PhoneTalk

One of the latest model’s in Samsung’s Galaxy line of mobile products, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze, has a lot to offer including the ability to work with T-Mobile’s speedy 4G data network. The Android 2.3 smartphone features Samsung’s friendly user interface, Samsung Media Hub for renting/purchasing movies and TV shows, and contributing to the snappy experience is a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor. As expected, the smartphone also sports a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera that can record 720p HD video and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video chat. While not quite as big as some Android phones currently available, it does sport a spacious 3.9-inch Super AMOLED display that is sharp, crisp, and viewable in direct sunlight.

Later this week Verizon customers will be able to get the 4G LG Lucid Android smartphone at an affordable price with a new two-year contract. The cell phone is full of high-end features including a 4-inch touchsreen display with Corning Gorilla Glass, so it’s bright, clear, and durable. The 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM means it will offer a snappy user-experience. Although it will come with the Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS installed it will be upgradeable to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The LG Lucid also features a front-facing camera for video chat and a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera with flash that can record 1080p HD video. Once the video is captured the Video Producer app can be used to edit it right on the phone. As noted, the phone will also work on Verizon’s high-speed 4G data network, so expect a speedy web-surfing experience.

All those who use Google Voice and have an Android device (tablet or smartphone) running the Ice Cream Sandwich OS will be happy to learn that the mobile app has improved functionality. The Google Voice app is fully integrated with the Android 4.0 OS. This means you can view and listen to voicemails in the call log – no more checking an e-mail account to get a link to the audio version of the voicemail. In the new version, voicemail will appear in the phone’s call log and you can listen to it or read a text transcription of the message. The new version for Android Ice Cream Sandwich users is available in the Google Play market.

Tomorrow, at 2:00 PM PST, I'll be hosting a chat on LetsTalk's Facebook page. I’ll be taking questions about phones, plans, apps, and can even help Facebook fans pick the best phone for them. If there's something you want to know about mobile, but didn't know who to ask stop by and ask me on Facebook at 2:00 PM PST this Friday.

It happens all the time, you’re out with friends and inevitably someone pulls out a cell phone that you want. Now one of the easiest ways to get more details about that particular model is by checking out LetsTalk’s new mobile site on your cell phone. The easy-to-use site lets you do a ton of things that can be done on the full website such as find a phone by using a concise search bar with exact name matches, view videos and detailed photos of the phone, and read user reviews. Find a phone you like, but aren’t sure if you’re eligible for an upgrade? No problem, you can use the mobile LetsTalk site to check eligibility and then click-to-call an 800 number to speak to a representative or purchase a new phone. Finally found the perfect phone? Then go ahead and share the phone you like with friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail. The new site can be accessed by typing m.letstalk.com in the mobile web browser on your phone.

Those looking for an affordable Android smartphone with a prepaid plan will be happy to learn that MetroPCS ZTE Score M is now available. The phone runs the Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, sports a snappy 600MHz processor, comes with 4GB of internal memory for storing music, and pictures taken with the 3.2-megapixel camera, and adding apps. While not as large as some of the other Android smartphones currently available the ZTE Score M does have a 3.5-inch touchscreen. You can learn more about the ZTE Score M by clicking this link.

LetsTalk's latest giveaway will be music to your ears. What can you win? One runner up will receive Solo High Performance Headphones and the grand prize winner will get a beatbox High Definition Audio System. All you have to do to enter the Giveaway is visit LetsTalk’s Facebook page and click this link to enter. While you’re there, don’t forget to “Like” the company’s Facebook page. We should note that you only need to enter once to win and selecting/deselecting "Like" on Facebook will not increase your chances of winning.

The giveaway starts today and goes through March 29, 2011. Becoming a fan of LetsTalk’s Facebook page will help keep you informed about the latest cell phone news, let you know when the most popular phones are available, and more. As a special bonus if LetsTalk makes it to 85,000 fans by March 29th there will be a mystery Beats by DR DRE prize. So, be sure to spread the word.

Sprint’s latest Android phone, the ZTE Fury, is an affordable smartphone that can be customized to meet the needs of families. The 3G handset has a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera, 1GHz processor, and comes with 4GB of internal storage space. It also works with Spring ID, a feature that will customize the phone with apps, wallpapers, and more when a selected ID theme is downloaded. Parent’s thinking of getting kids who are new to driving this smartphone will likely want to spend the extra $2 a month for the Sprint Drive First app, which automatically sends incoming calls to voicemail when the phone is in a car going more than 10 MPH making sure not to distract new drivers.

The Android Market icon may look the same on your Android smartphone, but upon opening the application you’ll notice it has quite a new look and feel. Oh and a new name: Google Play. Instead of the more list-friendly view, it now looks a lot more like the Android Market you might see on a web browser. It has also expanded beyond apps and music. The idea is that everything you might want to use (Books, Music, Movies, Games, and Apps) on the phone or tablet is available in the Google Play store. There are also some great deals to be had as well such as the Free Song of the Day, movie rentals for 99 cents, and even apps for 25 cents.

There’s no need to download anything to get Google Play on and Android Device, just launch the app from the Market icon and Google will do the rest.

The latest addition to the LG Rumor family of phones is the eco-friendly LG Rumor Reflex. What makes it so eco-friendly? This cell phone’s cover is made up of 31% post-consumer recycle materials, the battery is energy efficient, and of course the packaging is recyclable. The Rumor Reflex has something not found in a ton of phones these days, a slide-out tactile QWERTY keyboard. The feature-rich phone also sports a 2-megapixel camera than can record video, a 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen, and a microSD slot that can support up to a 32GB microSD card. The phone will be available for Sprint users next week and for Boost Mobile users at the end of the month.

At the end of last year, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus became the first phone to ship in the United States running Android 4.0. Dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich, this is the OS that bridges the gap between Android tablets and smartphones. Since its debut people have wanted to know if and when the latest OS would be arriving on their Android smartphone. Thanks to the Verizon’s News Center Updates, we now know which Verizon 4G LTE phones should be getting the latest OS. Although, there’s no word on when the update will be arriving, here’s the list of phones scheduled to get the update:

• DROID 4 by Motorola
• DROID BIONIC by Motorola
• DROID Incredible 2 by HTC
• DROID RAZR by Motorola
• DROID XYBOARD 8.2 by Motorola
• DROID XYBOARD 10.1 by Motorola
• HTC Rezound
• HTC Rhyme
• HTC ThunderBolt
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7
• Spectrum by LG

The latest durable phone coming to Sprint is the Kyocera DuraPlus. This may not be a smartphone, but it's definitely rugged and ideal for those who want a phone without a camera. It’s built to meet the Military Standard 810G so it’s resistant to dust, shock, vibration, humidity, and can withstand being in about 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Additionally, the phone has a built-in LED flashlight and is encased in rubber. It also happens to be a Sprint Direct Connect phone and it can be used to communicate with one other Direct Connect user or as many as 200 other Direct Connect subscribers via the TeamDC feature.

Tomorrow, at 2:00 PM PST, I'll be hosting a chat on LetsTalk's Facebook page. I’ll be taking questions about phones, plans, apps, and can even help Facebook fans pick the best phone for them. Plus, I may even have some information about LetsTalk’s next big giveaway. If there's something you want to know about mobile, but didn't know who to ask stop by and ask me on Facebook at 2:00 PM PST this Friday.

Looking for the latest Android tablet? Then check out the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 that is now available with Verizon service. We should mention users will also need to get a 4G LTE mobile broadband data package with a minimum of 2GB of data. Users can share the tablet’s 4G data connection with up to 10 other WiFi-enabled devices via the Mobile HotSpot feature. As the product name suggests, the tablet will sport a 7.7-inch Super AMOLED display so it should be visible in bright sunlight. It will also be running the Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS, sport a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, a rear-facing 3.2-megapixel camera that can record 720p HD video, and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera. The tablet comes with 16GB of on-board storage capacity, however, it can accept up to a 32GB microSD card – a definite plus. Finally, you can use the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 as remote control via the Smart Remote feature, similar to that found on the Galaxy Tab 7.0.

Verizon's latest phone to sport a slide-out tactile 4-line QWERTY keyboard is the Samsung Brightside. Although it’s not a smartphone, it does have plenty of features for those who want to get some work done while on the road. In addition to threaded messaging (for viewing the text conversation on the screen) and a web browser, the 3G phone supports mobile e-mail and the ability to view Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, and even HTML pages. It sports a 3.2-megapixel camera and the 3.1-inch touchscreen means the Samsung Brightside is pocket-friendly. The phone is currently available.