Sorry Verizon, it looks like you are still left out. You can probably blame Verizon for that one, but who knows at this point. Remember Google Wallet? Anyways, the full list of direct carrier billing for the Google Play Store is listed below in the graph for those interested.

As you can see above, Google supports the three other major US carriers, as well as multiple international carriers as well. For those that don’t want to break out the plastic, deal with cash mostly, or don’t feel like registering their credit card this is a good way to go to get the latest Angry Birds Space for your Android phone. More details are available from the source link below right from Google.

[via Google+]

Reuters spoke with one executive who wished to remain anonymous and came away with this answer:

“No one comes into the store and asks for a Windows phone… If the Lumia with the same hardware came with Android in it and not Windows, it would be much easier to sell.”

As someone who’s done some extensive testing on the Lumia 900, I can say that it’s a great phone and a fine operating system. The stability and general user interface actually beats Android, at least in my opinion. There are two things that might turn potential customers off: a modified UI that works more like the Zune than the typical “grid” layout that smartphones have been using since the first Treo (not that the UI is bad, it just takes some getting used to), and an overwhelming lack of third-party apps.

Nokia’s always made solid hardware, and we’re sure that carriers weren’t the only one disappointed when they decided to go Windows over Android over a year ago. A few high-spirited attempts have been made to do it for them, but for the time being it looks like the company isn’t interested in other operating systems. More’s the pity, for customers, operators, and most of all for Nokia.

[via DroidDog]

Verizon is actually the last carrier to implement this fee. As in they’ve been the good guys for well over a year while all the others were charging similar fees. We wont see this reversed like the $2 monthly fee earlier this year either — but it can’t hurt to try. AT&T, T-Mobile and the rest of the US carriers all charge upgrade fees, Verizon is actually the second cheapest too.

AT&T and T-Mobile both have been charging $18 for their fee for a long time, and this February AT&T doubled that fee to $36 — making Verizon’s $30 seem not so bad. With AT&T and that other wannabe LTE carrier charging $36 each, and T-Mobile only charging $18, this makes Verizon’s seem ok if you ask me — even if I don’t agree with the fee in the first place. Another thing no one’s mentioned this morning is the EU (early upgrade) fee is being raised from $20 to the same $30 as the new regular fee.

There is some good news here though. Business and prepay customers do not have to pay this fee, and if you are getting a new device but NOT resigning/extending a contract you don’t have to pay it either. That does mean you’ll be paying full price for the device though, so there’s a catch on that one. What does and does not apply can all be read in the image posted below for those with more questions.

Thoughts on the upgrade fee? I know you’re mad but everyone else does it too. Does that make it OK?

Their new double agreement system that splits device subsidy from service allows customers to sign a contract for their service, and then an additional agreement with the phone retailer themselves that will allow for early upgrades and various trade-in options. Here is a quote from Phones 4U themselves:

“Technology is moving fast and innovative handsets are launching all the time on the market but to date there’s been a disconnect between the frequency of smartphone releases and the length of mobile phone contracts on offer.

We want to give our customers the freedom to own the very latest smartphones like the iPhone 4S without having to wait 18-24 months for an upgrade. The idea for JUMP was born out of research we conducted that revealed people were frustrated by the inability to upgrade their handsets sooner.”

In the UK most carriers lease the phones rather than let customers own them, but then they don’t pay $199 or $599 outright prices like we do either. Now after the initial period users can choose to keep the device, or trade it and possible up to 3 devices in for a trade-in value that will go towards their new device. With the rapid rate of Android smartphones this type of program could really take off. Obviously new phones will still be more than a used device, but this would surely help.

There are many different angles and ways to take advantage of the new system so hit the link below for more details.

[via SlashGear]

AT&T may be eating T-Mobile like the image above, but it appears they wont be eating all the rates and plans — at first at least. According to the documents shown below it appears they will be grandfathering most customers plans for when the merger to AT&T starts. We knew they’d be allowing the plans to continue for the most part but to now know even after plans expire users will be able to continue with the same rate and plan should make many feel more comfortable with the idea of switching to the AT&T world.

Just as TmoNews states we were wondering the same thing regarding the future. What will happen when users want to upgrade their phone, and what about making small changes to a plan? Will this require you to lose what you’ve been using and sign into a new deal completely different than what you had before. These details I’m sure will continue to be explained and detailed as things move forward but with a merger this big there is bound to be some bumps along the way. For now we’ll just have to wait and see what the DOJ has to say about the deal.

[via TmoNews]

The original survey found Verizon to have over half the market, no doubt thanks to the likes of their enormously popular Droid line, sheer size, and lack of an iPhone. Since then Verizon’s launched several new LTE devices, but the Verizon iPhone has also been around for several months. What really caused Verizon to lose 10% of the market share, in my opinion at least was other carriers stepping up their game.

In the last few months, AT&T and regional carriers, such as Virgin Mobile and U.S. Cellular have shown a new commitment to Android. AT&T’s Motorola Atrix and Samsung Infuse are a couple of the 4G devices that it was desperately in need of at the start of this year. It hasn’t been enough to propel Ma Bell to the top, but it did more than double their previous, disheartening share of 3.583%.

While smaller regional carriers have usually been limited to older, or far less impressive phones, a few jewels have shown up. These phones, like the Motorola Triumph for Virgin Mobile and cheaper prices have made these other carriers more attractive. This all sounds good to me. I’ve always been one for consumer choice (I do love Android after all…)

[via Chitika]

The particular modem Sony has used, at least in the tested model, is Ericsson’s F5521gw, capable of up to 21Mbps HSPA+ speeds on compatible networks. AT&T, of course, has been using HSPA+ for its intermediary 4G coverage, as it prepares its LTE network.

There’s also 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth, just as you’d expect from an Android slate. Still no word exactly on when, beyond Fall 2011, the S2 will go on sale.

[via Engadget]

There’s also a 3-megapixel main camera, 2-megapixel front camera, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. Verizon will also be offering a bevy of accessories, including a full-sized keyboard dock and a docking station for multimedia use.

Unfortunately this LTE goodness doesn’t come cheap. Verizon is asking $529.99 for the 16GB model and $629.99 for the 32GB model, both with a new, two-year agreement.

Press Release:

Verizon Wireless Adds 4G LTE-Enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 To Portfolio

4G LTE-Enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, Exclusive from Verizon Wireless, Measures Only 8.6 Millimeters Thin

06/02/2011

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and DALLAS, TX — Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), today announced the 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 will be available on the fastest, most advanced network in coming weeks. The slim and sleek Galaxy Tab 10.1 debuts with Android™ Honeycomb and will be available in either Metallica Gray or Glossy White. Customers will be able to pre-order the device online on June 8 at www.verizonwireless.com/galaxytab4glte. When the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hits Verizon Wireless stores this summer, it will be accompanied by an array of optional accessories such as a full-sized keyboard dock and a multi-media docking station.

“The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a great option for customers who want to enjoy the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network – the fastest network in America,” said Jeff Dietel, vice president of marketing for Verizon Wireless. “Customers can also use the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 wherever they are on the nation’s largest 3G network.”

Dietel added, “The tablet market is exploding as customers are discovering new uses for the technology that features a large screen, powerful processing speeds and access to Android Market™’s 200,000 applications. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is perfect for customers who want to take advantage of Google™’s new movie rental option and view their favorite film on-the-go.”

“Samsung Mobile is excited to expand its mobile tablet portfolio with Verizon Wireless to include the 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Telecommunications America. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the thinnest and lightest tablet in the world that delivers a truly mobile multimedia experience on an Android Honeycomb platform.”

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 offers full support for Google™ Mobile Services, including GmailÔ, YouTube™ and more. Customers will relish the 10.1-inch enhanced display with a 1280×800 resolution HD screen, 1 GHz dual core application processor, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera. Both consumers and business customers will find a multitude of uses for the Galaxy Tab that range from video chat to business tools, including those that allow for the opening and editing of documents, spreadsheets and presentations. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 features Adobe® Flash® Player to deliver an enhanced Internet browsing experience and access to content-rich Websites.

Verizon Wireless will offer two 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 models both priced with two year customer agreements: $529.99 for the 16GB model and $629.99 for the 32GB model. For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Tab, go to: www.verizonwireless.com/galaxytab4glte.

If you’d rather not be tied down to that agreement – and who can blame you – then T-Mobile USA will also offer the Sensation 4G contract-free for $549.99 plus tax. That then allows you to take your pick from the carrier’s various plans, use an existing SIM, or go prepaid if you’d prefer.

The T-Mobile Sensation 4G is set to land in Target stores from June 12, with wider availability in the carrier’s own stores by June 15. Check out our full review over at SlashGear for all the details.

There’s also a front-facing 1.3-megapixel webcam for video calls. Verizon preloads Swype, Bing search and mapping, Netflix and an image-editing app, along with a Mobile Hotspot app that can share the 4G connection with up to eight WiFi clients (or a 3G connection with up to five).

Pricing will be $249.99 with a new, two-year agreement and a mandatory data plan. More details on the Revolution in our hands-on from way back at CES.

UPDATE: Also we now have this device on hand for you to be looking at closer than ever! See our hands-on and unboxing and see some cinematic gold now!

Press Release:

Revolution™ By LG Arrives For Verizon Wireless

Dynamic Trio of 4G LTE, Entertainment and Power Combine To Make Revolution™ by LG

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and SAN DIEGO, CA — Verizon Wireless and LG Mobile Phones today announced Revolution™ by LG will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com on May 26.

An entertainment powerhouse, Revolution by LG is the first Android™ smartphone preloaded with the Neflix application, allowing Netflix subscribers access to movies and television shows. Revolution customers can capture and share HD images or videos on a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen. Built-in HDMI output and SmartShare capability allow customers to share multimedia content with HDMI capable displays, creating an exceptional entertainment experience.

Key features:

4G LTE – customers can expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G Mobile Broadband coverage areas 1 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon® processor
Android™ 2.2 platform
Access to more than 200,000 apps available to download from Android Market™
Bing® Search and Maps
Adobe® Flash® Player
Rear-facing 5.0-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash
1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat
720p HD video recording and playback
Wi-Fi connectivity 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot capability allows customers to share 4G LTE with up to 8 Wi-Fi-enabled devices or a 3G connection with up to 5 devices
Bluetooth® Version 3.0 Support Profiles: headset, hands-free, object push, advanced audio distribution (stereo), audio/video remote control, file transfer, phone book access
Additional features:

V CAST Apps
Virtual QWERTY keyboard with SWYPE technology
Equipped with Dolby® Mobile for rich listening experience
Extensive image editor includes: crop, rotate, resize, apply filters, image adjustments, draw, write, erase and add stamps
16 GB preinstalled microSD card™
Pricing and availability:

Revolution by LG will be available in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $249.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
Revolution customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a data package. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access. An unlimited data package is available for $29.99 for monthly access. The Mobile Hotspot feature will be included for a limited time at no additional charge.
The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network, launched in December 2010, is the fastest, most advanced 4G network in the United States, providing speeds up to 10 times faster than Verizon Wireless’ 3G network. Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network currently reaches one-third of all Americans, with plans to expand the network to the company’s entire 3G coverage area over the next three years.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

Your money gets you a 4.3-inch, qHD 960 x 540 touchscreen, 1.2GHz dual-core MSM8260 processor, 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, flash and 1080p Full HD video recording, and the front-facing camera for video calls. There’s also the latest iteration of HTC Sense on top of Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

All in all, it promises to be a mighty impressive smartphone. There’s more information in our hands-on video below, and in our report from the Sensation’s launch.

That’s 5-megapixels on the back and 2-megapixels up-front, matched with either 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of flash storage (and an SDHC memory card reader). The 10-inch display runs at 1280 x 800, and there’s WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and the possibility of AT&T 4G LTE support.

Dell will apparently offer different black, pink, blue or red skins for the slate, which has a brushed aluminum back panel. Accessories will include a media dock, in-care charging adapter, a “productivity” dock and a folding cover with integrated keyboard. Dell’s Stage 2.0 software will be preloaded. The Dell Streak Pro is expected to go on sale in June.

Company spokesperson Matthew East confirmed to The Australian that the announcement had, in fact, been a marketing stunt rather than a legitimate crime. It’s unclear when, exactly, the phone will launch.

Would-be XPERIA Play owners in New Zealand can find out more about the carrier’s competition here. The rest of us can sleep easily in our beds tonight, knowing that there aren’t rogue Sony Ericsson handsets roaming the streets, flaunting their illicit IMEIs and generally being rowdy.

[via Engadget]

According to the Wireless Xcessories Group, their silicone gel back cover will fit the Samsung Galaxy S 2 Attain on AT&T, the Galaxy S 2 Function on Verizon, and the Galaxy S 2 Within on Sprint. T-Mobile USA is notable for its absence; that could be because the carrier isn’t getting a version or, perhaps more likely, because aesthetically it is different and the gel wouldn’t fit.

Given the success of the original Galaxy S in North America, it’s no great surprise that Samsung is working with so many carriers on its successor. Of course, we still don’t know quite when it will arrive.

[via Pocketnow]

In addition to the usual bugfixes, Vodafone’s changelist suggests the following tweaks:

• Enhancements to the user interface (simpler and slicker)
• New Android Keyboard,  with easy copy/paste feature
• Improved Power Management
• Internet Calling support
• Multiple Camera Management (front and back)

As far as we know, Vodafone is the first UK carrier to get their branded version of Gingerbread for the Desire HD into the wild. Let us know how you get on with the upgrade in the comments.

Your money – and commitment – gets you a 4.3-inch qHD display, 8-megapixel camera, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and the latest version of HTC Sense with a clever lock-screen that integrates various widgets and app shortcuts. There’s also Qualcomm’s new dual-core 1.2GHz processor keeping things running, and 1080p HD video capture.

The Sensation is expected to launch in the US later in 2011 as the T-Mobile Sensation 4G, but for the moment Vodafone have exclusivity on the handset in Europe. No word on how long that will last for. More details on the HTC Sensation in our hands-on report.

There’s also a 5-megapixel camera, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS and 3G mobile hotspot functionality. More interesting, perhaps, are the eight different modes that cater to various outdoor pursuits, mixing together direction, acceleration and temperature sensors; full details in the press release below.

The Verizon Casio G’zOne Commando will go on sale April 28. It will be priced at $199.99 with a new, two year agreement.

Press Release:

Verizon Wireless And Casio Introduce The CASIO G’zOne Commando

First Ruggedized Android Smartphone for Verizon Wireless

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Verizon Wireless and Casio today announced a new addition to the rugged wireless category and a new Android-powered smartphone in the marketplace, the CASIO G’zOne Commando™. Deployment ready, the Commando is a mobile office with high security features for secure corporate email; Wi-Fi for high-speed Web access; XT9 and T9 trace input for efficient typing; and snap-out menu for customized access to high-use applications.

Designed to withstand the most extreme conditions, the CASIO G’zOne Commando easily transitions from work to play with advanced G’zGEAR software. As the ultimate outdoor tool in a mobile device, G’zGEAR operates in eight modes to enhance the active, adventure-driven lifestyle. With the help of its Triple Sensor technology utilizing direction, acceleration and temperature, G’zGEAR enables adventurers to perform at their peak.

The Casio Commando is ideal for the business environment, especially for fields such as construction, transportation, manufacturing, utilities and healthcare. Workers in hazardous environments, such as construction sites, warehouses and factory floors, need a smartphone that has the capability to download blueprints, files and pictures; update project plans; access field force management, inventory access and corporate applications; and capture signatures.

Key features:

Android™ 2.2
Meets Military Standards 810G for Immersion, Rain, Shock and Dust Resistant, Vibration, Salt Fog, Humidity, Solar Radiation, Altitude, Low and High Temperature Storage
5-megapixel camera with auto-focus, still photo, video capture, LED light
High-security encryption for corporate email
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity
Stereo Bluetooth™
VZ Navigator® for GPS and audible turn-by-turn directions
Mobile Hotspot capable-share 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices
Lifestyle features:

G’zGear operates in eight modes
Earth Compass – Functions as a standard compass, the GPS shows the distance and direction to several domestic and international landmarks, including Yosemite National Park and Mt. Everest.
Walking Counter – Measures steps, distance and energy consumption, and total steps for the day, week or month. It also provides virtual treks for famous North American trails and roads including Mt. Kilimanjaro, Annapurna Circuit, Torres Del Paine Circuit, John Muir Trail and Transcontinental.
Adventure Training – Takes training to a new level by allowing users to run with virtual opponents, like world-record holders, wild animals, or their own best personal performance stored in the training history.
Trip Memory – Plots and records outdoor activities along with location information to share with friends and family on Twitter™ and Facebook®.
Tides – Showcases the tidal graph for the day; time of tide ebb and flow; and current, past and future sea tide levels. GPS displays the nearest location map.
Thermometer – Displays current temperature in both Celsius and Fahrenheit with numeric and graphic thermometer readings and compares the current temperature across multiple locations.
Sun / Moon – Checks the time of the next sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset, and tracks the moon phases for your current location.
Star Gazer – Utilizes GPS to display the stars and constellation names based on the current season and time.
Pricing and availability:

The CASIO G’zOne Commando will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com on April 28 for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. CASIO G’zOne Commando customers will need to subscribe to a data plan. Unlimited data plans are available to customers starting at $29.99 monthly access.
Business customers who want to purchase the device can contact their Business Sales Representatives at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.
For more information on the CASIO G’zOne Commando or for other Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Customers can visit www.CasioGzOne.com to experience the CASIO G’zOne Commando.

Up front is a 4-inch WVGA display, while inside it’s Qualcomm’s 1GHz Snapdragon keeping things chugging along. The DROID Incredible 2 can record 720p HD video, has DLNA streaming support and SRS WOWHD audio.

So, not quite a flagship, but likely to be a solid phone all the same; check out our Incredible S review for more details, since this is basically the same device. Who’s interested?

Press Release:

DROID Incredible 2 by HTC Available Beginning April 28

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless and HTC today announced that DROID Incredible 2 by HTC, exclusively from Verizon Wireless, will be available beginning April 28 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

DROID Incredible 2 by HTC follows in the footsteps of the popular DROID Incredible by HTC and features the Android™ 2.2 platform, a crisp 4-inch super LCD display, next-generation 1 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon® processor and 3G Mobile Hotspot that can connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices. Equipped with the hallmark HTC Sense™ experience, DROID Incredible 2 by HTC offers advanced personalization options, consolidated email capability and unique camera effects and filters. With its sleek, all-black design, DROID Incredible 2 by HTC combines functionality and speed into one stylish package. DROID Incredible 2 by HTC is a global-ready Android smartphone, allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice and data service in more than 200 countries, with more than 125 with 3G speeds.
Additional features include:
· 8.0-megapixel main camera with dual LED flash
· 1.3-megapixel front facing camera
· 720p HD video capture plus DLNA® to share multimedia content with a compatible TV
· Adobe® Flash® Player
· SRS WOWHD™ surround sound
· Automatic face detection for more accurate pictures
· Integrated noise-cancellation technology

Verizon Wireless customers that purchase DROID Incredible 2 by HTC will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access and an unlimited smartphone data plan is $29.99 for monthly access. Verizon Wireless customers traveling outside of the United States should contact Verizon Wireless’ global customer support team at 1-800-922-0204 before embarking on their trip to ensure their phones have the right features for global usage.
For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

There’s also an 8-megapixel camera on the back with autofocus and a dual-LED flash. HTC has reworked the camera app to minimize start-up lag, so that there’s less chance of missing impromptu shots. Meanwhile the Sensation will debut HTC Sense 3.0, the latest version of the company’s interface, complete with a new homescreen launcher.

We’ve more on the HTC Sensation in our hands-on report from the launch of the European version, identical bar the radios. Meanwhile for all the specs, check out HTC’s product page.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

The root is the handiwork of “josby”, but according to other xda members there are several ways to hack the Sidekick 4G. Next up is stripping away some of the preinstalled apps T-Mobile load onto the handset, which may give it an extra turn of speed.

We found the Sidekick to be something of a unique proposition among Android devices, doing a darn good job of following in the footsteps of its unusual predecessors and differentiating itself for a pretty specific market. More on the Sidekick 4G in the full Android Community review.

[Thanks Kenny!]

1) enable debug USB mode on your phone

2) install Samsung drivers for the phone – right now Samsung’s site seems to not have a choice for the Sidekick 4G’s model (SGH-T839), but I grabbed the drivers for the Vibrant (at www .samsung.com/us/support/downloads/SGH-T959ZKDTMB) and they worked.

3) get adb shell working on your PC (Google it)

4) download the rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin and Superuser packages from the links in this page: wiki.cyanogenmod.com/index.php?title=HTC_Hero_%28CDMA%29:_Full_Update_G uide (be sure to unzip the files into the directory where your adb.exe program is unless you’ve put it in your path)

5) reboot your phone and plug it in

6) adb push rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin /data/local/tmp

7) adb shell

cd /data/local/tmp

9) chmod 755 rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin

10) ./rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin

11) wait until you get booted back out to your DOS command prompt

12) adb kill-server

13) adb start-server

14) adb shell

15) you should now be at a # prompt. The first few times I tried, I wasn’t – I was at $. Doing this from a fresh boot seemed to be the trick. Reboot your phone and try again if you’re getting a $.

16) mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/stl9 /system

17) exit

18) adb push su /system/xbin

19) adb shell chmod 4755 /system/xbin/su

20) adb push Superuser.apk /system/app

21) adb shell mount -o remount,ro /dev/block/stl9 /system

22) exit

23) reboot the phone then run an app that requests root, such as Root Explorer, to verify