We’re constantly getting questions about prepaid Android phones.  While the situation hasn’t changed all that much in recent months, there are new prepaid Android options dropping here and there, including the Samsung Galaxy Precedent.

The Galaxy Precedent is available on the Straight Talk service, which offers unlimited talk, text and data for a very attractive $45 per month with no commitment.  Straight Talk is powered by different wireless carriers, but the phones and service cards are available only through Wal-Mart.

Right now, Wal-Mart.com is offering the Galaxy Precedent for less than $130, which is a pretty great deal for an Android phone without a contract subsidy. 

Features include Android 2.2, a 3.2-inch touchscreen, a 2MP camera, an 800MHz CPU, a 1500mAh battery for up to 6 hours of talk time, and a microSD memory card slot for additional storage over the pretty paltry 380MB of onboard memory (a 2GB card is included).  The phone weighs in at 3.8-ounces.

Verizon’s LTE phone lineup is a bit larger today: the wireless carrier has released the new Samsung Droid Charge.

The Droid Charge (aka Samsung Stealth) has a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, a 1GHz Samsung CPU, 512MB of RAM, an 8MP primary camera, a 1.3MP front-facing camera, LTE connectivity, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, and aGPS.  Still no Android 2.3, though – the Charge comes with Android OS v2.2 “Froyo.”

In light of its great specs, you’d expect the Charge to go for $199 like other high-end smartphones, but Verizon isn’t letting this handset out the door for less than $299 on contract – ouch. However, WireFly and Amazon.com each have the Droid Charge for $50 less: $249.

Though lacking the dual core processor already powering some of its contemporaries (Atrix 4G, T-Mobile G2x), the HTC ThunderBolt has been one of the most highly anticipated phones of the first half of 2011.  The reason is simple: it’s the first Android phone compatible with the Verizon Wireless LTE “4G” data network, and if you’re lucky enough to live where the service has been deployed – and are a fan of large screen smartphones – the ThunderBolt is a no-brainer.

Similar in feel and design to the HTC’s EVO and Inspire, the ThunderBolt sports a 4.3-inch display, an 8MP camera, nearly 800MB of RAM and an array of wireless technologies: 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, and aGPS.  The phone is very solidly constructed, but it’s also large – about 4.8-inches tall, 2.6-inches wide and just over half an inch thick.  The ThunderBolt is also compatible with 3G EV-DO, but the real story here is LTE.

Continue reading »

Sprint unveiled two new business-focused Android handsets this morning, both from Motorola: the Motorola XPRT and Titanium.

Similar to Verizon’s Droid Pro, the XPRT is a Messenger-class smartphone with a front-facing QWERTY keyboard and 3.1-inch touchscreen.  Primary business features include 256-bit AES data encryption, enhanced remote IT support, and international GSM/UMTS roaming support.  The XPRT has a 1GHz processor, an 1860mAh Li-Ion battery and a microSDHC memory card slot.

The Titanium, when released, will replace the aging Motorola i1 as Sprint/Nextel’s Direct Connect Android phone.  With push-to-talk and Military 810G specs, it is aimed at workers who need a more rugged device.   Titanium also has a 3.1-inch touchscreen and a Messenger-style QWERTY keyboard.  Unfortunately, it also runs Android 2.1 OS, which may be a turn-off for some users – still, it’s much better than the current i1’s Android 1.5. 

The Motorola XPRT will be available June 5th for $129 (direct) with a two-year contract; no release date or pricing has been announced for the Motorola Titanium.

The full press release has been posted below.

Continue reading »

On Thursday, Verizon Wireless will begin shipping the HTC Droid Incredible 2, the successor to the popular Droid Incredible which was released in April 2010.

The Droid Incredible 2 ADR6350 bears little resemblance to the original, with a different body style and significant hardware changes.  There’s no dual-core processor inside the Incredible 2, though it does feature a later-generation Snapdragon processor.  Other changes include a larger 4-inch Super LCD touchscreen, a 50% bump in RAM, nearly 15GB of onboard flash storage, 802.11n Wi-Fi, 720p HD video recording via its 8MP camera, a 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chat, and global roaming capabilities.

Verizon will sell the HTC Droid Incredible 2 for $199 with a two-year contract beginning April 28th, but we expect third-party smartphone retailers to beat this price right out of the gate.  Stay tuned for more details if you’re interested in this new Android phone.

Learn more about the HTC Droid Incredible 2…