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Sprint launches New Ventures arm, adapts ID and Zone apps for foreign markets
Like any money-hungry corporation, Sprint's branching out to pursue greener (as in the color of dolla dolla bills) pastures. The Hesse-led co's just announced the creation of its New Ventures unit, an overseas- and wholesale-focused entity which is set to expand upon Android's rapidly growing user base to generate some lucrative B2B handshakes with manufacturers and foreign operators. First up on the organization's plate is the white labeled extension of the company's branded apps, now nestled under the carrier agnostic Mobile ID and Mobile Zone monikers. Those software packs will function much like they do here in the US, offering subs a pre-selected assortment of skins containing applications, ringtones and wallpapers, in addition to a centralized hub for account management. No word yet on what international partners have signed up for the licensed service, but with Mobile World Congress only a few days away, we're sure those necessary details will be forthcoming.
Motorola Photon 4G gets the bargain bin treatment at Wirefly, Walmart
Pew pew. Those are the sounds we instantly hear whenever we come across Motorola's Photon 4G. Sadly, the soon-to-be dual-core star of Sprint's smartphone lineup won't come pre-loaded with a laser soundboard on July 31st, but it can be pre-ordered now -- for a significant markdown. All it takes is a quick internetting trip to either Wirefly or Walmart, where this WiMAX handset's up for a $20 - $40 discount. It's not a massive price chop on par with free, but it should move some yellow-tinged operator inventory. If walking the straight and narrow's your bag, you could still always opt for the direct carrier two-year contract option -- but why? Hit the source to get yourself in line for this cut-rate beast.
Motorola's Photon 4G ships to Sprint on July 31st: $200 on contract
Too often, "expected summer launches" translate into "the very last day possible," so we were happy to learn that Sprint's latest collaboration with Motorola, the Photon 4G, will be available July 31st for the usual $200 on contract. To say the upcoming Android device will come loaded is an understatement: it'll ship with Gingerbread, a Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz CPU, one full GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch qHD display, dual cameras (8 megapixel rear, VGA front) and 16GB of internal memory. Not surprisingly, Sprint's also integrating its signature Sprint ID feature into the user interface. While the device will be available to the general public on July 31st, Premier Customers will have the golden opportunity to get it online three days earlier. If you were perched on the fence about the HTC EVO 3D, this may be the only Sprint phone that's ready to push you in either direction. Full PR following the break.
Samsung publicly acknowledges the Conquer 4G's existence, then changes its mind
We're inclined to take a company's word when it releases official pics and specs on its own website, but it throws us for a loop when that page gets taken down as quickly as it goes up. Such is the tale of the Samsung Conquer 4G, a mid-range Android WiMAX handset destined for Sprint. Its official product page was live for only a brief lapse of time, but long enough to glean some press shots and specs. According to the site, we can expect the Conquer 4G to have some befitting internals: a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 CPU, Gingerbread, 3.5-inch HVGA panel and 3.2MP rear / 1.3MP front cameras. It'd be a respectable option for anyone wanting a 4G device without the glitz and glamour (and, we assume, the cost) of the EVO 3D. While no pricing or availability was set, a closer look at the press shot shows the date as "July 15, 2011." We're still waiting for confirmation from company reps to find out what's going on, but we'll shout from the rooftops if we learn any juicy tidbits. Nothing like a good mystery to help us stay awake through the middle of the day, right?
Samsung Replenish review
There's something about a green phone that really tugs at the heartstrings, but over the years Sprint has been determined to yank as hard on those cords as possible. Recyclable handsets like the Samsung Restore, Samsung Reclaim, and LG Remarq took store shelves by storm, and the latest environmentally-friendly kid on the block is here to encourage reducing, reusing, and renewing -- your contract, that is. The Samsung Replenish puts its own twist on the eco-phone trend by adding in Android. This is by no means the first time such a smartphone has come to market, but it's the first one to knock on Sprint's door. So, how did the Replenish do for making a genuine first impression? Head south after the break to find out.
Sprint plays the green card, drops $10 data surcharge on Froyo-based Samsung Replenish
Sprint's been playing the all-encompassing Eco-Friendly card for some time now, and it looks as if last year's Restore (now available on Virgin Mobile USA for $79.99 off-contract) is gaining an ultra-green sibling. Samsung's newly unveiled Replenish feels a bit like an Android 2.2-powered, somewhat matured BlackJack, boasting a 2.8-inch QVGA display, 2 megapixel camera / camcorder, inbuilt WiFi / GPS, a microSD card slot, an optional solar door charging accessory and a trio of color options (black, blue and -- our personal favorite -- "raspberry pink"). Curious about eco-cred? It'll ship May 8th for $49.99 (on a two-year contract) with fully recyclable packaging and a casing that includes 34.6 percent post-consumer recycled plastic content. Oh, and there's a postage-paid envelope to recycle your old phone, too. Folks opting to throw Ma Earth a bone by picking one up must activate it on an Everything Data plan, but the carrier will be waiving the $10 monthly premium data add-on charge to -- get this -- "make it easier for customers to make eco-friendly buying decisions." Translation: you'll buy whatever's cheapest. Full release is after the break. %Gallery-121381%
Sprint Epic 4G, Galaxy Tab get Sprint ID this week, Epic's Froyo update makes triumphant return
Rumors about this started swirling last week, but Sprint and Samsung have just made it official that the Epic 4G and Galaxy Tab will both be getting firmware updates this week that add Sprint ID, the carrier's Android skin / theme platform first introduced on the Transform, Optimus S, and Zio last year. For the Epic, the update will also mark the return of Android 2.2 -- Froyo had already made a brief official appearance for Epic owners several weeks back, but bug woes led to a quick pull and a temporary return to Eclair. Looks like the updates start rolling out today, with all current owners having access to the updates by this Thursday, the 24th. Follow the break for the full press release.
Sprint ID for Samsung Galaxy Tab hands-on
Launched back in October, Sprint ID is the carrier's service for deeply skinning your Android device with a curated selection of wallpapers, ringtones, and apps -- think of it as phone customization for people who don't have the time (or patience) to find and install stuff they like. Currently available on three models -- the LG Optimus S, Sanyo Zio, and Samsung Transform -- we'd heard that the service would eventually be spreading to other phones and also to the Galaxy Tab, leading to the obvious question: how do the ID packs scale to the larger form factor and higher screen resolution? Well, the short answer is that they don't -- at least, not yet. At a Sprint event last evening we had a chance to play with a Tab that had received the Sprint ID firmware update early, and existing packs designed for phones that we tried produced a variety of results ranging from force close messages to weird-looking home screens. That's not to say that the packs can't be designed to support the Tab, of course -- the one for Sprint employees that was pre-installed and designed specifically to take advantage of the extra screen real estate looks great -- but the packs out there now don't seem to play nice. This might explain why the update hasn't been released yet, because Sprint either needs to make sure every pack works with every ID-enabled product or set up the pack store to block Tab owners from downloading incompatible packs. Check out the gallery! %Gallery-113240%
ESPN Pack comes to Sprint ID-enabled phones
Not everything in Sprint's Android-powered lineup current supports Sprint ID -- the customized, themed skinning experience that the carrier first introduced earlier this year on the Samsung Transform -- but if you've got one of those, an LG Optimus S, or a Sanyo Zio, you're definitely ready to rock with the new ESPN Pack. The name's pretty self-explanatory, but to be clear, it looks like the ESPN Pack is going to make your phone about as sports-ready as it can possibly be with easy access to SportsCenter, ESPN video on demand, mobile TV with over 900 live sporting events a year, fantasy sports, and wallpapers and other content that'll let those around you know that your heart always lies with [insert your local team name here] even when you're on the road. It's available as a free download to Sprint ID-compatible devices; follow the break for the full press release.
Samsung Epic 4G, Galaxy Tab to get Sprint ID service
The forgettable Samsung Transform didn't get Sprint ID off to a strong start, but we wouldn't exactly call the initiative dead in the water: in fact, the carrier has announced that the service will be coming both to the Galaxy Tab and the Epic 4G "soon." We know from our time with the Transform that ID still needs some spit and polish to be useful, but in theory, the concept of being able to effortlessly switch between very comprehensive, deep-reaching themes on an Android device is a compelling one -- and it stands to reason that it'll get smoother after a revision or two. Presumably, this would be made available to existing Epic owners as an over-the-air firmware update, though Sprint hasn't announced whether that'll happen.
Samsung Transform review
With Epic 4G styling, a front-facing camera and a $150 post-rebate price, it's easy to mistake the Samsung Transform for a high-end phone. Don't. The reality is that it's a evolution of Samsung's mid-range Moment and Intercept more than anything else -- you're paying an additional $50 here to get a front-facing camera, an LED flash and a few welcome tweaks, but the same ho-hum performance plus a few new annoyances to boot. Where does it improve and where does it fail? Find out in our full review. %Gallery-105009% %Gallery-105008%
Samsung Transform, first hands-on!
Worried that the Samsung Transform would be a slatephone? Don't be -- it's more of a miniature Epic 4G. The Android 2.1 device's got a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, 800MHz processor and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, plus front- and rear-facing cameras for video chat -- though they're pretty low resolution and there's no 4G to pump their streaming video data. We just got hands-on with the phone, and came away mildly impressed -- though it's a little sluggish compared to the Epic, it's got much the same build quality, and the exact same hinge and buzzy vibrator if you want to get specific. There aren't a lot of fancy functions on the keyboard, but it's arguably got an even better layout that caters to landscape touch-typists like us -- the keys are plasticy little numbers like those on the Samsung Intercept, but they've got a nice click and this time, a logical arrangement. The screen's bright and clear enough, but unless our eyes deceive us it's no AMOLED. Expect it to drop on October 10th for $150 after a $100 mail-in rebate, and be sure to watch a Sprint rep show off the phone's Sprint ID functions after the break. Update: Video hands-on after the break! %Gallery-104447%
