Android Dose

If you haven’t heard about the AT&T/Tmobile merge, then I advise you to crawl out from that rock under which you are hiding. In a recent announcement, AT&T plans to purchase T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom for a whopping $39 billion. Now, before I get into my rant (you’ve been warned), I have to stress that this deal is by no means final. It has to clear the Department of Justice as well as the FCC, and then there’s all the paperwork and proper proceedings that have to take place. Bottom line, it could take up to a year for this merge to happen, that is, if it clears the aforementioned departments. With that being said, i’ve had some time to collect my thoughts after the initial shock of the announcement, and I’ve come to a few conclusions..

First, we have to look at it from all perspectives. From AT&T’s viewpoint, it’s a genius move. As much as I hate AT&T, I have to admit that this is a very smart business move on their part. It takes months, sometimes years to gain approval to build new cell towers, and AT&T didn’t want to wait for it. They found the most simple solution possible: they bought towers. Since AT&T and Tmobile are both GSM carriers, it was a no-brainer for AT&T to purchase Tmo, who we’ve noticed has been struggling financially as of late. All AT&T has to do is reconfigure the Tmobile towers, and they’ve got a lot more coverage and the potential for faster speeds. I hate AT&T with a passion, but I must give them their dues here.

Now, from the most common perspective (and mine, I might add), the current Tmobile customer. I, for one, am trying to stay optimistic. Maybe AT&T will change for the better through this deal. Maybe their services will improve, and they’ll grow in a positive way. Obviously, this is not as likely as AT&T staying the same, and just gaining some more towers, but I’ll let you sort that out for yourself. So, as a Tmo customer, what do you do? Stay with AT&T/Tmobile, or head to another carrier, like Sprint or Verizon? Well, that all depends on you. I know some Android enthusiasts who are already planning the move to another carrier, and I can’t say I blame them. While Tmobile is trying its best to ensure a smooth transaction for customers, I doubt it’ll be as easy as they’re making it out to be. Tmobile phones that use Tmo 3G won’t get 3G after the merge, meaning they’ll have to switch to an AT&T 3G (or 4G) phone. This is not a popular aspect among Tmobile customers, myself included.

And finally, we have to look at it from the CDMA carriers’ points of view. At the moment, Verizon is the largest carrier, with AT&T trailing, and Sprint in 3rd. If this deal goes through, AT&T will vastly increase the size of its network, surpassing Verizon. Vzw and Sprint have to be worried about their market shares, and how the merge will force them to step up their game to stay in it. Of course, the HTC Thunderbolt is certainly luring in many Android users from Tmobile to Verizon lately, so don’t count the CDMA carriers out just yet.

Now, what do I think about the merge? I hate it, plain and simple. I’ve been a Tmo user for nearly 4 years now, and I’ve never had a single complaint. Why? Because Tmobile offers the best customer service, bar none. That’s why I’ve stuck with them all these years. You won’t find quality customer service like that anywhere else. And now, Tmobile is being bought out by the company that’s notorious for terrible customer service. That’s not something that will brighten my day.  But like I said, I’m being optimistic. There’s a chance that AT&T will learn from it’s restrictive mistakes and be more carefree with Android. And with the addition of all those Tmobile towers, AT&T’s network can only get stronger from here. What are my plans as a Tmobile customer? For now, I’m staying where I am. If things take a turn for the worse, my contract runs out in November, at which point I’ll move to Sprint.

So, all in all, a smart move for AT&T, sucks for Tmo customers, and worries CDMA carriers. Any questions?

According to a late night press release T-Mobile has joined forces with Samsung to deliver yet another Samsung mobile device powered by Android. Sadly thought the Sidekick 4G seems to be lacking many of the newer features we are seeing in other manufacturers offerings. Sporting Android 2.2 and a Single Core Hummingbird processor and a small 3.5″ screen. To me it doesn’t seem like a lot of innovation except for the 4G Speeds, even though Samsung just released the Galaxy S 4G on T-Mobile recently.  Well here is the original press release.

T-Mobile Sidekick Is Reborn

New Sidekick 4G is a Lightning-Fast and Stylish Communication Hub,

Delivering Evolved Messaging and Entertainment at 4G Speeds

BELLEVUE, Wash., and DALLAS — March 15, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.,¹ today unveiled the new T-Mobile Sidekick® 4G™ by Samsung. The new Android™-powered smartphone pays tribute to its heritage with its stylish good looks and a killer keyboard while redefining messaging and upgrading to 4G speeds. One of T-Mobile’s fastest smartphones running on America’s Largest 4G Network™, the new Sidekick 4G is capable of delivering theoretical peak download speeds of up to 21 Mbps.

The T-Mobile Sidekick has long been known for its innovative and distinctive design, and the Sidekick 4G does not disappoint. The 3.5-inch display marks the first Sidekick to feature a touch screen and its sturdy “pop-tilt” hinge reveals the previously acclaimed, five-row QWERTY keyboard that has long been a Sidekick hallmark and the reason behind its status as an exceptional messaging device.

The new Sidekick 4G leverages its quality keyboard along with Sidekick Group Text™ and Cloud Text™ to redefine messaging. Sidekick’s Group Text feature lets customers create, name, manage and participate in reply-all group text conversations, enabling them to lead their network in conversation and social planning. Group Text breathes new life into one of the most popular forms of messaging allowing Sidekick 4G customers to initiate and share the benefit of the application with SMS-capable devices from flip phones to smartphones. In addition, Cloud Text provides the option to text with friends or groups across platforms, whether from the comfort of their PC’s large screen and keyboard, or from their new Sidekick 4G.

“Backed by the faster speeds on T-Mobile’s 4G network, the new Sidekick 4G offers customers both speed and style,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. “We’ve reinvented the messaging experience that made the Sidekick such an iconic device, and supercharged it with communication and entertainment experiences that take full advantage of our 4G network.”

Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile, said, “We are proud that T-Mobile selected Samsung to help create the next-generation Sidekick and carry the iconic Sidekick brand and device to the next level. Samsung redesigned the new Sidekick 4G with our best-in-class hardware, combined with T-Mobile’s 4G network speeds, the Android operating system, and unique messaging and entertainment features, to make this a perfect match for both loyal Sidekick fans and new Sidekick owners.”

The new Sidekick 4G also comes preloaded with Facebook® and Twitter™ applications, and provides easy interaction with customers’ social networks by allowing them to update their status from the notification pane and browse their feeds from the home screen. They have the ability to sync their social network contacts to the phone’s address book, which lets them post to their friends’ walls or comment on their status. And multitasking is easier than ever with the Sidekick 4G’s jump key, an easy-to-access physical button that enables customers to quickly switch between active applications, even during a phone call, or assign keyboard shortcuts to their favorite functions or applications.

In addition to a communication hub, the new Sidekick 4G is now an entertainment hub. With speeds as fast as home broadband, enjoying a favorite TV show or surfing the Web on the go is a breeze. Sidekick’s Media Room features one place to enjoy music, videos, movies, YouTube®, T-Mobile TV® and Slacker Radio, and to search for content regardless of the source. The integrated media player, also accessible through the Media Room, spans across all media including music, video and Internet radio. Customers also have the option to rent or purchase their favorite movies and TV programs directly from the Samsung Media Hub, which offers a robust collection of movie and next-day TV show titles from CBS, Fox, MTV Networks, NBC Universal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. Customers now have the option to place Media Hub charges directly to their monthly T-Mobile service bill.

Complementing the messaging communication features, the new Sidekick 4G is equipped with a VGA front-facing camera and pre-installed T-Mobile Video Chat powered by Qik™, to ensure you are always present with your social circle. Powered by Android 2.2 (Froyo) and a speedy 1 GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor, so consumers can keep up with their favorite blogs while on the move, search for the must-try dinner spots and map the way to their next destination — all at blazing fast speeds. The new smartphone will also offer dynamic media features and integrated Google™ services, including Gmail™, Google Maps™ and access to thousands of applications on Android Market™.

The new Sidekick 4G also comes equipped with DriveSmart™ from T-Mobile, a first-of-its kind service from a U.S. carrier, that helps prevent distracted driving. When initiated, DriveSmart Basic provides automatic incoming call and message management, sending a customizable note to callers and senders, letting them know that the recipient is driving and will respond when it’s safe. DriveSmart Plus offers the same functionality, with the added capability to automatically activate when the handset is in a moving vehicle, as well as advanced parental controls for enhanced peace of mind when teen drivers are behind the wheel.

Offered exclusively to T‑Mobile customers, the new T-Mobile Sidekick 4G is expected to be available later this spring in two stylish colors — matte black or pearl magenta. Customers can visit http://sidekick.t-mobile.com/ for more information.

Samsung sent out a press release late last night detailing the LG G-Slate coming soon to a T-Mobile near you! Finally we are getting some specs! The Slate will feature Honeycomb, as well as 3D capabilities apparently including a rear facing stereoscopic camera for shooting 3D videos as well as access to T-Mobiles HSPA+/4G network. It also features 32GB of internal memory (Nice touch I must say) and an 8.9″ screen as well as NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 Dual core processor. They don’t mention a speed rating but be sure its a dual core 1Ghz at this point.

T-Mobile also announced the Samsung Galaxy S 4G (which we all know is basically a Vibrant with 4G and a Front Facing Camera but I’ve included the both press releases below)

Galaxy S 4G from T-Mobile to Offer Blazing-Fast Speeds and Unparalleled Entertainment Experience Featuring Movies, TV and Video Chat

T-Mobile expands America’s Largest 4G Network to eight new

metropolitan areas in South and Midwest

BELLEVUE, Wash., and DALLAS — Feb. 2, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S. ¹, today announced the anticipated February availability of the Galaxy S™ 4G, exclusively from T-Mobile. According to T-Mobile, the Galaxy S 4G will be the fastest smartphone running on America’s Largest 4G Network™². The Galaxy S 4G, T-Mobile’s first smartphone capable of delivering theoretical peak download speeds of up to 21 Mbps, offers enhanced mobile experiences and unparalleled entertainment including mobile HD TV³ through T-Mobile TV, the ACADEMY AWARD® Nominated film INCEPTION, and T-Mobile Video Chat powered by Qik™ — delivered at 4G speeds on its 4-inch Super AMOLED touch screen display.

T-Mobile also announced the expansion of America’s largest 4G network into more than 100 major metropolitan areas, reaching more than 200 million people nationwide. In addition to expanding its 4G footprint, T-Mobile also has aggressive plans to double the speed of its 4G network in 2011, and the company expects that 140 million Americans in 25 major metropolitan areas will have access to these increased 4G speeds by midyear.

“The Galaxy S 4G pushes the envelope by reaping the benefits of our network’s unprecedented speeds and by offering groundbreaking entertainment experiences,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. “We are excited to continue to expand our portfolio of 4G devices that enable our customers to have access to unique and compelling features and an optimal 4G experience.”

“The Galaxy S 4G offers customers Samsung’s core premium product investments to speed, screen and content,” said Omar Khan, chief strategy officer, Samsung Mobile. “Galaxy S 4G is T-Mobile’s fastest smartphone and offers Samsung’s brilliant Super AMOLED display and rich multimedia features for premium movie and TV content.

Through the delivery of faster speeds comes an enhanced experience when viewing video entertainment over the Web using services such as YouTube. In addition T-Mobile TV, a preloaded application, offers consumers access to live and on-demand mobile HD TV on T-Mobile’s 4G network, including free programming from select stations like ABC News NOW, FOX Sports, PBS Kids and Azteca America.

To further enhance the entertainment package on the Galaxy S 4G, T-Mobile has preloaded, at no additional cost to consumers, Warner Bros. Pictures’ ACADEMY AWARD® Nominated film INCEPTION which is nominated for Best Picture, Best Writing (Original Screenplay), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Music (Original Score), Best Sound Editing and Best Visual Effects.  Customers also have the option to rent or purchase their favorite movies and TV programs directly from the Samsung Media Hub, which features a robust collection of new releases and TV shows.

The Galaxy S 4G’s blazing-fast speeds will make sharing memories via e-mail, social networks or video quick and easy. For example, the preloaded T-Mobile Video Chat application powered by Qik enables customers to share any moment with loved ones virtually whenever and wherever they want through T-Mobile’s network or Wi-Fi. Using either the front-facing or the rear camera, which features a 720p HD camcorder, paired with Video Chat allows customers to hold video conversations with friends and family who have a compatible mobile device.

Featured as a pre-installed application, doubleTwist® with AirSync™ provides customers with a useful and easy way to auto-sync and back up photos, HD videos and music to and from their home computer. With a Wi-Fi connection, customers can easily sync their media wirelessly and at no additional cost. The doubleTwist Player lets customers enjoy their favorite tunes and videos directly from their phone while on the go. The Galaxy S 4G also comes preloaded with Slacker Radio, offering music fans more than 130 genre stations and ability to create their own custom stations for free.

With a slim and sleek design, the Galaxy S 4G’s 4-inch Super AMOLED touch screen display gives customers a vivid, sharp viewing experience, whether consumers choose to watch a movie or read a book or newspaper with the preloaded Kindle for Android application while on the go. Powered by Android™ 2.2, the Galaxy S 4G is equipped with a speedy Samsung 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor, an ST-Ericsson M5720 HSPA+ 4G modem to enable theoretical peak downloads of up to 21 Mbps, a 5 megapixel camera, a pre-installed 16GB microSD memory card, and a 1650 mAh lithium ion battery.

Availability

The Galaxy S 4G is expected to be available to T-Mobile customers in February. Customers can visit http://galaxy-s.t-mobile.com/4G for more information.

Beginning today, T-Mobile’s network will also be delivering 4G speeds to Albany, Augusta, Columbus and Macon, Ga., and Chattanooga, Tenn., in the South region as well as in Champaign, Ill.; Lansing, Mich.; and Rochester, Minn., in the Midwest.

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T-Mobile G-Slate with Google from LG Press Release:

T-Mobile and LG Mobile Phones Unveil the T-Mobile G-Slate With Google, Delivering a Premium Mobile HD Entertainment Experience on a Tablet

The 4G Android 3.0 Tablet Enables 3D and HD Capture, Viewing and Sharing

BELLEVUE, Wash., and SAN DIEGO — Feb. 2, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. and LG Mobile Phones today unveiled their Android™ 3.0 (Honeycomb)-powered tablet, the T-Mobile® G-Slate™ with Google™ by LG. With a brilliant, high-definition (HD) 8.9-inch, 3D-capable multi-touch display, the T-Mobile G-Slate delivers a groundbreaking mobile entertainment experience, including the ability to record 3D and full HD video.

Expected to be available this spring, G-Slate is built for speed on America’s Largest 4G Network™ and is the first tablet in T-Mobile’s pioneering G-series of devices, which began with the world’s first Android-powered smartphone just over two years ago. The first 4G tablet from T-Mobile and LG, the G-Slate is powered by Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), the latest version of Google’s Android platform, which is optimized for tablets. In addition, the G-Slate will be among the first tablets to feature 3D capabilities including built-in support for 3D graphics, enabling consumers to capture and share their own 3D videos and experience 3D HD content right on the device with the aid of 3D glasses.

“The G-Slate represents the next chapter in T-Mobile’s rich history of Android innovation,” said Brad Duea, senior vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA. “Tablets enable users to take with them the rich Web and entertainment experiences they have at home, and this will radically shift the way people interact with and consume content while mobile. The G-Slate delivers a powerful combination of premium mobile HD entertainment and T-Mobile’s lightning-fast 4G mobile broadband network.”

“We are excited to introduce the T-Mobile G-Slate by LG, which offers consumers an engaging new way to communicate, entertain and stay connected,” said Tim O’Brien, vice president of marketing for LG Mobile Phones. “Bringing consumers the latest in revolutionary HD tablet technology and an Android platform perfectly optimized for tablet use, G-Slate provides a unique multimedia experience.”

The sleek, lightweight G-Slate can easily be held upright in one hand for reading an eBook or magazine, watching streaming TV or browsing the Web while on the go. Featuring a rear-facing stereoscopic video recorder with 1080p for HD video capture and a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, the G-Slate makes it easy to capture moments on video or with a photo. With the front-facing camera, customers can video chat with friends and family over T-Mobile’s network or Wi-Fi with Google Talk™. The G-Slate also supports 720p HD on-device video playback and HDMI output to show 1080p content on 3-D and HD displays. With a NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor with dual-core CPU and full Adobe® Flash® Player support, the G-Slate enables quick and seamless browsing of rich Web content, multitasking and gaming. The G-Slate will also provide a superior entertainment experience when streaming live TV or downloading music and videos with lightning-fast speed over T-Mobile’s 4G network.

In addition, the G-Slate includes 32 GB of internal memory and features a built-in gyroscope, accelerometer and adaptive lighting for the latest applications and the ultimate gaming experience.

T-Mobile’s 4G network, America’s largest 4G network, has expanded into more than 100 major metropolitan areas, reaching more than 200 million people nationwide. Beginning today, T-Mobile’s network is also delivering 4G speeds to Albany, Augusta, Columbus and Macon, Ga., and Chattanooga, Tenn., in the South region as well as in Champaign, Ill.; Lansing, Mich.; and Rochester, Minn., in the Midwest. In addition to the expanding its 4G footprint, T-Mobile has aggressive plans to double the speed of its 4G network in 2011. T-Mobile expects that 140 million Americans in 25 major metropolitan areas will have access to these increased 4G speeds by midyear.

Visit the T-Mobile G-Slate product page to register for updates.

Samsung has a long history of not updating their hardware. I first noticed it with the Behold 2. Yeah, that stoneage device that was cool for a whole 5 seconds when it came out. They failed to give the thing Donut. Donut. The last time I used Donut was over a year ago, on my G1. Really Samsung? You couldn’t just throw out an OTA?

Their failure progressed and now continues with the Galaxy S line. I’ve heard whispers of some lucky people getting Froyo on their Epic 4G or Fascinate, but there’s no full rollout for Froyo yet. And to top it off, you’re planning to release the Vibrant Plus on T-Mobile, which has everything the original Vibrant didn’t. HSPA+, a front-facing camera, and most importantly, Froyo.

I understand the need to release new and up-to-date devices, but the least you could do is give Galaxy S owners Froyo before letting pictures of the Vibrant Plus leak. My Twitter feed blew up last night with angry Vibrant owners that haven’t gotten Froyo yet and heard about the Plus. I’d be throwing chairs across my living room if I had a Vibrant. Samsung didn’t exactly please a lot of people on this one. When I was writing about the Vibrant Plus, which broke last night, I could tell that it was going to upset a lot of people.

And it did. It does. And it probably will for some time, or at least until Vibrant owners get their precious Froyo. They have every reason to be angry with Samsung. I wouldn’t blame Tmobile too much for this one. They can’t control whether or not a manufacturer’s update is ready for a device.

But as far as Sammy goes, blame them all you want. They screwed up, big time. Too bad Tmobile has to suffer for it by losing so many Vibrant customers.

Let’s face it:  When it comes to buying almost anything, we look for names that we know and trust.  Most people go with brands they have experience with.  Take myself for example.  If I’m looking to buy a new Indianapolis Colts beanie (which may happen soon), I look for the officially licensed NFL logo.  Pens are the same way; I prefer a Pilot over a BIC.  Clothes, food, video games, cars…  No matter what it is we’re shopping for, we look for brand names that we have had at least a semi-good experience with.  Those brands live up to their names.  They carry a special place in our hearts when we go to look for/at their products.  The same goes for our mobile devices, and that’s where my rant begins.

Everyone has had a chance to see the newest member of the Android family tree, coming from the Samsung branch.  It’s black, has a slight curve to it, capacitive touch buttons on the bottom, full of Gingerbread, and was “unnamed” in the hands of Eric Schmidt during a sneak peak at w2o.  Unfortunately everyone knew EXACTLY what this device was:  The fabled Nexus S.  Now normally I wouldn’t put a new device down so much that it goes EMO and melts into a smoldering mass of silicon, but I have to say, “Really?”

Let’s look at the positives:  One, it runs Gingerbread.  Okay, great.   Two, it’s equipped with an NFC chip.  Big whoop.  Three, it’s got 16GB of internal storage.  Can you tell I’m trying NOT to roll my eyes here?  Good.

Now that those are done with, let’s compare and bring up the negatives.

Again, it runs Gingerbread.  Great.  Too bad ALL of the other SGS devices are STILL waiting for Froyo, with the exception of some.  Here’s the kicker:  Since the Gingerbread source droped, we’ve been seeing Gingy-flavored ROMs on all types of devices along the tree.  So my Nexus has to wait for it; it’s cool with me.  CM7 is gonna caress its naughty bits with a little spice.  And that NFC chip?  Yeah, NOT exactly something that’s going to benefit me.  Last time I checked, my Visa card and FourSquare can do the same things, together of course.  Then there’s the 16GB of internal storage…

We’ll pause right here for a “woo-sah” moment…  Breathe…

Okay, I’m good.  I’m wondering who made the decision to just off ANY SD storage at ALL and go with straight internal.  I really am.  In the end, all I’m going to say is, honestly, it’s a stupid idea.  Sure, it may be a LITTLE faster than a standard SD, but a major downside is that you can’t REPLACE that memory.  Say you want a shiny, new 32GB SD card?  OOPS!  Can’t do it.  And nandroid backups?  *HA!*

Woo-sah man, woo-sah…  I’m not getting mad or bent out of shape because of the virtual myriad of problems this device has already, and I can only IMAGINE what’s going to happen down the line when some aspiring dev or team decides to tackle this one.  Okay, so maybe I am, and I don’t own the damn thing.  What I’m really concerned with is when John Q. Coffeedrinker buys this thing, thinking he’s better than sliced bread, to find out he’s worse off than he was with his Droid 1.  And you put the Legendary (#ShamelessPlugToMe) name of “Nexus” on it?  Seriously…  REALLY?!  That’s one that you have to earn, and if Google thought HTC earned it with the N1, then the Nexus S (or 2, or U, or whatever) needs to earn it too.

Let me know what you think.  I don’t rant often, but when I do, it’s usually because of a bad design scheme.

Woo-sah…