T-Mobile’s myTouch is a decent handset, but it came in two models, standard and with a slide-out keyboard. The latter is the myTouch Q, and it shares many of the same traits and specifications, but has two major differences that set it apart: the physical keyboard and a lower-resolution display. Both make a world of difference.

Hardware

With any phone that has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, the myTouch Q is about twice as thick as the myTouch and can be considered a bulky smartphone. Rounded edges make it comfortable to hold in the hand, and the extra weight makes the Q feel more solid.

Unlike other phones with physical keyboards, like the older myTouch 4G Slide, the myTouch Q is comfortable to type on and is easy to do so at higher typing speeds. The hard buttons are comfortable to type on both with fingertips and finger nails, though the buttons are harder to press than most keyboards. I find harder buttons are better than rubber keys because they keep users from accidentally pressing keys mistakenly.

Besides for the keyboard the myTouch Q looks as typical an Android phone as you can get. A slim power button rests on the top left and is easy to press and find. The display is, unlike the myTouch and most Android smartphones today, a 480×320 display, which is slightly more than half of today’s 800×480, and exactly half of the iPhone’s 960×640. This means not only is the myTouch Q a low-resolution phone, it also isn’t widescreen. It is not a video device.

Also unlike the myTouch, the display is an LCD panel instead of AMOLED, which furthers the not-for-video design. It is easier to see in bright conditions and direct sunlight than the myTouch. The screen is also smaller, 3.5″ instead of 3.8 of the myTouch.

Aside from that the two phones are identical; the same CPU, same amount of RAM, same parts, and even the same battery.

Software

The myTouch Q uses the same Android 2.3 operating system as the myTouch, to the extent that nothing is different. If you held both phones in your hands, they would seem very different externally but identical internally. The only difference between the software is how fast it is, and only because of the difference in screen resolutions. The myTouch Q is actually faster because it doesn’t have to process as much screen data as the myTouch. The benchmarks reveal exactly how much faster it is.

Battery Life

Battery life on the myTouch Q is both better and worse than the myTouch, which means it’s better than the vast majority of smartphones today. I ran two tests on both handsets, with wireless settings on and off (meaning Wi-Fi and 4G active and not active). The myTouch had no difference in time, but the myTouch Q had about an hour difference on both tests. Still, even the lower 9-hours of continuous processing is far better than most phones can handle today.

In my real world testing, the long battery life was exceptional. Like with the myTouch and LG Doubleplay before it, I was able to spend over a full day making calls, texting, using GPS navigation, push email, and simple apps without having to worry about battery life. Even under very strenuous conditions I could come home at the end of the day with 20-30% battery life. As with the myTouch however, the myTouch Q suffers from poor battery life with continuous talk time, and I only managed just over three hours.

Benchmarks

As mentioned above, the biggest boon to the myTouch Q’s performance is having less screen to fill. With a small 320×480 display, benchmark scores tended to be higher on the myTouch Q than competing devices. However, it isn’t nearly as powerful as competing devices on more stressful benchmarks like Quadrant Standard. Even then the score is inflated because of the lower resolution, which is why it scored a cool 100 points better.

Other benchmarks I ran, like GLBenchmark, would not even run. To be clear, the myTouch Q is not a powerful phone. It’s fast enough to browse the web well and can run apps better than the myTouch, but don’t expect to be playing high-end games on this device. I tested OnLive’s gaming service on the myTouch Q, and it ran but the low resolution made it very difficult to play because the service is not intended to match such a small screen.

The myTouch Q, like the myTouch, failed my Amazon video test, where I stream video from Amazon Prime.

Camera

The camera is identical to the one on the myTouch, but the myTouch Q does include built-in flash. I tested the camera, as you can see in the sample shots below, and it’s decent but not great. For low-light shots the camera has extreme difficulty focusing, and there is severe oversharpening of images, as you can see in the last one (scroll right). However, in good lighting shots come out clear and colorful, though there is a definite lack of detail when looking at images in their native size.

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Conclusion

The myTouch Q is identical to the myTouch except for two things: a physical slide-out keyboard and a lower display resolution. Slight other differences like how fast it processes information (the Q is slightly faster) and the display panel’s build (the Q is an LCD panel, as opposed to AMOLED) posit that the Q is geared more towards typers and people who read a lot on their phones, not those who want to watch video.

Editor’s Rating:

3 out of 5 stars

Good

Bottom Line: Like the myTouch before it, the myTouch Q is a decent phone with great battery life. It’s very good for typing and web browsing, though suffers when running beefier applications. A solid basic smartphone.

Pros:

• QWERTY is comfortable to type with
• Excellent battery life
• Minimalist hardware and software design

Smartphones today all boast one thing: raw power. But power isn’t everything, and in fact, power has been the biggest hindrance to everyday telephony. That’s why smartphones have such poor battery life. Well, not the T-Mobile myTouch. It has enough power to accomplish everyday tasks and open basic, non-intensive apps, all while maintaining a stunning battery life.

Hardware

The myTouch is a small phone. It has a 3.8″ display, small by today’s smartphone standards (the closest phone in screen size is the iPhone, at 3.5″). The body is tiny too, just slightly bigger and thicker than the iPhone 4S. This makes the myTouch very easy to hold in the hand, very comfortable in the pocket, and of course, very light.

The internals are nothing spectacular: a 1GHz single-core processor and 512MB of RAM power the myTouch, and as you’ll see in the benchmarks below, the relatively weak processing power shows. The display is an AMOLED panel can get very bright, though in direct sunlight reflects fingerprints much more than the display itself. The screen resolution is 800×480, matching the standard Android display.

It’s simplicity in almost perfect form. LG, the maker of the myTouch, has only the bare essentials in this phone. It has 2GB of internal memory (expandable to 32GB), only three Android keys (no search button), a 5MP no-flash camera and a basic VGA front-facing camera. It’s also got a very strong 1500mAh battery, which is why the myTouch has such great battery life (see Battery life). I’m very satisfied with the handset’s build and design, though it’s significantly slower than the myTouch Q, which has a display with half the screen resolution, but identical internal components.

Software

Running Android 2.3, the myTouch has good enough components to run most applications, but tends to lag under the burden of it’s current Android build. It lags when flipping between home pages and slightly in simple apps. As determined in the benchmarks (see Benchmarks), the myTouch is designed for long-term use, not power. Most of the applications required for day-to-day use, like Google Maps, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Google Music, etc., ran just fine. They’re not as smooth as on competing smartphones, but they work.

Because the myTouch is T-Mobile’s phone, the software overlay is minimal compared to LG devices like the Marquee. Apps all have a dark hue around them, and the notifications bar has instant settings changes like enabling Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, etc. The overall software design is simple enough for anyone familiar with Android to adjust to, and easy enough for new users to learn the OS.

Battery Life

Battery life on the myTouch is phenomenal. It averaged 10 hours in multiple battery tests, and under normal use lasted around two days of moderate to heavy use. Actual talk time is significantly lower, which is curious. I managed around 4 hours of consecutive talk time, which matches what T-Mobile states. I brought the myTouch with me to CES and it was the only phone that daily didn’t die from constant use. That’s compared to the HTC Vivid, Samsung Epic 4G Touch, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and iPhone 4S.

I was also impressed with using the myTouch alone for all of my needs. Like LG’s Doubleplay, the strong battery life made it easy for me not to worry about how much I used the phone because the battery wasn’t going to die. Use the GPS, instant messaging, calls, and anything else and if you’re lucky at the end of the day the battery will be mostly depleted. Unless you spend a lot of time talking on the phone, in which case the myTouch fares about as well as most competing devices.

Benchmarks

Even though the myTouch isn’t very powerful, it does surprisingly well in the Sunspider Javascript benchmark, scoring higher than any other smartphone currently tested. It’s impressive, and the only explanation I can give is that the browser is very finely tuned and the Android software and T-Mobile’s overlay don’t interfere with Java processing.

The Browsermark score is also impressive, though the Quadrant Standard test shows the true limitations of the myTouch, with one of the lowest scores I’ve ever had. The low-end internal parts are the likely cause of such poor performance. Several other benchmarks used were also on the low side, and a few failed to run entirely. Finally, Amazon’s Instant Videos ran on the myTouch, but regularly crashed and the video performance was extremely poor.

Camera

As mentioned earlier, the myTouch has a 5MP camera and a 720p camcorder. The camera itself is nothing special, but manages decent quality photos. It has no flash. What is particularly annoying about the camera is that no videos or photos can be taken without an SD card, even if the included 2GB of data is empty. Why, I don’t know. It’s ludicrous that users cannot take pictures without an SD card. And even with an SD card, shots are saved to the phone directly.

Picture quality is decent. Focus tends to be the biggest issue with moving objects, and very close objects. Colors are oversaturated and in bright conditions are washed out entirely. In low-light, the colors are even more oversaturated, seemingly to compensate for the lack of light. That said, there are plenty of opportunities with the myTouch to take excellent shots if proper focus is set and the phone is held steadily. Thanks to the small body and light weight, that’s very easy to do.

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Low-light photography is fair to poor. The lens isn’t fast enough to capture light without serious blur. Video quality is fairly good, struggling most with quickly changing focus. Sudden changes to the ambient light are very quick, but there is a very noticeable framerate drop and slowness in even moderate lighting. Walking down a well lit hallway with no lights on (lit by daylight from other rooms) still didn’t provide enough light for the camera.

Conclusion

The myTouch is a decent phone. By no means is it anything special, and only excels in battery life. For heavy web browser users however, the myTouch is also an excellent device. If you’re the kind of person who needs a phone that can handle a lot of activity but not necessarily a lot of calls, the myTouch is great. It’s small, lasts awhile, and convenient.

Editor’s Rating:

3 out of 5 stars

Good

Bottom Line: The myTouch is a solid smartphone that runs built-in applications well and maintains a great battery life. It handles web pages excellently, but don’t expect to play games on it, or get a lot of talk time.

Pros:

• Great size, build and design
• Simple software that doesn’t get in the way
• Excellent battery life…

Nokia and T-Mobile today announced the launch of the Nokia Lumia 710, a Windows Mobile phone, here in the US.  It will arrive January 11, 2012 for $49.99 on contract.

For that you’ll get a phone that sports Microsoft’s latest mobile OS, as well as a 3.7-inch ClearBlack 800×480 scratch-resistant display, a 1.4Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 5 megapixel camera and access to the newest apps, such as Netflix, Windows Phone Office Hub and Xbox’s latest Live app that lets you interact with your gaming console and online friends.  There is also the standard assortment of other specs, which include WiFi, Bluetooth, 512MB of ram, 8GB of storage as well as 4G connectivity.

When it goes on sale next year, you’ll be able to choose from a black or white finish.  You’ll also need to send in a $50 mail-in-rebate, which is an annoyance, but considering the price and all together feature set, it ain’t that bad of a deal, provided you’re of the Windows Mobile ilk.

The typical American mall, a place designed to be a one stop shopping experience, more often than not feels like a factory stuffed full of drone workers.  Unless of course you have the luxury of being hit with a flash mob of attractive ladies singing an updated version of  ”(There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays.”

T-Mobile, director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and musical director Paul Mirkovich put this inspiring production together, and that’s saying a lot coming from us, since we aren’t the types to get caught up in the holiday cheer.  However, the cinematography and editing, as well as energy are all on point in this 4 minutes video.  It may sound a bit cheesy and fabricated, but that’s our honest opinion.  In fact, we went in watching it with apprehension and found ourselves pleasantly surprised by the end – it brightened our day.  So what do you have to lose?  Check it out.

This post is sponsored by T-Mobile – see our sponsored post policy

The smallest and perhaps soon-to-be part of AT&T, T-Mobile has for years dominated the Android smartphone marketplace with the latest phones from Google. Recently that’s changed, with more and more phones heading over to the larger carriers. However, what T-Mobile may lack in brand-new devices it makes up for in excellent pricing, with inexpensive plans on and off contract. If the tough economy has hit you hard but you still want a decent smartphone, look no further than T-Mobile.

Samsung Galaxy S II

By far the best phone available on T-Mobile, the Galaxy S II is everything that is right with Android and smartphones. Excellent build design, an exceptional display, great speed and some of the fastest processing available on a mobile device, the Galaxy S II is a phone you’ll be happy to own and use for at least two years, if not more. The 8MP camera, capable of 1080p video, takes great shots. It may be a bit on the hefty side with a 4.5″ display, but it also runs a faster CPU than the other Galaxy S II phones (1.5GHz vs. 1.2GHz) and a slightly bigger battery. You won’t regret the Galaxy S II.

HTC myTouch 4G Slide

The myTouch 4G Slide is a powerful phone, one that belies it’s design. I questioned including it in the gift guide, but because it has such a good camera, I couldn’t pass it by. The Slide has one of the best cameras available on smartphones today, as well as on T-Mobile in general. The Slide is by no means the best phone out, and there are definitely better devices, but few compare when it comes to sheer photography prowess.

T-Mobile myTouch /myTouch Q

Slider phones aren’t exactly in these days, but T-Mobile has two newer phones that boast exceptional battery life as lower-end smartphones. The myTouch and myTouch Q will both last at least two days between charges, but the Q (the slider) includes a physical keyboard that’s great to type on and has better battery life, faster processing, and is generally a better Android handset. The differences are small, but there; the Q is better, faster, and stronger, but also heavier and twice as thick. The trade-offs may seem moot, but if you’re willing to sacrifice several extra hours of battery life for a smaller handset and don’t want a physical keyboard, take the myTouch. But if you want a slightly beefier phone, one more powerful and larger, then stick with the myTouch Q.

Wait, that’s it?

Sadly, yes. T-Mobile has had very few new smartphones come out in the past months, and fewer still that we’ve reviewed. Of course, because T-Mobile is a GSM carrier, any unlocked phones that aren’t sold subsidized with two-year contracts can and will work on T-Mobile, which is a clear advantage over CDMA competitors. However, this holiday season all of the major Android releases have been on T-Mobile’s three major competitors.

T-Mobile just piled another Blackberry on top of their list of RIM devices.  However, unlike Sprint’s Torch 9850 the Torch 9810 sports a slide out keyboard and a touchscreen that is .5-inches smaller, 3.2-inches to be exact.  Powering the BB 7.0 OS is a 1.2Ghz processor, which is further supported by 4G connectivity.  Continuing on its path for mediocrity RIM has included a 5-megapixel camera that can record 720p HD video and sports an LED flash.

If you’re looking for this device, you’ll have to wait until November 9th, when it goes on sale at T-Mobile stores and their website for $249.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate.  However, if you’re a business customer you can score it one week earlier, which makes sense, since the Torch 9810 is clearly targeted at those folks.

T-Mobile Announces Upcoming Availability of the BlackBerry Torch 9810

T-Mobile USA Inc. today announced the upcoming availability of the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9810, the latest 4G BlackBerry smartphone to join America’s Largest 4G Network™. Powered by the latest BlackBerry 7 operating system and a 1.2 GHz processor, the BlackBerry Torch 9810 provides a fast and fluid premium smartphone experience. The BlackBerry Torch 9810 combines a brilliant 3.2-inch TFT VGA capacitive touch-screen display with a full QWERTY slide-out keyboard for a truly efficient and intuitive mobile communications experience.

Encased in a sleek and stylish form factor with a zinc grey color finish, the BlackBerry Torch 9810 is equipped with essential smartphone features, including access to BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger), personal and corporate e-mail, and social networking applications; a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recording; and access to BlackBerry App World™ for downloading premium applications and games.

The BlackBerry Torch 9810 is expected to be available in an exclusive pre-sale for T-Mobile business customers beginning today, November 2. The smartphone is expected to be available nationwide at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers and national retailers, and online at http://www.t-mobile.com starting November 9. The BlackBerry Torch 9810 is expected to cost $249.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card, with a two-year service agreement and qualifying Classic voice and data plan.

With Google’s announcement of Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), users are now chomping at the bit to update to the latest OS. And while Google did say that that most if not all phones with Gingerbread would see an upgrade to Android 4.0, it’s not a given. So, here is our concise “How-To” on getting you a scoop of Ice Cream.

1. Have the right phone

The rule of thumb here is that the newer your phone, the more likely you’ll get it – and you should definitely be running vs. 2.3 (Gingerbread). Here is the list of phones that should, however, be upgraded: HTC Amaze 4G, HTC Droid Incredible (maybe), HTC Droid Incredible 2, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Shift 4G, HTC G2, HTC Inspire 4G (maybe), HTC Sensation 4G, HTC ThunderBolt, LG G2x, Motorola Atrix 4G, Motorola Atrix 2, Motorola Droid 3, Motorola Droid Bionic, Motorola Droid RAZR, Motorola Droid X2, Samsung Galaxy Nexus (out of the box), Samsung Galaxy S II – (Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch), Samsung Infuse 4G, Samsung Nexus S (Nexus S 4G), and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.

Now, of course, this largely depends no your air carrier and if your phone has an overlay like Motoblur or TouchWiz. Usually, this causes delays in rolling out these updates and as such, it could be later than sooner that your phone gets upgraded. And if your phone isn’t on the list because it’s too old, then it becomes less likely you’ll get Ice Cream Sandwich if you haven’t been given Gingerbread yet. So now may be the time to look for a new phone if your contract is up.

2. Do nothing, be patient

But the good news is, that if your phone is on the list above, sooner or later you’ll get an over the air update to Android 4. That’s because Android phones have the benefit of having their updates done automatically. You wake up one morning and you find that your carrier stocked your phone’s freezer with Ice Cream Sandwich while you were sleeping. And that’s cool. All you will need to do it confirm the installation and let it go. Once installed, you can confirm by going to your phone’s device information screen to see that the latest version of Android is now on the phone.  BTW – it’s always a good idea to back up your phone first, just in case, and to plug in your phone via USB or AC adapter during the upgrade.  The last thing anyone wants is for their update to go bad because the phone battery died.

3. Do it the hard way

If you’re impatient and want to know if your phone’s update is available, you can manually check for Android updates. Do this by pressing the “Home” key, then the “Menu” button and go to the “Settings” option. In settings, you’ll see the option “About phone” near the bottom. From there, select“System updates” and your phone will look for any new Android updates to download and install. To streamline this process, download the app ANYCUT and you can create a shortcut on your main screen which will do all that with a quick tap.  Another way to find out when updates are available is to follow your handset manufacturer and wireless carrier on Twitter.  They will usually announce dates so you can be on the lookout.

4. Getting to the root of the matter

Finally, if your phone is too old, or your carrier doesn’t think you should get Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich, or if you’re just too impatient to get it, you can always “root” your phone and download a custom ROM of Android 4 once it becomes available. Rooting means you get administrator access to your phone and can customize it’s functions. There is a very active community of Android fans who are constantly working on versions of Android – called ROMS – which make a new version or Android available to phones that don’t get them, or that streamline the OS – taking out overlays like Motoblur or TouchWiz. A good place to learn more are the XDA Developer Forums. There you can get custom ROMs, Boot Managers, and there’s a very helpful community who are happy to answer any questions and help you troubleshoot should a root and rom go dreadfully wrong.

Soon T-Mobile will begin to sell what they’re calling the first no annual contract 4G smartphone.  The Samsung Exhibit II 4G will go on sale at Walmart stores October 27th and cost $199.99.  That will be followed by a release at T-Mobile retail locations on November 2nd with or without a contract – the latter option will cost $29.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate.  Not too shabby when you consider most smartphones cost $200+ after signing a 2-year agreement.

Features for this Smartphone include a 3.7-inch WVGA touchscreen, a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 4G connectivity, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, WiFi, a 3 megapixel camera (there is the rub), GPS and Bluetooth.

Clearly the Samsung Exhibit II 4G is not a premiere phone, but nor is it targeted at that audience.  After all, they are selling at Walmart, which is known for rock bottom prices and strong arming manufactures into offering their products at almost cost.  However, this is a big win for Samsung and T-Mobile since it allows them to tap into a demographic that may have not been previously available at their retail locations.

The battle of the smartphones continues as the highly anticipated iPhone 4S goes head-to-head with Samsung’s latest and greatest Android, the Galaxy S II. For those looking to upgrade their phones or just want to know how each of the top smartphones (at least “top” for now given how fast upgrades are made), here’s a helpful comparison of the two!

Size

The Galaxy S II is one of the thinnest Androids out there, measuring 5.11 x 2.71 x .37 (all inches, HxWxD) and weighing in at 4.77 ounces. The new iPhone, on the other hand, measures in at 4.5 x 2.31 x .37 (all inches, HxWxD) and weighs 4.9 ounces. The Galaxy S II is considerably larger because of its display but it is lighter.

Appearance

Both share similar features in the looks department. They both come in white and black options, but the iPhone 4S does sport a premium finish with a glass front and back, while the Samsung Galaxy S II has a very thin and sort of flimsy plastic rear case…but this is what makes it so light, so it’s not necessarily such a flaw.

Display

The Galaxy S II has a larger screen than the iPhone coming in at 4.52 inches compared to 3.5 inches (but remember that the S II is lighter). So the iPhone 4S boasts a 640×960 resolution, creating a pixel density of 326ppi, while the Galaxy S II has a bright AMOLED display but it has 480×800 resolution, which means it has a pixel density of 216ppi. Looks like the iPhone wins here, but really, both are awesome touchscreen displays.

Operating System

Obviously, the iPhone 4S runs on IOS 5 and the Galaxy S II on Android. But all the hoopla with the new iPhone was about a new operating system and the latest version is touted as the “world’s most advanced mobile operating system,” as well as the easiest to use. New features with the upgrade include: notification center, iMessage, Twitter integration, reminders, camera enhancements, better photo editing options, PC free, Safari, Newsstand and Siri, the voice control feature that everybody’s taking about. The Multi-Touch interface in the new OS is easier since it was “designed for your finer,” making it finger friendly. But it still lacks flash support, which is a major downer!

The Samsung Galaxy S II runs Google’s Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS with its own Touchwiz interface. It’s claimed to be “more refined and polished,” which basically means a more intuitive user interface.

Processor

The iPhone 4S has received a processor upgrade, which is an A5 dual-core chip, clocked in at 800MHz and Apple says you’ll notice the upgrade with it’s faster responses that make all the difference when you’re launching apps, on the web and doing everything else you do on your smartphone these days. And because the A5 chip is so power-efficient, iPhone 4S has outstanding battery life (but more on that later).

Since the Galaxy S II has a wider screen, it was given a Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 Processor with 1.5 GHz dual-core CPUs so that it wouldn’t freeze while running multiple apps.

Storage

Storage is worth a quick mention with a new maximum capacity of 64GB available on the Iphone 4S. The Galaxy S II maxes out with just 16GB, and but it does redeem itself with the inclusion of a microSD card slot that can take a further 32GB, adding more storage for those who like to keep everything on their smartphones. This totals 48GB, so comes but it still comes in short of only 16GB of its rival.

Wireless Connectivity

They are both world phones, so globetrotters will be satisfied with both. The Galaxy S II is built and engineered to run on 4G networks, making it super fast, which means no waiting even when you have tons of apps open. Thanks to AllShare, you can also wirelessly share and stream videos, photos and music between your phone and TV, laptop and audio system. With a 4G connection you get up to 42 Mbps down speed and it’s Bluetooth 3.0 compatible.

The iPhone 4S also has WiFi abilities thanks to AirPrint and AirPlay, which allows you to print wirelessly and wirelessly stream what’s on your phone to your HDTV and speakers via Apple TV. It also boasts faster connections since Apple says that the new phone is the first to intelligently switch between two antennas to transmit and receive, making call quality better.

Camera and Video

Other than Sira, the other significant iPhone 4S upgrade is its rear-facing camera, which has been bumped up to 8MP from 5MP, and it also has a custom lens with a larger f/2.4 aperture. But the Galaxy S II 8MP camera matches that of the new iPhone 4S, making them even in this category. The details continue to be the same across the board with an LED flash, auto focus and digital zoom. The two are neck-to-neck on video abilities, too, with HD 1080p at 30fps. Both also come with software for photo and video editing.

Battery Life

Apple placed a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery in their new iPhone, with a talk time of up to 8 hours on 3G. Standby time is up to 200 hours, while Internet use is up to 6 hours on 3G and up to 9 on Wi-Fi. Video playback is up to 10 hours and audio playback is up to 40 hours.

Samsung added a rechargeable 1850 mAh lithium-ion battery with talk time pretty much the same with the iPhone so expect 8 hours to be the maximum.

Carriers

You can get the iPhone on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, while the Galaxy S II is available on T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint.

Price

The iPhone 4S will put you back $199 for the 16GB, $299 for the 32GB and for those big spenders, $399 for the 64GB…but this is for new contracts or those eligible for upgrades. Price jumps between $600-$800 depending on the carrier and GB variant.

With AT&T, the Galaxy S II starts at $199.99, while T-Mobile has it for $299.99. Sprint is carrying it for 199.99 also (all with a new contract).

Winner

Really, it’s a tie. Both the iPhone 4S and Galaxy S II sport the latest and greatest tech when it comes to smartphones and share a lot of the same features. So it really depends on whether you’re a devoted Mac fan or an Android lover. But whichever one you opt for, you’ll end up with an awesome smartphone that will entertain you for hours and/or  help conduct business when you’re away from the office. It’s a win-win situation!

The general philosophy of most smartphone manufacturers is that a larger screen makes for a better phone.  However, there are some drawbacks, such as that awkward lump in your pocket and hence why Apple didn’t bump the screen size of the iPhone for their latest iteration, the 4s.  And we think LG might agree with this philosophy as the company just introduced the LG DoublePlay.

This particular smartphone incorporates two touchscreens; a 3.5-inch main display and a 2.0-inch display just below.  The larger of the two serves up your usual array of info such as text messages, web browsers, videos and so forth, while the 2-inch display presumably caters to more ancillary apps, such as calendar, Facebook status updates and music controls.  The displays can work independently or in a tandem mode, though we have yet to see how this will play out.   The smaller 2-inch display sits in between a full QWERTY keyboard, which means that the keys are smaller than your standard smartphone QWERTY keyboard, so typing could prove difficult for those of you with large thumbs.

Other features for the DoublePlay include a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, a 5 megapixel camera that can capture 720p video and Android 2.3.

The LG DoublePlay will be the featured smartphone in the fifth annual LG U.S. National Texting Championship in New York City on October 26.  Unfortunately, no word on a price or a launch date but it will be coming to T-Mobile.

We should point out that this isn’t the first dual touchscreen phone in the US market.  In fact, we reviewed one, the Kyocera Echo.

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. ¾ October 17, 2011 ¾ LG Mobile is once again challenging the fastest thumbs in the nation to the ultimate text messaging challenge ¾ 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 ¾ a 3.5-inch main display and 2.0-inch sub display ¾ 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.

Wirefly has a killer deal available on this HTC Sensation 4G for T-Mobile!

If you’re looking for the latest and greatest in smartphone technology then this is the deal for you! Now you can grab the brand new HTC Sensation which is powered by the latest version of Android and the 4G T-Mobile network for a new low price! This phone comes packed with a large 4.3-Inch Super qHD display along with being internally powered by a super fast 1.2Ghz Dual-Core Snapdragon processor. 4G connectivity means super fast Internet connectivity which also works on Wi-Fi. Mobile hotspot allows you to share that connectivity over 8 other devices as once. Also new is the Wi-Fi calling, which allows you to make and receive calls over Wi-Fi. To top it all off this phone has an 8-Megapixel Digital camera which is also capable of capturing 1080p High Definition video at 30 frames per second with stereo sound.

$89.99 with free shipipng.  The original retail price is $599.99 but sign a 2-year contract and you’ll enjoy this massive discount.

Smartphones come a dime a dozen these days, with everybody wanting a piece of the market. But not everyone has the right goods though, making for some sorry ass smartphones that are doomed from the beginning. Apple’s iPhone continues to be a leader in the smartphone market, as well as a number of Android-based phones, but some tried to beat out these smartphone top dogs and fell flat on their face. Others just didn’t have what it takes to make a great smartphone and some just became obsolete because of newer and better versions.

7. Huawei M835

Poised to be a beginner’s smartphone, the Huawei M835 from MetroPCS is an Android phone to avoid like the plague. Released earlier this year, its design is a rip-off of T-Mobile’s Comet, the Huawei M835 is slow as hell and its performance is nonexistent. While it may sport a cheap price, we don’t give this smartphone too long before it becomes obsolete.

6. T-Mobile G2

T-Mobile’s first 4G device, the G2, is now gone forever. The official date of death was June 6, 2011. The HTC-built device had a good run and lots of rave reviews, but T-Mobiles myTouch 4G Slide was coming in, so they needed to replace one of the first Android phones available. It’s not entirely a fail, but it’s been discontinued, so it now lives in the smartphone graveyard like the aforementioned devices.

5. Palm Pre by HP

Hewlett-Packard said goodbye to the smartphone market in August when they announced that their Palm Pre devices would be discontinued. Out for a little more than a year, the Palm Pre was killed slowly due to slow development. HP also announced it would kill production on it’s tablet and looks to get out of the hardware manufacturing game as a whole and stay focused to the software side of things. Too bad because many thought their WebOS software was actually going places.

4. Dell Streak

Dell is well known in the PC market, but its try at an Android phone was more of a flop. Looking more like a tablet than a smartphone, the Streak is too large to be a phone and too small to be a real tablet. A phone that won’t fit your pocket would be an obvious feature for failure, but Dell didn’t think so. Many criticized Dell for trying to create an entirely new category for phones (or tablets), and they should have chosen the Streak to be one or the other…not both. It was officially discontinued in August.

3. Microsoft Kin

Microsoft’s Kin had a very short life span…only six weeks to be exact. The company blamed low sales numbers, but Microsoft just came too late to the smartphone party is more of why it failed. Primarily targeted to teens as a social device that would allow them to always be connected to their social life on Facebook or Twitter, the Internet connectivity was a bit too pricey than a teen could afford. Microsoft should stick to what they know…Word, Excel and PowerPoint. But who knows, they might have better luck with their Windows Phone 7 that has been coming up in tech news on the net lately.

2. Garminfone

The Garminfone wasn’t as successful as Garmin’s GPS products were. While everybody wants GPS capability in their smartphones, the Garminfone wasn’t exactly the Holy Grail of GPS-oriented phones. Sold through T-Mobile, the Garminfone failed to generate expected sales. Some say that it was due to poor marketing, while other say there are too many other options with GPS that the Garminfone was totally unnecessary.

1. Google Nexus One

Much hype surrounded Google’s Nexus One smartphone before it launched, with analysts believing that it would dethrone Apple’s iPhone and take over the market. Boasted as the iPhone killer, the Nexus One proved to be its own killer instead. Designed to be a replica of the iPhone, it still failed to have many of its notable features. It also had spotty or no 3G coverage, poor customer service and it didn’t have a major carrier backing it up, instead being sold to the consumer directly. It had such bad sales over its first six months that Google decided to discontinue selling it back in July 2010.

Yesterday, T-Mobile announced plans to bring the HTC Radar to their network.  It’s a Windows Mobile affair powered by a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor and 4G connectivity.  In fact, it’s T-Mobile’s first 4G Windows Mobile phone running the latest version, code named Mango.

While Windows phones haven’t enjoyed the same fan fair as Android or the iPhone, this particular handset looks to be an appropriate suitor for anyone looking to satiate their Microsoft needs.  In addition to shipping with Microsoft Exchange and calendar as well as Microsoft Office Hub and Internet Explorer 9, it will include a 5-megapixel camera with an LED flash and a 3.8-inch touchscreen display, all housed in an aluminum body.

T-Mobile is mum on the release date and price, but we’re confident they’ll unleash that info in the coming weeks.

T-Mobile Announces Upcoming Availability of the HTC Radar 4G

Today, T-Mobile announced the upcoming availability of the HTC Radar™ 4G, our first Windows® Phone capable of 4G speeds on America’s Largest 4G Network®. The completely customizable smartphone pairs rich mobile entertainment features with the top-notch communications experience delivered by the latest version of Windows Phone, code-named Mango. This intuitive new operating system update will keep HTC Radar 4G customers connected and entertained just about wherever life takes them with its new and innovative communication features centered on people, along with preloaded entertainment applications and the ability to multitask between apps.

The HTC Radar 4G is elegantly crafted with an aluminum unibody design for a sleek and stylish appearance. Sporting a large 3.8-inch LCD touch screen display with a virtual QWERTY keyboard and powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon™ processor, the HTC Radar 4G delivers an efficient mobile communications experience at 4G speeds. The smartphone provides a comprehensive productivity experience with fully integrated Microsoft® Exchange and calendar as well as Microsoft Office Hub and Internet Explorer® 9 for a fast, beautiful Web experience. Additionally, the new smartphone is equipped with dedicated camera button for easy access to the 5-megapixel camera with LED flash so you never miss a photo opportunity, even if the phone is locked.

T-Mobile just announced their plans to launch the Samsung Galaxy S II sometime later this month.  It’s just one of two phones by the carrier to take full advantage of their 4G network, which they say can achieve an average download speed of 8mbps or 20mbps at peak.

The handset will ship with Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) and will include not only a massive 4.52-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen, but NFC capabilities, allowing you to make wireless payments at participating vendors as well as share data with other compatible handsets.

The Samsung Samsung Galaxy S II was announced earlier this year at the World Mobile Congress.  At the time Samsung said that the dual-core “Exynos” chip would max out at 1.2Ghz, but T-Mobile’s version will include a 1.5Ghz variant.  Blazing fast?  You bet your ass.

In terms of features, you can expect the Galaxy S II to sport 16GB of built-in storage, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera that can capture full HD video, Bluetooth, WiFi and more.

T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S II will go on sale October 10th, appear in stores as of the 12th and will sell for $229.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate.

T-Mobile Unveils Its Fastest Smartphones:
HTC Amaze 4G and Samsung Galaxy S II

T-Mobile USA CMO Cole Brodman details consumer adoption of 4G technology
and unveils next-generation 4G devices

SAN FRANCISCO and BELLEVUE, Wash. — Sept. 26, 2011 — Today at GigaOm Mobilize 2011, T-Mobile USA Chief Marketing Officer Cole Brodman outlined the company’s ongoing efforts to fuel consumer adoption of mobile data through increased speeds of America’s Largest 4G Network®, rate plans that make mobile data more affordable, and new devices that take advantage of the company’s faster 4G network and value.

Unveiled during the T-Mobile keynote address at Mobilize 2011, the HTC Amaze™ 4G and Samsung Galaxy S™ II will be T-Mobile’s fastest smartphones and the first smartphones to take advantage of T-Mobile’s faster 4G (HSPA+ 42) network technology. The new smartphones will allow customers to browse the Web faster than on the average home Internet and are showing average download speeds approaching 8 Mbps with peak speeds around 20 Mbps on T-Mobile’s 4G network1. Both smartpthones are expected to be available next month.

In addition, T-Mobile today announced the T-Mobile® Sonic™ 4G Mobile HotSpot, the company’s fastest 4G (HSPA+ 42) mobile hotspot, providing customers with access to
T-Mobile’s fastest 4G speeds on up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices. America’s Largest 4G Network, which is now faster than ever with the 4G technology of HSPA+ 42, reaches more than 170 million Americans in more than 150 markets throughout the United States.

“These new products unlock the full potential of our faster 4G network and deliver the best experience yet for watching video, surfing the Web, and creating and sharing content on the go,” said Cole Brodman, chief marketing officer, T-Mobile USA. “A 4G connection delivers a much improved experience, which entices consumers to do more with the devices they carry. We’ve seen that first hand; customers with 4G devices on our network consume roughly three times as much data compared as those with 3G devices. Smartphone buyers are increasingly looking for built-in 4G capability, and we’re offering what we believe is the best 4G product portfolio in the industry.”

HTC Amaze 4G
Exclusively available from T-Mobile, the HTC Amaze 4G features the most advanced camera experience of any smartphone and is the latest in T-Mobile’s family of advanced camera smartphones. The HTC Amaze 4G is equipped with an 8-megapixel camera and 1080p HD video recorder, a backside illuminated sensor for improved low light performance, zero shutter lag and a dual LED flash, as well as advanced digital camera features, including:
· SmartShot™, which captures five photos and creates the best shot using clear faces with smiles and no blinking.
· PerfectPics™, which is a separate album in the gallery created by scoring and filtering the best photos to the surface. PerfectPics prioritizes photos by using criteria such as important calendar events, the presence of faces, and overall picture quality.
· Additional innovative camera features first introduced on the T-Mobile myTouch® 4G Slide such as SweepShot™, ClearShot HDR™ and BurstShot™.

The HTC Amaze 4G also enables high quality video recording with a full HD 1080p camcorder and an embedded video editor. Customers can instantly capture quality photos and videos with a dedicated camera button and T-Mobile’s first direct-to-camcorder button. Sharing photos is easy with one-touch access to post to Facebook®, Picasa® or Flickr® — all at 4G speeds.

The device runs on Android™ 2.3.4, features a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S3 Processor with a 1.5 GHz dual core CPUs, and offers the HTC Sense user experience. With support for T-Mobile TV, HTC Watch and additional apps and services, the HTC Amaze 4G is excellent at keeping customers informed, connected and entertained using its gorgeous 4.3-inch qHD super LCD multi-touch display. The powerful handset will also include NFC capabilities for wireless searching, information sharing and, in the future, mobile payments.

Samsung Galaxy S II
T-Mobile today also revealed additional details about the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 Processor with 1.5 GHz dual CPUs, running on Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) and NFC enabled, the Galaxy S II will offer T-Mobile customers speedy access to their favorite movies, TV shows, websites, games, applications and more.

The smartphone also acts as a mobile entertainment center with quick and easy access to thousands of premium movies and TV shows through Netflix®, T-Mobile TV in Mobile HD2, Samsung Media Hub and YouTube®. The Galaxy S II rich entertainment features and experience are further enhanced with a 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus touch screen —the largest screen available on a T-Mobile smartphone. With DLNA compatibility and HDMI out, this media powerhouse also offers the ability to view content on a compatible HD TV.

T-Mobile Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot
The Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot is T-Mobile’s fastest mobile hotspot, providing access to
T-Mobile’s 4G (HSPA+ 42) network for up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices including iPads, music players, gaming consoles, laptops, cameras and eReaders, among other devices, all from virtually anywhere. Manufactured by Huawei, this sleek and ultra-portable on-the-go network hub weighs just 3.88 ounces, making it easy to slip into a pocket, backpack or purse. Whether staying connected on the go with colleagues and clients or providing a family Internet hub at a vacation spot or in the car, the T-Mobile Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot is a device that uniquely complements the company’s existing lineup of mobile broadband devices on America’s Largest 4G network.

As an added benefit, the Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot comes equipped with an SD card slot that accommodates up to 32GB of expandable memory, enabling customers to share and save photos, documents, videos and more with their family and friends also connected to the Mobile HotSpot. The Sonic 4G also features an OLED display to show signal strength, number of devices connected, number of unread text messages, connectivity to the internet, battery level and network connection type.

Availability
The HTC Amaze 4G and Galaxy S II are expected to be available in an exclusive online pre-sale via www.T-Mobile.com beginning Oct. 10 and are expected to be available at T-Mobile retail stores and select dealers nationwide starting Oct. 12. The HTC Amaze 4G is expected to cost $259.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with a two-year service agreement and qualifying Classic voice and data plan. The Galaxy S II is expected to cost $229.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with a two-year service agreement and qualifying Classic voice and data plan.

The T-Mobile Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot is expected to be available in October at T-Mobile retail stores and online at www.T-Mobile.com.

Wirefly always aims to fill your smartphone needs, this time on a HTC Wildfire S in White for T-Mobile priced for FREE!

Here’s the deal you’ve been waiting for! We’re sure you remember our high scoring review we gave the HTC WIldfire some time back, now here’s your chance to score a Wildfire S in White at absolutely no cost! This phone of course is powered by the Android Operating System which prides itself in giving you a customizable interface combined with more apps then you know what to do with. It has a compact 3.2-Inch Touch display as well and because it supports the new SWYPE technology typing is quicker and easier than ever. Other features include Bluetooth support, rear-facing 5.0MP Camera, Integrated GPS along with one-touch access to Google Maps and much much more.

$349 in instant savings when you sign a 2-year contract make this phone free.  Delivery is included as well

Dell via eBay has a new low price available on this Dell Venue Pro Windows 7 Unlocked Smartphone for only $299.99 + $0 S&H = $299.99!

With more Smartphones utilizing various UIs being released it’s no question why many hardware manufacturers are moving into the trend. Enter Dell with their Venue Pro Smartphone utilizing the still new Windows 7 Phone System. This sleek and stylishly designed phone comes in two flavors: AT&T and T-Mobile, and is impressive for the price considering it’s unlocked and out of contrast state upon purchase. Windows 7 Phone is a different take on smartphone which doesn’t clutter up the screen with apps but simple gives you access to the features you use the most; like connecting with your friends and family in social networks like Facebook or even utilizing either mobile Microsoft Office and even Xbox Live connectivity. It’s also super thin, includes a 4.1-Inch Multitouch display using scratch-free gorilla glass, slides out to a full QWERTY keyboard and has 16GBs of internal flash memory. Again for the price you simply go wrong, and it definitely won’t last long so jump on it while you can!

Wirefly has you covered with these super savings for this LG G2x Smartphone for T-Mobile at only $549.99 – $470 Instant Off + Free 2-Day Shipping = $79.99!

A truly stunning smartphone experience awaits you at the lowest price ever! The LG G2x phone for T-Mobile offers up stunning performance on every front and many impressive features and additions to boot. It is powered by a super fast Dual Core processor for handling tasks like none other and runs on the Android 2.2 Operating system while having support for the new 2.3. It has a very impressive 8MP rear facing camera which can also capture 1080p HD video and even 3D to capture memories in their best quality. It is also designed for 5x faster console quality gaming and is pre packaged with the full version of Need for Speed Shift HD

Today, T-Mobile announced the myTouch 4G Slide, and they’re billing it as the best smartphone camera on the market. In fact, they’ve even gone as far as to say that it could replace your stand alone point and shoot.  While we doubt the latter statement since it lacks a true flash, it does appear to be a contender to the ultra powerful iPhone 4 camera.

Zero shutter lag.  That means no waiting to snap a pic.  In fact, and after doing a bit of reading on the Net, the myTouch 4G Slide is constantly capturing the image into a cache.  By hitting the dedicated shutter button it pulls the image from the cache associated with the time the shutter button was pressed.  This insures that you can capture 8 megapixel photos consecutively without a missed shot.  Something most smartphones, not even the iPhone can do.  It also boasts an F/2.2, which means it can capture images in low light scenarios.  However, don’t expect it to work in the dark or at the night club, though it does boast a dual-LED flash.  Other camera features include a SweepShot to capture panoramic shots by sweeping across an entire scene in a single motion, and ClearShot HDR, which captures objects in bright settings so your photos are not affected by high-contrast lighting.  Full 1080p video is also part of its arsenal of camera features.

Specs for the phone include a 3.7-inch touchscreen, 4G connectivity, instant photo upload access to Facebook and other photo sharing sites, a full slide out QWERTY keyboard, Android 2.3, a 1.2Ghz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and HTC’s Sense 3.0.

T-Mobile hasn’t said when in July it will go on sale, but we do know that it will cost $199.99 with a $50 mail-in-rebate after selecting a qualifying unlimited data plan.

Video of the device after the ‘leap’

T-Mobile will introduce two new Android devices on June 8th, the Samsung Gravity Smart and Exhibit 4G.  Both phones will cost $100 after a $50 mail-in-rebate and 2-year contract signing.

The Gravity sports a full QWERTY keyboard, a 3.2-inch touchscreen and ships with Android 2.2. The Exhibit on the other hand achieves theoretical download speeds of 21mbps, but lacks the physical QWERTY keyboard. However, it sports a faster 1Ghz processor and ships with Android 2.3.  Both phones have a 3-megapixel camera with flash, though the Exhibit includes a front facing camera for self portraits and video chatting.

Full press release after the ‘leap’

T-Mobile USA and Samsung Mobile Introduce Two New Feature-Rich and Budget-Friendly Android™-Powered Handsets

Expected to become available this month, the Samsung Exhibit™ 4G and Samsung Gravity™ SMART will each deliver on-the-go entertainment and connectivity for less than $100

BELLEVUE, Wash., and DALLAS – June 2, 2011 – T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S. 1, today announced the upcoming availability of two new feature-rich Android™-powered handsets, the Samsung Exhibit™ 4G and Samsung Gravity™ SMART, each less than $100 after a $50 mail-in rebate and with a qualifying rate plan on a two-year agreement.

“The Samsung Exhibit 4G and Samsung Gravity SMART will expand T-Mobile’s product portfolio to include two affordable options for customers who crave rich connectivity and unique entertainment experiences,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. “T-Mobile is continuing to help families easily make the move to smartphones with these new Android-powered handsets, together with data plans as low as $10 per month, all running on America’s largest 4G network™.”

“The Samsung Exhibit 4G and Samsung Gravity SMART are two examples of Samsung’s commitment to delivering quality smartphones at a variety of price points,” said Dale Sohn, president, Samsung Mobile. “The Samsung Exhibit 4G shows Samsung’s dedication to delivering premium entertainment content, while the Samsung Gravity SMART builds on the success of our Gravity line of phones with premium messaging options, both at an exceptional value.”

Samsung Exhibit 4G
One of the fastest smartphones running on America’s Largest 4G Network™2, the Samsung Exhibit 4G is a full-featured, touch-screen device that does not compromise on rich entertainment capabilities. Powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread and equipped with a speedy 1GHz processor, the Exhibit 4G delivers a full entertainment package to the palm of your hand at blazing fast speeds.

Through the delivery of faster speeds comes an enhanced viewing experience when enjoying live and on-demand channels from preloaded T-Mobile® TV, including free programming from select stations like ABC News Now, FOX Sports, PBS Kids and Azteca America. Customers also have the option to rent or purchase their favorite movies and TV programs directly from the Samsung Media Hub, which features a robust collection of new releases and TV shows. In addition, the Exhibit 4G offers hours of amusement with preloaded family favorites such as Bejeweled® 2, Hasbro’s SCRABBLE (in U.S. and Canada only) and Doodle Jump.

Becoming available in two color finishes – violet and black – the Exhibit 4G is the perfect companion for someone looking for their first, or next, Android smartphone. With theoretical peak download speeds of 21Mbps, capturing and sharing memories via email, social networks or video is quick and easy. The Exhibit 4G comes equipped with a 3-megapixel camera with flash and a camcorder, as well as a front-facing camera with video chat pre-installed, enabling customers to virtually connect with friends and family via T-Mobile’s network or Wi-Fi.

Samsung Gravity SMART
As the first Android-powered handset in the successful Gravity product lineup, running on Android 2.2 Froyo, the Samsung Gravity SMART is perfect for T-Mobile customers who are looking for an affordable, yet functional messaging device. Built to deliver a premium messaging experience, the Gravity SMART comes equipped with Group Text™ and combines a spacious, horizontal, four-row, slide-out, QWERTY keyboard with a 3.2-inch touch-screen display featuring Swype™ for easy text input, even with the keyboard closed. In addition, pin it notes enables customers to pin important messages to Gravity SMART’s home screen for quick reference.

Keeping in touch with friends and family is easy and fun with the Gravity SMART, which features integration with popular social networking sites and a full HTML Web browser for posting and viewing status updates. The Gravity SMART also includes a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash, digital zoom and a camcorder for capturing photos and videos.

The Samsung Exhibit 4G and the Gravity SMART offer access to more than 200,000 applications available on Android Market™ and full integration with Google Mobile™ services.

It looks like HTC’s Sensation, originally code named the Pyramid will in fact hit T-Mobile earlier than we initially suspected.  In April T-Mobile said the phone would arrive sometime this summer, but today the carrier has said that it will be for sale on their network on June 15th, 6 days before the start of Summer, for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate.

If you recall the Sensation sports a 4.3-inch qHD touchscreen with Gorilla Glass, Android 2.3 OS, a 1520mAh battery and much more.  Expect it to ship with HTC’s latest Sense experience, which will allow you to build customizable active lockscreen that transforms it into a “real-time window to the most important information and content, such as social updates, photos, weather or stock updates that are viewed by simply turning on the display”.

Other features include an 8 megapixel camera with flash, a new video editing tool, 1GB of storage expandable by a microSD card slot, 768mb of RAM, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi b/g/n and a 1.2Ghz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

BELLEVUE, Wash. — June 1, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the upcoming availability of the HTC Sensation 4G. Expected to be available by June 15, and exclusively from T-Mobile, the HTC Sensation 4G is T-Mobile’s most powerful smartphone, delivering the latest Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system with the hallmark HTC Sense™ experience and lightning-fast speeds with a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ processor paired with access to America’s Largest 4G Network.

T-Mobile’s high-speed 4G network continues to expand and is now available in 184 markets, reaching more than 200 million people nationwide. With the HTC Sensation 4G, T-Mobile customers in these areas can take advantage of 4G speeds as they download and watch premium entertainment on the device’s 4.3-inch qHD display virtually anytime, anywhere, without waiting.

“The HTC Sensation 4G’s already powerful performance is elevated by T-Mobile’s high-speed 4G network, offering customers quick download speeds, seamless Web browsing, and easy access to their favorite movies,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, marketing,
T-Mobile USA. “The sophisticated and innovative design of the HTC Sensation 4G complements its rich entertainment features, making it a must-have for high-end smartphone fans.”

Designed and manufactured by HTC, the Sensation 4G features a premium design with rounded edges, aluminum unibody construction and T-Mobile’s first 4.3-inch qHD touch-screen display. The HTC Sensation 4G delivers a quality on-the-go entertainment experience with easy access to top movie titles, TV programs, music and more via the following preloaded applications:
· HTC Watch™: A library of the latest, premium movies and TV shows available for rent or purchase using innovative progressive download technology
· HTC Listen™: A VIP pass to a library of millions of songs with the freedom to transfer purchases to another device or computer
· T-Mobile® TV: A free selection of live and on-demand TV including news, sports and kids programming, plus full episodes of popular shows
· T-Mobile Video Chat powered by Qik™: Video conversations with friends and family through T-Mobile’s network and over Wi-Fi
· Slacker Radio: Free, personalized radio with over 150 genre stations and the ability to create your own stations

“The HTC Sensation 4G defines the perfect balance of power and design. Its dual-core processor and qHD screen place it firmly in the superphone class, but its sleek machined aluminum housing and contoured display give it an in-hand feel unlike any superphone that has come before it,” said Jason Mackenzie, president of HTC Americas. “HTC’s history of working with T-Mobile to bring innovative new services to market continues with the HTC Sensation 4G, the first device anywhere to offer HTC Listen, an innovative new mobile music service.”

The HTC Sensation 4G comes equipped with the latest HTC Sense™ experience which includes new features and enhancements such as a customizable lock screen, allowing customers to quickly jump to their favorite features and applications with the same gesture typically used to unlock the phone. The HTC Sensation 4G also offers access to more than 200,000 applications available on Android Market™ and integration with popular Google services such as Gmail™, Google Maps™ with Places and Navigation, YouTube®, and more.

For capturing and sharing memories in real time, the HTC Sensation 4G features an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with dual LED flash, digital zoom and auto-focus, as well as a front-facing camera and 1080p HD video recorder. With DLNA compatibility, HTC Sensation 4G customers can wirelessly connect to a compatible HDTV or other DLNA device for streaming full HD video content.

The HTC Sensation 4G includes smartphone essentials such as easy access to personal and work e-mail, including support for Microsoft Exchange e-mail, contacts and calendar, social networking, and instant messaging. The HTC Sensation 4G also features Trace™ for easy text input, visual voicemail, a pre-installed 8GB microSD card, built-in 3.5mm headphone jack, Adobe® Flash® Player support and a music player.

Availability
The HTC Sensation 4G is expected to be available by June 15 exclusively to T-Mobile customers nationwide at T-Mobile retail stores, online at http://www.t-mobile.com and through select national retailers and dealers. The HTC Sensation 4G is also expected to be available as early as June 12 at select Wal-Mart locations.