In fact, the press release refers to the somewhat generic “Apple products” rather than iPhone or iPad specifically. The obvious assumption is the iPhone 5 and, given US Cellular’s appeal among cost-conscious users, the cheaper iPhone 4S and 4 versions too, though it could also be a pre-emptive grab for whatever new version – whether iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, or something else – Apple reveals later this year.

No matter which version, US Cellular is confident it will help them grow their numbers. “We have a number of strategies in progress to increase loyalty and attract more customers, including our announcement today that we will begin offering Apple products later this year” president and CEO Mary N. Dillon said in a statement today. “By further strengthening our device portfolio, we’ll give consumers another great reason to switch to U.S. Cellular, and enable our existing customers to choose from an even wider variety of iconic smartphones.”

However, the carrier would be wise to look to other, smaller networks to see the potential risks involved. Leap Wireless waded into the Apple smartphone game last year, but was forced to warn investors that it could be left with a sizable amount of unsold stock after demand proved to be less than the amounts it had negotiated with Apple.

While a (nearly) non-existent price tag is always nice, that two-year contract might not look so attractive in light of the Director’s unsubsidized price of just $99. For such a modest price, users will get a low tier ZTE handset that doesn’t have eye-catching specs, but that will provide those on a budget with all the basics you’d need in a smartphone.

Inside, users will find a 1.0 GHz single-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor alongside 512MB of RAM, as well as 4GB of internal storage space. Because that little storage would prove problematic for just about everyone, there’s also a microSD expansion slot for more space. The rear camera is an adequate-but-lower-than-usual 3-megapixels; you’ll be able to take pictures, but don’t expect much from them.

The battery is a fairly average capacity at 1,500 mAh, which should last awhile when paired with the 3.5-inch WVGA display. There are some preloaded apps, including Amazon Music and Slacker Radio. If you’re interested, you can head on over to US Cellular and check out the rest of its specs. Overall, the Director won’t be taking names and winning awards, but it will make a nice handset to give to the kids.

[via Android Community]

So far, AT&T and US Cellular are the only two major US carriers who have announced pre-order details, but T-Mobile is actually the only US carrier who has announced availability of the new phone, which is set for around May 1. T-Mobile announced availability of the GALAXY S 4 earlier this week during an event.

Pre-orders for the GALAXY S 4 are actually already live over in the UK, with an availability date of April 26 for UK residents. A handful of carriers will have the phone available, as well as a few retailers, such as Carphone Warehouse and Amazon, where you can grab the new device for £630 without a contract.

The GALAXY S 4 comes with a 5-inch 1080p display and a 13MP camera. The US version of the phone will pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor clocked at 1.9GHz with 2GB of RAM, while the UK version will sport Samsung’s Exynos 5 Octa chip. The phone also has a huge 2500 mAh battery. We’ve already gotten our hands on the new toy, but we’ll have a full review coming up soon.

[via Android Community]

The tablet runs Android Jelly Bean 4.1, and boasts a 1.4GHz quad-core proccesor and 16GB of internal storage. Around back, users will find a 5-megapixel camera, while there’s a smaller 1.9-megapixel sensor on the front for video chats. The tablet is sold with an S-pen, and is loaded with Google Mobile Services and the newly released Photoshop Touch.

Three different data plans are available, one of which the customer must subscribe to to get the tablet. The cheapest plan is priced at $25 per month for 2GB of data. The next plan up is a slightly better deal at 5GB for $50 per month, while the last plan is the best deal at 10GB for $90 per month, saving a total of $10. The first plan also offers 100 reward points monthly, while the second offers 250 and the third offers 500.

The tablet is priced at $499.99 USD, a hefty price tag for something that you can nab cheaper elsewhere. Without the $300 discount that is applied, the price jumps to $799.99. New customers will have to sign up for a 2-year contract when purchasing the tablet. If you’re keen on grabbing an LTE Galaxy Note 10.1, this is your chance, but it doesn’t come without a substantial price tag.

[via Engadget]

States that currently have US Cellular’s 4G LTE service that will see an expansion include Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Currently, the carrier’s LTE coverage covers 61% of its customers in the US.

Some of the cities that will receive US Cellular’s 4G LTE coverage include Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska; Manhattan, Kansas; Eureka and Ukiah California. As far as what other cities are on the list to get the upgrade, US Cellular didn’t say, so cross your fingers and just hope that it’s your city that gets the faster service.

US Cellular currently offers 10 devices with LTE capabilities, including the Samsung Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II, as well as several Motorola devices. Unfortunately, there’s no word on when US Cellular will start knocking out its list of cities to get LTE, but we’re guessing we should be seeing steady roll-outs all year long.

Hardware

Despite the Electrify M being the DROID RAZR M’s brother, they look hardly alike. The Electrify M has a plain and dimpled silver backplate, while the RAZR M sports the fancy kevlar lining that the DROID RAZR series is known for. That difference alone separates the two devices on opposite ends of the spectrum as far as looks and design. Other than that, though, all the buttons are in the same place — the power and volume buttons are situated on the right side, while the microUSB port, as well as the SIM and microSD card slots are on the left, accompanied with a large flap door. Essentially, this specific layout of the buttons and ports is something we don’t see everyday, but it’s traditional on Motorola’s latest phones, and it’s nothing that users won’t easily get accustomed to.

As for the hardware that’s inside the Electrify M, it’s slightly better than what we’re used to seeing in this price range. There’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz with 1GB of RAM — basically the same combination that we see in other high-end smartphones on the market, like the HTC One X and the Samsung Galaxy S III. Aside from performance-related specs, there’s 8GB of storage, and an 8MP rear camera with a 0.3MP VGA-quality front-facing camera. And, of course, there’s the 4G LTE chip for access to faster speeds if they’re available in your area, which is still only a few select places in the US if you’re a US Cellular customer.

The display is a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED unit with a qHD resolution of 960×540 pixels. The screen is bright and the color saturation is good with decent viewing angles, but its PenTile pixel layout makes small icons and text show up jagged and slightly blurry, rather than sharp and clear. Essentially, it doesn’t stand a chance against HD displays of higher-end phones, but it’s certainly not the worst display we’ve looked at. However, one of the key selling points of the Electrify M is its small size despite it’s large screen. The entire device is just slightly larger than the iPhone 4/4S, which sports only a 3.5-inch screen, compared to the M’s larger 4.3-inch display.

Software

The Electrify M runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich right out of the box. It’s practically the same user interface as the DROID RAZR M, except US Cellular made some of their own slight changes and added a few exclusive apps to the mix. Other than that, it’s what you would expect from a Motorola UI — you can swipe to the left to reveal quick settings where you can toggle various connectivity options, and then swiping all the way to the right will allow you to add a page to the homescreen.

You can also flip around each of the three circles on the main homescreen to suit your needs. For example, you can easily switch between an analog or digital clock just by swiping it up or down. The same goes for the weather circle and the battery circle, where you can flip them over to reveal weather for different cities and show the settings gear icon, respectively.

One small gripe I had with the software, though, was that putting the phone on silent mode doesn’t silence the camera shutter or the screenshot sound. This may seem trivial, but it was pretty annoying to have to open up the camera app and turn off the shutter sound, even when the entire phone was on silent mode. To make this matter worse, the M has an annoyingly loud shutter sound that’s not pleasing to the ear, and I’m pretty sure it cranks out at full volume no matter what the phone’s master volume is set at. Again, it might seem like a minute problem, but it can get on your nerves pretty quickly.

Camera

The M’s camera has an 8MP sensor — pretty typical of most smartphones nowadays. However, I got extremely mixed results when taking photos. If there was enough lighting coming from the right angles, I was able to get some really good shots, but outdoor pictures were pretty frustrating to deal with. Sometimes, even if I wasn’t pointing the camera at the sky, the sensor would automatically adjust the exposure based on the sky anyway, so everything on the ground appeared really dark. Luckily, you can play around with the exposure manually to try to get correctly-exposed photos.

Low-light environments were also kind of a disaster. There were a lot of noise in the photos and the sensor didn’t do a very good job of adjusting white balance and exposure correctly. Again, you’ll have to resort to manually adjusting some settings in order to get decent low-light photos, which can certainly be a pain in the butt if you’re in a hurry. Video recording actually did a better job at automatically adjusting exposure, even outside. I actually couldn’t find much to complain about as far as video capabilities — it shoots 1080p video well, and I rarely noticed any clipping or focus issues.

Benchmarks, Performance, & Battery

Benchmarks of the Electrify M were rather impressive on one end of the spectrum — it scored almost a 5,000 in Quadrant, beating out the HTC One X by a few points. However, in AnTuTu, it scored just under a 10,500, which is right on par with the Samsung Galaxy Note and the Galaxy S II, which are both last-generation devices. However, that doesn’t mean the Electrify M can’t perform. Thanks to the Snapdragon S4 chip on the inside, navigation was snappy and animations were really smooth. Asphalt 7 played extremely well, and casual games like Fruit Ninja and Angry Birds loaded up really quickly.

The Electrify M has a 2,000 mAh battery, which is fairly standard for most smartphones today. There wasn’t anything that stood out as far as battery life, though. It wasn’t draining more quickly than I expected, but it didn’t last longer than I expected either. I ended up almost going 21 hours before the phone started to warn me to plug it in. Normal tasks, like checking email and surfing the web, doesn’t take a lot out of the battery at all — the screen was the biggest culprit if anything, but gaming isn’t the same story. As expected, playing Asphalt 7 for about 20 minutes drained the battery by roughly 10%, so going from a full battery to a completely drained battery would allow for about an hour and a half of non-stop gaming if that’s the case. While that’s hardly enough time for a solid gaming marathon, it’s definitely not a huge surprise.

Wrap-Up

In the end, the Electrify M isn’t too special. We’ve essentially seen this phone before in the DROID RAZR M on Verizon, obviously, but for those wanting to stick with US Cellular, this is the exact alternative. What makes this phone really stick out from the crowd, though, is its compact size and huge screen. Fitting a 4.3-inch display on roughly the same footprint as the iPhone 4/4S is really impressive, and that’s thanks to Motorola’s “virtually borderless” display that’s one of the main selling points of the handset. However, the pricing model is a little odd — $99 after signing a two-year contract, but you have to pay $50 more if US Cellular’s 4G isn’t available in your area, something that isn’t even under your control. $99 isn’t a bad price, but Verizon is selling the equivalent for only $49, which makes it pretty absurd to pay $149 for the Electrify M, let alone $99.

Specifically speaking, the launch date is Friday, December 21, so US Cellular customers only have a few more days to wait before Jelly Bean arrives. If you’ll remember, it was just last week that the Verizon Galaxy S III started receiving Jelly Bean, so US Cellular is at least doing a good job at keeping up with the nation’s biggest carrier (though neither of them have been particularly fast in getting these updates out the door).

When the update is live, users will be able to download it over the air or snag it through Samsung Kies. US Cellular is also inviting users to come into a store to get their handset upgraded, which should do a lot to help those who have never updated their OS and may not know how to do so. The store you visit for your upgrade will need to have a tech center, but that seems to be the only restriction in this case.

US Cellular says it will be posting a link to the Jelly Bean upgrade on its Facebook page this Friday, but considering this update is being sent out over the air, we have a feeling that many users will just opt to search for the update on their own. Are you one of the many who will be getting Jelly Bean on Friday?

[via Android Community]

The Galaxy Axiom has specs very similar to the Galaxy S III Mini, but with a few differences. The Axiom has a 4-inch display with a resolution of 480 x 800. Inside, you’ll find a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. The cameras are average as well; there’s a 5-megapixel unit on the back and a 1.3-megapixel camera on the front.

The handset runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and features 4GB of internal storage space with an expansion microSD card slot. The device supports Google Wallet, and has Google Chrome preinstalled, as well as Samsung’s S-Voice for utilizing voice commands and S-Beam for all your data-beaming needs. The Axiom supports 4G LTE.

While its big brother, the Galaxy S III, is wildly popular and boasts a variety of high-end specs, the Galaxy Axiom is sadly lacking on almost every front, proving to be an all-around ordinary phone. The specs are mid-range, and don’t stand out in any way. If anything, it is the price and “Galaxy” branding that will likely be this phone’s biggest selling point.

[via Android Community]

The Electrify M has a 4.3-inch “virtually borderless” display, runs off of a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and has a 8MP rear camera with a 1.3MP front-facing camera. The battery offers 2000mAh of juice, and comes with NFC capabilities topped off with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with an upgrade to Jelly Bean at some point.

The device also has a water-resistant coating and comes with Corning’s toughened Gorilla Glass for scratch-resistant protection. The exterior looks quite different than the device’s cousin, the DROID RAZR M, which has a kevlar rear panel with a carbon fiber pattern. The Electrify M has more of a subtle look to it, having only a plain, silver backing with a bumpy texture.

The Electrify M is priced at $99 after a $100 mail-in rebate, but only in US Cellular LTE areas. Where LTE is not available, the device is priced at $149 after a $100 mail-in rebate. We’re not particular sure why they’re charging $50 more for the phone in non-LTE markets, but either way, the device will be available online beginning November 8, and in stores the following day.

[via Android Community]

While the price is within just about everyone’s budget, the specs are about what you’d expect from a $30 phone. The Ascend Y runs Android Gingerbread 2.3, and features a 3.5-inch 480×320 display. On the back you’ll find a 3.2-megapixel camera that can record video in addition to snapping pictures.

Perhaps a bit unexpected is the Ascend Y’s DTS Envelo feature, which provides “virtual surround sound to enhance audio experience.” Battery life is rated at 4.8 hours of talk time and 12.7 days of standby time. Says the press release, “The Huawei Ascend Y builds on the success of the Ascend range of smartphones and delivers on Huawei’s commitment to make technology accessible for more people globally.”

Chinese company Huawei has been caught up in controversy after US lawmakers recommended that the company be avoided due to its potential use by the Chinese government for spying. Huawei denied the claims, stating that it would be willing to provide unrestricted access to its software code. A source claiming to be close to the issue told Reuters earlier this month that the White House had found no evidence to support the accusations.

Design

I have to say that I really like the design of the Electrify 2. It’s nothing revolutionary, but it’s still a good-looking device. It’s a super slim phone, coming in at only 0.33” thick. That doesn’t mean it’s the slimmest smartphone on the market – nor the slimmest Motorola phone around – but it’s still pretty thin. It has a height of 5.06-inches and width of 2.59-inches, and the whole package comes in right around 4.6 ounces in weight. That means it’s very slightly on the heavy side as far as smartphones go, but that helps it feel sturdy despite its thin design.

The 4.3-inch screen may not be as big as some people would like it, but naturally that decreased screen size means that the Electrify 2 is smaller than devices with a 4.5 or 4.8-inch screen (like the Motorola Atrix HD and the Galaxy S III, respectively). Because of this, the Electrify 2 feels great in the hand – the screen is large enough to get the job done, but small enough that the Electrify 2 avoids feeling bulky. That’s definitely a big plus.

On the upper right side of the device is where you’ll find the volume buttons. On the left side is a multi card slot, and on the top is where the power button, 3.5mm headphone jack (which is right in the middle) and micro USB port – for charging and data transfer – are located. The Kevlar back that has become so common on Motorola phones is present on the Electrify 2, and that backing helps it feel more like a higher-end handset. Even though the rest of the phone is just plastic, the silver trim and the angles on the face help make the Electrify 2 look pretty sleek.

Hardware

As stated above, we’ve got a 4.3-inch screen with multi-touch functionality that is running at 960×540 resolution. Personally, I like the screen a lot, but 4.3-inches is about as low as I’m willing to go when it comes to smartphones. It doesn’t boast HD resolution, but the items on screen are still plenty sharp. Overall, I think the display is good, though as I said, 4.3-inches is getting to be a bit on the small side for me. Any smaller and typing tends to be a hassle, but thankfully the Electrify 2 avoids that problem. Typing on the screen is easy for the most part, and though you’ll inevitably run into a few errors every once in a while, you can still type up a storm while staying pretty accurate. Ease of use while typing is something that can’t be understated, and I’m pleased to report that typing is a joy on the Electrify 2’s screen.

Overall, the display is nice, and the backlighting is excellent as well. You can pop it on auto brightness if you want – and indeed, the Electrify 2 defaults to auto brightness out of the box – but I prefer to turn auto off and waste a little more battery power to have a screen that’s brighter all the time. Turn the screen up to 50% brightness and the phone looks great, and having it at that setting doesn’t kill the battery much faster than auto brightness will (more on that later). At the end of everything, the screen probably isn’t anything that will get you jumping for joy, but it’s a solid display that will get the job done for anyone who doesn’t mind its lack of HD.

On the inside, we’ve got a 1.2GHz dual-core processor that keeps the phone chugging along at a nice pace. Sure, it isn’t as good as, say, a Snapdragon S4 quad-core would be, but I don’t think you’ll need that extra power when using the Electrify 2. The processor is more than capable of handling the apps and games you’ll download from the Google Play Store, and I doubt there will be many times where you’ll notice the decreased clock speed over processors running at 1.5GHz

That processor is working alongside 1GB of RAM, so with those two put together, you’ve got a speedy phone on your hands. Swiping between home screens is fluid and lag-free, and apps open up relatively fast. I don’t have any complaints about the speed of the phone, and for most mainstream users who just need a quality phone that doesn’t lag every time you try to do something, the Electrify 2 will be satisfactory.

You’ve got 8GB of internal storage at your disposal, but when the Android OS and pre-installed hardware is accounted for, that drops down to right around 5GB of free space. Of course, the Electrify 2 comes with a microSD slot on the left side of the device, so you can expand on that internal memory by quite a bit if you want. I’m very happy that Motorola went with 8GB instead of 4GB – it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it drives me nuts when manufacturers only put 4GB of internal storage in the phone, then take up 3GB with bloatware. If Motorola had gone with 4GB, it would have lost some points with the Electrify 2, especially since you can’t delete a lot of the pre-installed software that comes packed in with the phone. Thankfully, the remaining 5GB should hold you over for a while, and if it doesn’t, you’re still in the clear so long as you have a microSD card on hand.

Call quality on the Electrify 2 is pretty good – voices come through loud and clear, though they do have a tendency to sound a bit tinny from time to time. It’s worth pointing out that I actually get better service on US Cellular’s network in my apartment – which is mostly underground – than I do with AT&T, though naturally the quality of the coverage will vary depending on where you live in the country. The speakers aren’t much to write home about, but then again it’s a pretty rare thing to find yourself impressed with smartphone speakers. They can get pretty loud, but again the problem with tininess rears its ugly head once you crank up the volume, so it might be a good idea to keep the volume at about the midway point to strike the perfect balance between loudness and quality.

Motorola has also done some invisible splashproofing work on the Electrify 2, and while it won’t keep your phone safe if you drop it in the toilet – as so many smartphone owners are prone to do – it will help protect against things like getting caught in the rain and having your phone fried. It’s nice to have it around, and it means that the Electrify 2 will be a little more resilient than a lot of other phones on the market.

Software

The Electrify 2 comes running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, which isn’t entirely unexpected but still kind a bummer. It would have been nice to see it running Jelly Bean, but until Motorola gets around to pushing an update for the phone (if it ever does), Ice Cream Sandwich will have to do. Still, it isn’t as if Ice Cream Sandwich is a bad thing – we all love ICS, it would just be nice to have manufacturers opting for Jelly Bean since we’re now a few months out from its release.

The Electrify 2 comes loaded with a fair amount of bloatware that you probably don’t want. Of course, having things like the Google Play Store, Play Music, Google+ and Google Maps on the phone is essential, and their inevitable presence makes the inclusion of Amazon Apps, Kindle, Amazon Shop, and IMDB a little pointless. I’m sure some consumers will like the fact that Amazon’s suite of apps is right there along all of the Google stuff, but it seems like it would have been a better idea to let consumers install the Amazon stuff on their own instead of clogging up the Electrify 2’s internal memory with them from the start.

Here’s a good example of unnecessary apps on the Electrify 2: you’ve got Google Maps and Navigation, but for some reason US Cellular decided that wasn’t enough and included its own navigation app too. I understand why the carrier did it, but with Google Maps, Latitude and Navigation standard on nearly every Android phone, there is no reason at all for US Cellular to put its own Navigation app on the phone as well. You’ve also got apps like US Cellular Daily Perks – an app that collects all sorts of news in one place – Tone Room Deluxe (for ringtones), Zappos, and City ID, which all may come in handy for a select few people, but will amount to nothing more than an annoyance for most.

That annoyance is compounded by the fact that you can’t delete most of the software that comes pre-installed on the Electrify 2, so you’re stuck with a lot of unimpressive stuff right from the get-go. You’ll also see ads pop up on your home screen once in a while, which is by far the biggest headache. Still, at least some of the software that comes pre-installed on the Electrify 2 is stuff that you’ll probably want to use at some point, so I can’t complain too terribly much.

Battery

The Electrify 2 comes equipped with a non-removable 1,780mAh battery, which isn’t the best but also isn’t the worst. Motorola says you should be able to get up to 11 hours of talk time out of it, but as you can probably imagine, it’ll be a rare thing to get that much out of the battery. If you turn mobile data off when you aren’t using and keep the phone’s screen on auto brightness, you’ll be able to get a full day of use out of a single charge and have some juice left over when you’re headed to bed. Even if you leave mobile data on, you should be able to squeeze a day of life out a full battery, as long as you aren’t constantly on your phone.

For my tests, I turned the screen brightness to 50%, left 3G on (Wi-Fi when I was at home), and used the Electrify 2 like I would use my regular day-to-day device. I played a few games on it, used it to look up some stuff on the Internet, watched some videos on YouTube, and naturally used it to make calls. All in all, I was able to make it a full day on one charge, but by the time I woke up the next morning, the phone was dead. Keeping mobile data turned on all the time will do its part in draining the battery, and it’s probably a good idea to keep the phone’s brightness on auto if you want to squeeze as much juice as you can out of a single charge.

Of course, this being a Motorola phone, you have access to Motorola Smart Actions, which you can use to preserve battery life. With the Electrify 2, it’s probably a good idea you make use ofSsmart Actions, as it will help you get more out of a single charge than just making sure you switch mobile data off and keeping the screen on auto brightness. The battery could be a bit better, but if you use Smart Actions, you probably won’t notice the battery’s shortcomings as often.

Camera

Like a lot of phones these days, the Electrify 2 sports an 8MP rear-facing camera, which is pretty decent as far as snapping pictures go. I’ve never been crazy about the idea of using a phone as my main camera, but if you were going to use the Electrify 2 as yours, it would probably fare well enough. The pictures it takes certainly are decent, and the fact that it can record 1080p video is a nice bonus. Have a look at the sample pictures below to get a better idea of what I’m talking about, and be sure to click the thumbnails in the gallery at the end of the review to see larger versions of the sample shots.

Benchmarks

The benchmark tests we carried out on the Electrify 2 tell us that it isn’t a bad little phone as far as technical specifications go. In AnTuTu, the Electrify 2 was given a score of 6,455, which puts it just under the original Samsung Galaxy Note in terms of power. Naturally, there are a few other devices that manage to beat it out, including the Transformer Prime, the Galaxy SIII, and the Galaxy Note 2, but the Electrify 2 was still able to top its fair share of devices. These include the Galaxy Nexus, the Galaxy S II, the LG Optimus 2X, and the original Kindle Fire.

In Quadrant, the Electrify 2 was given a score of 2,981, which places it above the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus by a respectable amount. Essentially, these benchmarks tell us that you’re not getting the best if you go with the Electrify 2, but you still get a solid device that’s capable of holding its own as far as technical specifications go.

While the hardware in the Electrify 2 isn’t bad, the phone is 3G-only, which means that if you buy it, you’ll be missing out on those super-fast 4G/LTE speeds. Now, before you have a heart attack from the Speed Test results below, I have to clear something up: no, US Celluar’s 3G network is not that bad. The reason you’re seeing such terrible results with those speed tests is because the closest US Cellular store to me is 137 miles away from where I live. As far as I can tell, it’s the only US Cellular store in my state (Michigan), and it’s so close to the border that it might as well be in Illinois. It makes a lot of sense, then, that US Cellular’s 3G network doesn’t cover my area very well.

Obviously, if you live near a US Cellular store, your 3G speeds will be much, much better than mine. US Cellular isn’t going to put a store where it doesn’t have 3G coverage, and alternatively, its 3G network isn’t going to be as much of a priority in places where it doesn’t have any stores set up. That being said, we know that 3G is slower than 4G, and by picking up this phone on contract, you’re essentially locking yourself into using an already aging mobile data standard for two years.

Ultimately though, it’s up to you whether or not you can live with plain old 3G. It certainly isn’t a dealbreaker for me, as the Electrify 2 does have some solid specs, but I know that’s going to be a major hurdle for a lot of consumers. It’s also important to consider the fact that 3G is being left in the dust as carriers all across the country are rushing to beef up their 4G networks. As those networks start getting more and more attention, are you going to be okay with the fact that your phone is stuck in the past? Keep that in mind if you’re thinking that you might want to pick up the Electrify 2.

Wrap-Up

What we have with the Electrify 2 is a phone that is solid all around as far as the specs go, but there’s one thing holding it back: 3G. It’s such a shame to see a phone that’s stuck in the 3G era when we’re currently in the middle of a huge push for 4G LTE, and I have a feeling that will be a major barrier to entry for a lot of consumers. At $170 from US Cellular, you can pay just a little bit more to get a phone that comes with 4G capabilities and has equal-if-not-better specs.

If you don’t have a problem being limited to 3G, though, have at it. As I said, the Electrify 2 is a phone that looks sleek, feels good in the hand, and a has a nice screen that doesn’t feel too big or too small. It’s a quick phone that has some respectable hardware running under the hood, and that invisible splashproofing gives you a little extra defense against accidents. From a hardware and design standpoint, I don’t have much to complain about with the Electrify 2, but I still can’t get over the fact that this phone is limited to just 3G.

That alone makes it hard for me to recommend this phone. 3G is already a thing of the past, meaning that in some ways, the Electrify 2 is a dated handset right out of the box. For some, that won’t matter in the least, and if that’s the case for you, I think you’ll be perfectly happy with the Electrify 2. For everyone else, I’d suggest at least weighing your options and having a look at what other handsets are available for less than $200 before settling on the Electrify 2.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was talking about the iPhones of the future today, and a new teardown from iFixit gives a peek at the iPhone 5′s innards. iPhone 5s sold at Verizon have been confirmed to be GSM unlocked, and a new report is saying that iDevice users are updating to iOS 6 122% faster than they updated to iOS 5. Apple has said that its poorly-received Maps app in iOS 6 will be getting better soon, and Jelly Bean has finally arrived on the Verizon Galaxy Nexus. Samsung announced a new hot pink Galaxy S III for Korea today, and Google Headquarters opened today to welcome the cast and crew of The Internship.

Facebook pulled the plug on its facial recognition tool over in Europe, while it announced that users will soon be able to see their search history in their Facebook Activity Log. One Wii U launch developer is expressing concerns over the console’s CPU, and the Samsung Galaxy Note II is already up for pre-order at US Celluar. Kickstarter put some new rules in place for product creators today, in an apparent attempt to move away from the implications that backers are buying things instead of funding development.

GeeXboX 3.0 has arrived with XBMC integration all ready to go, while Hulu Plus, HBO GO, and Max GO all received an update that adds closed captioning on mobile devices. Boeing announced that it will begin allowing cell phone use on its flights starting next year, and finally tonight, the latest ASUS Padfone 2 leak had a lot to say about the incoming phone’s specs. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, so you know what that means: it’s time to go out and enjoy the weekend. Have fun, everyone!

This 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED packing phablet will be complete with US Cellular 4G LTE speeds and can be yours late next month for just $299. While that price is a little steep we haven’t heard from any other US carriers to compare it to. They priced their Galaxy S III higher than the rest too — so we have a feeling Verizon and the rest will be a better offer.

Since the Galaxy Note II will be headed to the US with the same size, specs, and design as the international model you’ll want to take a peek at our hands-on below for an idea of what to expect.

Yup, that 5.5-inch 1280x720p HD Super AMOLED display will look beautiful as it rocks Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and being powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 1.6 GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM. You’ll also get 16GB of internal storage, micro-SD support, an 8 megapixel camera on the rear, and 1.9 front HD shooter for video chat and self portraits. All of that lasting all day thanks to a massive 3,100 mAh battery under the hood.

You all should know plenty about the Note II already, and if not hit our various links below. While we briefly mentioned this earlier in the week, you can pre-order the US Cellular Galaxy Note II right this minute, just click here. Will you be ordered this device from your regional carrier, or opt for something with a broader outreach like Verizon Wireless and their 4G LTE speeds?

Of course, just because the Note II supports LTE, doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily get 4G speeds. US Cellular says its network currently covers 31-percent of its customers, with cities in Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin getting the high-speed love.

Galaxy Note II hands-on:

That coverage will expand later in 2012, to include “select cities” across Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia. US Cellular’s goal is 58-percent of customer 4G coverage by the end of this year.

US Cellular is already taking preorders for the Note II, with the 16GB “Titanium Gray” model currently listed. If you preorder, you get the $100 rebate instantly; if you wait for in-store sales, you’ll have to go the tedious old-fashioned mail-in rebate route instead.

There’s more on the Note II in our full hands-on

These devices reinforce the idea that Motorola has a constantly changing and churning line of devices that look rather similar but add features and more features as they’re released, month after month. This most recent line of devices stared with the RAZR, aka the DROID RAZR as it was called on Verizon, and moved on the RAZR MAXX with a larger battery and the ATRIX HD on AT&T. Now we’ve got a lot of the same features in a device ready for US Cellular as well.

This device is 0.33 inches thick and has a lovely kevlar weave coating on its back for hardcore battle. Inside you’ve got the same splash coating you’ve had with past Motorola devices, an 8 megapixel camera on the back with the ability to capture 1080p video, and you’ve got both a microUSB and microHDMI port next to one another for connection to the most recent set of Motorola devices. Connect this device to a Motorola Lapdock for Motorola’s own Webtop interface and loads of fun.

The Electrify 2 is only the second Motorola device to be released with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich right out of the box, the ATRIX HD being the first. It’s also got a 1.2GHz dual-core processor of unknown origin (we’re assuming Qualcomm) and has a 4.3-inch LCD display with “Motorola ColorBoost” like the ATRIX HD as well.

BONUS: Check out our review of the original Motorola Electrify, also carried by US Cellular last year!

The Motorola Defy XT takes on what the T-Mobile Motorola Defy offered up at the end of 2010 and brings it into 2012 with a load of new features. The Defy XT comes with a 1GHz single-core CPU, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and is ready to take on dust, drops, splashes, and a nice beating as well.

The Electrify 2 will cost you $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and the Defy XT will ring in at $99.99 USD after rebate. These devices will both be coming out SOON as well, expect them! UPDATE: the Electrify 2 is available online later today while the Defy XT will be up on August 3rd.

The device coming from US Cellular at the moment is only being announced in white in its 32GB iteration and either white or blue in its 16GB iteration. The display on this device is the same as it’s been on all other carriers, that being a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED, and the software is Samsung’s own flavoring of ICS with TouchWiz in a nature-themed setup. You can pre-order the device now from US Cellular’s online store or head to your local US Cellular outlet at the end of the week.

The prices on these devices are also the same as other carriers, with $249.99 (after $100 mail-in rebate) being the price for the 32GB version and $199.99 (after $100 mail-in rebate) being the price of the 16GB version. Check out our timeline below of all of our Samsung Galaxy S III hands-on and review action, from the international version to the AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon versions, all also out on the market now (save the Verizon 4G LTE version, out on the 12th in-store.)

The HTC One V is the most pocket-friendly of the three HTC One devices on the market today, and is also the only one of the three to be released without some sort of 4G connectivity. Instead you’ll be working with the perfectly suitable 3G network of US Cellular, and the whole package will be yours for the lowest price for an HTC One device on the market. You’ll be paying $129.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate, this attached to a two-year contract with the carrier.

Be sure to check out our full review of the HTC One V and get back to us with comments on how you’ll be picking it up or leaving it behind today! Also head to our timeline for the HTC One V below and stick around for more hands-on action soon!

What you see below is not entirely definitive, but based on what we know thus far, it’s as true to the final details as we’re going to get before we get there. Start with each carrier’s prices, move on through the details on their release dates, and make sure to take note of their network speed brands, because believe it or not, 4G doesn’t always mean the same thing.

Prices:
• AT&T 16GB $199, 32GB $249
• Verizon 16GB $199, 32GB $249
• T-Mobile Unknown
• U.S. Cellular 16GB $199, 32GB $249 (with mail-in rebate)
(all of the above prices are attached to a 2-year data contract)

Pre-order dates:
• AT&T up now
• Verizon up now
• T-Mobile reminder email only
• U.S. Cellular up now

Shipping dates:
• AT&T June 21
• Verizon July 10
• T-Mobile June 21
• U.S. Cellular mid to late July

Data:
• AT&T 4G LTE
• Verizon 4G LTE
• T-Mobile HSPA+4G
• U.S. Cellular 4G LTE [very limited]

Each carrier will be carrying both Marble White and Pebble Blue colors of the device, while AT&T will be bringing on a brand new RED coloration. For those of you looking to see the device before it’s released here in the USA, you can check out our full review of the international Galaxy S III, but keep in mind that the USA versions of the device will be just a bit different in the end as far as apps go – besides that, your USA-carried GSIII will be pretty much the same as its released anywhere else in the world!

Check the timeline below as well for more hands-on looks at the Galaxy S III before it hits our United States shores!

That’s a little vague, but it’s better than nothing. US Cellular say that both the Marble White and Pebble Blue version of the phone will be up for grabs, but pricing hasn’t been made available yet. Judging from what we’ve seen from the other carriers, we imagine it will fall in the region of $199.99 for the 16GB model and $249.99 for the 32GB, although that won’t be confirmed until June 12th when the pre-orders go live.

Again, the specs will be all too familiar: a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor at 1.5Ghz, 2GB of RAM, eight megapixel camera, and 4.8-inch Super AMOLED 720p display, with the same phone design as the international model. The network is also keen to point out its small LTE network, available in markets such as Maine, Texas, and Wisconsin. The network will expand later in the year to areas such as Illinois, Maryland, and Washington. So, AT&T, when can we expect to hear your Galaxy S III details?

This SCH-LC11 hotspot will be coming from US Cellular starting immediately and will cost you anywhere between $49.99 and a massive $199.99 depending on where you shop. Should you be checking the device here in a limited-time offer at its launch you’ll find it for $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate – but only if you’re in select LTE areas that are already active for US Cellular. These spots are North Carolina, Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin, and not everywhere in these states, each of them limited somewhat outside of major cities.

Data plans start with the tiny 300MB allowance for data at $10 a month, moving up to 2GB for $25 a month, 5GB for $50 a month, and a lovely 10GB for $90 a month. Make sure you’re in an LTE area before considering this hotspot, folks, then head on over to US Cellular to pick one up as soon as you can! You can also purchase this hotspot from Samsung’s online shop as well.

Back in the day, when data overages were first considered, people were checking their email and maybe checking RSS feeds. So US Cellular, like other carriers, charged users for every megabyte they went over their limit. 25 cents for every megabyte, which ends up tallying to $250 per gigabyte, a rate that by any standard is absolutely ludicrous. That’s why Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and others have abandoned that for a much more understandable fee of around $10 per gigabyte overage.

Well, now, US Cellular is doing the same thing. The company offers plans of 300 MB ($20), 2 GB ($25), 4 GB ($45) 5 GB ($50), and 10 GB ($90) per month. If you’re on the 300 MB plan, overages are charged at a rate of $10 for every 300 MB, but that plan is kind of irrelevant. For all the others, regardless of which plan you use, if you go over by one megabyte, you’ll be charged $10, but if you go over by 900 megabytes you’ll still only be charged $10. The tick mark happens at every gigabyte.

[via GigaOM]

Inside there’s a 1GHz Hummingbird processor paired with 1.4GB of storage and a microSD card slot. In addition to LTE there’s CDMA 800/1900MHz EVDO Rev.A, WiFi and Bluetooth. On the back is an 8-megapixel camera with an LED flash, while a 1.3-megapixel camera is up-front for video calls.

The 5oz, 5.11″ x 2.66″ x 0.46″ smartphone will run for up to 13 days standby or up to 6.5 hours talktime on a single charge of the 1,800 mAh battery, US Cellular claims. OS is Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread, with the usual TouchWiz tweaks and modifications, and there’s HDMI output too.

The regular price for the Samsung Galaxy S Aviator will be $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and with a new, two-year agreement. However, certain areas with 4G LTE coverage will be able to get it for $99.99 for a limited period.

Being the first 4G LTE capable device to land on the regional carrier this is good news for US Cellular owners. The bad news you ask? They appear to be charging entirely too much for the year old tablet. For a limited time, and for those already in a 4G LTE market you can get the Tab 10.1 LTE right now for $399 after a $100 mail in rebate. After this limited period it will actually be $499 after the same rebate — costing users $600 out of pocket.

No, that isn’t the full price either, that is on-contract after users sign a 2-year agreement. At least you’ll have those blazing fast LTE speeds though right. It isn’t all bad news, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is still one of the best tablets available from Android, with the exception of the Transformer Prime. It comes with a 10.1″ 1280 x 800 resolution display, a dual-core 1.0 GHz Tegra 2 processor, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and rocks Android 3.2 Honeycomb. Samsung has promised an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is coming soon too.

For those interested head to USCellular.com for more details and to see if you’re in a 4G LTE network. They have multiple cities covered in North Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin and Main.

Despite being considered the lower-end device, the HTC One V is certainly trying to raise the bar for low- to mid-tier smartphones. It features a quality build that fits a 3.7-inch Super-LCD WVGA display on a slim 9.24mm aluminum unibody chassis. It will run HTC Sense 4.0 on top of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which means it could be the first smartphone with the latest Android iteration to hit Metro PCS, Virgin Mobile, and US Cellular.

Although pricing hasn’t been announced for the device yet, what will keep its price on the low end is its single-core 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, and its 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, although it does utilize a new f/2.0 lens that can still great stills. It also has a microSD card slot, which the other two One handsets in the series do not. For more details on the HTC One V make sure to check out our hands-on.

[via Android Community]

There’s also Android 2.3 Gingerbread and 16GB of onboard storage, along with a microSD card slot. No LTE, unlike say AT&T’s variant, but 3G along with WiFi and Bluetooth. It’ll come preloaded with Swype, too, together with Samsung’s own TouchWiz interface modifications.

While it may be showing its age, the Galaxy S II is still a decent performer and one of our favorite handsets of recent months. The Super AMOLED Plus display is colorful and bright, with excellent viewing angles; only its WVGA resolution shows it up in comparison with qHD and 720p HD panels on other devices.

Camera quality is also solid, and the 1080p Full HD video capture is admirable. Perhaps best of all is the overclocking potential, with the aftermarket ROM community already cooking up plenty of hacks for the handset. No exact word on launch dates, but we’re guessing US Cellular won’t want to dawdle.

The devices aren’t anything we haven’t seen before, but they’re still pretty high-end for US Cellular, which tends to get cheap and/or hand-me-down models from the Big Four. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the same Tegra 2-powered slate you know (and perhaps love), with a 1280×800 LCD screen, 16GB of storage space, Android 3.2 Honeycomb and the addition of a 4G LTE radio. The Galaxy S Aviator (nee DROID CHARGE) comes with a 4.3-inch WVGA Super AMOLED screen, 1Ghz singe-core processor, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and an open MicroSD card slot.

US Cellular didn’t give prices for the Samsung phone and tablet, but they’re not available for purchase yet, anyway. Both the 4G LTE network and the first devices will go live in March. You can expect pricing and plans to be competitive with the likes of AT&T and Verizon, as regional carriers attract most of their customers via lower prices and barriers to entry. The company says that it’s working on expanding the network to more locations, and will announce the next batch of markets sometime in February.

Another group that doesn’t carry the iPhone and has let known its reasons for doing so is T-Mobile, the last of the four biggest carriers in the United States to not have the device on their network. So what’s the deal with US Cellular that they had the option to carry the iPhone and opted out? Money, that’s the deal, plain and simple, money and risk. Have a peek at this tidbit spoken by US Cellular CEO Mary Dillon to investors on a conference call this Friday:

“the terms were unacceptable from a risk and profitability standpoint.” – Dillon

Of course this was a similar situation with big yellow as they’d have to go into loss mode for several months before gaining any real profit from their new iPhone deal. Meanwhile US Cellular stays strong on the Android front, getting devices like the dual-core Motorola Electrify in their collection to keep up with the bigger guns. As for the iPhone 4S: it’s selling quite well, thank you.

[via USA Today]

We’ll start with my hands-on unboxing video so everyone can get a feel for the ELECTRIFY and what it’s all about, then I’ll get into the nitty gritty here shortly.

Motorola ELECTRIFY hands-on video

Hardware

Outlined nicely in the video above is just about all you need to know about this well rounded smartphone. If you remember the Motorola PHOTON 4G or saw our detailed review then you know everything about the ELECTRIFY already as they are identical twins. The ELECTRIFY is the US Cellular version of the PHOTON 4G — without the WiMAX.

What we have is a powerhouse 4.3″ qHD (Quarter High Defenition) display with a 960 x 540 resolution, Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread and the popular NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core 1.0 GHz processor under the hood. Topped off with 1GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage and additional micro-SD slot for extra storage, an 8MP camera on the rear with dual LED flash and VGA front for video conference. The camera is capable of full 720p video capture that can then be streamed via the micro-HDMI out on the side of the phone.

Oh and we can’t forget the sweet sweet kickstand on this bad boy either. I wish all phones had such luxury but sadly they do not.

Now for a quick photo tour of the hardware I’ll start with the left side. We have a nice aluminum bezel around the entire frame of the phone and on the left edge we have the micro-HDMI and micro-USB for charging and that is all. Ports are neatly labeled and they feel very sturdy.

Following the aluminum bezel around to the top we have the power and wake button, then to the right we have the volume up/down rocker and a dedicated camera button. These have a unique and rigid texture to them almost like a file or something. I’m not sure if I like this but you wont have a hard time finding the volume rocker that is for sure. It’s actually a nice touch just different than what we are familiar with.

Around back we have that all important kickstand and our 8 MP camera. The kickstand has the same rigid texture as the other buttons only its not on the part that swings out, just seems backwards to me but this isn’t a con or anything. Just would make more sense because the end that flips out you’d touch, thus needing the texture like the other hardware buttons. Nicely branded with Motorola and US Cellular and covered with a soft coated matte backing that is simple to hold and extremely scratch resistant.

Software

Along with stellar hardware we have Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread and one of the latest builds of Motorola’s Blur UI. Motorola has made a few small changes visually to Gingerbread but nothing too drastic. We have custom icons and widgets, the menu’s look different but everything is basically just themed. Nothing crazy like HTC does and I really like the simple design Motorola’s been using as of late. The software runs quick, fluid and stable thanks to the dual-core processor and while we do have some bloatware most are applications users would install on their own.

Most of the bundled applications can be seen above. We have Amazon App store, Amazon MP3, Asphalt 5 racing, Daily Perks (deals app), quick office and that is about it for pre-installed bloatware. They’ve also added a Mobile TV application and once signed up you can stream movies on the ELECTRIFY and even send it out via the HDMI-out port to your HDTV. Moving around the widgets is a little choppy but that is thanks to Motorola’s UI, other then that everything else was as smooth as butter.

Performance

As usual we’ve ran a few benchmark tests for everyone and just as we expected the ELECTRIFY performs quite well. The dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM keep this device running strong. Below is our Quadrant results as it is most popular. Then followed by Vellamo that tests the overall performance of everything from web browsing, graphic rendering, and even network performance and the device performed decently here. Although it did fall behind the EVO 3D and Sensation 4G they have a slightly faster 1.2 GHz processor than the ELECTRIFY and its NVIDIA Tegra 2. We also quickly ran a few speedtest results and while the ELECTRIFY isn’t running on any sort of 4G or LTE spectrum it received decent speeds across the board. Fairly decent for 3G speeds and about as expected.

Battery life and Camera

Just like the PHOTON 4G the Motorola ELECTRIFY features a modest 1700 mAh battery that should last all day. Whether this is a con or not for users the US Cellular ELECTRIFY doesn’t feature 4G WiMAX but the benefit of that is better battery life than that of the PHOTON. Over the past few days we’ve experienced average battery life that seems to be better than most. I’ve been using the ELECTRIFY today for about 8 hours and between a few phone calls, web browsing and multiple benchmark tests I’m still rocking a little over 60%. It’s safe to say the ELECTRIFY will last most moderate users through an entire day with the possible need for a top off in the evening. If you play Angry Birds all day don’t blame me when your battery lasts 5 hours though.

Camera being 8 MP it takes great photos although low light could use some improvement. The shutter speed and autofocus is much quicker than the Bionic and I found taking a quick photo fairly easy with consistent results. Here are a few below

Wrap-Up

To sum things up nicely this is a great all around smartphone. With enough internal storage to last through most users needs no matter how many apps they install, a powerful dual-core processor, top of the line camera all with a bright and brilliant 4.3″ display the choice is clear for those on US Cellular. While you may be able to debate if this is one of the best phones around compared to the Bionic or the Galaxy S II (and they are pretty comparable) the choice for US Cellular customers are a clear one. The Motorola ELECTRIFY is hands down the best phone on that carrier regarding Android. Being their top of the line offering and being the only newly released phone with Android 2.3 Gingerbread on US Cellular looking over their phone selection this would be my first and only choice. While a few have been updated to Gingerbread, none are as powerful or as nice as the ELECTRIFY.

The Motorola ELECTRIFY will rival almost any phone on the market and has every feature you could possibly want regarding what is currently available other than maybe 4G LTE and a faster processor. Whether you are a first time smartphone buyer or a long time member of US Cellular this is the phone to choose. Yes it could be a little thinner, and the design is unique and different than most devices on the market this is still a tier 1 smartphone that will make any user happy. It is available today starting at just $199 so head on down to your nearest US Cellular store and snag one up, then come back and tell us what you think in the comment section below. Enjoy the remaining photo’s in the gallery below.

Unsurprisingly, AT&T isn’t taking the news lying down; while the carrier says it takes Consumer Reports’ figures “seriously”, it also pulls out stats of its own about mobile broadband speed, dropped-call rates and more:

“We take this seriously and we continually look for new ways to improve the customer experience. The fact is wireless customers have choices and a record number of them chose AT&T in the third quarter, significantly more than our competitors. Hard data from independent drive tests confirms AT&T has the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network with our nearest competitor 20 percent slower on average nationwide and our largest competitor 60 percent slower on average nationwide.  And, our dropped call rate is within 1/10 of a percent – the equivalent of just one call in a thousand – of the industry leader.” AT&T statement

Meanwhile, the report also ranks the top smartphones according to carrier, and it’s a strong showing for Android and for Samsung across the board. The iPhone 4 tied for first place with the Samsung Captivate on AT&T, while the Motorola DROID X and Samsung Fascinate tied at Verizon. On Sprint, the Epic 4G took top spot, while Samsung’s Vibrant was top of the pile at T-Mobile. Samsung recently announced that it had clinched the number one sales position for Android devices in the US in the last quarter.

[via Chron]

However, US Cellular is doing something interesting. They’re calling it “no contract after the first.” It’s part of the carrier’s Belief Project, which will let customers purchase the tablet for only $399, after they sign the two-year agreement, but they’ll never have to sign another one after that. You’ll be able to still use the Tab, as well as the data connection tied to it, but you won’t be obligated, or coerced, into signing a new two-year contract, if you don’t want to.

You’ll be able to connect to the Internet, and download applications, courtesy of integrated WiFi, or use US Cellular’s network. You’re still getting the 7-inch display, the 1GHz processor under the hood, and Android 2.2. You’ll also get Samsung’s Media Hub, which will let you download movies, and other media, right from the device. Data plans start at $14.99, and will get you 200MB per month. Or, you can opt in for the $54.99 plan, which will give you 5GB per month. Check out the full press release below, and be prepared for the November 19th launch date.

Press Release

SAMSUNG GALAXY TABTM AVAILABLE TO U.S. CELLULAR CUSTOMERS IN STORES AND AT USCELLULAR.COM ON NOVEMBER 19

With “no contract after the first” from The Belief Project, customers can purchase the mobile tablet for $399 with a two-year contract and never have to sign another one

CHICAGO (November 15, 2010) – Holiday shoppers who want to get a head start on their gifts can pick up the Samsung Galaxy Tab from U.S. Cellular beginning Friday, Nov. 19. The carrier’s first mobile tablet will retail for $399 after a $100 mail-in rebate and two-year contract.

The Galaxy Tab’s large 7-inch touchscreen creates a web browsing experience that is more like a PC and the vibrant graphics and 1 GHz processor deliver games with dazzling clarity. It’s loaded with Samsung’s Media Hub, a single source for buying and watching movies and TV shows that are optimized to fit the brilliant display. The Galaxy Tab can also be a convenient e-reader with free downloadable applications from Kindle and Nook. It’s a world of information and entertainment that is still small enough to hold in one hand.

Customers can access data on their Galaxy Tab via Wi-Fi or on U.S. Cellular’s high-speed nationwide network. The carrier offers two rate plans that are tailored to match how often customers will use Wi-Fi for their data needs. The $14.99 plan is ideal for customers who will use Wi-Fi most of the time and comes with 200 MB of monthly network data usage on U.S. Cellular’s network for those occasions when Wi-Fi isn’t available. Customers who don’t want to rely on a Wi-Fi connection can select U.S. Cellular’s $54.99 plan, which provides 5GB of network data usage and can turn the Galaxy Tab into a mobile hotspot for other Wi-Fi devices.

Customers who opt for the $54.99 plan will receive all the benefits of The Belief Project, U.S. Cellular’s series of industry-leading initiatives designed to elevate the customer experience. All customers on a Belief Plan get automatic upgrades of their device at promotional prices every 18 months and get rewards just for being a customer that can be used for even faster upgrades.

“We’re bringing tremendous value to our customers through The Belief Project, with plans to match how they use their devices and products they really want, all backed by innovative services that make their lives easier,” said Edward Perez, vice president of marketing and sales operations for U.S. Cellular.

About the Samsung Galaxy Tab
The Galaxy Tab has a vibrant 7-inch WSVGA TFT touchscreen and is powered by a 1GHz Hummingbird Application processor. The device operates on the Android 2.2™ platform, with full support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 and access to the more than 100,000 applications available on the Android Market™. It features two cameras, a 3 megapixel camera on the back with autofocus and zoom, and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera for video chat. The AllShare application allows customers to send video, audio and pictures from their Galaxy Tab to other DLNA-enabled devices, like TVs and computers.

Avid readers can download the Kindle and Nook applications from the Android Market to take their favorite book titles everywhere they go. QuickOffice lets customers create, view and edit Microsoft Office files in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as Adobe Acrobat support, making the Galaxy Tab a valuable tool for mobile professionals too. Everyone can use Google Mobile Services like Google Search™, Google Maps™, Gmail™ and YouTube™. The Galaxy Tab is also preloaded with applications that turn it into an alarm clock, calendar and navigation system.

The Galaxy Tab comes with a virtual QWERTY keyboard with Swype technology, allowing customers to input text quickly by sliding their finger over the keyboard in one continuous motion. It also features Samsung’s Social Hub, an MP3 player and 3.5 mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 3.0 and expandable memory up to 32GB.

About The Belief Project
Launched Oct. 1, The Belief Project recognizes customer loyalty with national bundled rate plans that offer customers the freedom to enjoy industry-leading benefits without signing continuous contracts – like automatic phone upgrades at promotional prices every 18 months that can be accelerated with points.

With “no contract after the first,” new customers fulfill an initial two-year commitment and never have to sign another contract again. Existing customers who switch to the new Belief Plans can simply finish the remainder of their term without extending their current contract.

Customers automatically get valuable rewards just for being a customer that can be used for faster phone upgrades in as little as 10 months. Rewards can also be used to get additional lines, phones, accessories and ringtones.

The Belief Project also includes the industry’s only Phone Replacement program. If a customer’s phone accidentally breaks or stops working, U.S. Cellular replaces it with the same or similar model at no additional cost. Customers also can save up to 5 percent on their monthly plans for setting up autopay and paperless billing.

These innovative initiatives were developed to address consumers’ common frustrations with wireless, elevate the customer experience and create a human relationship, not a contractual one. For more information about The Belief Project, visit uscellular.com.

About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular is committed to fixing wireless one project at a time. The Chicago-based carrier, named one of Forbes Magazine’s 2010 “Most Trustworthy Companies,” recently unveiled The Belief Project, a series of industry-first, innovative solutions designed to elevate the customer experience. The Belief Project complements U.S. Cellular’s growing catalog of cutting-edge phones, all backed by its high-speed nationwide network. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. You can also check out U.S. Cellular on Facebook.

Our guess is that the carrier will launch the Galaxy Tab sometime in mid- to late-November, probably in the $400 to $600 price range, but we’ll have to wait until official figures to know for sure.  U.S. Cellular could certainly jump its bigger rivals by offering a larger subsidy (in return for a two-year data plan agreement, naturally).

[via Android Community]

Press Release:

Samsung Mobile Announces Samsung Galaxy Tab™ with U.S. Cellular®

Mobile tablet will feature 7-inch touchscreen, Android 2.2™ platform, Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 and front and rear-facing cameras for video chat support

DALLAS – October 28, 2010 – Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile)1, the No.1 mobile phone provider in the U.S. today announced the Samsung Galaxy Tab™ with U.S. Cellular®. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is designed for people who want a premium mobile entertainment experience on the go, but don’t want to be weighed down by a bulky device. Weighing only 13 ounces and 12 millimeters thin, the Galaxy Tab fits conveniently in a pocket or purse.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab features a brilliant 7-inch enhanced TFT display screen, 1GHz Hummingbird Application processor supporting 3D graphics and smooth Web browsing and 1.3 megapixel front and 3 megapixel rear-facing cameras and is powered by Android 2.2™, including full support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1.

Just like Samsung’s Galaxy S™ smart phones, the Galaxy Tab includes Samsung’s Social Hub application, which syncs a users Messaging and Contacts to initiate the sending and receiving of information, whether it is e-mail, instant messaging, social network updates or SMS messages. Additionally, calendar information from portal calendars, such as Google Calendar, and social networking services are displayed together in one calendar with two-way synchronization.

Services like Google Maps™ Navigation (Beta) and Google Goggles are available on Google’s Android platform. With useful location-based services like Google Maps™, consumers can search in Standard English instead of entering an exact address. A search-by-voice function is just as intuitive, meaning searches can also be completed easily on the go.

Key features:
7-inch enhanced TFT display with WSVGA resolution – Offers brighter colors and clearer pictures and delivers 1024 x 600 resolution whether watching a movie or reading a book
Rear-facing, 3MP camera and camcorder – AutoFocus captures DVD quality video
Front-facing, 1.3-megapixel camera and camcorder – Enables video chat with other people who have video conferencing capabilities (applications available in Android Market™).
· Corporate Email – Supports Android 2.2 Exchange ActiveSync e-mail to synchronize corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars from office e-mail accounts
· Wi-Fi® connectivity (802.11 b/g/n) and Wireless Hotspot support
· Built-in 2 GB internal memory with 16 GB pre-installed microSD™ expandable to 32 GB
· 4,000 mAh Battery – Provides ample power to watch movies, share content and surf the Web
· Ultra thin at 12 millimeters and weighing 13 ounces – For users who don’t want to be weighed down by adding a mobile tablet to their pocket or purse
Samsung Social Hub – Built around messaging, contacts and calendar sync, which allows users to send and receive daily activities, whether it is e-mail, social network updates or SMS messages
· Customizable touch screen menu with drag-and-drop widgets

For additional information about the Samsung Galaxy Tab, visit www.samsungmobileusa.com.

The US Cellular version will be called the Samsung Mesmerize and will hit on October 27 for $199 after an $80 mail-in rebate. If you are somehow unfamiliar with the Galaxy S, the device is an Android handset running Android 2.1 from the factory.

The smartphone has a big 4-inch Super AMOLED screen and a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor under the hood. The smartphone also has Bluetooth, a QWERTY keyboard, and lots more. US Cellular customers will be able to update to Android 2.2 later this year. We reviewed the Verizon version of the Galaxy S called the Fascinate a while back and liked the phone pretty well.

Via Android Community

There’s also an 8GB microSD card, 5-megapixel autofocus camera, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS, along with Flash Lite support in the browser.  HTC had tipped the Desire’s August US debut back in June, at the time only saying that a regional operator would be offering it.  For more on the Desire, check out our full review of the European version.

[via Android Community]

The Best of R3 Media

Froyo Landing on Motorola Droids in July and August: At the announcement for the Droid X today, it was made perfectly clear that the update to Android 2.2, for the Droid X and the original Droid, was coming by the end of the Summer. And now, thanks to some leaked direct images from an internal Verizon Wireless source, we are starting to get a bit more of a clearer image. The original Droid is apparently getting the update to Froyo a month ahead of the Droid X — it’s expected to launch at the end of July. As for the Droid X? That’s coming at the end of August, apparently. [via Android Community]

Parrot AR.Drone Hands-On: The Parrot AR.Drone is definitely one of the most talked about, and heavily wanted items on the planet right now. And, thanks to our charms here at SlashGear, we were able to get some hands-on time with the new-fangled device. You’ll be able to control the Drone from your iPhone or iPod Touch (that includes the iPad, too), and there’s even an Android application coming some time in the future. There will be interactive games that you’ll be able to “play” on the mobile controller, with more games coming from an open source approach later, after the device launches later this year. Check out the other details, pictures, as well as the video through the link. [via SlashGear]

BlackBerry 9650 Heading to US Cellular: As CDMA-based devices go, the BlackBerry lineage is a breed that gets passed around a lot. No surprise here, but the device that’s already made an appearance on Verizon Wireless and the Sprint Network is making its way to the sixth largest wireless carrier in the United States, better known as the regional carrier U.S. Cellular. It’s launching some time in early August, but other than that, we’ve got no more information, as US Cellular is being remarkably quiet on the launch. Guess they have to have their surprises, too, right? [via PhoneMag]

The Dredge ‘Net

Zune Music Comes to Xbox 360, No You Can’t Listen to It While You Play Games: Long title, because it deserves one. Not because it’s good news, though. If you’ve got your hands on an Xbox 360, and you’re one that’s used Last.fm before, then you know that music played from Last.fm can’t be played while you’re playing games, or anything else for that matter. That’s right — you’re console can’t multitask that certain application. In any event, Zune is just about ready to make it so you can use your Zune Pass on your 360, but it’ll work just like Last.fm — no music multitasking. But, then again, if you’ve got a Zune Pass, then you probably have a computer and the Zune Software, which means you can just connect your computer to the Xbox 360, thanks to wireless syncing, and play your music that way, right from the media player. So . . . Problem solved? [via Gizmodo]

Nintendo 3DS May Do 3D Video Chat, How Cool is That? Yes, that rhymes. Excuse us, we’re in a curious mood tonight. Anyway! Apparently, Nintendo’s dropped some hints that 3D video chat can, and will be done on the Nintendo 3DS. No idea how, considering that the 3D cameras are on the outside of the device, but hey, Nintendo’s obviously got some ideas. Now, we make it happen. We want 3D video chat! [via Kotaku]

Trinity Euphoria Yacht is Real, Costs A Lot: Yachts are expensive. There’s definitely no denying that. And, the Trinity Euphoria is $39,000,000 worth of 168-feet goodness. It can comfortably hold 10 people in its five state rooms. There’s a pair of 2,250-hp engines, too, and they can send the yacht on 3,000 nautical miles on a tank of fuel. That’s beyond impressive. [via The Awesomer]

The Best of R3 Media

Verizon Wireless Droid Eris Set to Go Android 2.1: We can’t help but say that leaked images, no matter where they come from, aren’t the best sources to go off. Especially not when it’s talking about a particular upgrade for Android-based handsets. They just never seem to work out. With that being said, go ahead and take this one with as much salt grains as you want. According to a leaked Verizon Wireless image, the Droid Eris is getting the update to Android 2.1 not next week, but tomorrow. That actually means, for some of you out there, there could be an OTA update waiting on your handset for when you wake up in the morning. Let us know if you see anything, won’t you? [via Android Community]

Wrapsol Protective System Reviewed: We’re fans of accessories. In some cases, it’s what makes all our gadgets all the more interesting. In the case of protective systems, which are meant to save your gadgets from all sorts of dastardly actions, we really enjoy what some companies create. Wrapsol is one of those companies. Their protective system for the iPad works well, looks great, and it doesn’t add any unnecessary frills to the iPad’s already luxurious design. [via Everything iPad]

Samsung Acclaim Heading to US Cellular: Seriously, the regional carrier, US Celluar, is getting some pretty intense, and interesting, stock. First there’s the HTC Desire, which is set to hit store shelves in no time, is now being aided in the Android revolution by the Samsung Acclaim. It’s a full QWERTY keyboard device, with a 3.2-inch touchscreen display. It’s running Android 2.1 (no laughing…), and supposedly it’s going to be launched by the end of July. [via SlashPhone]

The Dredge Net

Clearwire Won’t be Using LTE Until 2012: Right now, Clearwire is one of the strongest entities in the WiMax market. If not the strongest in the entire world. And, as it stands, it seems that WiMax isn’t necessarily the strongest 4G technology out there. And, for many companies, they already know that services like Long Term Evolution, or LTE, are going to replace them. So, what’re these companies, so heavily invested in the alternative means to 4G, supposed to do? Well, obviously jump ship and hit up the competitor, of course. However, while there were some rumors that Clearwire would be doing that by the end of this year, Bill Morrow (CEO of Clearwire) decided to clear up the whole misunderstanding. They’re strengthening their WiMax experience, and they don’t have any plans to switch to LTE in the near future. Not until 2012, in fact. [via PhoneScoop]

Arizona Immigration Law Affects Indie Video Game Developer: More than likely, at least by now, you’ve heard about the immigration law that Arizona just passed. While we don’t think we need to get into the details here, let’s just say that it’s put many, many people up-in-arms. And, when you’ve got people like indie video game developers who need to move their place of business because of the law, things are definitely not all right. Mojo-Bone Software Studios, which is currently working on a project codenamed Project Blue Ghost, has apparently needed to move their workspace to California, because many voice actors they were going to use for the project don’t want to work in Arizona, for fear of racial profiling. Looks to us like some things need to change. [via Kotaku]

Apple iPhone Deal Exclusive for AT&T for 5 Years: And all of that began in 2007, according to some court documents that were just discovered. Apparently, while everyone knew that the agreement between Apple and AT&T consisted of some many number of years, the exact details weren’t known by everyone. Even by the people who were interested. But, according to some documents that have come forth, it seems that the deal itself is supposed to last 5 years. Starting in 2007. So, looks like 2012 is the date of dates. Then again, Apple could find their way out of the deal we imagine, so anything’s possible, right? [via Engadget]