However, being a mid-range device does not mean that the LG Optimus Sol does not have a few tricks up its sleeve. It is equipped with a so-called Ultra AMOLED display, which is said to have “a two-fold advanced reflection rate compared to standard AMOLED displays” in order to reduce image quality degradation. In plain words, the 3.8-inch WVGA display on the Optimus Sol should be clear and easy to see even in bright and sunny conditions. Another feature that the smartphone brags with is its advanced power management system, which promises to boost the life of its battery by using as little juice as possible when the device is idle.

The LG Optimus Sol gets its processing power from a single-core MSM8255 chipset clocked at 1GHz. There is a 5-megapixel auto-focus camera on its back, and the front-facing shooter can come in handy when you are in the mood for a video chat with your buddies. Being 9.8 millimeters thick means that the Optimus Sol will be hardly noticeable while it is resting in your pocket, and its 7.2Mbps HSPA radio will easily get you hooked up to the 3G airwaves of your carrier of choice.

The LG Optimus Sol is scheduled for release in mid-September when it will be made available throughout Europe. Soon after its debut, the smartphone will be launched in Central and South America as well. Unfortunately, there is still no word regarding its pricing or whether it will ever set foot on US soil.

source: LG

The LG Thrill 4G appears in a Target circular priced at $79.99 with a 2-year contract

Originally planned for a release yesterday, the latest news on a release date that we have told you is to expect the phone to launch on September 4th. That news came from a leaked Radio Shack document that seemed to point to AT&T as the decision-maker behind the delay.

The stereoscopic handset (a fancy way of saying that you don’t need special glasses to view the 3D effect) has already toured Europe as the LG Optimus 3D. In the States, the LG Thrill 4G will hook up with AT&T’s HSPA+ network, hence the 4G in the phone’s title. Under the hood is a 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP4 processor while Android 2.2 runs the show. 512MB of RAM is aboard while the dual 5MP cameras on back capture video in 1080p at 30fps for 2D and 720p at 24fps for 3D. 8GB of storage comes on the LG Thrill 4G with expansion to 40GB possible using the microSD slot.

As you can see in the circular, besides having to tie yourself up for 2 years with AT&T to get the subsidized pricing for the LG Thrill 4G, you need to commit to at least a $15 per month data plan. The handset without the contract is priced at $549.99.

source: BradyDuran via AndroidCentral

What’s more, until midnight today, your activation fee for Sprint is waived as well, which makes the deal $36 sweeter.

We can’t argue with the phrase that good things come to those who wait, but in this case you might have to wait for the holiday season for these two handsets to become free on contract, so if you have been eying one of them, now might be the time to pull the trigger.

Just a reminder, the HTC EVO 3D is the first 3D-capable Android handset to hit the US shores, carries a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor and a 4.3″ qHD display with true RGB matrix. The Motorola PHOTON 4G, on the other hand, also sports a dual-core chipset and 4.3″ qHD screen, and we found its camera and battery life to be a tad better than the EVO 3D’s.

You can read our extensive comparison between the two Android monsters on Sprint here, and watch the video comparison below.

source: Amazon (HTC EVO 3D) & Amazon (Motorola PHOTON 4G)

The purchase will give Skype direct access to the group messaging software produced by GroupMe. Skype has been recently been purchased by Microsoft and this latest acquistion could allow for even deeper Skype integration on Windows devices in the future.

GroupMe is currently offered on iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone devices. Because this application can be used cross-platform, it is different than similar apps such as BlackBerry Messenger.

The group messaging application can be used over a data connection so devices such as the iPod Touch can get in on the fun. Anybody using GroupMe can share pictures within any conversation. We don’t really know what Skype’s plans for this app are, but if you want to check it out for yourself it can be had for the price of free. Tell us what you think of this latest acquisition in the comments below.

source: Electronista

The HTC DROID Incredible 2 brings you a 4 inch Super-LCD WVGA display with 768MB of RAM. Android 2.2 is on board (you will need to upgrade it to Gingerbread yourself) and the model features dual cameras with an 8MP on the back, capturing video at 720p, and a 1.3MP front-facing shooter for self-portraits and video chat. The phone comes with 16GB of memory that can be expanded to 48GB with as much as a 32GB microSD card.

So if you can’t get that idea of owning a white HTC DROID Incredible 2 out of your mind, you can pop into your local Best Buy and pick up the phone. Unless, of course, you’ve changed your mind at the last moment and decided to use that money to buy a 32GB HP TouchPad. Just saying.

source: AndroidCentral

The Samsung Conquer 4G is a WiMax enabled Android handset that you won’t confuse for say, the Samsung Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G. There is the matter of that 3.5 inch screen with resolution of 320 x 480. And the Qualcomm MSM8655 1GHz single-core processor is so 2010. On the back is a 3.2MP camera that was hot stuff back in the days of the LG Dare. Yet, the Samsung Conquer 4G isn’t totally designed for the Flintstone-era. Android 2.3 is installed and there is a 1.3MP front-facing camera. Of course, with 4G in the name of the phone, the handset is enabled for WiMax coverage. The Swype keyboard comes with the phone right out of the box.
Priced at $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a signed 2-year contract, the Samsung Conquer 4G appears just in time to give your kid going off to college, or for the first-time smartphone user unsure if he/she can handle all of those widgets and apps. The off-contract price is $399.99. Either way, you are getting Gingerbread and 4G connectivity for only $100. At a time when the price bar for new Android phones has been moved higher than the $199.99 that we have been accustomed to, the Samsung Conquer 4G has a refreshing price tag on the device-as long as you don’t mind some out of date specs.

source: Sprint via AndroidCentral

The Samsung Conquer 4G is now available at Sprint

There is not much information on the phone, and no launch date is mentioned. Those interested can head to the sourcelink and register their email address to get notified when more news comes out. And don’t forget to check out the video below, which shows that the Samsung Galaxy Precedent will have Swype pre-installed. Because Straight Talk is a TracPhone MVNO, and the latter uses the networks belonging to Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, we”re not sure if the Samsung Galaxy Precedent is a CDMA or GSM phone. What we are sure of is that taking Walmart up on this offer can help keep your wallet fat and you free of commitment.

source: StraightTalk via Engadget
Android will be arriving at Wal-mart by… by mysticmey

The Samsung Mobile Unpacked app is free for those wielding devices running Android 2.1 or higher. The app will also be available in the Samsung Apps Store.

source: AndroidMarket via SamsungHub

The information also mentioned to expect the phone to launch on September 9th. While that is a Friday, and Sprint usually launches phones on Sunday, that would have meant a launch on the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11 terror attack which would certainly explain the Friday release. As far as T-Mobile is concerned, as we reported, leaked information is pointing to an October 26th launch of its Samsung Galaxy S II variant named the Samsung Hercules.

Unless other information is received that changes things, it looks like Sprint customers will have first crack at the smartphone that has been on everyone’s mind now for months. Those with Sprint accounts better start collecting loose change now because September 9th will be upon us before you know it.

source: SprintFeed via AndroidAuthority

We don’t see it as much of a surprise that the tablet prices will be falling about six months after launch, and the process had even started with some manufacturers. HP recently made the $100 price cut for its HP TouchPad permanent, and now we are seeing the Toshiba Thrive appearing for $368 at Walmart, and the Acer Iconia Tab A500 $322 at Amazon.

The sources believe that prices will gradually slide to $350 on average by October, and go down to $300 in time for the holidays.

If quality Android slates, like the Asus Eee Pad Transformer, or the Acer Iconia Tab A500, which used to command pretty decent $399 price tags already, get slashed 25%, this will certainly increase the market share of Android’s tablet OS, which is still quite low compared to the iOS slates.

source: Amazon & Digitimes