If you don’t want to deal with contracts, you can purchase the Element at $449.99 with no contract. I think that no contract price is a bit high, but likely, that was done to push people to the contract version. If you missed the details the first item around, the tablet has a waterproof design to survive the elements. The screen is an 8-inch unit with a resolution of 1024 x 768.

The battery inside the device is a 6400mAh unit good for up to 12 hours of use and 25 days on standby. The tablet weighs 16.57-ounces and measures 8.36 x 6.12 x 0.42 inches. The processor is an APQ 8060 running 1.5GHz packing in dual-cores. Storage onboard is 16GB, expandable to 32GB, and the machine has 1GB of RAM. It will work on 2G, 3G, and 4G HSPA+/LTE networks. The rear camera is a 5MP unit, and the front is a 2MP unit. The tablet runs Android 3.2.

Pantech will likely sign a royalty agreement with Microsoft that will involve paying $5 per Android device sold, a fee that other Android OEMs have been rumored to pay, including HTC, Samsung, and LG. Samsung had agreed to pay Microsoft in a deal signed last September and LG, the second largest South Korean handset maker, had just signed a deal last week.

Microsoft is now collecting fees from nearly 70 percent of Android device makers and the animosity between it and Google are apparent in their public spats via Twitter and blog posts. Microsoft is currently suing Motorola over similar Android patent issues, but Motorola is also in the process of being acquired by Google. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

As for Pantech, the company showed a strong effort at CES 2012 with its Pantech Burst 4G LTE smartphone and its Pantech Element 4G LTE tablet. Make sure to check out our hands-on for those two devices, both of which are heading to AT&T.

This device is the next generation of Pantech devices in a smartphone, it coming in titanium or a lovely maroon/red, and is set to be released on the 22nd of January, 2012. This device is part of two deals: one is the price point by itself, that being $49.99 by itself on a two-year contract or FREE if you buy it with the tablet. Both colors look fabulous, the metal feels excellent, and Pantech’s own custom user interface is in full effect.

We’ve been told that both the Element and the Burst are fully capable of being upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich and both upgrades are on the roadmap for Pantech and AT&T, but no dates have been given thus far. This smartphone is meant to work with the mid to upper range of devices what with its high quality build and value offer. This is a device that’s made to beat up the mid-range, if I do say so myself, LTE and a lovely little machine like this are just begging to be picked up by a whole new generation of smartphone users.

This tablet has a 5 megapixel camera on the back, a 2 megapixel camera on the front, and works with Bluetooth Stereo 2.1. The big money item on this device seems to be the waterproof nature of it, complete with IP57 certification and the ability to dunk in your bathtub for a full minute. We both literally saw it dunked in the water the entire time it was being presented on stage earlier in the day and we had our own dunk test performed for us here –

Pantech Element hands-on dunk

What’s great about this tablet though is not that it’s dunkable, not that it’s the first LTE tablet from Pantech, but that it’s both inexpensive and nice: this is definitely NOT one of the hundreds of terrible knock-off Ice Cream Sandwich tablets you’ll otherwise see at CES 2012. This is a high quality offer from Pantech on AT&T.

Also there’s a bit of information on the feedback: it’s a new system that works with a motor inside the tablet, offering somewhat of a bit of localized touch-responsiveness, but not exactly. Holding the device we can feel how it’s feeding back anywhere you touch or with whatever you’re doing, but it’s an odd feeling: might be turning it off for the full experience. That said: we’ll be bringing you a full review of this device in the coming weeks. Meanwhile get pumped up about it.

The Pantech Element, specifically, is waterproof. But that’s not all that important when you consider how big a high-five this is between AT&T and Pantech as the latter is still on its way into the USA in the smartphone market. The Pantech Element has a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor and has an 8-inch XGA display. This device has a non-localized enhanced haptic feedback display as well, providing a rather strange feeling for your tips. Throughout the set of announcements for the tablet, the Waterproof bit did keep coming up though, with the device dunked in a tank the entirety of the talk.

We’ll be getting some hands-on looks at these devices this week.

As well as LTE support for AT&T’s fledgling network, there’s a 5-megapixel main camera capable of 1080p Full HD video recording and a 2-megapixel front camera for video calls. 16GB of internal storage shares space with a “piezo motor” haptic feedback system, though it’s unclear how much that will differ from the current buzz that Android tablets give when you tap them. There’s no word on whether it will see an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade, though we’d hope so.

AT&T is supposedly set to include the Pantech Element among its big CES reveal – the carrier is also expected to show off the first LTE Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia 900 “Ace” - at next week’s infamous show. Pricing is tipped at $299.99 with a new, two-year data plan agreement, or $449.99 off contract.

If it turns out to be true, that pricing seems surprisingly reasonable given what, say, Verizon is doing with its own 8.2-inch XYBOARD. That Motorola-made slate is almost as much as the contract-free Pantech but in subsidized form, at $429.99 with a two-year agreement. We’ll have to wait and see quite how the Element holds up in performance and build quality, but on specs and cost alone it’s off to a solid start.

Still, the Captivate Glide does offer a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, paired with 1GB ROM, 1GB of RAM and a preinstalled 8GB microSD card. The ATRIX 2 lacks the integrated ‘board but can be paired with Motorola’s Lapdock 100 notebooks-style docking station, and has 8GB of internal storage and 1GB of RAM.

The Samsung DoubleTime, meanwhile, is an Android flipper, with a flip-out QWERTY keyboard, Android 2.2, a 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen and a 600MHz processor. There’s 260MB of memory and triband UMTS. As for the Pantech Pocket, that offers an unusually-proportioned 4-inch SVGA (600 x 800) display, Android 2.3, 5-megapixel camera, around 600MB of internal storage and a memory card slot, along with Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and triband UMTS.

Finally there’s the AT&T Avail, a prepaid budget device on the GoPhone network, offering a 3.5-inch touchscreen, Android 2.3 and a 5-megapixel camera, along with triband UMTS, WiFi, 512MB apiece of RAM and ROM and a 2GB preinstalled microSD card slot.

No word on pricing for any of the devices at this stage, nor specific availability. AT&T originally expected to release 12 Android devices in 2011, so it’s already ahead of its target. Still, the carrier says there are more to come before the year is through.

[via Android Community]

Currently, on the other hand, the device is only slated for release inside South Korea, so don’t get your hopes up TOO high, but check it out here anyway. It’s got a 720p screen, has a gigantic 1860 mAh battery inside, and runs on 1GB or RAM. Inside you’ll also find 16GB of storage with no word on the ability to add microSD cards to bump this up, but by the looks of it there might be a port on the right side of the display – look like that to you?

The user interface appears to be the newest lovely look at Android from a Pantech perspective, that means modified UI along the lines of the Pantech Breakout, the company’s first US-bound LTE device (and the least expensive in the country, I might add.) You’ll also get NFC and T-DMB mobile TV viewing (if you’re in South Korea, that is,) the NFC bit likely to cause a stir of commotion if it stays put in its journey across the ocean.

Look at that winner, seem like a device you might wrap your fingers around?

[via Android Community]

This newest device is, again, called the Pantech Hotshot and although it does not run on Android, it’ll be running no less than Opera Mini Browser for all your web browsing needs. It’s ultra-slim at just 0.35-inches, and it’s got a rather nicely sized (for its price) display at 3.2-inches. This display is an LCD touch display, and on it you’ll be working with text, photo, video, voice messaging, calls, and mobile instant messaging. And like your smartphone counterparts, you’ll get VZ Navigator for GPS navigation, turn-by-turn directions spoken to you in a loud clear voice by Verizon.

You get Bluetooth for all your easy connections to your PC, there’s a 2GB microSD card pre-installed, and you’ve got space to expand to a 32GB card. The only thing truly confusing about this device is the fact that it costs the same (after mail-in rebate) as the Pantech Breakout previously mentioned – that is, $99 USD. Why on earth would they release a lesser device for the same price? Perhaps some people do not want 4G connectivity? Madness!

Either way, Pantech, you’ve been bringing some decent devices into the states lately, keep em coming.

Hardware

What we have with the Breakout is a pretty unique and well rounded individual. It looks completely different than any Android device thus far, and they’ve added their own user interface overlay atop Android too but lets breakdown the hardware. We have a 4.0″ WVGA 480 x 800 resolution display, a 1.0 GHz Qualcomm processor, 512MB of RAM, then the usual Wi-Fi, Blueooth, and standard sensors. This is all rounded off with a 5 MP camera on the rear (no flash) VGA front for video chatting, and powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread and Verizon Wireless 4G LTE.

Pantech Breakout 4G LTE hands-on

This might not be the top of the line handset you were thinking about when you decided you’d get an LTE smartphone, but this would have been a top tier smartphone not too long ago, yet it has 4G LTE and is only $99 — a steal if you ask me. As for the hardware around the smartphone we’ll start with the front. We have 4 dedicated standard Android hardware buttons. Menu, home, back, and search. The middle has a unique and different brushed aluminum design that looks nice but has an odd texture I’m not sure I like.

The entire design actually feels really industrial and quite solid. For a $99 dollar entry level priced phone you get excellent build quality and a very solid, nice feeling phone in your hand. On the right side we have a dedicated camera button, an oddly placed power and wake button, then a door that opens up to our micro-USB port for charge and syncing. I must say I’m not a fan of where the power and wake toggle button is. Samsung has a familiar idea but its higher up and out of the way while the Breakout’s button is right where I reach to hold the phone while placing calls or picking it up and I’ve accidentally turned it on or off way too many times already.

If you follow the aluminum bezel wrapping around the face of the Breakout over to the left side we have a few more dedicated buttons. The 3.5mm headphone back, volume up/down switch, and then a dedicated voice control button for hands-free calling and dialing controlled by Nuance Voice Control. Again this is a nice feature but the button location seems a bit odd and if you hold your phone as I do — your ring finger might toggle it a few times accidentally. I may be a bit critical here but they seem too easy to push if you ask me. A great feature for those that need or want it, I just wish it wasn’t so easy to accidentally activate.

While the hardware is exceptionally great for a phone of this caliber and price, lets move on to the software and 4G LTE shall we?

Software

Running on a mildly skinned version of Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread the performance is a decent for the most part. Sliding the lock screen and occasionally while panning through my homescreens it seemed a little slow. Nothing we haven’t seen on skinned versions in the past like Moto Blur so this isn’t really an issue — I’d just prefer vanilla Android personally. In general the user interface is nicely polished. We have custom widgets, quick toggles for W-fi, Bluetooth, Data and more in the notification drop-down bar. The app tray is very standard but we have a nice carbon fiber looking backdrop in the application tray that seems to fit with the textured back of the device.

Also we have about the average amount of pre-installed bloatware that we’ve come to expect from Verizon. Amazon Kindle, Blockbuster, City ID, a Doc Viewer and more. One new thing is a converter tool that will convert ft to inches, temperatures and weight types and more. Another reason the phone has an industrial like attitude. Then we have those other standard Verizon apps like Need for Speed, NFL Mobile, Slacker Radio, and then way too many VCAST applications. This is about average for most phones and anything out of big red so we’ll take it. For only their second Android smartphone here in the U.S. Pantech has done a nice job with the user interface although a few of the widget icons are a bit generic. Performance was rarely sluggish and overall performed as we’d expect from a single-core 1 GHz Android smartphone.

Performance and Speedtests

Like mentioned above we have a 1.0 GHz single-core processor, 512MB of RAM and 4G LTE. This next set of pictures tests both the device performance with Quadrant, as well as a few speedtest runs to see how Pantech handles the Verizon 4G LTE network. Given the internal specs the Pantech Breakout performs right on track with something like the Nexus One. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and all. We saw Quadrant Advanced sit around 1400 — give or take a few. Again, no dual-core here but for the price this smartphone rocks compared to other similarly priced phones on the market.

Next, to test the 4G LTE performance we’ve ran Speedtest, as well as another popular network testing applications called BenchBee speedtest. Take note Benchbee still scores quite well but the only server is located out of country so results may vary. Speedtest.net was accurate like always and we are seeing similar results to the DROID Bionic, peaking around 10,000 kbps on average and sometimes a bit lower.

Camera and Battery

Just like the phone we’ll keep this short and sweet. The camera found on-board is a 5 megapixel shooter with no LED flash, with VGA up front we all know what to expect from that. Below I have snapped a few test photos both indoors and out to see how well the 5MP lens handles things. Unless otherwise stated the camera is like many we’ve seen thus far and does decent. For a $99 dollar entry level phone this beats most others in its range, do consider that.

Battery life has been pretty pleasant so far. I know many are wondering what to expect here so lets go over this. All other 4G LTE devices have 4.3″ displays, some AMOLED, and then the Bionic is a dual core. The Pantech Breakout has a smaller 4.0″ display, a large 1500 mAh battery, and an efficient single-core processor and so far its proved quite nice. I was able to use the Pantech Breakout all day each day I’ve used it. I made a few phone calls, ran all my benchmarks and speedtests, browsed the web plenty, even played some Need for Speed and tried the Mobile Hotspot service. After an entire day I still had about 25% come morning. It lasted overnight — something most other 4G LTE phones can’t even touch.

4G LTE plays a big role in battery life, like most LTE devices we have 3G/4G switching throughout the day that can also hinder battery life as its constantly changing. I never once disabled 4G to test battery life as I felt I didn’t need to. For someone coming from a smaller smartphone, or even a dumbphone (feature phone) the Breakout will have better battery life than any other LTE smartphone available.

Wrap-Up

To sum things up in a very understandable and straight shooter way — this phone is nice and it has impressed me. It may not have a simple, thin, and elegant design like the Galaxy S II. Nor does it boast a dual-core processor, and the screen isn’t 4.5″ inches either. What we do have is a very very solid device that has great build quality, almost every feature we’ve come to want and expect from our smartphones, a decent sized screen that actually looks great for the price, all powered by 4G LTE and the latest Android Gingerbread. You add all that up and learn it only costs $99 (with a new contract of course) this really is hard to beat.

For those looking to get into the world of Android, try their first 4G LTE smartphone, or just are on a budget the Pantech Breakout will make one great choice. Many might opt for the high priced Bionic at $299, but Pantech is clearly aiming this device toward new buyers or someone that isn’t a power-user and they’ve achieved just that — a phone that fits its price. While this isn’t a phone I’d buy for myself (I’m a speed and overclocking junkie) I would recommend this for first time buyers looking for a good experience at an affordable price. If you like what you’ve seen head over to Verizon Wireless and pick one up for just $99.

Your money gets you an 8GB microSD card preinstalled, Bluetooth 3.0 and WiFi b/g/n, along with a 5-megapixel main camera with 720p HD video recording. A front-facing VGA camera is used for video calls, and you get mobile hotspot support with up to ten simultaneous WiFi clients able to connect. Verizon also preloads Swype.

Not the most inspiring spec-list, then, but the price is likely to catch some attention all the same. The Verizon Pantech Breakout will go on sale September 22, priced at $99.99 after a mail-in $50 rebate.

This list contains Android devices mainly, including a device, first of all, called the Pantech Null. This device has an 800×600 pixel resolution display that’s considered odd because the bulk of Android devices on the market today have a resolution of 800×480. Our sister site Android Community had a bit of information about a Vega No. 5, a Pantech device with 800×480 display – maybe they pulled it out a bit? There’s also a Pantech device on the list called Pantech Onza P7050 with 800×480 pixel resolution – is this match enough for you? Last time we spoke about a Pantech / Android device it was the Pantech Crossover, a device which again Android Community has a full review of. That device was also released on AT&T.

Next there’s the Samsung i777, a device whose specs could very well line up correctly with a variant of the Samsung Galaxy S II. Next there’s the Samsung Gidim SGH-i927 which we’re guessing is the Galaxy S II slider variant we found to < a href="http://androidcommunity.com/samsung-slider-phone-for-att-is-not-the-galaxy-s-ii-attain-20110729/" target="_blank">not be a replacement for the skinny as it should be AT&T version of the original Galaxy S II. Neither of the Samsung / Android devices named here are set for Q4, but we’ve got to still assume the Samsung Impulse 4G LTE will be coming out this year.

There’s a Motorola MB865 “Fuath” that we’re going to give an educated guess on and say that it’s an ATRIX 4G refresh similar to what happened with the PHOTON 4G. This device could be called the ATRIX HD or Diana based on intel and photos of this possible future device. Finally for Android there’s the Huawei Jengu U8652, a mid-range phone with mid-range specs.

Then we’ve got a couple of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango devices, the first of which is the Samsung Kupua SGH-i937 that we saw just this past month in a leaked video and an HTC Bunyip P139100 which we know little about but does appear to be a high-class phone indeed.

For BlackBerry 7 there’s two devices, the first being the RIM BlackBerry Maero 9360 coming out with the smallest battery on the list at 1000 mAh making us believe that this 480×360 pixel resolution device must be a mid-range device. Then there’s the RIM BlackBerry Danava 9860 which does appear to have a bit better of a set of specs with an 800×480 pixel display and a Q4 release date the same as the Maero.

Get pumped up! Also note the lack of an iPhone device here, but remember that its doubtful that Apple would allow such a slip.

[via PocketNow]

The phone also offers drag and drop shortcuts and a 2MP rear camera with video recording function. Pantech pre-loads social networking widgets on one of three different home screens that the user can slide around to find what they need. The Pursuit II is designed to be a quick messaging phone and it has a full HTML web browser too.

Other features include USB connectivity, mobile email support, AT&T Navigator, and more. The camcorder function has a 4x digital zoom lens and the resolution of the screen is 240 x 320. The device uses a QSC 6270 ARM 9 processor at 230MHz and has up to 32GB of storage via a microSD card. The phone will sell for $49.99 and the big issue I see is that you can get the iPhone 3G for the same price.

An odd factor with this phone that I believe might be important to mention is that it will be traveling along this summer with the Dew Tour, a Mountain Dew touring of x-games individuals riding their BMX bikes and skateboards doing tricks and flips and bashing their brains in for your entertainment! Look for this phone to sell off the shelves as a result. Of course, with a unique look like this, with all the sharp corners and slidy goodness you can handle, one would have already expected such a thing, yes?

This device will be connecting along the following: HSPA Tri-Band 850/1900/2100 MHz; Quad-Band GSM850/900/1800/1900 MHz and Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n, it has voice recognition and an accelerometer, micro USB jack for data transfer and power, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. In addition, it’s got a 1500 mAh batter which, given that this phone is relatively small, should last you for several days, no problem. It’s got a 3-megapixel camera on the back with fixed focus and 4x zoom, and it sizes in at 4.45″ (L) x 2.28″ (W) x 0.56″ (D), Weight: 5.15 oz. Also there’s a microSD card slot pre-installed with a 2GB card and space for a 32GB card.

Check out the full press release below:

New Android 2.2 Smartphone Available to AT&T Customers June 5
Dallas, Texas, May 31, 2011

Key Facts
Perfect for first-time smartphone users, the Pantech Crossover™ is the first Android™ smartphone from Pantech in the U.S.

Crossover boasts a slide out full keyboard, a 3.1-inch touchscreen display, 600 MHz processor, 3-megapixel digital camera with camcorder, the popular AllSport GPS™ app and Mobile Hotspot support.

Pantech Crossover will be available from AT&T* at company-owned stores and online at http://www.att.com/ on June 5 for $69.99 with a two-year contract and minimum monthly data plan.

Pantech Crossover will be one of the premier phones promoted this summer on the Dew Tour, a major coast to coast action sports tour, of which Pantech is the official handset sponsor.

Customer Benefits
The Pantech Crossover™ makes it seamless for active people to stay connected through messaging and social media. Ideal for customers looking for additional features, personalization and convenience in their next phone, Crossover runs the Android 2.2 platform, has a side-sliding, full QWERTY keyboard, a five screen customizable interface, and an easy-to-use 3.1” touch screen to access apps, widgets and more. For users ready to make the switch from a messaging phone to smartphone, Crossover is a simple take on the popular Android operating system.

Crossover’s durable design means it can go wherever you go. With a textured back cover and rubberized corners, it’s not afraid of a little action and is packed with features customers use most. The full QWERTY keyboard makes it a breeze to text, email and surf the web, and from the touchscreen, AT&T customers can use Android Market™ to grab the latest apps for social networking, games and more. Crossover is preloaded with AllSport GPS™, an application that offers workout tracking, maps, a calorie counter and more features for your active lifestyle. Sporty good looks and durable design come together to make Crossover a perfect fit for any active lifestyle.
In addition, Crossover also offers AT&T Mobile Hotspot to connect up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices for customers who choose a tethering plan. Customers can also enjoy unlimited Wi-Fi usage on the entire national AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot network with qualifying data plans.

Key Specifications
• Android™ 2.2 (Froyo)
• 3.1″ Full Touchscreen Display with Full Keyboard Slider
• HSPA Tri-Band 850/1900/2100 MHz; Quad-Band GSM850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
• 2GB card preinstalled
• microSD™ Memory Card Supports up to 32GB
• 4.45″ (L) x 2.28″ (W) x 0.56″ (D), Weight: 5.15 oz
• 3-megapixel camera with camcorder, fixed focus, 4x zoom
• 600 MHz processor
• Micro USB and 3.5mm headset jack
• 1500 mAh Lithium-ion battery; Up to 5 Hours, Standby Time: Up to 360 Hours
• Voice Recognition
• Accelerometer

To learn more about the Pantech Crossover, visit www.att.com/mobilephones-news.

Quotes
“Our Android portfolio continues to grow with unique options for customers of all types,” said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Device Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “The Pantech Crossover with its unique finish and full keyboard will introduce new and existing customers to smartphone features for the first time.”

“Crossover is the latest addition to our popular lineup of AT&T mobile phones,” said Wyatt Whaley, vice president of product planning for Pantech Wireless. “As our first Android™ smartphone for AT&T customers, we’ve made sure that Crossover has all of the features our users consider indispensible and more – a full keyboard for messaging, a touchscreen for apps and games, easy access to favorite social media pages and many others.

Crossover is a simple, sporty Android device for people on the move and it will be a central part of this year’s exciting Dew Tour.”

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

Coverage including mobile broadband, not available everywhere. Limited-time offer. 2 year agreement, new activation, eligible voice and a minimum $15 a month smartphone data plan required. Qualified customers only. Other conditions & restrictions apply. See contract & rate plan brochure for details. Subscriber must live & have a mailing addr. within AT&T’s owned wireless network coverage area. $36 activ. fee applies. Early Termination Fee: None if cancelled in the first 30 days, but up to $35 restocking fee may apply to equipment returns; thereafter up to $325. Smartphone Data Plan Requirement: Smartphone requires minimum DataPlus (200MB); $15 will automatically be charged for each additional 200MB provided on DataPlus if initial 200MB is exceeded. All data, including overages, must be used in the billing period in which the allowance is provided or they will be forfeited. For more details on Data Plans, go to att.com/dataplans. Sales tax calculated based on price of unactivated equipment.Mobile Hotspot requires a minimum $45 a month DataPro 4GB plan. Devices connected to your Mobile Hotspot use data from your DataPro 4GB plan. Overage charges of $10 per GB provided apply if the included monthly data allowance is exceeded. Performance may vary depending on the number of devices connected and other factors. If you do not use a password, others will be able to use your Mobile Hotspot connection. Wi-Fi Access – Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations. AllSport GPS requires a subscription.

We’ve already actually seen an unofficial UML290 Mac hack, but this new release makes things a lot more official. The Pantech UML290 is priced at $100 with a new, two-year agreement; data plans range from $50 to $80 per month.

[via Macworld]

Update: It seems the workaround was originally sourced from here.

The hack isn’t officially supported by Verizon, but was apparently developed with some help from the carrier’s advanced support team. It’ll work not only on Macs but on Linux, UNIX and other platforms, though you’re out of luck if things go wrong; there’s no tech support until the proper VZACCESS app is released. More on Verizon’s LTE service in our LG VL600 review.

[via UberGizmo]

Device wise, the first USB modem that Verizon will launch for their LTE network, will be the LG manufactured VL600 LTE USB modem. This is the modem that customers will be able to pick up at the initial launch. Verizon says that the device will cost customers $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate, and you sign over a new, two-year contract. The other USB modem is the Pantech UML290, which Verizon says will be available soon. It will be the same cost as the LG version: $99 after a $50 mail-in rebate, with your signature on a two-year contract.

The plan pricing is where the main focus is. Verizon has announced that they will be charging $50 per month for 5GB, and $80 per month for 10GB, as part of their new 4G LTE Mobile Broadband plans. If you do go over, it will be $10 per GB. One thing to note, though: we’re hearing reports trickle in that the LG VL600 LTE USB modem, and perhaps even the Pantech UML290 isn’t Mac-compatible. As far as phones go, Verizon says they expect to have a device launched in the early part of 2011. Check out the full press release below.

Press Release

VERIZON WIRELESS LAUNCHES THE WORLD’S LARGEST 4G LTE WIRELESS NETWORK ON DEC. 5

Laptop Users Benefit First from Fastest and Most Advanced Wireless Network, Arriving in 38 Major Metropolitan Areas with New Value-Priced 4G Data Plans

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless announced today it is turning on the world’s first large-scale 4G LTE network on Sunday, Dec. 5. Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network will be the fastest and most advanced 4G network in America. Business users will be the first to take advantage of the 4G LTE network with speeds up to 10 times faster than the company’s 3G network.

With the launch, Verizon Wireless is also offering new value-priced 4G LTE Mobile Broadband data plans starting at $50 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance, as well as two new 4G LTE USB modems: the LG VL600 which will be available at launch, and the Pantech UML290, available soon.

Dan Mead, president and chief executive officer of Verizon Wireless, said, “Beginning Sunday, Verizon Wireless is making the best network even better. Our initial 4G LTE launch gives customers access to the fastest and most advanced mobile network in America and immediately reaches more than one-third of all Americans, right where they live. That’s just the start. We will quickly expand 4G LTE, and by 2013 will reach the existing Verizon Wireless 3G coverage area.”

Road warriors using laptops will immediately benefit from Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network with super-fast connectivity that’s up to 10 times faster than the company’s current 3G network. The company expects 4G LTE average data rates in real-world, loaded network environments to be 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink.

Mead continued, “We are building our 4G LTE network with the same commitment to performance and reliability for which we have long been recognized. Our commitment to superior network performance, combined with broad 4G coverage areas and the strong value of our data plans make 4G LTE Mobile Broadband the best choice for laptop users.”

4G LTE Mobile Broadband Data Plans, Devices and Coverage Areas
Verizon Wireless customers can choose from two 4G LTE Mobile Broadband data plans: $50 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance or $80 monthly access for 10 GB monthly allowance, both with $10/GB overage. For laptop connectivity, two 4G LTE USB modems will be initially available: the LG VL600 is available at launch and the Pantech UML290 will be available soon, each $99.99 after $50 rebate with a new two-year agreement. Both USB modems provide backward-compatibility with Verizon Wireless’ 3G network. If laptop users travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, they will automatically stay connected on the company’s 3G network.

The two modems harness the power of the company’s 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network to help enterprise, business and government customers make their workforces more productive, providing super-fast laptop connectivity. Both modems will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, online at www.verizonwireless.com, by phone by calling 1-800 256-4646 and through the company’s business sales channels.

The company expects consumer-oriented handsets will be available by mid-2011.

Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network is initially launching in 38 major metropolitan areas and in more than 60 commercial airports coast to coast – at both airports within the launch areas plus airports in other key cities. Street level coverage area maps will be available online on Dec. 5. Today, customers can go to www.verizonwireless.com/4Glte to check if their addresses will be in the initial 4G LTE coverage area.

Spectrum and Network Partners
By leveraging its 700 MHz spectrum for LTE deployment in the United States, Verizon Wireless is capable of quickly deploying a high-quality wireless broadband network with excellent coverage. Verizon Wireless’ primary 4G LTE network vendors, Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent, are providing the underlying infrastructure for the 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network.

Visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte for more information about Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network.

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Major Metropolitan Area Deployment (Dec. 5, 2010)
Akron, Ohio
Athens, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Baltimore, Maryland
Boston, Massachusetts
Charlotte, North Carolina
Chicago, Illinois
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, Dallas, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Houston, Texas
Jacksonville, Florida
Las Vegas, Nevada
Los Angeles, California
Miami, Florida
Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota
Nashville, Tennessee
New Orleans, Louisiana
New York, New York
Oakland, California
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Orlando, Florida
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Phoenix, Arizona
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Rochester, New York
San Antonio, Texas
San Diego, California
San Francisco, California
San Jose, California
Seattle/Tacoma, Washington
St. Louis, Missouri
Tampa, Florida
Washington, D.C.
West Lafayette, Indiana
West Palm Beach, Florida

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Commercial Airport Deployment (Airport Name, City, State) Dec. 5, 2010
Austin-Bergstrom International, Austin, Texas
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshal, Glen Burnie, Maryland
Bob Hope, Burbank, California
Boeing Field/King County International, Seattle, Washington
Charlotte/Douglas International, Charlotte, North Carolina
Chicago Midway International, Chicago, Illinois
Chicago O’Hare International, Chicago, Illinois
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Covington, Kentucky
Cleveland-Hopkins International, Cleveland, Ohio
Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas
Dallas/Fort Worth International, Fort Worth, Texas
Denver International, Denver, Colorado
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston, Houston, Texas
Greater Rochester International, Rochester, New York
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Atlanta, Georgia
Honolulu International, Honolulu, Hawaii
Jacksonville International, Jacksonville, Florida
John F. Kennedy International, New York, New York
John Wayne Airport-Orange County, Santa Ana, California
Kansas City International, Kansas City, Missouri
La Guardia, New York, New York
Lambert-St. Louis International, St. Louis, Missouri
Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts
Long Beach/Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California
Los Angeles International, Los Angeles, California
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Metairie, Louisiana
McCarran International, Las Vegas, Nevada
Memphis International, Memphis, Tennessee
Metropolitan Oakland International, Oakland, California
Miami International, Miami, Florida
Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nashville International, Nashville, Tennessee
New Castle, Wilmington, Delaware
Newark Liberty International, Newark, New Jersey
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, San Jose, California
North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Orlando International, Orlando, Florida
Orlando Sanford International, Sanford, Florida
Palm Beach International, West Palm Beach, Florida
Philadelphia International, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Mesa, Arizona
Pittsburgh International, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Port Columbus International, Columbus, Ohio
Portland International, Portland, Oregon
Rickenbacker International, Columbus, Ohio
Ronald Reagan Washington National, Arlington, Virginia
Sacramento International, Sacramento, California
Salt Lake City International, Salt Lake City, Utah
San Antonio International, San Antonio, Texas
San Diego International, San Diego, California
San Francisco International, San Francisco, California
Seattle-Tacoma International, Seattle, Washington
St. Augustine, Saint Augustine, Florida
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International, Clearwater, Florida
Tampa International, Tampa, Florida
Teterboro, Teterboro, New Jersey
Trenton Mercer, Trenton, New Jersey
Washington Dulles International, Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C.
Will Rogers World, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
William P. Hobby, Houston, Texas

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Media can access high-resolution images and video related to Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.)

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

The Laser is marketed as a quick messaging phone, but some of the features may strike it similar to some smartphones we see on the market now. For instance, the device has a 3.1-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display. You’ll be able to access your email, social networking services like MySpace and Twitter, and Pantech’s new “Drawing Commander,” which lets you simply draw a shape on the display, and the device will launch an app, make a call, or even start a message.

The Pantech Laser will be made available in AT&T stores beginning October 17th. It will be made available online at the same time, too. It will cost you $99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. You’ll have to sign a new, two-year contract and pay at least $20 per month for messaging, or higher for a messaging/data plan to get the discounted price, too. Check out the full press release below.

Press Release

AT&T* announced today the latest addition to its portfolio of quick messaging phones – the Pantech Laser will be available exclusively through AT&T beginning October 17.

Pantech Laser is the thinnest, full sliding keyboard device (9.95mm) AT&T has ever offered.

Pantech Laser will be available in AT&T company owned stores nationwide and online for $99.99 after $50 mail-in rebate (pay $149.99 and after mail-in rebate receive $50 AT&T Promotion Card. Two-year agreement and $20 a month messaging or combination of messaging/data plan required).

Customer Benefits

The Pantech Laser, an ultra-slim and stylish quick messaging phone that features a vibrant 3.1” AMOLED touchscreen and a full sliding QWERTY keyboard, allows for access to email, social networking and messaging. From the touchcreen, users can activate Drawing Commander, a feature that allows for calls to be made, messages to be opened or favorite apps to be accessed by simply tracing a shape with a finger. Laser further prioritizes the personal experience by allowing voice memos to be recorded on the Voice Memo app and shared via text, or the 3MP camera to be used for updating social media statuses with pictures and videos. Pantech’s latest quick messaging phone proves that functionality doesn’t have to be sacrificed for a thin phone.

In addition, the Pantech Laser boasts:

AT&T Address Book –syncs contacts to an online address book so customers can access and manage their mobile contacts from their handset — or their PC. Synchronization occurs automatically when any change is made, so contact information is always backed up.
AT&T Navigator –offers turn-by-turn voice and onscreen driving directions, automatic rerouting, real-time traffic monitoring and more. AT&T Navigator is available for $9.99 per month, and new subscribers receive their first 30 days of their subscription for free.
AT&T Social Net – provides easy access to all your social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter and MySpace in one easy-to-use interface.
AT&T Mobile Share – helps customers quickly transfer photos and videos captured on their mobile phone to other destinations and allows customers to manage that content across the mobile and PC screens.

Limited-time offer. Other conditions & restrictions apply. See contract & rate plan brochure for details. Subscriber must live & have a mailing addr. within AT&T’s owned wireless network coverage area. Up to $36 activ. fee applies. Equipment price & avail may vary by mrk & may not be available from independent retailers. Early Termination Fee: None if cancelled in the first 30 days, but up to $35 restocking fee may apply to equipment returns; thereafter up to $150. Some agents impose add’l fees. Sales tax calculated based on price of unactivated equipment.
2AT&T Promotion Card: Allow 60 days for fulfillment. Card may be used only in the U.S. is valid for 120 days after issuance date but is not redeemable for cash & cannot be used for cash withdrawal at ATMs or automated gasoline pumps. Card request must be postmarked by Nov. 6, 2010 & you must be a customer for 30 consecutive days to receive card.

Messaging charges apply to voice memos sent via text.

4Mobile Share-Requires a data plan. Monthly Recurring Plan includes 50 transfers. The overage rate and Pay-per-use rate is 35 cents for each transfer. You are charged for each transfer to or from your device. Transfers exceeding 2 MBs will be charged for each additional 2 MB increment or fraction thereof. Normal data charges apply when browsing your online locker or other sites from your Mobile device

Pricing established by AT&T for AT&T-owned retail outlets.

The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer.

The jest has a slide-out portrait mode QWERTY keyboard. The screen of the handset is a 2.6-inch 262K color TFT and the user can customize all the phone’s icons. The device has a 2MP digital camera that can shoot still shots and record video.

The handset also has full text, video, and voice messaging capability as well as mobile I’m and chat apps. The phone has access to Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. The device can be had for free during the special launch promotion and will land in stores on July 5 for $69.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate.

The Best of R3 Media

Samsung Galaxy S Pro for Sprint Poses for Camera: The Samsung Galaxy S is a pretty good device. And, by “pretty good,” we mean fantastic. So, to think that Samsung’s created the same device, with all that Super AMOLED display goodness, plus the 1GHz Hummingbird processor under the hood, and added a physical keyboard to the mix, well, that’s almost too good to be true. According to the tipster, it even gets goodies like WiMAX (4G) support from Sprint. So, take that, HTC. No word on release date, sadly, and no mention of pricing quite yet, but we can imagine this going for a pretty penny once it releases. [via Android Community]

Pre-Order Your iPhone 4 Tomorrow: All of the hype out there about the iPhone 4 is just about due to run its course, considering the device is set to launch in just ten days time. And, we’re sure a whole bunch of you out there are getting ready to pre-order it, sitting on your hands, waiting. Well, we’ve got a lovely list for you, telling you where you can visit, pre-order, and set yourself up for a bunch of happiness come June 24th. Walmart, Best Buy, RadioShack, AT&T stores, and Apple Stores all fit the bill. But, hit up the link to find out the details. You won’t be leaving those stores without dropping some cash. [via SlashGear]

Pantech Ease for AT&T Launching June 20th: In a world filled to the brim with smartphones, you have to wonder if there’s a place for featurephones, even with full slide-out keyboards. Well, companies like Pantech surely think there is, and we’re pretty sure wireless carriers like AT&T are willing to assume the same. A featurephone just has to get the message across, and some of them are the best messaging devices out there. With the release of the Ease from Pantech, they’re obviously trying to sneak into that latter category, as they’ve just announced a 3.2-inch touchscreen, full landscape slider QWERTY keyboard messaging device. It features things like an “easy mode,” which makes it have streamlined menus, and larger font and touch-points. It’s going to be available June 20th, for $120. If you’re interested, hit up the link for more details, and a picture. [via SlashPhone]

The Dredge ‘Net

Apple Rumored to Release an iOS App: For some reason, hearing news that Apple’s about to release an application for their own App Store is pretty mind-boggling to us. Maybe it’s just a long-time coming. In any event, right now it’s just a rumor, but it does make a lot of sense. According to those “well in the know,” Apple’s about to release an application into the App Store that would allow current iPhone users to set up Genius Bar appointments at their local Apple Store (which they can also find with the app, too), and “purchase and reserve products including reservations for the new iPhone.” Very, very interesting. That should make reserving your new iDevice all the more easier, so if it comes true, let us know in the comments if you download it and take advantage of the easiness. [via IntoMobile]

Verizon MiFi Hacked Into an iPad: Sure, the iPad 3G, rocking AT&T’s 3G network, is one of the most enjoyed devices out there. Especially when the 3G works. But, for some people out there, they’d rather have the magical and revolutionary tablet from Apple without the hassle of AT&T (especially considering the changes recently made). And we don’t blame them. So, what to do? Why not shove a Verizon Wireless MiFi’s circuit board into your iPad, and make it connect to a whole new network? That’s what one man did, and he managed to make it work quite well. Now his iPad’s a Verizon WiFi hotspot. Pretty great, righht? Check out the link for more details. Though, we should mention that this isn’t for people not comfortable with some hardware disassembling, so, be forewarned. [via DISH TV HD Store]

New Xbox 360 Up for Pre-Order Now: Right now, if you are really interested in picking up the new Xbox 360 that Microsoft announced earlier today, then you can make sure you’ve got one waiting for you in store when it shows up later this week. Pre-order one from your favorite retailer, like Amazon or GameStop, and have it all plugged in and ready to go the same day it arrives. You get the new, shiny black box, the integrated 802.11n WiFi, and that expansive 250GB hard drive all for only $299.99. Good deal, so get on it! [via Amazon; via GameStop]

The Pursuit has a touchscreen with a 2.8-inch display and it features a digital camera, access to social networking, music player, and video playback. A slide-out QWERTY keyboard is also featured and the handset comes in blue or green colors.

Pantech adds in some different features for the phone like Drawing Commander that dials contacts and activates apps on the handset by tracing a finger on the touchscreen. The device also has a graffiti mode that lets you draw on images using a finger right on the screen. The handset is also designed for multitasking and connects to the AT&T 3G network. The device is available now and is $49.99 after a new contract and a mail-in $50 rebate.

The ORNL updated its Jaguar supercomputer with new 6-core Opteron processors recently. The newly updated rig grabbed the top spot on the list of fastest supercomputers in the world. The Samsung Go netbook is coming to the AT&T Wireless network as a subsidized offering. The machine will hit November 22 for $199.99 after rebates and a new agreement.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 smartphone was spied on video this week. The snapdragon speed that the prototype spied previously lacked was in effect this time around. A paper claims that the Dell Streak MID will be hitting the AT&T network in 2010. I’m not sure that a MID will really make the grade; most of us want smartphones today.

A job listing over at Apple is looking for a game engineer. This has rumors swirling that Apple is set to develop first party games for its rumored tablet and the iPhone/iPod touch. We heard this week that the fix for the camera autofocus woes of the Droid may be as easy as wiping the lens well. Other reports claim that an unannounced software patch was pushed out to fix the issue.

The Windows Marketplace for Mobile hit WinMo 6.0 and 6.1 smartphones early in the week. The store had previously only been offered to those running WinMo 6.5 devices. The Malata R108T Windows 7 convertible touchscreen netbook broke cover Tuesday looking familiar. The rig has a 10.1-inch screen and Intel Atom processor, standard netbook fare.

MSI debuted the Wind Top AE2220 AIO 1080p computer mid-week with multitouch and a 21.5-inch display. The machine can be had with Intel Core 2 Duo power and Ion graphics. ATI unveiled the Radeon HD 5970 dual GPU video card this week. The thing is very powerful and has a price tag to match.

A report came in Wednesday that had Nokia using mostly Maemo rather than Symbian on its N-series devices by 2012. Nokia later came out and said that the announcement was premature. The sexy Dell Adamo XPS went on sale this week at $1799. It’s expensive; by man do I want one.

Vizio again grabbed the top spot on the LCD shipper list in the US for the quarter. People are flocking to the firms lower priced LCD TVs rather than the more expensive big names like Sony and Samsung. Sony Ericsson has confirmed that the Xperia X1 will not be getting a WinMo 6.5 update. A ROM hinted previously that such an update might be coming.

A new version of the ever popular Flip camcorder is coming in the first half of 2010 that has a sliding screen and WiFi. The WiFi will presumably allow you to send your movies directly to your computer without connecting a USB cable. The Sony Reader Daily Edition is available for preorder now for $400. The device has wireless access to the Sony eBook store.

Olive debuted a new 4HD Hi-Fi music server this week. The thing offers audiophile grade sound quality at a steep price of almost $2000. This is a strange report, the Apple tablet is said to be delayed until the second half of 2010 to get OLED and LCD versions. The odd part is how can a device be delayed when it was never officially announced?

Thursday we detailed the Chrome OS on video. The OS has been anticipated for a while and could replace Android in devices like netbooks. The Archos 9 PC tablet has been delayed with preorders shipping in December and the full retail launch pushed until 2010. You should be able to pick the thing up at retail locations once it launches.

Imation unveiled the world’s first wireless USB external storage solution Friday called the Pro WX. The HDD has a 30-foot range and enough speed for data backups sans cable. The Motorola Motus was spotted in a particularly blurry pic this week and promises an unusual form factor. The device appears to fold back.

The Pantech Impact is now avaialbl on the AT&T network for $99.99 after rebates. The device has haptics feedback for the touch panel front keypad. That’s it for this week, have a great Thanksgiving!

We already know some of the specifications and features of the device, but I will run them down again. The device has a flip out full QWERTY keyboard and a range of shortcut keys for one-touch access to IM, text, email, and apps.

The headset has a second screen inside that is made for watching video and viewing pictures. Speakers are located on each side of the screen and the device has GPS built-in. The touchpad has feedback via buzzing and controls are located on the outside of the device for music and sending texts. The Impact sells for $149.99 before the mail-in rebate.

The Samsung Mythic packs a 3.3-inch touchscreen and the company’s TouchWiz UI, together with AT&T Mobile TV and AT&T Navigator.  As for the Samsung Flight, that has a smaller touchscreen but hides a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard which, AT&T claim, is just the right size for one-handed use.

Meanwhile over at Pantech, their Reveal has both a numeric keypad on the outside and a QWERTY ‘board underneath, together with a smaller display than either of the Samsung handsets.  It’s 3G, has Navigator and GPS, and both the keyboards are active at the same time meaning you won’t need to reach for the Fn button to add strings of numbers to an email.

Finally, the Pantech Impact has us intrigued, with a “new form factor”, OLED touchscreen and haptic feedback.  It flips out sideways to reveal a QWERTY keyboard and second display, and has triband 3G.  Like all four of the phones, the Impact has AT&T’s new mobile browser – based on Opera – which promises full HTML access together with sliced-up location-aware and topical information windows.

The Mythic will arrive next month for $199.99 after a $50 rebate, while the Flight is $99.99, also next month and after a rebate; there are no prices for the two Pantech handsets.  However we do know that the Reveal will drop on October 18th, in red and blue, while the Impact will come in pink and blue; no word on the latter’s availability, though.

Press Release:

AT&T Unveils Lineup of Full Web Browsing Phones

New Quick Messaging and Touch Screen Phones from Pantech and Samsung to Arrive in Time for the Holidays

Dallas, Texas, October 5, 2009

AT&T* today announced four new mobile phones, two each from Pantech and Samsung that feature full Web browsers as well as physical and virtual keyboards. The Pantech Reveal™ and Impact™ will join the Samsung Mythic™ and Flight™ at the head of AT&T’s quick messaging and touch-screen phone portfolio heading into the holiday season.

The new phones are the first to come preloaded with AT&T’s new richer and faster HTML mobile browser and att.net service, combining the best of full HTML browsing with unique features for personalizing favorite bookmarks and local searches. The new att.net mobile platform utilizes advanced data compression from Opera Software, allowing for much faster delivery of HTML Web pages.

“Customers expect to see the hottest mobile phones at AT&T stores and we’ve upped the ante for consumer handsets with our quick messaging phone portfolio over the past year,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “Not only do these four new consumer phones have either a virtual or physical full keyboard, they now come with our richer and faster att.net mobile browser.”

Pantech Reveal™
On shelves October 18 in red and blue, Reveal is a slim and snappy slider that features an open-faced numeric keypad on the front of the phone which slides up to uncover a full keyboard underneath. Uniquely, both sets of keys stay active simultaneously, giving users fast access to numbers and letters at the same time. Whether updating your status with new pictures and videos, or texting, IMing or emailing friends, Reveal keeps you connected to your digital life at every turn. Reveal utilizes AT&T Navigator and the power of 3G to make GPS, surfing the Web and listening to music fast and convenient.

Pantech Impact™
Bringing a new form factor along with a more color choices to the quick messaging portfolio, Impact features an OLED touch screen that lets users send text messages, make calls, and control their music library without having to open the phone. Impact’s screen features haptic controls which register each key-press with a soft, tactile buzz. A sideways flip of the phone reveals a full physical keyboard and a second display screen, allowing for a fuller experience when typing longer messages. Additionally, Impact’s bright screen and tri-band 3G functionality, lets users manage social networks and explore the Internet with quickness and ease. Available in two colors, pink and blue.

Samsung Mythic™
A touch screen-only device, the AT&T Mobile TV-capable Mythic will be available in black in November. The large 3.3 inch touch screen scrolls left to right on the home screen for additional applications with the touch of a finger. With the swipe of a finger you are a touch away from your favorite apps including AT&T Navigator, AT&T Social Net, att.net and more. Samsung’s TouchWiz™ user interface allows for quick access to your favorite features and has specially designed widgets to customize and personalize the way you use your phone.

Samsung Flight™
The next generation messaging device from Samsung, the Flight has a vertical sliding form factor, with full keyboard underneath. A textured design and subtle ridge on the back make it easy to text or use the touch screen with one hand. The main display features a unique user interface which provides one-touch access to functions like shortcuts, favorites and messaging. The Flight, available in red and silver color options, will be available in November.

New AT&T Mobile Browser
“The new browser powering the att.net service brings the best of the open Web to consumer feature phones while making the mainstay of the mobile Web easy to find and also delivering local tools and bookmarking management,” said Ted Woodbery, vice president of Wireless Data, Voice and Ancillary Products for AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “It’s a rich hybrid experience that gives you a HTML experience similar to your PC browser at home — and works really well on a feature phone. Plus, it gives you easy, one-click access to the tools and content you find most valuable.”

AT&T’s new att.net mobile browser gives customers three windows to the Web. From the homepage, users can easily browse the global Internet as well as assign bookmarks and shortcuts or set other preferences so they have quick access to their favorite content. A second window gives users location-aware local news and weather; one-click results for nearby restaurants, nightlife venues, ATMs and other points of interest; and access to maps, driving directions and traffic information. A third window delivers the latest headlines from popular news, sports and entertainment sites.

Additionally, customers accessing att.net from their PC can customize their mobile att.net page by sending shortcuts to popular Web sites through a “Send to Mobile” feature.

For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com. For photos of the new phones, visit www.att.com/mobilephones-news.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

What is better than reading about all the great news we covered this week? Winning a FREE SMARTPHONE! That’s right, SlashGear is one of 26 ways to win a free Pantech Matrix Pro smartphone and $100 in AT&T store credit! Sign up for our forums, and enter in this thread, explaining which is better: a tactile QWERTY keyboard, or touchscreen QWERTY keyboard. Hurry up though, because we pick the winner on April 22nd.

Microsoft will release Windows Mobile 6.5 next month on May 11th. That’s good news for anyone who has an aversion to anything iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian or webOS…which is who exactly?

A sad day for the digital-swashbucklers of this world…or at least the internet. The Pirate Bay administrators were found guilty of facilitating illegal music and movie downloading through their completely legal website. The Pirate Bay will remain up and running however for all of your bit torrent needs.

Apple will not be launching a CDMA version of the iPhone on Verizon, at least not until they get their LTE network up and running. Apple is ending their contract with AT&T (if AT&T doesn’t manage to extend it) and many thought that Apple might take it to Verizon. However, Verizon has shot down the hopes of an iPhone on Big Red, claiming that Apple was unwilling to work with Verizon until their next-gen network is established. That means 2011 at the earliest.

I’m pretty sure every text-loving cell phone owner out there knows this, but T-Mobile announced the next generation Sidekick, the Sidekick LX, to follow up to the popular QWERTY phone with the iconic swivel design. Paris Hilton already thinks it’s hot, but you have to wait until May 13th to get your hands on it. T-Mobile customers can pre-order now though, if they wish.

I don’t care what anyone says, George Harrison was the best Beatle. And for aspiring Mop-Tops, you can get your chance to impersonate your favorite legendary rock star with The Beatles’ Rock Band Bundle. Nothing quite like rocking out to Yellow Submarine on a plastic drum set fashioned à la Ringo.

I got to check out the HP dv2 with the new portable Blu-ray drive. I’m in the process of running some video game tests on it, but if you want to see some first impressions, hit up the video. I apologize for the audio. (I need a new camera. Any suggestions?)

Speaking of video, I also got to unbox the Samsung Tocco S8300, a new phone that was shipped to me in a crate from Korea. For some Home Depot un-crating action, and hands on impression (not to mention better audio for the video) check it out here.

And on the thread of Samsung, word has hit the blogs that Samsung is planning to launch three new phones running, wait for it, Android. Who saw that one coming? Hopefully all of you since practically every carrier and manufacturer this side of Apple promised to make at least ONE Android device. About time.

I was skeptical at first, but have since rescinded my statements of doubt, about the pictures of the Palm Pre in the wild. Apparently, two random kids had Palm Pre phones and were using them to take pictures of a parade in San Francisco, probably violating NDA, not that they necessarily had to sign one to begin with. Who knows what Palm is doing with all those celebrities who are getting them (or turning them down). I’m happy that at least some average kids get the chance to have some fun…now what about the people who happen to write for tech blogs and can spread the word about the Pre to millions of readers for free advertising? Why no love for us?

That was the week in tech news, and if you’re reading this, congratulations. You’ve won a prize: my appreciation and gratitude for your readership.

Sign up for SlashGear account, head to the SlashGear Forums and post your argument regarding physical QWERTY keyboard versus virtual QWERTY keyboard on Smartphone in this thread. Explain why you think one is better than the other. We will pick the winner based on the merit of the argument on the 22nd of April.

This giveaway is limited to U.S resident only.

Below is the list of the sites participating on this giveaway.

Tools for Thought 
Launch Date  15-Apr
Award Announcement  19-Apr

ChipChick
Launch Date  16-Apr
Award Announcement  20-Apr

VivirLatino
Launch Date  17-Apr
Award Announcement  21-Apr

slashgear.com
Launch Date  18-Apr
Award Announcement  22-Apr

modaco.com
Launch Date  19-Apr
Award Announcement  23-Apr

Gadgetell
Launch Date  20-Apr
Award Announcement  24-Apr

GeeksRoom
Launch Date  21-Apr
Award Announcement  25-Apr

OSNN
Launch Date  22-Apr
Award Announcement  26-Apr

Techmamas
Launch Date  23-Apr
Award Announcement  27-Apr

Clintonfitch
Launch Date  24-Apr
Award Announcement  28-Apr

Justanothermobilemonday
Launch Date  25-Apr
Award Announcement  29-Apr

Geek.com
Launch Date  26-Apr
Award Announcement  30-Apr

MediaBlab
Launch Date  27-Apr
01-May

Smartphonethoughts
Launch Date  28-Apr
Award Announcement  02-May

Mobilityminded
Launch Date  29-Apr
Award Announcement  03-May

The Gadgeteer
Launch Date  30-Apr
Award Announcement  04-May

Geekzone
Launch Date  01-May
Award Announcement  05-May

Techie Diva
Launch Date  02-May
Award Announcement  06-May

Bostonpocketpc
Launch Date  03-May
Award Announcement  07-May

GearDiary
Launch Date  04-May
Award Announcement  08-May

MobilitySite
Launch Date  05-May
Award Announcement  09-May

AbsoluteWindows
Launch Date  06-May
Award Announcement  10-May

Mobilejaw
Launch Date  07-May
Award Announcement  11-May

Experiencemobility
Launch Date  08-May
Award Announcement  12-May

HackCollege
Launch Date  09-May
Award Announcement  13-May

Gear Live
Launch Date  10-May
Award Announcement  14-May

General conditions on this giveaway (apply to all sites)

Winners are limited by geography to US residents only. This is due to the fact that the phone is locked to ATT’s network and service credit/gift card is redeemable only within the US. Individuals who’ve won at another site are ineligible to win at another.

The full spec also reveals compatibility from four major bands : UMTS, HSDPA 3G (850/1900/2100MHz) and GSM/EDGE. It also has a 2-megapixel camera with 4x zoom, an integrated GPS feature with AT&T Navigator, a Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and a microSD slot reads up to 32GB of storage. The Matrix Pro scales in 5.3oz, measures at 4.2in x 2.0in x .9in, and draw it power from a 1320mAh Li-polymer that’s capable of 6 hours of talk time at full-charge.

The Pantech Matrix Pro will be available at Feb 24th, and is selling for US$179.99 after the usual two-year contract and a $50 MIR.

Pantech Matric Pro Specification :

• Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard
• UMTS/HSDPA Tri-band, GPRS/EDGE Quad-band (850/1900/2100 MHz) 528 MHz processor
• Dimensions: 4.17″ L x 2.0″ W x 0.85″ D
• Weight: approximately 4.3 oz.
• 1320mAh Li-polymer battery
• 256MB ROM + 128MB RAM, microSD expandable 32GB
• Convenient Features:
• Dual slider form factor—12-key dial pad and sliding full QWERTY keyboard
• Sliding panel interface with music and photo preview
• Bluetooth® v2.0 + EDR
• aGPS: voice-guided GPS turn-by-turn directions, maps and traffic alerts via AT&T Location-based Services
• 2 MP camera with digital 4x zoom and Video Share
• 2.4″ 260K TFT QVGA (240 x 320 pixels)
• 5-way navigation key for easier navigation
• microSD™ expansion card slot (up to 32GB)
• Windows Media® Player 10 Mobile for music and video on the go
• MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, H.263, MPEG4, (H.264), AAC+V2, Real
• Email, text, instant and multimedia messaging
• AT&T Mobile Music and CV-video, MobiTV, WM DRM, Plays4Sure
• Java: MIDP 2.0
• Sound: 92 polyphonic, MP3 ringtone

Advanced Feature Capabilities:
• Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard with Direct Push Technology
• Email solutions supported: Microsoft Direct Push, Xpress Mail and POP3/IMAP4
• Simultaneous voice and data use
• Voice command for voice dialing
• Tether to your laptop as a high-speed modem (qualified
• Tethering plan required)
• Portfolio of AT&T-certified vertical market applications available—visit att.com/devcentral to learn more

AT&T Services and Optional Features:
• MEdia Mall, MEdia ™ Net, AT&T Mall, AT&T Music, CV-video, Video Share Calling Device
• Rechargeable
• Lithium-Polymer 1320 mAh battery AC charger
• USB sync cable
• Adaptor for
• 3.5mm headset

Other specs show only a minimal improvement in many areas over the original phone.  The 2-megapixel camera lags behind rivals, certainly.  There’s also a microSD slot, Bluetooth and video recording.

No word on release date, price or even which carrier is likely to support the handset.  Given AT&T’s past with Pantech and the first-gen Duo it seems likely that they would support this new version.  Earlier this year, Virgin Mobile confirmed to us that the CDMA version, the Ocean 2, will be making an appearance on their network in 2009.

[via Unwired View]

It is, as the title said a Best of Innovations 2008 Honoree, even though Pantech said they wouldn’t be exhibiting this year. I think it’s sort of gutsy to put the word “Drop” in the name of your phone but it takes guts to make it.

Interested in the Samsung a737? Sony Ericsson w580i? BlackBerry Curve 8310? Pantech Duo? What about the Moto RAZR2? Well they are all half off, priced at $24.99, $24.99, $99.99, $99.99, and $149.99 respectively.

What I am wondering is how many people will see the BlackBerry Curve for $99, and then look at the Moto Razr 2 for $50 more and think, “hmm, I think I’d rather have the Razr”, that’s a different discussion though. Sure, ATT isn’t offering a plane ticket for your signature on the contract, but if you are already where you want to be, or if you are more interested in a good phone for an even better price, ATT might be your stop of choice on Friday.

AT&T to challenge other carriers on Black Friday; Prepares amazing offers [via intomobile] via BGR

From Guitar Hero III to the LG Venus, we covered a lot of ground this past week. With the holidays fast approaching, the gadget news seems to be overflowing. We covered plenty of cool gifts for your Mom, Dad, Son or Daughter. Whether your looking to buy a modest stocking stuffer such as the Mood beams, or truly splurge on luxury. Lets not forget one of the biggest announcements of the week, with the launch of the Android SDK and platform, the potential future of the mobile world, don’t forget to check out AndroidCommunity.com, you could be one of the lucky recipients of a portion of that $10 million in developer cash Google is ponying up.

We touched on a few of this fall’s must have gadgets, like the LG Voyager, the new Zune, and the USBConnect 881, and warned you of shortages (Zune, Wii) and trends. With all of the new products on the market for fall, we’ve had plenty to review: The HTC Shadow, Palm Series 3 BT headset, T-mobile Razr2, AT&T Pantech Duo, and the Parrot Boombox, and the T-Mobile Sidekick LX.

This being my first week as an associate editor has been pretty hectic, and I want to thank the rest of the staff here for all the support. But most importantly, I want to thank all the readers who enjoy our hard work, and visit SlashGear for all of the latest technology news. Keep checking in throught this week to get full, hands-on reviews of the LG Voyager, the impressive LG Venus and the Alienware M9750.

The Pantech Duo is available through AT&T meaning it’s GSM. It operates on the 850, 900, 1800, 1900 frequencies, meaning the phone will suit all of your international traveling needs.

It has a big bright external screen. This makes navigation a breeze. The front of the phone also has a nice indented pattern around the screen. It adds well to the aesthetic of the phone.

Call quality was above what I expected. Very easy to hear whether you’re in a quite room, or a noisy crowd. Speaker quality is good for voice calls, but so-so when playing music with the built in Windows Media Player 10.

The full Qwerty keyboard makes email, and messages a lot easier. No more fumbling around with predictive text. The keyboard is fairly tactile with two large bumps over the space bar to help keep you centered when pounding out those long emails. And the bright backlighting makes it easy to keep them email going al through the night.

The Bluetooth worked seamlessly with every device I paired it to. No cracking when used with Bluetooth headsets, and when I paired it with the new Parrot Boombox it sounded phenomenal.

It is pretty easy to set up, send, and receive email with the C810. You can set up multiple email accounts, and set them to send/receive in intervals as short as every five minutes.

The phone is 3G, which makes surfing your favorite websites quick, and easy. The large screen makes for a pleasant surfing experience. Because the phone operates on the 3G network, it has some of AT&T’s cool new apps like AT&T music, and Cellular Video.

My two complaints about the phone are the battery life, and it’s operating system. We won’t get into the operating system – windows mobile 6 – why beat a dead horse? But the battery life could be better. If you use your phone a lot, you’ll want to pick up a car charger. Expect to get three to four hours of solid use out of it.

Overall, this is a great phone for the business user as well as the everyday consumer in search of an above average phone. I give the Pantech C180 a 4 out of 5. Pick it up for about $300 retail.

Rating:

4 out of 5 gears

Currently available for the Korean KDDI network, the specs are generally unremarkable – 2.4-inch QVGA display, 1.3-megapixel camera, 20MB built in with a microSD slot for expansion – aside from the bone conduction.  As the vaguely confused lady in the photo above is demonstrating, you can even pretend the A1407PT is an electric shaver, while still listening to whoever it is that called you.  Super discrete!

No word on whether the hump-backed handset will be available outside of Korea.

Pantech A1407PT bone conduction phone [Just Another Mobile Blog]

Knowing that this phone is targeting people that won’t likely be wanting a whole lot of extras from their phone, it’s great. It has a very small footprint. It’s thin candy bar design fits easily in your pocket, much more so than the phone I currently carry, which is the Helio Ocean. Abby, one of our Editors pointed out that it’s a great fit for girls, as they don’t generally have very large pockets to work with. The white color of the phone makes it look quite sleek, much better than some of the dull-looking phones we tend to see in this market. The display was bright and vibrant, which was surprising for a phone that you get for free with a 2-year plan from AT&T.

Looks aren’t always everything, so we’ll get down to the good stuff. Call quality was excellent. I figured that with it being such a small phone that I would have difficulty either hearing or being heard, but there were really no such problems. The camera wasn’t the greatest in the world. The pictures didn’t turn out horrible, you just really wouldn’t want to view them on a screen much larger than that of the phone. It also lacks a mirror for self-portraits which can be annoying (I’m quite vain and need lots of pictures of myself).

What surprised me more than anything on this phone was that it has an instant messenger that supports Yahoo, AIM and Windows Live Messenger. I’ve had much higher-end phones that lack this important feature. You also get a few games like Pac-Man and Tetris, though they are painfully short demos. You’ll have to buy the full game if you play more than 30 seconds. Battery life was good, talk time is just a little over 3 hours, which is right about what it should be. I give the Pantech C150 3.5 out of 5 gears.

Rating:

3.5 out of 4 gears

So, if you are a big fan of Windows Mobile 6, but also liked the dual slider action of the Ocean, feel free to go ahead and buy the Ocean and tell all the c810 users how much faster it is. No really though, the c810 is a pretty decent option for all the business users who need a phone based on the Windows Mobile platform.

God only knows if it supports push email of any kind, this day and age every device should support Push email from someone. Anyways, the phone, yeah I can call it that since its not a Helio, will be released some time in Q4 for about $249.99 with a 2 year contract from Sprint.

Pantech c810 dual-sliding Windows Mobile 6.0 smartphone to hit AT&T [via intomobile]

The C150 is a great candy-bar camera phone that’s got plenty of features to keep most people happy. Instant messaging support is always great, along with email access for Yahoo!, AOL and Windows Live make sure that you’re always accessible.

More pics after the jump

You’ll also get great extras like Bluetooth Stereo, MP3 ringtones, and a VGA camera. The phone is currently available for free from AT&T when you sign up for a 2-year service agreement.

Pantech announces the new IM-U200 for SKY Telco featuring a streamlined design with its space ship like body, offers 1.3 megapixel camera, music player, document viewer and Bluetooth. Downside is this handset has a premium-selling price and only available in Korea. It is available for purchase this week in Korea with a price of around $545 USD.

The Sexy Pantech IM-U200 Shooting Star Phone [via slashphone]

You’ll get functions like MP3 ringtones, instant and multimedia messaging and mobile email support for Yahoo!, AOL and Windows Live Mail. You’ll also get a VGA camera and Bluetooth support.

It’s not your top of the line phone like the Ocean, but for a low-end phone it’ll keep you connected in just about every way you need. The features list is below, you can pick one up today for free when you sign up for a 2-year contract with AT&T.

• Slim candy-bar design
• Bluetooth
• Mobile e-mail services supported for Yahoo! Mail, AOL and Windows Live Mail
• Multimedia Messaging Services allows users to send pictures, sounds and text with interactive messaging
• Downloadable music ring tones (MP3, MIDI)
• Polyphonic sound
• Downloadable wallpapers and screensavers
• Data transmission via GPRS
• Picture and ring tone caller ID
• Predictive text input
• Calendar and reminders

Pantech C150 Available for AT&T Subscribers [via SlashPhone]

The phone comes with interchangeable panels for the front in varying colors. My favorite being the orange (which is weird because I’m not an orange person). It is in fact very small; its dimensions being 2.72 inches tall, 1.69 wide and 0.76 inches thick. Actually, the thickness is a little much, I mean it’s great because it is a smaller phone, but it does end up looking a little more chunky. It just depends if you prefer a smaller phone or a thinner phone, you can’t have both just yet.

It has one screen on the outside, and one on on the inside, both are actually quite impressive for the size of the phone. The weird thing is that when you dial, the font is massive. Everyone thinks I’m exaggerating when I say that until they see it for themselves. To fit a number on the screen it actually has to make the font slightly smaller as you are dialing. The VGA camera has both flash and a 4x digital zoom, to be honest the camera is nothing to boast about. It’s just your everyday run of the mill camera you’d find in most cellphones. The ringtones do in fact bite a little like most phones, but if you like downloading your own it’s no big deal either way. It features MP3/64 Polyphonic ringtones.

Overall, I would have to say this is a cute phone that does occasionally turn a few heads. It’s nothing complicated, it would be great for students, especially girls. I have to say this is the only phone I have ever had that actually fits into the miniature pockets they tend to put in chick jeans. I’m sure the screens would appeal to the younger crowd quite a bit. One thing is that you do have to be cautious when speaking into it. The way I tend to hold my phone it made me sound muffled and difficult to understand. However, once I adapted to the smaller size it was fine.