As AT&T continues to expand its high-speed 4G LTE wireless data network, the company has today announced a slew of devices to take advantage of the increased bandwidth. There are five Android handsets on tap, an 8-inch Android tablet and two Windows Phone handsets.
(MORE: Ask Techland: What’s the Deal with 4G?)
Let’s light this candle.
First up, we’ve got the Samsung Exhilarate:
Notable specs: 4-inch screen; made from 80% recycled materials; Android 2.3.
Availability: “In the coming months,” says AT&T.
Price: Unknown, but I’m guessing it’ll be rather inexpensive – perhaps $99 on contract.
Other notes: It’s “the first 4G LTE device to meet environmental and sustainability standards,” says AT&T, so if you’re into green gadgets and you’re looking to get into the whole 4G LTE thing (superfast web speeds), then this is your best – read: only – option.
Then there’s the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD:
Notable specs: 4.65-inch screen; dual-core CPU, 0.37 inches thick; falls back on slower-but-still-pretty-fast 4G HSPA+ network when 4G LTE isn’t available; Android 2.3.
Availability: “In the coming months,” says AT&T.
Price: Unknown, but I’m guessing around $200 on contract.
Other notes: The model name is way too long, but it looks like a capable phone otherwise. The HPSA+ compatibility is nice, too, since AT&T’s 4G LTE network isn’t available everywhere.
Step right up, Pantech Burst:
Notable specs: 4-inch screen; 16 gigabytes of memory; dual-core CPU; Android 2.3.5.
Availability: January 22
Price: $49.99 with a two-year contract
Other notes: It’s cheap, but the dual-core processor should help.
And speaking of Pantech, let’s take a look at the Pantech Element tablet:
Notable specs: 8-inch tablet; front- and rear-facing cameras; 16 gigabytes of storage; weighs about one pound; it’s waterproof up to one meter for 30 minutes; runs Android 3.2.
Availability: January 22
Price: $299.99 with a two-year data contract
Other notes: It’s waterproof, which is cool, but being forced into a two-year data contract for a tablet that’s going to be obsolete far before then is not. AT&T eases the sting somewhat by offering both the Pantech Burst (above) and this tablet for $250 with a two-year contract for a limited time, which is $100 worth of savings.
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Now we move on to the Sony Xperia Ion:
Notable specs: 4.6-inch HD (1280×720) screen; dual-core CPU; 720p front-facing camera, 1080p rear-facing camera; Android 2.3.
Availability: “In the second quarter,” says AT&T.
Price: Unknown, but I’d guess around $200 on contract; $250 if Sony wants to shoot itself in the foot; $300 if it’s lost all concept of reality.
Other notes: It’s the “first smartphone to be sold under the Sony brand in the U.S.,” says AT&T, and it should have a dynamite rear-facing camera: It’s 12 megapixels and can go from standby to capturing a shot in 1.5 seconds, according to Sony. It’s also a PlayStation-certified phone, which means it should have access to some pretty good games.
And rounding out the Android phones is the impressive Samsung Galaxy Note:
Notable specs: 5.3-inch 1280×800-resolution screen (not a typo); dual-core CPU; stylus for handwritten notes; Exchange ActiveSync; VPN; Android 2.3.
Availability: “In the coming weeks,” says AT&T.
Price: Unknown, but I’d guess $300 or more on contract.
Other notes: This thing looks like a beast – in a good way. It’s being positioned as combining “the best features of a smartphone with the larger viewing screen of a tablet and the convenience of a notepad,” says AT&T. The corporate bells and whistles like ActiveSync and VPN might help you talk your IT department into ordering you one.
Shifting gears to the Windows Phone platform, here’s the HTC Titan II:
Notable specs: 4.7-inch 480×800 screen; 16-megapixel camera (not a typo); 1.5 GHz single-core CPU; Windows Phone Mango 7.5.
Availability: “In the coming months,” says AT&T.
Price: Unknown. Maybe $200 on contract, but hopefully cheaper – $150 seems reasonable; $100 would be better.
Other notes: The 16-megapixel camera is insane in a good way, but the huge 4.7-inch screen is hobbled by a low-ish 480×800 resolution and the single-core processor isn’t helping either.
And finally, there’s the Nokia Lumia 900:
Notable specs: 4.3-inch 800×480 screen; 1.4 Ghz single-core processor; front- and rear-facing cameras; exclusive ESPN sports hub; exclusive EA games; Windows Phone Mango 7.5.
Availability: “In the coming months,” says AT&T.
Price: Unknown. Maybe $200 on contract, but hopefully cheaper – $150 seems reasonable; $100 would be better.
Other notes: The Lumia 900 appears similar to the 3G Lumia 800, except that the Lumia 800 has a smaller 3.7-inch screen and, of course, the slower 3G chip. It’s a solid addition to the Windows Phone lineup, though its overall specs – like most Windows Phone handsets – feel about a half-generation behind.
(MORE: Check out Techland’s coverage of the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show)