AT&T to Launch 4G LTE Network September 18

Speaking at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Media, Entertainment, and Communications conference, AT&T CFO John Stephens announced the launch of AT&T’s next-gen 4G LTE network for September 18th. AT&T will be bringing its first true 4G experiment to five markets — Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonia — with a total of 15 switched on by the end of the year. The launch of the new network will breath new life into AT&T’s current lineup of LTE data sticks and hotspots, as well as their first LTE device, the HTC Jetstream tablet.
[via FierceWireless]

Read more »

AT&T 4G Acer Iconia Tab A501 gets priced & dated

AT&T‘s 4G-enabled version of the 10.1-inch Acer Iconia Tab, the A501, will go on sale September 18 the carrier has confirmed, though don’t expect crazy fast data speeds. In fact, the 4G only refers to HSPA+, not the LTE on the roadmap for later this year. Priced at $330 with a new, two-year data agreement, or $480 without, the 16GB Iconia Tab A501 is, 4G connectivity aside, identical to the A500 we reviewed previously.

On the back there’s a 5-megapixel camera, while a 2-megapixel camera is up front for video calls. As well as the HSPA+ there’s WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth, along with USB 2.0, HDMI and a microSDHC memory card slot. NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 processor keeps things running.
Acer says it will also be offering a 32GB version of the A501, though so far AT&T is yet to confirm it will be ranging the slate. OS is Android Honeycomb, and there’s access to the Tegra Zone of games and other downloads.

Read more »

AT&T’s Samsung Galaxy S II Sign-Up Page Now Live

In case you missed it, the sign-up page for the Samsung Galaxy S II is now live on AT&T’s website. Keep in mind this is not the pre-order page but merely the page where you can sign-up and get notified on things… like when the pre-orders begin. It’s like the shirt before the shirt — ahhh forget it.
[Via AT&T]

Read more »

AT&T expected to launch new Huawei Impulse 4G this month

Who wants to get upgraded to a smartphone without having to take out a loan to afford the phone?  AT&T just might have the deal of the century for you.  Granted they are going to offer you a low-end phone, when compared to others on the market, but nonetheless, you can get some pretty sweet features for a very, very affordable price.  The Huawei Impulse 4G phone will be available sometime this month and will come with a price tag of about $30 with a two-year contract with AT&T.  The Impulse 4G is an Android device and is made by Huawei.
The Huawei Impulse 4G is powered by the Android 2.2 operating system and comes with a 3.8-inch touch screen at an above average 480 x 800 pixel display.  Simple features of the new smartphone include a 5MP camera with flash and auto-focus that can also capture 720p HD video.  Even with these less than standard features available, you still get a nice phone that supports MP3 ringtones, large phonebook, calendar, alarms, SMS messaging, POP3 email and Google Talk instant messaging.  Memory can be expanded via microSD card, you can connect via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology is included.  The entire standard feature list that come with the Android operating system are also included with the new Huawei Impulse 4G.
The phone also supports music, video playback, comes with a browser that supports HTML and flash.  The Huawei Impulse 4G will support AT&T’s HSPA+ network, but you cannot expect super fast speeds due to the hardware specs we see here.  The processor speed is not mentioned anywhere yet, but I would imagine that it will not by more than 1 GHz at this price.  As mentioned before, the phone is running Android 2.2, but AT&T said that all Android phones that are released in 2011, will be upgraded to the newer 2.3 Gingerbread operating system soon.
The Huawei Impulse 4G phone will be released in the next ten days, but there was no confirmation that it will support the 4G LTE network through AT&T.  This is the first smartphone from Huawei that is available through AT&T, making it a “milestone” event for the new handset maker.  Not only is the phone affordable at $30 with a two-year contract, AT&T said the low-end monthly data plan required can be purchased for about $15 per month.

Read more »

Xperia Play 4G heads to AT&T September 18

If AT&T is the network you prefer and you have been waiting for a cool Android phone to land the good news is that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G will be coming to AT&T soon. By soon we mean September 18 and the smartphone will be very cheap with a 2-year contract at only $49.99. I am sure they will sell a bunch of the devices at that price. The Xperia 4G is the PlayStation smartphone that we have covered extensively in the past.

On AT&T, the phone will not be working on a real 4G network like LTE; it will operate on the HSPA+. The smartphone will come in an exclusive stealth blue color and inside the package will be pair of bonus accessories. Those accessories are the multimedia dock DK300 and the MC100 music cable. That docking station turns the screen of the smartphone into a large clock and the music cable allows connection to external speakers.
The smartphone will also come with a bunch of free and cool games. The free game package includes Dungeon Defenders Second Wave, Asphalt 6 Adrenaline, Star Battalion, Madden NFL 11, The Sims 3, Tower Bloxx, and Crash Bandicoot. That hardware side is the same we are used to with a 1GHz CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, Android 2.3.3, and the 4-inch 480 x 854 resolution screen with 60fps graphics. The rear camera is 5MP with a VGA front camera. What do you think, will this phone sell well on AT&T?
[via SlashGear]

Read more »

AT&T Impulse 4G gets official price and launch date

The last time we mentioned the Impulse 4G smartphone we knew the Android device was heading to AT&T, but we didn’t know when it would land or how much it would cost. AT&T has now gone official with the price of the smartphone and when you can walk into a store and pick one up. The phone is made by Huawei and is one of the cheapest Android devices out there.

You can get the phone with a 2-year contract from AT&T for only $29.99. The smartphone will support Quad Band GSM/Tri Band UMTS/Edge networks at up to 14.4Mbps. The operating system on the phone is Android 2.2. It uses a MSM7230 chipset and a Scorpion 800MHz processor. The internal storage is about 512MB and it has a microSD card slot supporting up to 32GB more storage.
The rear camera on the smartphone is a 5MP unit with automatic focus and flash that can record 720p HD video. The screen size for the phone is 3.8-inches with a resolution of 800×480. The phone uses Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP and EDR. It also supports WiFi networks and has a 720p video output. The phone will be in stores on September 18.

Read more »

HTC Holiday Smiles For The Camera, Shows Off AT&T's LTE Network Speeds

A couple of weeks ago the first photos of the HTC Holiday emerged, displaying its impressive hardware innards for the world to see. Now, BGR has landed some new photos of this up-and-coming device, which includes speed tests that show what AT&T's LTE network is capable of. Clocking an astounding 29Mbps, AT&T is looking to put the hurt on VZW's LTE network once it becomes more widespread.

     

^{Yes, a cotton swab is now an acceptable standard of measurement.}

The hardware on this phone is nothing to scoff at either, as early reports revealed a 4.5-inch qHD display, 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB RAM, 8MP and 1.3MP cameras, and Android 2.3.4.
There's no official word on when we can expect this device to hit Ma Bell's sales floor, but from the look of it, that time should be drawing near.
[via BGR]

Read more »

Sprint sues to block AT&T/T-Mobile merger

Sprint announced on Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit with a federal court in the U.S. District of Columbia in an effort to block AT&T’s planned $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom. The suit is related to the Department of Justice’s lawsuit, which was filed on August 31st. “Sprint opposes AT&T’s proposed takeover of T-Mobile,” Sprint’s vice president of litigation Suzan Haller said. “With today’s legal action, we are continuing that advocacy on behalf of consumers and competition, and expect to contribute our expertise and resources in proving that the proposed transaction is illegal.” Sprint argued that the merger will “harm retail consumers and corporate customers by causing higher prices and less innovation” and said it will “entrench the duopoly of AT&T and Verizon” by allowing those two carriers 90% of U.S. wireless profits and more than three quarters of the market. Sprint also said the merger would “harm Sprint and other independent wireless carriers” and would give AT&T control of backhaul, roaming and wireless spectrum. AT&T responded to the DOJ’s suit last week and said the deal is in the best interest of consumers and the “facts will prevail in court.”  Read on for the full press release from Sprint.

Sprint Files Suit to Block Proposed AT&T and T-Mobile Transaction
WASHINGTON (BUSINESS WIRE), September 06, 2011 – Sprint Nextel [NYSE:S] today brought suit against AT&T, Inc., AT&T Mobility, Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile seeking to block the proposed acquisition as a violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in the District of Columbia as a related case to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) suit against the proposed acquisition.
“Sprint opposes AT&T’s proposed takeover of T-Mobile,” said Susan Z. Haller, vice president-Litigation, Sprint. “With today’s legal action, we are continuing that advocacy on behalf of consumers and competition, and expect to contribute our expertise and resources in proving that the proposed transaction is illegal.”

Sprint’s lawsuit focuses on the competitive and consumer harms which would result from a takeover of T-Mobile by AT&T. The proposed takeover would:

• Harm retail consumers and corporate customers by causing higher prices and less innovation.
• Entrench the duopoly control of AT&T and Verizon, the two “Ma Bell” descendants, of the almost one-quarter of a trillion dollar wireless market. As a result of the transaction, AT&T and Verizon would control more than three-quarters of that market and 90 percent of the profits.

• Harm Sprint and the other independent wireless carriers. If the transaction were to be allowed, a combined AT&T and T-Mobile would have the ability to use its control over backhaul, roaming and spectrum, and its increased market position to exclude competitors, raise their costs, restrict their access to handsets, damage their businesses and ultimately to lessen competition.

Read more »

With or without AT&T/T-Mobile merger, analyst says Sprint already lost

Lead by chief executive Dan Hesse, Sprint has likely been the most vocal opponent of AT&T’s proposed $39 billion T-Mobile USA acquisition. The Department of Justice announced last week that it was filing a lawsuit in an attempt to block the deal, and while AT&T was none too happy with the news, Sprint predictably responded by applauding the DOJ’s decision to fight the merger. But even if the merger is blocked, Sprint has arguably already lost to AT&T and Verizon Wireless according to Stifel Nicolaus analyst Christopher King. “It essentially maintains the status quo, which, given the results of Sprint over the last couple of years, is not the best place to be,” King told The New York Times. Read on for more.
As Sprint continues to shed subscribers at an alarming rate — the nation’s No. 3 carrier lost 101,000 postpaid subscribers last quarter — analysts are rightfully beginning to wonder how Sprint’s situation will improve if AT&T and T-Mobile do not merge. With the amount of time and resources Sprint is putting into fighting the acquisition, this is certainly a valid question. The addition of Apple’s iPhone 5 is expected by some to bolster Sprint’s business when it launches next month, but each of the four major wireless carriers in the U.S. will carry the handset beginning next month according to reports. As such, the addition of the iPhone 5 could do more to increase smartphone sales among Sprint’s current subscriber base — and put more stress on the carrier’s network thanks to its unlimited data plans — than it will to attract new business.

Sprint’s 4G plans also weigh heavily on investors’ minds right now. Sprint announced plans to adopt 4G LTE in addition to its WiMAX services in a deal with LightSquared worth $13.5 billion for the carrier over the next 15 years. LightSquared is having issues with its LTE build-out however, as its spectrum is found to interfere with frequencies used by GPS services. Sprint’s WiMAX partner Clearwire is also planning to adopt LTE, but only if it can find the cash. Sprint is expected to discuss its 4G strategy next month during a press event on October 7th, where BGR will be reporting live.

Read more »

HTC Jetstream hamstrung by AT&T pricing, but it is now available

Last week when the AT&T Jetstream broke cover at IFA I mentioned the pricing of the tablet and ran down the specs. The price was certainly a lot of money, but if you can bring yourself to spend that much loot the Jetstream is now available. I am still surprised at the pricing; this is not the way to get people to buy a new Android tablet instead of the iPad 2 or other offering. It’s really too bad because the Jetstream seems to be a really awesome tablet on paper.

AT&T has listed the price of the Jetstream with no commitment at $849.99. That means you don’t have to have the 2-year data plan. If you want that 2-year plan on data for the tablet, the price is $699.99 and then you have to spend at least $35 monthly for data access. By comparison, the 16GB iPad 2 is $629 with no data commitment, the 32GB version is $729.99, and the 64GB version is $829 and the data plans are cheaper with the iPad starting at $14.99. Pay as you go data plans if you choose the no commitment pricing on the Jetstream may be lower and more in line with iPad offerings
The Jetstream does give you some nice hardware inside with HSPA+ and 4G support, a 1.5GHz Qualcomm processor with dual-cores, and an 8MP rear camera with 1.3MP front camera. The battery inside the Jetstream is 7,300mAh and the tablet has a 10.1-inch screen. It runs Android 3.1 and will support both touch input and the Scribe digital pen that is bundled with the tablet.

Read more »

AT&T offers customers 1,000 free rollover minutes

AT&T sent text messages to its customers on Thursday offering 1,000 free rollover minutes. The message specifically said: “There’s no cost or obligation to you. It’s our way of saying thank you. To have your minutes added, reply “YES,” by 9/7/2011.” We received the SMS on an iPhone in the office and confirmed that we did indeed receive 1,000 free rollover minutes. An AT&T spokesperson did not immediately responded to a request for further details on why AT&T issued the offer.

Read more »

AT&T tempts FCC, promises to bring 5,000 jobs back to U.S. if T-Mobile merger is approved

AT&T said on Wednesday that it promises to bring 5,000 of its outsourced call center jobs back to the United States if its proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA is approved by the FCC. AT&T also promised that it will not layoff any AT&T or T-Mobile call center employee who is employed at the time of the merger. In addition, AT&T will invest $8 billion in its U.S. infrastructure and the Economic Policy Institute has suggested that move could provide up to 96,000 new jobs. AT&T made its announcement hours before the United States Justice Department filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the merger. “AT&T’s elimination of T-Mobile as an independent, low- priced rival would remove a significant competitive force from the market,” the Justice Department said. AT&T responded and said that “there was no indication” from the DOJ that a lawsuit was being contemplated. “We remain confident that this merger is in the best interest of consumers and our country, and the facts will prevail in court,” AT&T Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel Wayne Watts said, noting that AT&T will continue to fight for the merger’s approval. Read on for the full press release from AT&T.

AT&T to Bring 5,000 Call Center Jobs Back to U.S. Following T-Mobile Merger Closing
Commits Merger Will Not Result in Job Losses for Existing U.S. Wireless Call Center Employees of T-Mobile and AT&T
Largest Return of Jobs by Any U.S. Company Since 2008
DALLAS, Aug. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) today committed that after closing its proposed merger with T-Mobile USA, it will bring back 5,000 wireless call center jobs to the United States that today are outsourced to other countries.
Today’s commitment results from AT&T developing detailed analysis focused specifically on identifying opportunities with the T-Mobile merger to bring good-paying wireless call center jobs back to the United States.
In addition to bringing jobs back, AT&T committed that the merger will not result in any job losses for U.S.-based wireless call center employees of T-Mobile USA or AT&T, who are on the payroll when the merger closes.
The 5,000 new wireless call center jobs at AT&T will offer among the nation’s most highly competitive wages and benefits. AT&T, which has not yet determined where in the U.S. the new jobs will be located, is the nation’s largest employer of full-time union employees and the only unionized major U.S. wireless carrier.
“At a time when many Americans are struggling and our economy faces significant challenges, we’re pleased that the T-Mobile merger allows us to bring 5,000 jobs back to the United States and significantly increase our investment here,” said Randall Stephenson, AT&T Chairman and CEO. “This merger and today’s commitment are good for our employees, our customers and our country.”
Today’s announcement represents the largest commitment by an individual American company to bring jobs back to the U.S. since the economic crisis began in 2008.
Also, AT&T has committed as part of the T-Mobile merger to increase its U.S. infrastructure investment by more than $8 billion.  According to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute that was commissioned by the Communications Workers of America, AT&T’s increased investment is estimated to produce up to approximately 96,000 new U.S. jobs.
AT&T said today’s jobs commitment does not change its previous guidance on the expected overall merger synergies.
Beyond the jobs created, AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile USA provides a fast, efficient and certain solution to the impending exhaustion of wireless spectrum in many markets, which limits both companies’ ability to meet the ongoing explosive customer demand for mobile broadband. The uniquely complementary nature of AT&T and T-Mobile’s network assets will allow the combined company to add wireless network capacity – the functional equivalent of new spectrum – sooner than any other alternative.
This additional wireless network capacity will enable AT&T to offer better service — fewer dropped and blocked calls, and faster data speeds. Plus, the economic scale, additional spectrum and other benefits resulting from the merger will enable AT&T to deliver high-speed 4G LTE mobile broadband service to 97 percent of the U.S. population, or 55 million more Americans than it would without the merger. Reaching 97 percent of the population with LTE will create a much more extensive and robust mobile broadband platform that will fuel growth and investment throughout the country.

The benefits of the AT&T and T-Mobile merger have been recognized by numerous elected officials throughout the country, including 27 governors, more than 100 mayors, 11 state attorneys general, 79 Democratic Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and more than 150 chambers of commerce from 40 states, as well as a dozen labor unions and dozens of high-tech companies, such as Facebook, Microsoft, Yahoo! and Oracle.

Read more »

Department of Justice Files to Block T-Mobile Buyout, AT&T Responds

The U.S. Government and the Department of Justice apparently aren’t up for allowing AT&T to acquire T-Mobile. Today the DOJ has filed a formal complaint and anti-trust case against AT&T in the acquisition in an attempt to stop it from moving forward. AT&T was quick to respond so check out more details below.

Today AT&T received some bad news and apparently they weren’t expecting this once bit according to statements already made by AT&T this morning. The DOJ antri-trust complain clearly states that they do not agree on this union and here’s a quote from the filing:

AT&T’s elimination of T-Mobile as an independent, low- priced rival would remove a significant competitive force from the market,” the U.S. said.

While we knew many were opposed to the idea I don’t think anyone was expecting this. We recently saw the FCC looking for users to comment and share their opinion and even other carriers were quick to oppose the deal. While this is a huge blow and will add some serious delay, the deal isn’t completely a lost cause but it didn’t get any easier that is for sure.
AT&T has since released a statement and they don’t sound too happy, but they do seem a bit confident still.

We are surprised and disappointed by today’s action, particularly since we have met repeatedly with the Department of Justice and there was no indication from the DOJ that this action was being contemplated.
We plan to ask for an expedited hearing so the enormous benefits of this merger can be fully reviewed. The DOJ has the burden of proving alleged anti-competitive affects and we intend to vigorously contest this matter in court.
At the end of the day, we believe facts will guide any final decision and the facts are clear. This merger will:
Help solve our nation’s spectrum exhaust situation and improve wireless service for millions.
Allow AT&T to expand 4G LTE mobile broadband to another 55 million Americans, or 97% of the population;
Result in billions of additional investment and tens of thousands of jobs, at a time when our nation needs them most.
We remain confident that this merger is in the best interest of consumers and our country, and the facts will prevail in court.

We have heard many government officials and senators comment on this acquisition I don’t think many were expecting the DOJ to come out like this, either way this entire story is still developing so stay tuned as more details trickle in.
[via Bloomberg]
)

Read more »

U.S. government sues to block AT&T, T-Mobile merger

The U.S. government sued to block AT&T Inc. (T)’s proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA Inc., saying the deal would “substantially lessen competition” in the wireless market. AT&T shares fell as much as 5 percent.
In the complaint filed today in federal court in Washington, the U.S. is seeking a declaration that Dallas-based AT&T’s takeover of T-Mobile, a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE), would violate U.S. antitrust law. The U.S. also asked for a court order blocking any arrangement implementing the deal.
“AT&T’s elimination of T-Mobile as an independent, low- priced rival would remove a significant competitive force from the market,” the U.S. said in its filing.
Should regulators reject the deal, which would create the biggest U.S. wireless carrier, AT&T would have to pay Deutsche Telekom $3 billion in cash. It would also provide T-Mobile USA with wireless spectrum in some regions and reduced charges for calls into AT&T’s network, for a total package valued at as much as $7 billion, Deutsche Telekom said this month.
Philipp Schindera, a spokesman at Bonn-based Deutsche Telekom, declined to immediately comment on the filing. Jessica Smith, a Justice Department spokeswoman, declined to comment on the suit. Michael Balmoris, an AT&T spokesman, didn’t immediately respond to an e-mail and phone calls seeking comment.

Shares Drop

AT&T fell $1.02, or 3.4 percent, to $28.60 at 10:55 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading after declining as much as $1.49. Deutsche Telekom American depositary receipts dropped as much as 6.4 percent, to $12.93.
The purchase of Bellevue, Washington-based T-Mobile would combine the second- and fourth-largest carriers to create a new market leader ahead of No. 1 Verizon Wireless. The new company would have dwarfed current No. 3 carrier Sprint Nextel Corp., which argued against the deal. Overland Park, Kansas-based Sprint’s shares jumped as much as 9.9 percent.
Some U.S. lawmakers have said the deal may reduce competition and raise consumer costs. The Federal Communications Commission has given itself more time to study new data presented by AT&T.

Economic Models

AT&T in a July 25 filing at the FCC submitted new economic models that it said showed the merger would lower prices and increase service in large metropolitan markets. The models offer “further detailed support” for arguments that the merger will lessen strains on the company’s wireless network, lower costs and increase quality, AT&T said in the filing.
“Given the size of the cancellation fee that was negotiated into his agreement, AT&T has the incentive to fight,” said Andrew Gavil, a law professor at Howard University in Washington. “The fact that the Justice Department is challenging the deal doesn’t mean they won’t negotiate a resolution at some point.”
The case is U.S. v. AT&T Inc., 11-01560, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Washington).

Read more »

AT&T lands exclusive on HTC Jetstream 10.1-inch tablet

AT&T has announced that it has scored the exclusive on the new HTC Jetstream tablet. The new tablet will be the first 4G LTE and HSPA+ tablet on the market. The Jetstream will hit AT&T on September 4 and will be the first tablet available in the US that has Android 3.1 Honeycomb onboard. The tablet will be online and in retail stores on the 4th.

The screen of the Jetstream is a 10.1-inch HD resolution unit and the tablet runs a Snapdragon 1.5GHz dual-core processor. The tablet also has front and rear facing cameras. The front camera is a 1.3MP unit and the rear camera is an 8MP unit with dual LED flash. The battery inside the tablet is a 7,300 mAh unit and the tablet has a microSD card slot.
That microSD card slot supports up to 32GB cards. The tablet weighs in at 25 ounces and measures 7″ L x 9.87″ W x .51″ deep. The tablet will sell for $699.99 with a new two-year data plan contract. The data plan can be postpaid at $14.99 for 250MB or $25 for 2GB monthly with $10 per gigabyte for overages. Prepaid contracts will cost the same monthly with the same data allowances with a charge of $25 per 2GB over the allotment.

“This tablet is a beautiful 10.1-inch, LTE powered masterpiece,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “When you combine powerful options like HTC Jetstream with our upcoming LTE technology and nationwide HSPA+ network, it flies.”
“HTC Jetstream combines the acclaimed HTC Sense experience with Android Honeycomb to provide an innovative and engaging experience on a 10.1 inch tablet,” said Martin Fichter, acting president, HTC Americas Region. “Paired with AT&T’s upcoming 4G LTE speed and mobility, HTC Jetstream delivers connectivity for social and entertainment needs alongside productivity and creativity tools in a portable package.”

Read more »

AT&T to finally launch LG Thrill 4G on September 4th, $99.99

AT&T is finally set to launch its first 3D smartphone, the LG Thrill 4G. No, that 4G doesn’t mean users will be able to take advantage of AT&T’s soft launched 4G LTE network, but the Thrill will begin burning up AT&T’s previous-generation fourth-generation network when it becomes available for purchase this Sunday, September 4th. We reviewed the LG Thrill 4G last month and we were a little surprised by the fact that we really did enjoy recording and viewing 3D content on the device. Overall, however, we found the Thrill 4G to be a mediocre phone that’s bulky, heavy and not overly competitive with modern Android offerings from the likes of HTC and Samsung. At $99.99 however, those looking to play around with the 3D features shouldn’t be disappointed.
Read

Read more »

Motorola announces PRO+ Android phone; likely headed to AT&T, T-Mobile [video]

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

Read more »

AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II Hands-on

AT&T also has their own Galaxy S II to show off today and we were able to snatch a few photos and a quick video before they threw it back under the glass. I’ve wrote Galaxy S II so much today I think I’ll just say SGSII from here on out. So, AT&T will be launching the SGSII come September 18th and be just a few days behind the others, but don’t worry it will be yours with a new 2-year contract for only $199.

Just like the rest of the carrier today, AT&T announced the Galaxy S II and you can read all about that here. Since AT&T already offers the Samsung Infuse 4G with a large 4.5″ display they must have decided against that large size for the SGSII because they are the only carrier in the US offering it with a 4.3″ display rather than the 4.52″ that was announced today. Either way here are the official specs.
– 4.3″ Super AMOLED Plus Display
– 1.2GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos processor
– Ultra-thin (8.89mm) and thinner than on other carriers
– 8MP rear and 2MP front cameras
– 1080p HD video recording
– Wifi calling
– NOVA 2 HD pre-loaded
– Swype pre-loaded
– Bluetooth 3.0
– Hotspot controls up to eight devices
– Android 2.3 Gingerbread
– Optional USB Host kit for connection keyboards, cameras, printers and thumb drives
– Optional HDMI adapter
– Multimedia and Car docks will be available soon

Now for our hands-on we actually brought along the little/big brother the Samsung Infuse 4G. While it has a 4.5″ display it only offers a single-core CPU so that is clearly where the SGSII has the advantage as it’s 1.2 Ghz and has an extra core for when you need it most. The smaller of the two pictured below is the new Samsung Galaxy S II headed for AT&T come September 18th.
AT&T Galaxy S II Hands-on Video



Again performance was excellent and no one will really have any issues there. Everything was extremely fluid and performed great and we experienced little to no lag at all. Touch Wiz was fast and stable too. The AT&T Model looks closest to the version launched in Europe because it features the same size display and you will all be just as pleased with it as those Europeans are. We plan on fully reviewing the phone come launch time but for now here are some pictures for you to enjoy.
)

Read more »

Samsung Galaxy S II Official for AT&T with 4.3″ AMOLED Display Coming in September

The details just coming in over the past few minutes but just as we guessed Samsung has announced the Galaxy S II for all three major carriers in the US with the exception for Verizon. We have some press photos for everyone to enjoy and as soon as we get some hands-on time with the real devices we will be sure to update. Sadly the AT&T version will be coming to market with the same 4.3″ display we’ve seen on current models.

Again we are here live in NYC and will update as details come in. It appears AT&T and T-Mobile have both decided to leave the name untouched and are calling it just the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II. I like that better than the Attain, or Function or whatever else we’ve heard. AT&T’s version of the S II features an 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera with flash and 1080p video capture, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and the latest generation of TouchWiz atop Android 2.3. but they did opt for the smaller 4.3″ display vs the 4.52″ we’ve seen leaked recently.
Galaxy S II Unveiling Video



Like we already knew it will be coming to market with the Samsung dual-core 1.2 Ghz processor and 1GB of RAM. With the smaller screen AT&T is also claiming they have the thinnest model so that is a plus. The Samsung Galaxy S II on AT&T will be available September 18th. Stay tuned for more details and hands on video coming very shortly
)

Read more »

LG Thrill 4G Confirmed by AT&T for September 4th

Well folks, we still haven’t seen any sort of official announcement or press release regarding the LG Thrill 4G also known as the Optimus 3D but today AT&T has confirmed the launch date for September 4th just as previous leaks suggested. While it has been delayed more than a few times at least it will hit the market with a great price.

This 4.3″ glasses-free 3D phone with a dual-core TI OMAP 1 Ghz CPU is quite the powerful phone and just like we mentioned above, it will be on the market at an amazing price.
We have seen prices of just $99 from AT&T with a new 2-year contract rather than the usual $199 price tag. As well as $79 in Target and RadioShack ads. I don’t know about you guys but getting this phone at that price is a stellar deal, and you wont have to wait long either. With AT&T finally saying it will be here September 4th it appears they are ready for some 3D action. Are you?

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Optimus 3D

Manufactuer : LG

Carrier : AT&T T-Mobile

Announced Date : February 14, 2011

Release Date : June 17, 2011

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 4.30 Inch


• Resolution : 480x800


• Screen Type : TFT

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 5.07 Inch


• Width : 2.68 Inch


• Depth : 0.47 Inch


• Weight : 168 Grams

Battery & Power

• Battery Type:


• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1500 mAh


• Talk Time : NA


• Stand By Time : 300 hours

Software

• Android OS:


• 2.3.x

• Audio Playback:


• AAC


• AAC+


• MID


• MP3


• WAV

• Video Playback:


• h.263


• h.264 / AVC


• 3GP


• MPEG-4 (MP4)


• WMV

• Messaging:


• SMS


• MMS

Hardware

CPU : OMAP4

CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 512 MB

Internal Storage : 8.192 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution :5 MP

• External Storage:


• MicroSD


• MicroSDHC

• Camera Features:


• Auto focus


• Flash


• 1080p Video Recording


• 720p Video Recording

• Sensors:


• Accelerometer


• Ambient light


• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

• Network Technology:


• GSM

• GSM Band:


• 850


• 900


• 1800


• 1900

Device Connectivity

• Wi-Fi:


• 802.11b


• 802.11g


• 802.11n

• Bluetooth:


• Bluetooth 3.0


• A2DP

• Location Features:


• Compass


• GPS


• Cellular location


• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

[via Twitter]

Read more »