The Galaxy S 4G comes to T-Mobile

Today, T-Mobile has has started selling the Samsung Galaxy S 4G. The device has similar specs to the Samsung Vibrant already available from T-Mobile. The Galaxy S features a 1 GHz CPU, 4 inch Super AMOLED display and a 5 megapixel camera that can record in 720p. These specs are very much the same as the Vibrant. Indeed many Vibrant cases can work as a case for the Samsung Galaxy S 4G. Indeed the only differences between the two phones is that the Galaxy S 4G has a front facing camera and can use T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network. Are these upgrades are worth the $149 cost with a two year license? Or is the Atrix at AT&T a better choice?

Motorla Atrix now on sale

AT&T has announced that the Motorola Atrix 4G will become available for purchase on Feb 22nd. This phone won over CES last year and is anticipated to be one of the hottest phones of the year.  The Atrix comes with the latest Dual core CPU, high resolution 4 inch screen, HSPA+ connectivity and a 5 megapixel camera with a flash. But what really makes the device unique are the Atrix accessories that you can buy including a laptop dock and a HD/desktop dock. Both of these allow you to access a full featured Firefox web browser which is a big step up from the Android browser on the 4 inch screen. Will the Atrix make up for the loss of the iPhone exclusivity? Only time will tell, but it is a good try.

AT&T is pricing the Atrix at $199 with a two year contract. You can also get the dock for a total $99 with a rebate, but you have to buy the special data plan. If you want to save money, Radio Shack is continuing the trend of undercutting the carrier and will sell the Atrix right out of the gate at $149. The dock can also be had $20 cheaper at the Shack.

Motorola Xoom will ship right after Valentines

It looks like the Motorola Xoom will be arriving on Febrary 17th. This 10 inch tablet is expected to challenge the iPad for supremacy of the Tablet crown. The Xoom looks to outclass the current generation iPad with its dual core processor and cameras. It also sports the fist Android version, Honeycomb, that Google deems to be tablet worthy. Demonstrations with the Xoom have shown that Honeycomb is a significant step up in terms of Android for a tablet format. Already many retailers have started to sale Motorola Xoom cases and accessories in anticipation. The Xoom is expected to make a splash and set a high standard for the iPad 2 to compete against.

HTC EVO Shift 4g almost available

The HTC EVO Shift 4g became available for pre-order but is gone now. Though the phone has not been officially announced, the preview on Amazon shows that the Shift is coming (there are even EVO Shift 4g cases available). The Successor to the HTC EVO makes some radical changes including adding a slide out keyboard and a smaller screen. The Shift version still uses Sprint’s WiMax network so it should have very fast internet connectivity. HTC seems to be taking a very different tack with the Shift versus its predecessor by adding a keyboard and shrinking the screen. Also underneath the hood the CPU is now clocked at 800 mhz versus 1ghz. It seems that HTC is acknowledging that the original EVO, though very popular, went too far to one extreme. The phone was also hampered by poor battery life which limited its popularity. With a smaller screen and a newer, slower CPU this may fix the primary complaint about the phone.

Smart phone manufacturing costs

How much does it cost to build your favorite smartphone? That is a question that the folks over at tableausoftware.com have gathered and visualized. Each of the components that make up four popular smart phones: iPhone 4, BlackBerry Torch, Nexus One and the Nokia N8. It is interesting to see that all four phones cost essentially the same in terms of parts, all less than $200 for the parts. But the functionality you get when comparing the iPhone 4 ($194.05) to the BlackBerry Torch ($183.04) is pretty vast. For example, RIM spends MORE on the BlackBerry Torch screen than Apple does on its highly touted retinal display. Even more perplexing is that RIM only spent $8 dollars for their pokey processor, but could have spent around $11 for something blazing like Apple did. Someone really wasn’t thinking in the engineering department. It is not surprising to see that Nokia spent the most money for their 12 megapixel camera of all manufacturers. Ironically, Apple spends the most of any manufacturer on Housing/Mechanicals and still had Antennagate.

Here comes the Dell Venue Pro

T-Mobile has announced that the Dell Venue pro is now available. Shoppers who order it now which will then ship on Decmber 9th. It would be just in time for a Christmas present. The Dell Venue pro is probably the most interesting of the bland windows phone 7 lineup. The device has a slide out portrait keyboard and a 4.1 inch screen. It is available for $99 with a two year contract from T-Mobile.

Samsung Epic 4G gets Froyo

At long last, the promised and often delayed Samsung Epic 4G upgrade to Android 2.2 is here. The update has been announced officially and a few owners have reported that they have successfully upgraded. This makes the Epic 4G the first of the Samsung S phones to received the Froyo upgrade in the US. Hope to see some benchmarks come out soon.

Kinect hacks abound

In a display of common sense and at least some modicum of marketing savvy, Microsoft has reversed their stance of Kinect hacking. Enthusiasts have picked up Microsoft’s newest XBOX add on, the Kinect not to play games but hack (some would say extend) access to its features. The Kinect is built to let XBOX 360 players play games without a control. But the Kinect has many hardware goodies like stereo camera, infared laser and stereoscopic microphones. It is a cheap platform for those looking to interact with their computers without a mouse or keyboard. Microsoft originally had warned programmers from hacking their Kinect devices with legal threats. But now they are acknowledging the potential value of some of these hacks. This newest hack allows you to control a web browser just with gestures. http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/_1PVd5ck_Iw?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

Windows Phone 7 jailbroken

You knew it was just a matter of time before there was a jailbrake for Windows Phone 7. Some hackers have published an application called ChevronWP7 that will allow a windows phone 7 owner to load software directly on to their phone from their computer. This would bypass Microsoft’s app marketplace. The software is meant to help software developers to test apps that Microsoft would not approve in their marketplace. It does however, open up the possibility of software piracy on the widows phone 7 platform much like a jailbroken iPhone. Microsoft prompty issued a statement saying that using the software would void the phone’s warranty and can make the phone unusable. This statement is similar to the one they published about using a microSD card on the Samsung Focus. The ChevronWP7 software can be found here

.

MetroPCS joins Android blitz

MetroPCS has started selling their first Android phone, the LG Optimus M Android. Now, the Optimus M is not a cutting edge smart phone. But it does come with the standard WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS radios, a smallish 3.2 inch capacitive touch display and a 3.2 megapixel camera. In addition, it comes loaded with Android 2.2 which is better than many low end devices. What makes the Optimus M unique is that MetroPCS sells it at $230 new without a contract. Paired with MetroPCS $50/month plan that included unlimited talk and data and you probably have the cheapest smart phone plan going right now. A few other prepaid providers like cricket or boost had also started to sell pre-paid Android phones but this is the first one that comes with an up to date Android OS. Lets hope it starts a trend with other cell phone providers.