AT&T have got a new smartphone out there, namely the Samsung Captivate. The Android based 4 inch AMOLED unit will set you back $200 with the usual two year plan or $500 sans plan. Here are the specs on what looks like a decent smartphone from AT&T
* Android 2.1 OS
* 4 inch 800×480 res AMOLED capacitive touch screen
* 5 MP Camera with 4x zoom
* 802.11x connectivity
* Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity
* GSM, UMTS networks
* GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA high-speed data
* 1 GHz processor
* Music player with streaming radio
* IM AOL®, Windows Live, GoogleTalk, and Yahoo!® Messenger
* POP, IMAP4, SMTP email
* 5 hours 50 min talk time
* 340 hours standby
* 4.5 oz
* 4.18 x 2.5 x 0.39 inches
* 16 GB internal memory expandable to 32 GB (microSD)
It certainly has all the features you’d expect from a decent smartphone. Here are a few reviews of the Samsung Captivate for you to mull over.
infoSync - 85% - screen, OS speed positives, iPhone 4 better negative CNET - 4 stars out of 5 - screen, 16GB memory positives, lack of apps and no flash negatives phoneArena - 8.5 out of 10 - screen, processor speed positives, photo and call quality negatives PCMag - 4 out of 5 - processor speed, syncing options positives, flash, lack voice dialing over bluetooth negatives
Pretty good reviews all round for the Samsung Captivate. If you’re keen then check out the product info ovet at AT&T.
AT&T have just added the Pantech Pursuit to their cellphone lineup. The Pursuit is aimed at text-messaging users with a neat slider QWERTY keyboard under the display. AT&T are offering the Pursuit for a meagre $50 after rebates but require customers to have a $20 a month messaging plan over and above their two year voice plan. As well as a QWERTY slider, the Pursuit has a touchscreen interface, 2.0 MP camera along with mobile email and easy-to-use Quick Messaging.
* 2.8 inch 320 x 240 res 262K TFT LCD display
* GSM/GPRS/EDGE Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900MHz
* UMTS/HSDPA Dual-Band 850/1900MHz 3G
* EDGE high speed data network
* Bluetooth connectivity
* Predictive text for fast typing
* Backlit Keys
* 930 mAh lithium ion battery
* Up to 5 hours talk time
* Up to 15 days standby time
* 4.58 ounces
* 3.67 x 2.51 x 0.58 inches
* microSD memory
* 2 MP 7x zoom camera
* Supported music formats MP3, MIDI, iMelody, WAV, MMF, WMA, 3GPA
* Text Messaging
* Instant Messaging (IM)
The Pursuit comes in two colours, blue and green with glossy black being a notable exception. So much for all the numbers, the burning question is what is the Pantech Pursuit actually like? Well, it has already acquired a 4.8 out of 5 rating on the AT&T website, while over at CNet it’s received a 3.5 score out of five from the editors and testfreaks give it nine out of ten. Negatives noted in the reviews included small screen and a low spec camera whilst positives include good design and interface.
We do like the look of the Pantech Pursuit, so if you’re up for a funky-looking slider touchscreen cellphone then AT&T may just have what you’re after. If you’ve already taken the Pursuit plunge, do let us know what you think.
Motorola showed the world its new Backflip mobile phone at CES and now you can get your hands on it for a $100. Oh yeah, as long as you sign up for a two year plan with AT&T. The Backflip takes the slider concept a step further with the QWERTY keyboard around the back of the phone when closed. A hinged edge allows the keyboard to be rotated out and around to position the keyboard underneath the screen just like a slider. But here’s the clever bit from the Motorola design boys - the back of the display section has a touchpad module which is accessible whilst the keyboard is flipped out. Otherwise the Backflip sports the usual bells and whistles with software that syncs with Facebook and the rest, full HTML web browsing, etc. Here’s a full list of those features and specifications.
* Always-on social networking synching with Facebook, MySpace and Twitter
* Touch pad, touch display, and back-flip QWERTY with table top mode
* Contacts, including status and pictures, auto-populate from social networks
* full HTML web browsing
* Android Webkit full HTML browser
* Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g
* 3G connectivity
* 3.1-in. HVGA (320 x 480 pixels) touchscreen
* Backtrack navigation tool behind screen
* 5 MP autofocus camera
* Text and multimedia messaging
* Google Talk and IM
* Supports AAC, H.263, H.264, MP3, MPEG-4, WAV, MIDI, AAC+ audio formats
* 3.5 mm headset jack
* USB 2.0 standard micro USB connector
* aGPS, Accelerometer and E-compass
* WCDMA 850/1900/2100, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps (category 7/8), EDGE Class 12, GPRS Class 12, aGPS, v2.0
* microSD slot, 2 GB preinstalled expandable up to 32 GB
* 133 grams
* 53.0 x 108.0 x 15.3 mm
* 1400 mAh battery
* 350 minutes of talktime
* 315 hours on standby
Quite an array of specs and we confess pretty impressive too. The unit is powered by Android 1.5 and when purchased with an AT&T two year contract will set you back $100 after rebates. The Motorola Backflip is available from March 7th and you can sign up now for email updates at AT&T’s website. Whilst we’re never convinced about the wisdom a contractual agreement we must admit the Backflip would certainly make us more likely to sign up for one.
We managed to dig up this video for you showing the Backflip in action from phonedog when they were at CES.
LG’s slender slider, the eXpo, is now available for only $200 after rebates at AT&T. The unit sports Wi-Fi support, 3G high speed data connectivity plus Bluetooth 2.1. It also runs on Win Mobile 6.5 Professional with a 3.2 inch touchscreen. Sound good? Here are all the stats on the LG eXpo
* SnapDragon processor running Windows Mobile 6.5 Pro
* 3.2 inch 800 x 480 res touchscreen display
* QWERTY keyboard
* GSM/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
* 3G UMTS/HSDPA (850/1900/2100 MHz)
* EDGE high speed data network connectivity
* 5.0 MP camera with 5x zoom
* MP3, AAC, eAAC+, AMR, MIDI audio formats supported
* Text and Instant Messaging (AOL, Windows Live and Yahoo Messenger)
* Talk time Up to 3 hours
* Standby time Up to 10 days
* 4.46 ounces
* 4.50 x 2.16 x .63 inches
* 512 MB internal memory
* microSD Card slot (up to 16 GB)
If the eXpo is just what you’re after, check it out at AT&T.
A new addition to the AT&T smartphone range this week, is the HTC Pure, a 3.2 inch touchscreen device powered by Windows Mobile 6.5. The HTC Pure is currently available for a snip at $149.99 after rebates and comes with the usual two year contract. The unit sports the following bits and pieces
* 3.2 inch 480 x 800 res display
* Touchscreen keyboard
* microSD expandable memory (up to 32 GB)
* 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS
* UMTS/HSDPA (850/900/1900/21000 MHz) 3G
* EDGE data network connectivity
* Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity
* HTML browser
* Access to personal email including AOL®, Yahoo!(TM), Windows Live(TM)
* 5.0 Mp camera with 4x zoom
* Mp3 player with built-in FM radio
The HTC Pure is one of AT&T’s first cellphones to feature Microsoft’s latest mobile OS WinMo 6.5 so it’ll be interesting to see the reaction to the new OS as these units get pushed out. Certainly the Pure’s specs look impressive with the $150 price tag so AT&T will be hoping WinMo 6.5 won’t drag this new offering down.
In the spirit of gadget combination, Garmin and Asus bring us the hybrid cellphone/GPS unit, the nuvifone G60 available at AT&T. In the AT&T press release there’s no mention of Asus, but plenty of marketing hype about the nuvifone G60
“Personal navigation devices are already all about mobility and taking the Garmin experience everywhere as your mobile phone is truly compelling for customers who travel often,” said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We expect the nüvifone to be the guide for local restaurants, the least-expensive gas and the nearest coffee shop for many customers.”
Here are some hard facts we managed to extract from the release
* Same core features as the Garmin nuvi
* Preloaded with maps of North America
* Turn-by-turn voice-prompted directions
* full HTML browser
* Wi-Fi connectivity
* touch-screen virtual keyboard with either QWERTY layout or A to Z
* three megapixel camera with auto-focus which automatically geotags images
* free access to AT&T’s Yellow Pages, flight status and converter
* Premium Connected Services gives customers subscription access to real-time traffic information, fuel prices, White Pages, weather and more for $5.99/month after a 30-day trial
If that all sounds great to you, then AT&T still require US$300 from you (after rebates) before you can get your mits on one of these suckers. Whilst we can see a demand for the nuvifone G60 for people who are on the move a lot, that’ll be about it really, it’ll probably pass the average Joe by. If, of course, you’re not the average Joe the nuvifone is available on October 4th.
The Nokia Surge, a socially supercharged smartphone, will be available online and at AT&T stores as of the 19th of July. The Surge is a QWERTY silder aimed at the social network jet-set coming with JuiceCaster which allows the user to share images and vids from the Surge on the usual SM sites such as Flickr and Facebook. A mere US$80 will get you one of these suckers along with a two-year shackle after a rebate and a $50 promotion card. But what else can the Nokia Surge do? Here are the details on the unit
* GSM 850/900/1800/1900
* HSDPA 850/1900
* 2.4 inch 320×240 red display
* Full QWERTY slider keyboard
* 2.5 mm audio jack
* 128 MB internal storage
* microSD slot allowing up to 8 GB of expansion memory
* Bluetooth v2.0
* 2 MP camera for stills and action
* Symbian OS, S60 rel. 3.2
* Handles SMS, MMS, Email, IM
* Stereo radio
* 97.5 x 57.9 x 15.5 mm
* 123.9 g
* Handles MPEG4/3GP and MP3/WAV/AAC files
* Standby up to 400 hours
* 4 hours of 3G talktime and 4 hours 50 mins on 2G
Not bad for US$80 and plus the design is pretty nice too. It looks a bit weird when the keyboard is tucked away, like you’ve got an extra bit stuck on the side of your cellphone. But with the keyboard out the shapes all nicely gel together. And of course you know how much we like QWERTY sliders at Our Picks, so we tried to track down a hands-on video review but with no luck. Here’s the closest we got with Mobile Gazette’s video preview of the Nokia Surge.
So if any of you social networking types out there have had a play with the Nokia Surge, let us all know what you think of it.
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