Cell Phones
The Teen First Look: BlackBerry Torch 4G
Sep 13th
We recently got a chance to spend a few minutes with the latest BlackBerry Torch 4G, and to say we were impressed would be a major understatement. We’re gonna get right to it– this is everything the first Torch should’ve been (yeah, it’s that good).
On the first Torch things were slow, it froze a ton, and the screen just looked downright pathetic next to top phones like the EVO 4G and iPhone 4. And while this new Torch isn’t necessarily better than the iPhone 4 or Infuse 4G, it’s now much closer and without a doubt in our minds the best BlackBerry available today on AT&T (well, at least until the Bold 9900 finally comes out).
Droid Bionic Now Available From Verizon
Sep 12th
In cased you missed the news over the weekend, Verizon and Motorola have now finally made the long-awaited Droid Bionic available. Yes, you can now go into your local Verizon store and pick up their most powerful 4G LTE Droid yet for that expected price of $300 with new 2 year contract and data plan.
The specs of the Bionic are pretty much everything we’ve heard these last few weeks and months, though they’re still pretty impressive. Here’s a quick recap:
- 4.3 inch qHD screen– Like the Photon 4G, Sensation 4G and most other top of the line phones today. In short, this is a screen that will make everything you view on it look great.
- The latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread
- 1 GHZ dual core processor with 1 GB of RAM– So everything on the phone is as fast as that Verizon 4G LTE.
- 8 megapixel back camera with front camera for video chat– The back camera can also record videos in full 1080p HD.
- 32 GB of storage (16 GB built-in, 16 GB on an included microSD card)– So you can load this up with all your music and videos.
The Bionic can also be docked in a laptop dock just like AT&T’s Motorola Atrix, though for that extra $300 it will cost you to get the dock it may just be better to get a real laptop or tablet instead.
And remember, if you buy the Bionic before the end of the month and are upgrading from a feature phone (basically any phone that’s not a Windows Phone, iPhone, Droid or BlackBerry) you can save an additional $100 from Verizon. If you are upgrading from a smartphone or want an even better deal, then you may want to get your Bionic from Motorola as they’re charging only $250 (with a new 2 year contract and data plan) and are also offering that $100 Verizon gift card if you’re upgrading from a non-smartphone.
So Verizon users, you gonna get this or are you waiting for some other big phones to come out next month instead?
For more info on the Droid Bionic see Verizon’s site here.
AT&T Announces Xperia Play 4G Release Date: Coming September 18th For $50
Sep 8th
On AT&T and waiting for the gaming beast of a phone also known as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play? Well, in a little over a week your wait will be over. Starting September 18th the AT&T version of the Xperia Play, called the Xperia Play 4G (because it can access AT&T’s faster HSPA+ “4G” network), can be yours for a pretty great price of only $50 with new 2 year contract and data plan.
Like the Verizon Xperia Play released earlier this year, the AT&T Xperia Play 4G comes with some solid specs like a high-res 4 inch screen (so games and everything else you do on your phone looks nice, sharp and clear), 1 GHZ processor (for speed and so that all your games play well too), the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 5 megapixel back camera with second front camera for video chat, and of course a bunch of pre-loaded PlayStation games so you can start playing the slide-out PlayStation keypad the second you get the phone. The pre-loaded games on here are also a bit different from the Verizon Xperia Play, with the AT&T version coming with: Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, Crash Bandicoot, Sims 3, Madden ’11, Dungeon Defenders: Second Wave, and Tower Bloxx (the last two weren’t pre-loaded on the Verizon version). You can also buy over 150 other PlayStation games from the PlayStation game store (including games like Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Minecraft Pocket Edition)
We found the Xperia Play to be a pretty solid phone when we reviewed the Verizon version a few months back (we found it to be one of the best Verizon phones for back to school) and we were equally impressed with the AT&T version we saw in July (they’re pretty much the exact same phone though AT&T’s comes in blue and has a dock and “music cable” included in the box). And at only $50 with a new 2 year contract and data plan this looks to be a solid deal for anyone looking for a great Android phone on AT&T– and a perfect choice for anyone looking for a great gaming phone.
Verizon Wants To Give You $100 To Upgrade To A Smartphone
Sep 6th
Still don’t have an iPhone, BlackBerry, Droid or Windows Phone and are on Verizon? Well Verizon really wants you to get one– so much so that they’re willing to give you $100 to upgrade from your current non-smartphone to one of those above smartphones. Yes, they’re going to pay YOU $100.
To get the deal all you have to do is upgrade from your current feature phone (basically any phone that’s not any of the ones listed above) and within 5 days you’ll get a code through email or text for a website to enter in the code and get the instructions to mail-in your old phone (so it’s recycled instead of just sitting and collecting dust). Three weeks after that you’ll get your $100 Verizon Wireless gift card in the mail which you can then use to buy accessories or even pay down your bill (which is nice now that you’re paying an extra $30 a month for data).
The deal ends September 30th (or right before some big new phone is rumored to be coming out) and you’re still gonna need to get that data plan (which is why Verizon’s doing this). But if you’re looking for an excuse to convince your parents to let you upgrade to a smartphone, this is as good as any (and you could always use apps like BBM, iMessage or WhatsApp for texting and save even more money by dropping your texting plan altogether).
For all the info, see Verizon’s site here.
iPhone 5 Rumor Of The Day: Coming To Best Buy and Sprint October 21st?
Sep 4th
We know a lot of you are really excited to learn more about this rumored Sprint iPhone said to be coming in October. While these are still just a couple of rumors, combined with what we learned from the Wall Street Journal things are looking even better for the iPhone 5 coming next month– and that it’s also coming to Sprint.
Today’s iPhone 5 rumors come from two of the top tech sites out there, This Is My Next and BGR, and both have received different tips that Best Buy is planning for some big Apple launch next month. According to the tip sent into This Is My Next, Apple will be installing some big “fixtures” (think signs, posters, demo stands) in Best Buy stores on October 21st (which is the date that makes the most sense to us and fits in with other rumors of a middle of October launch). What’s important to know about this is that its similar to what they did last summer for the iPhone 4 launch. BGR on the other hand has a separate Best Buy tip saying not only that Sprint is getting the iPhone 5 (in addition to AT&T and Verizon and we think T-Mobile– it just makes sense and we don’t see why Apple wouldn’t do it), but pre-orders may begin as soon as this week (with the iPhone going on sale on October 1st. We don’t think is happening seeing as Apple has yet to send out invites for an iPhone 5 event, something which isn’t expected to happen until later this month or early next month. But hey, we wouldn’t mind if they started this week!).
The BGR Best Buy leak– note the mention of the Sprint iPhone 5 at the top in bold
And as the BGR tip notes, and we want to stress again: these dates are very much subject to change. Remember, these are all still very much just rumors and not officially confirmed by Apple, Best Buy, Sprint or anyone else. But two different Best Buys saying the iPhone 5 is coming in October, and the Wall Street Journal saying the same thing two weeks ago, makes us really think that we’re getting really close.
We’ll of course keep you updated as more iPhone 5 info comes out, so stay tuned!
More info: BGR, This Is My Next
Did Verizon and Motorola Just Confirm The Droid Bionic’s Release Date?
Sep 1st
We know a lot of you are eagerly awaiting for more info on Motorola and Verizon’s upcoming super powerful, 4G LTE running Droid Bionic and from the looks of this latest Verizon ad, we just got one of the last missing details on the phone: it’s release date. If you pay close attention to the new Verizon Droid Bionic TV ad (seen below) you’ll see at the end the date 9.8.11. If that looks familiar it’s because it’s the same September 8th date previously rumored to be the launch date for the Bionic. Sadly the ad doesn’t mention a price (though we think it will be $300 on contract), but with apparently just a week before it comes out we expect to find that out soon.
We also know that the Droid Bionic will be getting its own laptop dock like the AT&T Motorola Atrix 4G, though again no word on how much it will cost (let’s hope they don’t charge $500 for it or make you have to get a tethering plan like AT&T did).
We’ll of course keep you updated as more info comes out, but hang tight Droid Bionic fans– you’re perfect back to school phone looks to finally be almost here.
Info via Droid Life
Samsung Makes The US Galaxy S II Official, Coming Soon To AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile
Aug 31st
It’s finally official. After lots of rumors and teasing Samsung has finally made the US versions of their hit Galaxy S II Android superphone official for AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. And wow do they look to live up to the hype.
As we thought, all three Galaxy S IIs have massive, awesome Super AMOLED Plus screens (AT&T’s Galaxy S II is 4.3 inches while Sprint and T-Mobile’s are 4.5 inches like AT&T’s Infuse 4G. Basically, everything and anything you view on them will look insane), 8 megapixel back cameras with 2 megapixel front cameras (for higher quality video chatting), ridiculously thin designs (it’s literally pencil thin!), the latest and greatest Android 2.3 Gingerbread with Samsung’s latest TouchWiz 3.0, 4G support, 16 GB of built-in storage, and are super fast with dual-core 1.2 GHZ processors. In short, if you’re looking for a new super powerful Android phone on AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile you’re going to want to check these out.
In terms of release dates and pricing, Sprint will be the first to release the Galaxy S II– with their version called the Epic 4G Touch– on September 16th for $200 on new 2 year contract and data plan. AT&T and T-Mobile’s Galaxy S II’s are said to be coming not too long after that, but sadly we don’t have exact release dates or pricing for them just yet.
Oh, and for those wondering about the Verizon Galaxy S II. Well, we’re sorry to say that Verizon is passing on the Galaxy S II entirely…. and are instead rumored to be getting an even more powerful phone in October called the Samsung Droid Prime. According to BGR, the Droid Prime will be even more powerful than the Galaxy S II, will run on Verizon’s 4G LTE network and possibly even be the first phone to run the next big update to Android, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (which is rumored to be coming out later this year). According to the rumors Verizon thinks this phone will be better able to hold it’s own against it’s other top phones like the Droid Bionic and upcoming iPhone 5. Yeah, if the Bionic isn’t for you then this looks to be the Verizon Droid to wait for.
We’ve got a few more pics of each of the Galaxy S II’s after the break, and for more info you can check out Samsung’s site here or Sprint’s site here.
So, anyone see this as your next phone?
LG Thrill 4G Release Date Announced– Coming September 4th for $100
Aug 31st
Waiting for AT&T to release their 4G, glasses-free 3D beast also known as the LG Thrill 4G? Well, your wait is finally almost over. Beginning this Sunday, September 4th, the Thrill 4G can be yours for a solid $100 with a new 2 year contract and data plan.
For those who don’t know, the Thrill 4G is one of AT&T most powerful 4G Android phones to date, with some pretty powerful specs like a dual-core 1 GHZ processor (so everything you do on it from 3D gaming to basic texting is fast and smooth), dual 5 megapixel back cameras with a second front camera for video chat (so you can not only watch 3D but shoot 3D videos too), Android 2.2 (though hopefully it will soon be upgraded to the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread. AT&T and LG also have given the Thrill 4G special 3D apps like a 3D version of YouTube and the LG 3D Space app store so you can make full use of that 3D screen), support for AT&T’s 4G HSPA+ network, and of course that amazing 4.3 inch qHD glasses-free 3D screen (and since it’s a qHD screen everything from those 3D videos and games to your texts and Facebook will look great).
We were pretty impressed when we saw the Thrill 4G, and at just $100 it looks to be a solid deal for AT&T users looking for a powerful phone for back to school but don’t want to pay over $100 (and some places like Target are even offering it for just $80 on contract).
You can see more of the Thrill 4G at AT&T’s preview page here.
Wall Street Journal: Sprint Getting The iPhone In October
Aug 26th
Things just keep getting better for Sprint users. If you’re on Sprint and waiting for the iPhone, your wait looks to finally be almost over. According to the Wall Street Journal (one of the most respected news outlets in the country and a place with a pretty good track record when it comes to Apple rumors), Apple will finally bring the iPhone to the Sprint network in the middle of October of this year. Yes, the iPhone looks to be finally coming to Sprint and it looks to be here soon.
Now if you ask us, we do believe this Wall Street Journal article and we do think the iPhone will finally be coming to Sprint this year. We thought this a few months ago and it just all makes sense. Think about it: Sprint runs the same 3G network as Verizon (both use a technology called CDMA which is used in the Verizon iPhone 4), Apple needs to keep up with Android and Windows Phone (and there will be some awesome new Android and Windows Phone 7 phones coming out over the next couple of months to give the next iPhone a real run for your money), and we know Sprint and Apple have been testing an iPhone on Sprint’s network since at least this past June (and they probaly were testing even earlier than that). Putting the iPhone on Sprint now gives Apple the ability to stay ahead and kill a lot of Android and Windows Phone’s momentum while opening up the iPhone to Sprint’s 52 million users. I mean how many of you Sprint users will jump to the iPhone when its time for your next upgrade?
And according to the latest rumors Sprint will not just be getting the iPhone 5 (or whatever the next iPhone is called) but also their version of the iPhone 4 too (this iPhone 4 will be cheaper than the iPhone 5 and may have some updates like a better antenna. This also makes a lot of sense and is like an updated version of what AT&T does right now with the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4).
We’ll of course keep you updated as we learn more, but Sprint users– you excited?
Samsung Begins The US Galaxy S II Teasing– Is This The Sprint Version?
Aug 24th
Well we now know for sure what Samsung will be announcing at their big New York event next week– the long-awaited US versions of their hit Android superphone, the Galaxy S II. Samsung has begun releasing some YouTube videos like the one above which, you guessed it, are all about how the US will finally soon be getting the Galaxy S II.
Not much else about the Galaxy S II is mentioned in this teaser video, though we now know that we should expect the US versions to keep the Galaxy S II’s insanely thin design, front cameras and large, amazing screens. If you’re looking for a new Android phone for back-to-school those features alone should make you want to wait to learn more about this.
Oh, and if you look closely at the Galaxy S II at the end of the video (or in the pic above) you’ll notice that it’s different from the European Galaxy S II Samsung otherwise is showing off in the teaser video. That Galaxy S II has a large button on the bottom below the screen while this Galaxy S II has no button and also lists Kanasas City in the weather widget. Now this is just a guess on our part but perhaps this is the Sprint version of the Galaxy S II (rumored to be called the Epic Touch 4G after Sprint’s first Galaxy S phone, the Epic 4G).This all fits in with the other rumors about Sprint’s Galaxy S II– including the rumored September 9th release date (which is also the date listed on the clock widget)– and Sprint is based right near Kansas City in Overland Park, Kansas. Check out the above video for yourself and let us know what you think.
Samsung also said on their Twitter that they will be releasing new US Galaxy S II info everyday at 10 AM Eastern, so who knows what will be revealed next. And don’t forget to check back here next week for everything you need to know on everything Samsung announces.
