Samsung Houdini - T-Mobile’s third Android phone?

A phone named after the great Harry Houdini has to be a cool one, right? Add a touch of Android, plus Samsung’s know-how, and you probably have a real winner there.

What am I talking about? Well, it looks like T-Mobile USA is getting ready to launch a so-called Samsung Houdini later this year.

The handset is part of T-Mo’s Android line-up, and, according to a document found at CellPhoneSignal, it will be released sometime in the fall, several months after the G2 / Magic / MyTouch 3G.

Details about the Samsung Houdini are scarce for the moment, but the handset looks somewhat similar to the Samsung i7500 – so it might be its US edition.

The above-seen document also unveils the possible contract price of MyTouch 3G: $179 – just like the current price of T-Mobile G1 (which, by the way, will be sold for only $149 starting… this month?).

All in all, good news for T-Mobile’s subscribers in the US. Source...

Nokia 5800 Star Trek Edition

Did you think that Nokia’s 5800 deserved to be mentioned in the same breath as other shows, aside from The Dark Knight? Well, Nokia has just revealed that it will be releasing a special Star Trek edition of the device. Even better news is that the device will be available for free on contract with Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile and O2. The Star Trek version will feature animated screen savers, wallpapers, eight exclusive Star Trek ringtones, and is completed by a phazer application. This Star Trek edition of the Nokia 5800 will certainly be the phone to bring to the next Star Trek convention.

First ever unboxing photos of upcomming Sidekick LX 2009

Apparently there were a few lucky people out there who go their Sidekicks a bit earlier then others, and one of them was kind enough to take some shots of an unboxing and share it on the intarwebs for all to see.

This time it’s the full monty, not just a cruel box-tease like T-Mobile tried to run on us a few days ago. The incredibly lucky individual who took the pictures was kind enough to post some wider angle shots as well as a few close ups for your viewing pleasure. Source...

Sidekick LX 2009 features & Specs leaked

All right, all you T-Mobile USA texters out there, check out this piece of news: your beloved carrier might soon release a Sidekick LX 2009 that will sport a marvelous 3.2-inch display with a resolution of no less than 854 x 480 pixels.

Even more, the yet to come Sidekick LX will reportedly have 3G and GPS, both of which are new features for the Sidekick family.

The new LX is also said to offer quick access to MySace, Tiwtter and YouTube, a 3.2 MP camera with video recording, and MicroSD card support.

Unfortunately, all this info doesn’t come from official sources, but from HipTop3, thus some specs might not be real. Anyway, the handset pictured in here looks legit enough, so let’s hope T-Mo will fully unveil it in the next few months.Source...

Samsung T919 coming to T-Mobile

T-Mobile is finally launching the Samsung T919, the first ALL-touchscreen phone from T-Mobile. Rumors about this handset have been around ever since mid August, but all details on it were a bit blurry, to say the leas. Apparently called the “Behold” rather than the “Tocco”, this camera phone will be hitting T-Mobile on November 10.
The Samsung T919 Behold has a similar form factor as the LG Renoir, boasting a large touchscreen display and a camera mounted on the back. There’s a five megapixel camera there, but we’re not sure if you get autofocus and face recognition. There is also a secondary camera on the front for video calls, streaming video support, GPS with voice commands, a capacitive touchscreen, microSDHC slot, and a brushed aluminum back.
Sources cited by TmoNews claim that Samsung T919 is expected to be launched in November, on the 10th of the month to be more precise, and that it will have a price of $149. This means that the waiting will not be too long but, with the G1 being launched on October 22, T919 should pack some breathtaking goodies under the hood, since the price difference is not that big either – the G1 will be priced at $179 with a 2-year agreement. Source...

Download the leaked T-Mobile G1 Manual

The new T-Mobile G1 Android smartphone hasn't even been released yet, but already the user manual has been found on the Web! You can download it here to check it out for yourself. Gizmodo have already had a gander at it and published 40-odd photos taken from the manual. They complain that it seems a bit complicated, but having waded through my Nokia E90's manual, it's a cakewalk in comparison!

Motorola MOTOACTV W450 released with T-Mobile USA

Motorola announced the sporty MOTOACTV W450 is available exclusively from T-Mobile USA. The durable clamshell design features a rubberized external coating that makes the device easy to grip, while a chin bar at the base of the phone lets users clip it to a belt or pack. MOTOACTV W450 also features two color schemes, alpine white and black slate, with either canary yellow or mandarin accents.

T-Mobile customers can capture images and video on the W450’s 1.3 megapixel camera. The W450 supports an optional microSD memory card up to 2 GB, not the best but enough for most of the users. Shortcut buttons to music as well as pictures and messages are available. Users also can customize their phone through the dedicated t-zones key, which provides instant access to ringtones, pictures and wallpaper. MOTOACTV W450 is available today at select T-Mobile retail stores.

Specification:
Dimensions: 4.18 x 1.80 x .74
Weight: 3.5 ounces
Display: TFT, 128×160 Internal, 65K colors, 96×80 External CLI 4 Color Grayscale
Talk Time: up to approximately 7.5 hours
Standby Time: up to approximately 10.4 days
Rugged design
Mayo Clinic In Touch software with first aid tip and symptom checker
1.3 megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom, video capture and playback at 15 fps
Integrated music player that supports multiple audio files: MP3, AAC, AAC+, AAC+ enhanced
Bluetooth
2.5 mm headset jack
Supports optional microSD memory card for up to 2GB
GSM Quad Band; 850/900/1800 1900 MHz
GPRS class 10
Mini-USB
Source...

Video: T-Mobile G1 a quick Hands-on review

T-Mobile G1 Hands-on from geekdotcom on Vimeo

Apple iPhone or T-Mobile G1 - Look before you buy

All the hype came to its crescendo this week as T-Mobile, Google and HTC jointly released the T-Mobile G1, the first commercially available mobile device based on the open source Linux Google Android operating system.
The touch screen G1, known to some as the HTC Dream, bears some similarity to the Apple iPhone, which saw amazing uptake with the release of its 3G model. Even the original iPhone, released 15 months ago, still garners a great deal of hype.

And while it's uncertain whether the T-Mobile G1 and Google Android will unseat the iPhone for smart phone supremacy, the G1 is better than the iPhone, though it might not be as pretty.

At the G1's official launch on Tuesday, the main focus was on Google Android's openness and its work with the Open Handset Alliance. Along with unveiling the physical device itself, the Google and T-Mobile teams also launched the Android Market. Similar in concept to the Apple AppStore, Android Market enables third-party application developers to offer their apps to be used on the device.

The Android Market, simply put, is better than Apple's AppStore.

Google's hands-off approach means there will be no whining about what applications do and don't get picked up. Essentially, a developer can offer his or her application on the market without fees, review or even Google's stamp of approval. With Apple keeping a tight grip on the apps offered in its AppStore -- anyone remember IAMRICH? -- Android Market will be a breath of fresh air.

The G1 may earn a leg up on Steve Jobs' baby because T-Mobile is a better carrier than AT&T. It might come as a surprise, considering T-Mobile currently doesn't support 3G in every major metropolitan area, but the G1 will also support Wi-Fi and 2G networks until T-Mobile gets its high-speed 3G initiative fully up and running. Many potential iPhoners have been put off by the AT&T mandate, which is now in place until 2010, often complaining about the data plan pricing and unsatisfactory service.

While T-Mobile is bound to offer a few dead zones of its own, it has set reasonable pricing on its plans, offering a limited plan for $25 and an unlimited Web and messaging plan for $35. It's estimated that over a two-year period a voice and data plan for the G1 could save consumers nearly $400 compared to similar service for an iPhone. Plus, the G1 comes in around $20 cheaper than the cheapest iPhone model with a two-year contract.

Where the iPhone is sleek and slender, the G1 comes with a little more girth and weight. But the extra fractions of an inch and added ounces are worth it for the physical full QWERTY keypad. Similar in style to T-Mobile's now-iconic Sidekick line, the G1's screen slides up to reveal a full keyboard, with enough short cuts to ease Web surfing and make messaging simpler -- without relying just on a touch-screen keyboard to get the job done.

The G1 also offers multimedia messaging, copy and paste, voice dialing and a removable battery, which the iPhone notably lack.

And for those who buy devices for looks more than functionality, the G1 comes in three colors, while the iPhone hits just two: black and white. The G1 adds brown to the mix.

Both devices also offer a host of similar features and functions. Both have a music player, Bluetooth, GPS, GoogleMaps with Satellite View and Traffic and POP3 and IMAP email. The G1, however, relies on Amazon's MP3 store and the iPhone on Apple iTunes for music. The G1 also wraps into GoogleMaps Street View and a compass mode that orients the screen as the user moves, features the iPhone is missing. No, the G1 currently doesn't support Microsoft Exchange for email, which the iPhone does, but it does offer push Gmail and the device's makers anticipate someone will create an Exchange application for it soon and offer it in the Android Market.

Oh, and the G1 has a 3.2 megapixel camera, a touch higher than the iPhone's 2 megapixels.

Will these reasons be enough to propel the G1 past the iPhone? That remains to be seen. Research firm Strategy Analytics is predicting that the G1 could sell 400,000 units by year's end, accounting for roughly 4 percent of the smart phone market. While analysts at Piper Jaffray have predicted that Apple will have sold 5 million iPhone 3Gs in the past quarter. Surely, Google and T-Mobile have an uphill battle, but its strong feature set and subtle differences could be the boom the smart phone market needed for Apple to find its true rival. Source...

T-Mobile Google Phone HTC G1 Hardware

Here is a look at the hardware of the T-Mobile HTC G1 phone running the Android platform

HTC T-Mobile G1 Android Released : Full Details of the Google Android HTC Dream Phone

The long-awaited HTC Dream, the first commercial handset running Google's Android operating system, will be coming to T-Mobile as the G1 for $179 on October 22nd. Featuring a 3-inch touchscreen, internet navigation buttons and a full QWERTY keypad, the smartphone market has finally broken free of Symbian, Windows Mobile and the sweet clutches of fruit companies. Read on for the details, and you can decide whether or not the competition is a good thing.

Features:

Date and Pricing
$179 on October 22nd. (That's with a two year contract.) Unlimited internet with "some messaging" will run $25/month. Unlimited internet and messaging is $35/month. Data plans will require voice plans.

Screen
The G1 sports a 3.17" 65K color touchscreen that runs in HVGA (480×320) resolution.

Battery Life
You can talk for 5 hours, or keep the phone in standby for 130 hours.

Camera
3.1MP, or right around 35mm 4x6 print quality.

Frequency Fun
GSM/GPRS/EDGE/Wi-Fi and UMTS/HSDPA
850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100Mhz

Dimensions
4.60 x 2.16 x 0.62; Weight: 5.6 ounces. And available in white, black and brown.

Storage
1GB MicroSD card preinstalled. Supports 8GB MicroSD.

GPS
Of course, what would Google Maps be without it?

Google Maps
As we've seen in a recent update, the G1's Maps application will integrate Street View so you can see where you are going. But in an industry first, a built-in compass orients the map to your position. North is always up!

Android Market
Similar to the iPhone's mobile App Store, the Android Market will allow downloading of various Android apps from the phone, to the phone.

Amazon MP3 Store
Amazon's MP3 store will be preloaded on every G1, allowing the download of 6 million DRM-free tracks with singles starting at 89 cents. Downloading music requires a Wi-Fi connection, previewing can be done over T-Mobile's network.

YouTube
Yup, it's on there.

Other Apps
ShopSavvy: designed to help people do comparative shopping
Ecorio: developed to help people keep track of their daily travels and view what their carbon footprint looks like
BreadCrumbz: enables people to create a step-by-step visual map using photos; customers can create their own routes, share them with friends or with the world

Hands on with the new T Mobile G1 Google Android phone

Google Founders on the T-Mobile G1

Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page discuss the T-Mobile G1 at the launch event in NYC.

T-Mobile G1 Google Phone Launch Event

Official Hands-On Video Demo of T-Mobile G1 HTC phone

First ever official pics of the T-Mobile G1 HTC Dream

T-Mobile G1 HTC Dream official demo video

Source...

Buy T-Mobile G1and get free apps downloads for 90 days

The good folks at Engadget have gottentheir paws on the T-Mobile G1. They also report that buyers of the device will be get free app downloads for 90 days from the onboard Android Market or the application store! Considering the apps showcased at the ADC, it certainly is quite tempting. Nevertheless, check out some more shots over here. Source...

T-Mobile to launch Android Phone on Sept. 23 ?

T-Mobile could be launching its first Android handset as soon as 23 September, according to a report in Reuters.

At the end of August, rumors kicked off about the release of the first Android-based handset. T-Mobile announced in the second week of August that its first phone running the Android OS would be manufactured by HTC. Dubbed the HTC Dream or the G1, the phone was approved by the Federal Communications Commission about a week later, meaning the phone could be released anytime thereafter.

Speculation that Google wouldn’t make its end of year promises for an Android handset now blown out of the water, rumors started to do the rounds about launch dates for the phone, not at all dissimilar to the rumors surrounding Apple’s 3G iPhone release. People began to throw dates around that suggested sometime in early October or late September.

A very short report from Reuters, citing “people familiar with the matter,” claims consumers will see a T-Mobile handset running the Google OS on September 23. Reuters’ sources also said that T-Mobile and Google would be making an announcement in New York City sometime this week. With the week nearly over, we’re expecting this announcement either today or tomorrow so keep your eyes peeled and we’ll update as soon as we know anything more. Source...

T-Mobile brings Motorola MOTOACTV W450

T-Mobile is launching the Motorola MOTOACTV W450, an entry-level clamshell cellphone. This MOTOACTV W450 has a color display, a 1.3 Megapixel camera, Bluetooth, integrated media player and a microSD card slot.It will be priced at around $30-50. Source...