Google by LG. Expected to be available this spring (around April 20th), the G2x will become T-Mobile’s first smartphone with a dual-core CPU. “More consumers than ever are turning to their smartphones to stay entertained wherever they are with access to their favorite video games, TV programs and more,” said Andrew Sherrard, SVP marketing, T-Mobile USA. “By combining the latest innovative hardware and pre-loaded content with our 4G network and the power of the dual core processor, the G2x offers the mobile gaming and entertainment experience our customers crave.” The G2x is T-Mobile’s version of the LG Optimus 2X, so it features the same exact hardware as the global version. Highlights of the G2x include a Tegra 2 mobile processor with dual-core CPU, 4-inch WVGA display, 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and autofocus, front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera, 8 GB internal storage, 512 MB RAM, and support for T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network. However when it comes to software, T-Mobile stayed true to the G-series and went with a stock version of Android 2.2. It would have been nice if it shipped with the newer Android 2.3, but we hear an update is already in testing and should be available shortly after launch. For an idea of what to expect from the G2x, check out our LG Optimus 2X report card. Pre-loaded games and apps include:
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| Posted: 21 Mar 2011 08:31 PM PDT The guys over at PocketNow managed to evade whatever security might be on hand pre-CTIA and snapped some pictures of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9′s table. Naturally the device itself wasn’t left out for their viewing pleasure, but the spec sheets give us some juicy details to mull over until the official reveal this week. Major highlights include the incredibly thin body, which at 8.6mm manages to just squeeze in below the iPad 2 just as we speculated, and the overall weight comes in at just over a pound. The 8.9″ screen offers the 1280 x 800 WXGA resolution which will be familiar to anyone that has seen the Motorola Xoom, but should look particularly sharp at this screen size. Finally the processor is simply identified as dual-core, but it is safe to assume it is running a Tegra 2 just like its big brother. The Galaxy Tab 8.9 will be running Honeycomb 3.0, but it features some Samsung modifications rather than the stock experience offered by the Motorola Xoom. The two pieces of that skin noted here are “Live Panels” and the “Mini Apps Tray.” The former looks like a widget pack offering bits of optimized glanceable information for your homescreens and the latter giving a different take on the multitasking switcher which comes with stock Honeycomb. Do you think this size is striking a good compromise between the portability of the original Tab and the screen real estate offered by the Xoom/Tab 10.1 and what kind of pricing are you hoping to see?
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