GREAT MARKETING & THE DISTURBING PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE “4G-CLUELESS”

Today I had an interesting conversation with my partner-in-crime Tim Largent. Not quite satisfied with the download speeds of his new iPhone 4S, he posed the question of whether or not the 4S is an HSPA+ compatible device.

This sparked a long discussion that raised some interesting facts about people’s general understanding of 3G/4G/LTE, and I have come to realize a few things…

I think an embarrassingly large percentage of people really have no clue as to what the heck “4G” service really is, and the reason behind this is the misleading marketing schemes that the big 4 telecoms put in people’s heads. I think the majority of smartphone owners are being bamboozled. Why?

First of all, I think 3/4ths of people that own “4G” smartphones don’t have any idea that they aren’t getting 4G service at all.

Case in point, the slick-talking reps at the local T-Mobile store had my wife bouncing off the walls with excitement when they sold her an HTC MyTouch 4G smartphone last winter. Sadly, she came to realize that her beloved carrier doesn’t even have 3G service in Central Missouri. We only have crappy dinosaur-speed EDGE coverage. As a side note, I dumped my wife’s T-Mobile service and purchased a Samsung Galaxy Skyrocket LTE smartphone for her in its place. At least she can operate her smartphone at 3G speeds now.

There are a lot of people buying “4G” smartphones from fast-talking sales reps who fail to mention that 4G service is nowhere near available, because the network has not been expanded to most areas as of yet. Sure, there are some lucky metropolitan areas that have an actual LTE 4G network up and running, but the majority of the rest of the country does not. Yet and still, the carriers advertise it like it’s everywhere. I think it is borderline consumer fraud to say the least.

What makes it even more complicated is the fact that AT&T and T-Mobile are calling their HSPA+ service “4G“, which is the same label given to LTE service. They claim it’s all about the speed capabilities, not the hardware, that makes the service “4G”. But again, phones are being promoted by sales agents without making it clear that most areas don’t even have HSPA+ available.

9 out of 10 times that I ask people if they know the difference between HSPA+ “4g” and LTE “4G”, people don’t even have a sliver of a clue. The carriers march right on, bragging about super fast download speeds, but they don’t put much focus on making this clear. As I’ve said before, I’d be happy just to have HSPA+ “Fake 4G” service in Jefferson City, let alone LTE 4G.

Something else that I really find disturbing is the situation with Verizon Wireless. They are selling iPhone 4S devices in record numbers. From my research, the AT&T version is supposedly capable of running HSDPA/HSUPA speeds of up to 14.4Mbps, not the full 21Mbps HSPA+ speeds that are advertised. But Verizon isn’t in the business of developing an enhanced ‘3.5G” network like AT&T. To the contrary, they are trying to ditch the entire 3G network by the end of 2013.

Verizon wants all of the smartphones sold on their network to be 4G LTE capable by the end of the year. But what about the millions of iPhone 4S devices being sold by the truckloads since the launch in October 2011? What will happen to all of the customers, numbering in the millions, that are left holding these devices? What will become of these phones once the switch has been made after the 3G network has been phased out?

The AT&T version of the iPhone 4S will still be able to run at respectable speeds on the enhanced 3.5G network this year and next year. This tells me that the market for used iPhones should still be a viable market well into the 4G LTE phase. But will this render the Verizon iPhones useless? I’d sure love for someone who is in-the-know to shed some knowledge on that.

Meanwhile, I think all of the carriers need to settle down and stop pumping out these commercials bragging and boasting of “instant downloads” that are so fast, they reach into the future before events even occur. The whole idea of this marketing scheme is laughable to say the least. I’ll bet you that Consumer Reports jumps into the picture before the year is out and issues a warning to uninformed buyers.

I don’t want to even get into the Sprint situation, which is even more muddy, with their “WiMax 4G” version of high speed service. It’s on the fast-track to being mothballed. Sprint knows that true LTE is the future, and they’ve already been in hot water with class action lawsuits in the past year for pushing their smartphones as 4G-capable and charging and extra $10 per month fee. We’ll save that for another day.

In the meantime, I guess ignorance is bliss. If people are happy to have a smartphone that has a “4G” sticker on the box and a fancy flashing 4G icon at the top of the screen, I suppose we shouldn’t rain on their parade and just leave them in their happy state. But hopefully more of the noteworthy tech blogs will bring this to the light of day and get people informed.

Maybe I’m off my rocker, and maybe I’m being a little picky. But if I can help someone save $200 and a wasted 2-year commitment to a device that could be rendered obsolete within the next several months, I’ve done my honest duty. My rant is done. I’ve spoken my peace.

Let me know what you think. How many of your friends remain clueless regarding all of this 3G/4G/HSPA+/LTE nonsense? I’m curious to know. If you want more information, be sure to check out my previous post “Fake 4G vs Real 4G – The Shootout Explained“, and “GSM And CDMA Explained In Simple Terms“. Enjoy!

Carlton Flowers
4G Whistle Blower

Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket 4G Android Phone (AT&T)

The Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket is available right now on Amazon.com for between $179 and $199 with a 2-year contract agreement with AT&T! Pricing depends whether you are getting a new account, adding a line, or upgrading an existing line.

This is the lowest price you will find the Skyrocket, the super capable LTE Android smartphone with the jumbo-sized 4.5″ display.

Click the link or the thumbnail pic to hop to the Amazon Wireless Store and get it now while the price is good!

The Original Samsung Galaxy S II 4G Android Phone (AT&T)

The original Samsung Galaxy S II is available right now on Amazon.com for between $99 and $149 with a 2-year contract agreement with AT&T! Pricing depends whether you are getting a new account, adding a line, or upgrading an existing line.

This is the lowest price you will find the Galaxy S2, the super capable HSPA+ Android smartphone with the optimal 4.3″ display.

Click the link or the thumbnail pic to hop to the Amazon Wireless Store and get it now while the price is still this low!

Samsung Galaxy S2 Epic Touch 4G Android Phone (Sprint)

The Samsung Galaxy S2 Epic Touch 4G Android Phone by Sprint packs all of the features that you want, just like the AT&T version and is now selling with a 2-year plan as low as $79.99 over at Amazon Wireless!

This version of the Galaxy S2 line runs on Sprint’s WiMax Network at blazing speeds. With unlimited data available with your contract, you won’t be a disappointed surfer! Get it now while the price is low!

Samsung Galaxy S2 4G Android Phone (T-Mobile)

Get the Samsung Galaxy S2 4G Android smartphone made for T-Mobile with the large 4.52″ SUPER Amoled PLUS display that packs all of the features you expect with Samsung’s amazing flagship line. Currently, the price of the T-Mobile version is $199 with a 2-year contract.

The T-Mobile version runs on the fastest HSPA+ network at speeds up to 42Mbps! It will certainly get the job done and maximize your surfing experience!

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WHY DELAYS WILL DEEP SIX THE GALAXY S2 BEFORE IT GETS OUT OF THE GATES

Okay, so maybe the subtitle is a little extreme, but one thing is for sure… Samsung is doing AT&T no justice by delaying the Galaxy S2 release beyond September 18th of 2011.

All indications were that the AT&T version of the Samsung Galaxy S2 would be released yesterday. A day later, anxious AT&T customers sit frustrated and disappointed.

All the while, rumors are flying that Samsung is already planning to hit us with wave 2 of their new superphone assault on the US.

In stark contrast with Apple who seemingly can’t get even one phone out to market in a year or less, Samsung can’t slow down enough to let new flagship phones get on the shelves before leaks start spewing out about newer, faster, more advanced models.

There’s talk of a Samsung Galaxy II “Celox”, a Galaxy S II PLUS, and even a Galaxy S II “Pluto” from Verizon.

I’m looking for news to be released on the Samsung Galaxy S II “Goofy” and the Galaxy S II “Donald Duck” later on this week.

We all know that we can’t take rumors with more than a grain of salt. However, we do know that the rumors usually turn out to be somewhat within the ballpark of the actual outcomes.

The rumors are so rampant right now, it has got to be damaging to the marketing and sales success of the Galaxy S2. If I am the typical example of an AT&T customer sitting on an upgrade, there will be big problems for the Samsung Galaxy S2.

I currently have an iPhone 4, and I am very anxious and excited about making the switch to Android. My choice has been the Samsung Galaxy S2. If the phone had been released when it was originally promised, I’d have one in my pocket right now.

But with rumors of faster processors, bigger displays, mini tablet hybrids with styluses, and more, I’m second-guessing my possible purchase of the GS2. If we are already seeing the T-Mobile version of the Galaxy S2 coming at us with a 1.5GHz processor, how long of a wait could it be for the next Galaxy S2 upgrade?

The GS2 with the 1.2GHz processor is now obsolete, and it hasn’t even hit the shelves. I don’t think I would get a GS2, unless the price was around $99.

I don’t know if this can be blamed squarely on Samsung, or the US carriers. But what we do know is that the planning for these launches has been terrible, and counter-productive.

I’m still stuck in indecision. I don’t know whether to hold out for what I really want, which is a jumbo display of 4.65″ or larger, or get a 4.3″ device right now at a lower price. Time will tell. But as long as this Galaxy S2 launch is dragging out, I’m going to bet you that the back door is wide open for another manufacturer to come in and steal my attention.

That takes me back to the lament I laid out in my previous post… at this rate, I will never get settled on an upgrade!

Have you lost your patience with AT&T and Samsung, or are you quietly going to wait for the SG2 to hit the shelves and jump aboard the band wagon?

I’d love to hear your opinion, gang. You might help me make my final decision.

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Dreamer

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SAMSUNG GALAXY S3 AND NEXUS PRIME RUMORS KEEP ME STUCK IN “UPGRADE HOLDING PATTERN”

Thank you, Samsung, for causing me to be stuck with my jacked-up iPhone 4 for a few more months! I’m going to be stuck in this holding pattern above Upgrade International Airport until the fuel tanks go dry!

If the rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Nexus Prime don’t slow down, I’ll never upgrade. This is certainly not helping me one single bit!

What they are saying over at Phandroid and Android Community is this…

The Galaxy S3 could have a blazing 2.0GHz dual core processor and 1.5 gigabytes of RAM. That is ridiculous. The speeds of these mobile processors are approaching that of laptops. That means if you dock your phone with some type of Motorola Atrix type of setup, you’d have a powerful laptop on your hands.

What I really like the most about what I am reading on the rumor mill is the supposed 4.65″ Super AMOLED 1280×1024 HD display. This would certainly help me to pull the trigger and not enviously wait for the 5.3″ Samsung Galaxy Note. The smartphone/tablet hybrid is what I want. One device, multiple functionality.

I also like the idea of an all-aluminum design rather than the regular plastic housing that we will see on the Samsung Galaxy S2. I’m hard on smartphones, as you know, so this is a big plus. Aluminum would be the perfect midpoint between my glass sandwich iPhone 4 and the plastic Galaxy S2.

Next we’ve got the possibility of a 10 megapixel camera and a 2250 mAh battery with the S3. That’s more than what I would ever need, and would just be gravy. I don’t go anywhere without a car charger, a USB cord, and an AC adapter for my smartphone, so I don’t complain much about batteries. But all the better, Samsung.

What I don’t like are the rumors surrounding the Nexus Prime, or “Droid Prime”, and Verizon. They’re claiming that Verizon passed on the Samsung Galaxy S2 in order to lock up an exclusive deal on the Nexus Prime. You can basically guarantee that I’ll be scratching the Nexus Prime off of my upgrade list of possibilities if that’s the case. I’m not switching from AT&T.

I liked the idea of the curved glass on the Nexus Prime, but the specs on it certainly are not as beefed up as the supposed Galaxy S3. They’re talking a 1.5GHz cpu, the same massive 4.65″ display, and a 2000 mAh battery, so I guess I won’t be missing much if Verizon snatches up an exclusive agreement and hogs this new superphone.

While I sit here with this seemingly ancient iPhone 4, I’m thinking to myself that maybe I should actually attempt to keep a phone for 2 years. Or at least a year and a half. I’m only in month 13 of my iPhone 4, so I guess I’m being just a bit greedy wanting to immediately do an early upgrade to the Galaxy S2.

One thing that would sway me to do the early upgrade and stick with the Samsung Galaxy S2 would be the price. With Sprint already offering a deal on it for $150 before AT&T and T-Mobile even get their versions on the shelf, I’m thinking that the price will fall over a short period of time just as we saw with the Samsung Infuse 4G.

The Infuse was only out for 1 month before the price started dropping. The entry level price was $199, and it has fallen as low as $99 new, and $29 for a refurbished unit from AT&T with a 2-year contract.

If all the clamor over the Galaxy S3 and the Nexus Prime means that there is truth to the rumor of when they will arrive, you better believe the price will fall out of the bottom for the Galaxy S2. If it does, I’ll buy it, and then upgrade early a year later to the Note.

You’ve got to really think about these things and create a strategy that works for the long-term. Timing is everything. Speaking of, I’m still confused as to why people are buying regular iPhone 4’s. What are these people thinking?

Carlton Flowers
Smartphone Dreamer

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GALAXY NEXUS/PRIME UPDATE – MID FALL 2011 ARRIVAL?

Whatever this superphone will be called, the “Samsung Galaxy Nexus” or the “Samsung Nexus Prime“, it will probably be dressed to impress when it finally does arrive. But I’m not counting on it coming any time soon.

Some of the technical specs that were being reported that made no sense whatsoever are starting to change.

Instead of a 5 megapixel front and 1 megapixel rear camera outfit, we are now hearing 8 in the back and 2 in the front from “The Droid Guy” blog site. That makes a whole lot more sense to me.

Who would put an outdated camera set on a smartphone that has the fastest GPU (1.5GHz rumored) on the market? It isn’t logical.

The current story is still sticking to the idea that the Nexus/Prime will have the curved digitizer and the jumbo 4.65″ diagonal screen with 720P (or higher) resolution. But it certainly will have an HDMI port and the ability to shoot video in 1080p.

Also, the “tipster” who is leaking this information is claiming that the Galaxy Nexus/Prime will come to Verizon in October or early November, and then it will be released to all of the other carriers after a certain period of time has passed.

I’m not buying it. Literally.

As much as I would LOVE to have the jumbo 4.65″ curved monstrosity of a Nexus/Prime jammed in my front pocket, I just don’t see it being released before 2012.

And as much as I dread my jacked-up iPhone 4, I may have to get the Samsung Galaxy S2 on AT&T and just call it a day.

I have a fear that if I hold out for the Nexus/Prime and it doesn’t hit the market until 2012, I will probably have a fit of rage and take a sledge hammer to my iPhone 4 before I can sell it on eBay.

So what is your current thought? Stick to the Galaxy S2, or take your chances and roll with the vaporware and hope it becomes a real jumbo Ice Cream Sandwich surprise?

Carlton Flowers
Smartphone Envyest (is that a word?)

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GET THE DROID BIONIC NOW FOR $179 ON AMAZON

I have not written much about the Motorola Droid Bionic 4G, but with the recent price drop and the myriad of questions I am getting from friends about this device, I figured this would be as good of a time as any to talk about this smartphone.

The price of the Droid Bionic started at $299 on Verizon with a 2-year contract. That price immediately began to fall right after the release. Last week, it was $249 on Amazon.com. Today, I just noticed the new price of $179.

Let’s talk about this device… Overall, it’s a great new rendition of the Motorola Droid line, coming out after the Droid X and Droid X2. It has a nice form factor, and feels good in the palm of your hand. I was really jealous of the Droid X when I had my iPhone 3GS, and the Droid Bionic gives me the same feeling (I have an iPhone 4 for the moment).

The Droid Bionic seems to be a tough, durable phone that will be able to take a little manly punishment. This is a phone that would have served me well, unlike my fragile iPhone 4 that I have practically destroyed in the last 12 months.

The 1785mAH battery has evidently gotten bigger in the Droid Bionic as compared to the previous versions, and also in comparison to other 4G smartphones. Running your phone on 4G is the quickest way to drain your battery, so the Bionic takes a huge lead over all other 4G models thanks to its large battery capacity.

Taking a look at what powers the Droid Bionic, we have a fairly respectable interior. At the root is a 1GHz dual core processor.

Being that the Bionic is the first of the new wave of smartphones to hit the market this fall, the speed is going to be just a little bit less than that of the Samsung Galaxy S2 (running at 1.2GHz) or the iPhone 5 (possible 1.2 to 1.4GHz).

However, the average user will not be able to tell the difference in performance, so it is definitely going to get a passing mark for processor speed.

There’s a whopping 1Gb of RAM, which is now the standard for top of the line smartphones. That’s plenty of memory to multitask your applications without any problems at all.

The display is a nice 4.3″ diagonal with 960×540 qHD resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio, perfect for watching movies and great for HD video out. That means no black bars on the edges of the screen, because it is optimized for movie size.

Something very unique about the Bionic is the “Mirror Mode“, which allows you to view your phone display on your television to watch video, view pictures, or play games. There’s an HDMI video port to connect your Droid Bionic to your choice of output devices.

You’ve got a robust 8 megapixel rear camera that will give you video in 1080p HD, plus digital zoom, auto focus, and an LED flash. You get a VGA front-facing camera for video chat also.

For storage, the Bionic comes with 32Gb of on-board memory, and you can add 32Gb additionally by purchasing an SD memory card.

The Droid Bionic runs on the Android Gingerbread 2.3 operating system, and it features the “WebTop” application that practically turns it into a laptop computer when you dock it and connect it to your television. It’s very similar to the Motorola Atrix 4G. I can really see this as the future of smartphones.

Overall, I would have to give this smartphone a strong “buy” recommendation for those that like the Droid X line. I don’t think you can go wrong here, and I really love the expansion capabilities of this device. This is a sturdy phone, and it brings the typical Motorola value that we have come to expect.

Click the link below to jump to Amazon and purchase this smartphone with a 2-year contract for $179 while the deal is good. Buying your Motorola Droid Bionic through The Carlton Zone will help us cover the expenses of running the blog site and bringing you valuable insight and information. Amazon.com is our trusted partner, and we’re glad to bring you the best deals when they are available.

GET IT NOW —-> Motorola DROID BIONIC 4G Android Phone (Verizon Wireless)

Are you a Motorola Droid Bionic owner? Share your thoughts, tips, and insight in the comments section below!

Carlton Flowers
Smartphone Geek

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A TRIO OF GALAXY S2 SMARTPHONES, READY FOR FALL LAUNCH

The Samsung Galaxy S2 is ready to roll. Three providers are in, one bails out (Verizon Wireless). T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T all have their very own custom-made versions of the next big smartphone to hit the US market, and we all wait patiently for them to hit the stores.

The reaction has been mixed to the news of Verizon dropping out of the party. Most of the comments I have read are that of disappointment that Verizon will be pushing the Motorola Droid Bionic in place of the SG2.

I’ve also heard a lot of mixed responses on the variations that we are seeing between the big three providers. A lot of my readers who are AT&T customers are very happy with the decision to stick with the original design and 4.3″ display size of the European Galaxy S2. Evidently, 4.3″ is a real sweet spot.

Apparently, AT&T has opted to drop the branded name “Attain” from their variant, thus sticking with the Galaxy S II name. I think this is a wise decision on the part of Samsung to push one identity. It only makes sense. We can all see how iconic the “iPhone” brand name has become since 2007. There is no way Apple Corporation would ever allow fragmentation of their brand between different carriers.

I don’t understand why T-Mobile and Sprint opted for the 4.5″ version of the Galaxy S2. Forbes Magazine claims that AT&T didn’t go this route because they already have the jumbo Samsung Infuse 4G available for the big-screen niche. That could possibly be the reason.

As far as Internet speed is concerned, Sprint is hitting the streets with their own WiMax 4G version while T-Mobile will be touting their doubled-up HSPA+ “fake 4G” flavor that they claim tops out at 42Mbps for download speed. AT&T is going to take it easy with their plain old 21Mbps HSPA+ fake 4G radio.

I’m surprised that a lot of the predictions on the hardware specifications for the Galaxy S2 were fairly dead-on. The only prediction that I got carried away with was the possibility of a 1.5GHz dual core CPU. I’m thinking we will not see anything with that speed until first quarter of 2012. There’s talk of the HTC Vigor packing dual core 1.5GHz speed, but I will believe that when I see it.

In the real world, I don’t think anyone would be able to notice a performance difference between those two processor speeds. 1.2GHz is more than enough, and well ahead of where we were this time last year with smartphones.

As I mentioned in my post about the AT&T version of the GS2, having LTE or HSPA+ is not an issue with me at this time. LTE on AT&T is still in the developmental stages, and there are only 2 markets that have available 4G LTE signals at this point (Chicago and Atlanta). I’m downloading at 1 to 2 Mbps on my current iPhone 4, so HSPA+ will be good enough to hold me over for the next year.

I’m really curious to see what the demand will be for the Galaxy S2 whenever the device officially launches in the US. I think it has the potential to have at least half of the strength of an iPhone launch. The only reason why it won’t be quite as much of a frenzy is due to all of the handsets that Samsung has out on the market, as opposed to Apple and their one-phone-per-year strategy.

I remember a couple of years ago when I was trying to get my first iPhone 3GS, I had to call the AT&T Store in Jefferson City all day long (once every half an hour) before finally getting a live sales agent on the phone. I was told that all of the inventory had sold out, and I ended up waiting one week before the next shipment of iPhones came in. I was never more excited about buying a cell phone.

The rush on the iPhone 4 was equally as strong. I had no chance of buying one locally in the AT&T Store. Instead, I ordered my iPhone 4 over the Internet directly from AT&T. There was a 3-week wait for all orders, and the demand stayed strong all summer long.

I think the Galaxy S2 will definitely have a significant launch. The marketing for this device has been strong, and they are creating the buzz and excitement necessary to incite a rush on opening day.

I am going to stick to my original promise to wait for the release of the iPhone 5 (yawn) before getting my very own Samsung Galaxy S2, just in case Apple corporation does a 180-degree turn and provides us with a new smartphone that has everything the customers want, instead of what they think we want (fat chance).

But before I made the purchase, the iPhone 4 is going to have to go first, via eBay. I’m expecting a closing sale price of $350 to $400. Once the money is in my bank, I can then make my responsible Galaxy S2 purchase.

We have a gaggle of AT&T customers clamoring for the Galaxy S2 on September 18th, but where are you Sprint and T-Mobile folks? What are your thoughts about the specifications of your GS2? Sound off and let me know!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy S2 Future Fanboy

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THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S II FOR AT&T IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Finally… after mulling over rumors for the past 3 months, the official details are in on AT&T’s version of the Samsung Galaxy S2 SGH-1777, the Attain.

Getting right down to the facts, here’s what Samsung will officially be giving us with the Attain:

• A 4.3″ Super AMOLED display
• 1.2GHz dual core processor
• Samsung HDTV Smart Adapter for TV output
• Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread operating system
• Media Hub for watching premium movies and TV shows
• Full Adobe Flash compatibility
• 8Mp 1080p HD rear camera
• 2Mp front facing video chat camera
• SWYPE keyboard technology
• AT&T “4G” network
• Google Mobile Services (Gmail, Google Talk, Google Maps, & voice-activated navigation)

Those are the details taken straight from the Samsung website. There’s a lot more information, though, so check with the Galaxy S2 website to get the entire scoop. I just wanted to mention the most important details.

What I found interesting is the fact that AT&T’s Attain is the only one of the 3 Samsung Galaxy S2 variants that will have the 4.3″ screen instead of the 4.5″ diagonal, as we will have with the T-Mobile Hercules and the Sprint Epic 4G Touch.

I guess this solidifies any doubts about whether or not Verizon will be nixing the Galaxy S2 from their fall lineup in the United States as the tech blogs have reported. They might carry something similar, but they certainly aren’t a part of Samsung’s official release news. However, I’ve been reading reports of the Function being released in Canada, but I’m not ready to take that seriously.

It’s nice to finally debunk the rumors about the Samsung Attain having a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. I’m so surprised at how many mainstream blogs actually believed that one. Thank goodness AT&T didn’t screw up such a light, thin, sleek smartphone by jamming a keyboard into it. It would just be one more part to wear out. That’s why I’m all about the touchscreen and virtual keyboard.

Speaking of keyboards, I was very happy to see SWYPE included as a native application with the Attain. SWYPE is still in beta, so if the application does not come preloaded on your smartphone, your only hope is that your device will allow you to use a side-loader to install it.

All the talk about a possible 1.5GHz dual core processor come to a close as Samsung reports that the Attain, Hercules, and Epic Touch 4G will have a 1.2GHz CPU. This makes me believe my previous theory that Samsung will release a Galaxy S2 PLUS in December of 2011 that features the faster 1.5GHz CPU.

Honestly, most people won’t know the difference in performance between a 1.2GHz and 1.5GHz CPU, so this is not a disappointment to me at all. Actually, the first rumors that came out last spring told of a 1.0GHz CPU.

I’m still hunting for details on what the “AT&T 4G network” really entails. Thus far, I don’t see anything on the Samsung website. My guess is that this is referring to 3.5G HSPA+ “4G” service, not LTE. It’s worth mentioning that AT&T just quietly rolled out their first LTE service in Chicago and Atlanta. I seriously doubt the Attain will come with an LTE radio though.

There are a ton of goodies on this phone, and with the details we have finally been given, I’m still standing on my “strong buy” recommendation. This is what we have been waiting for all along, I think Samsung will be delivering the goods.

My iPhone 4 is going to take a permanent vacation for the Attain. It’s going to go to the highest bidder, and the proceeds will cover the cost of my upgrade and contract extension. I may also be picking up 2 Samsung Infuse 4G handsets for my college kids.

In the meantime, we will patiently wait for the release date to be solidified, and make our plans to start a new smartphone journey!

And one more thing… we can only hope that the Rotten Apple doesn’t go rogue again and tie up Samsung in court with patent lawsuits to screw up the launch of our device we have patiently waited so long for. Keep your fingers crossed, and your prayers up.

Carlton Flowers
Apple Defector

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IS THE HTC VIGOR VERIZON’S FILL-IN FOR THE GALAXY S2 VOID?

Amidst all the talk about Verizon Wireless either dumping the Samsung Galaxy S2 or getting a similar Samsung device other than the rumored Stratosphere, we are hearing stories of a Verizon HTC device that might push the performance limits of all the up-and-coming fall smartphones.

The HTC Vigor is supposed to have a September release, and is said to have a 1.5GHz dual core processor. Some think it could be marketed as the Droid Incredible HD upon release (take that with one tiny grain of salt, as we know how these rumors get debunked within days of their start).

Previous reports that I read on the HTC Vigor didn’t make me blink. But the current list of goodies to be packed in the Vigor are at least making me stop and pay attention… not that I would want one, though. At any rate, here’s what the insiders are saying the HTC Vigor will include:

• Android 2.3.4 with Sense UI 3.5 (updated version)
• 4.3″ 1280×720 HD display
• 1.5GHz dual core Snapdragon processor
• 16Gb RAM, 16Gb internal memory
• 8 megapixel rear and 2 megapixel front cameras
• Dr. Dre’s “Beats Audio”
• Verizon 4G LTE radio

Up until now, we have been talking about the possibility of the Samsung Galaxy S2 coming out with a 1.2GHz dual core processor. Recent rumors claim that the iPhone 5 will have a 1.5GHz dual core processor too (again, take that with, well, 1/2 a grain of salt). The HTC Vigor would be the second such smartphone slated for a fall 2011 release that would have a supposed faster processor than the coming SG2.

Maybe all this talk about 1.5GHz processors is bunk. Or maybe Samsung has delayed the Galaxy S2 release for this very reason. Who knows… maybe the SG2 will come with a 1.5GHz processor. What do you think?

I’ll let the CZ Blog crew take this one and run away with it. Let’s get it started, gang!

Carlton Flowers
Smartphone Rumor Instigator

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VERIZON BAILS LEAVING SPRINT, T-MOBILE, AND AT&T TO SHARE GALAXY S2 CRAZE

In recent news, we learned that Verizon has dropped out of the Samsung Galaxy S2 fan club. So much for the “Function”, or “Stratosphere”, as the rumor mill predicted would be the Verizon brand of the SG2.

That leaves Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T to hog up the rest of the SG2 market.

I suppose Verizon is showing loyalty to the Motorola Droid Bionic, perhaps in an effort to please big brother Google-A-Rolla by not offering direct competition to their flagship device.

That would explain the elimination of plans to launch a Galaxy S2 on their true 4G LTE network.

But getting back to the other Big 3…

Thanks to PocketNow, we have a great snapshot of the three Samsung Galaxy S2 variants (pictured above). This is the best photo we have been treated with thus far, as each brand is clearly indicated.

It goes without saying that the Sprint Within (no pun intended) is going to be a 4G WiMax device. Supposedly, the T-Mobile Hercules will be a Fake 4G device running on the 42 Mbps (yeah, right) HSPA+ service. Nothing official has come from AT&T yet, but my bet is that it will also be running on Fake 4G HSPA+.

While Verizon may have nixed their GS2 plans for the Droid Bionic, lets not forget that they will be launching their version of the iPhone 5, which will have a 4G LTE radio. In all actuality, the Droid Bionic will probably not make as big of a splash as the Samsung Galaxy S2 by any means, but the iPhone 5 on the Big Red network is without a doubt going to be a slam-dunk.

A few days ago, I was pondering a lopsided launch of 4G LTE Verizon devices versus Fake 4G HSPA+ devices on AT&T and T-Mobile. My thinking was that the iPhone 5 may crush the Galaxy S2 launch because of Verizon’s 4G network. But now I don’t think it will be that significant of an advantage.

Here’s why…

While Verizon has the only up-and-running nationwide 4G LTE network, they don’t have a fallback plan. They will be eventually getting rid of their 3G network. AT&T has a different strategy.

We’ll get into that on my next post when I talk about why the AT&T Samsung Attain will be the best choice out of all of the up-and-coming new smartphones, even though it will only be an HSPA+ device.

But as far as Verizon, do you think they are making a wise decision? Is the Droid Bionic going to be a top-selling device? Or are they simply banking on the strength of their 4G LTE iPhone 5 launch?

Share your thoughts!

Carlton Flowers
Smartphone Watchman

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SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 US VARIANT PICTURE RELEASED AS LAUNCH NEARS

Finally, we have a legitimate picture of a US Galaxy S2 variant! Pretty soon, we won’t have to stare at pictures of the single home button European version of the Galaxy S2 as we approach the launch.

This is not the best picture in the world, but you can observe the 4 standard Android touch buttons at the bottom of the device as opposed to the iPhone-like European version that has a physical home button.

I for one much prefer the virtual buttons. I have not had much luck with physical home buttons, namely the one on my current iPhone 4. I voted to ditch the physical button long ago. It’s one less thing to wear out.

So on the Samsung Galaxy S2 made for US carriers, there won’t be any worry about wearing down a physical button. I am excited about this, and it means that I will enjoy longer smartphone life. You know how I feel about the short life of smartphones that are matched up with 2-year carrier contracts. The end result is that the contract usually out-lives the device (if you are hard on phones like me, this is reality).

Just my guess, it appears that the device shown in the picture has a large 4.5″ display. That’s pure speculation, but it seems to have the dimensions of the current Samsung Infuse 4G. I don’t mind the large 4.5″ display, because this device would serve as my laptop. Therefore, bigger is definitely better for the crisp, clean, Super AMOLED goodness.

With the release of the Galaxy S2 commercial advertisement video in the US, I’m betting we will see more pictures of the actual 4 Samsung Galaxy S2 variants for US carriers start to sprout up over the next week. We’ll keep an eye out for the information as we receive it.

My confidence in Samsung is growing by the minute. I think this smartphone will be worth the wait, and it will be a serious contender in this tight technology market.

I just hope Apple doesn’t resort to its usual dirty court tricks with an injunction attempt before the GS2 is launched, like they just did in the Netherlands today. I will be holding my breath and praying that Apple does not meddle.

In the meantime, we will continue our candlelight vigil and pray God’s protection to cover the AT&T Samsung Attain, the Verizon Samsung Stratosphere, the Sprint Samsung Epic Touch 4G, and the T-Mobile Samsung Hercules while they make their perilous journey to the Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave.

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy S2 Anticipator

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