Sunday will be the first time that many Americans are introduced to the Samsung Galaxy Note, thanks to the supersized Super Bowl commercial to go along with the device’s supersized 5.3-inch SuperAMOLED screen. Super.

This Sunday will also be the day that the Galaxy Note goes up for pre-order for AT&T. Best Buy Mobile will begin reserving phones for consumers interested in the Galaxy Note, which retails for $299.99 on a two-year agreement, and it’s throwing in a special offer for those who purchase from the store. Anyone who pre-orders with Best Buy and activates the phone in-store or at BestBuy.com/Mobile will receive a free Protective Flip Cover Case.

During my time at CES, a surprising number of the Asian journalist and bloggers in attendance were using the Galaxy Note, and virtually all of them had the flip cover case as well. It’s a thin case that clips on to replace the back cover and protects the front with a faux-leather-like material. The case is valued at $29.99, but Best Buy is selling it for free. Droid-Den has a review of the case if you’d like to know more about the product and see if this sways you to pre-order with Best Buy or another retailer.

For more information on the Galaxy Note, you know where to look.

img credit: photobucket

Over the past couple of weeks we have presented to you several deals and special Android offers from all over the web, offering different smartphones and tablets at very competitive prices. However, the new AT&T Winter sale provided by Amazon is by far the most appealing deal we have seen this year.

Starting yesterday, January 30, through February 14, no less than 19 cool smartphones are offered at special prices, including nine Android-based devices. Out of these nine, the HTC Inspire 4G, Motorola Atrix 4G, Samsung Captivate and HTC Inspire 4G A9192 can be yours for just one penny on a new two-year contract from AT&T.

Neither of these four smartphones can exactly be called high-tech right now, but all of them are decent medium-rangers and, if you ask me, are great bargains.

The Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket 4G, featuring a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, as well as an 8 MPx rear-facing camera with auto focus and LED flash, is also on sale and starts at 139.99 dollars for new AT&T customers. The 4.5-incher can be bought by existing AT&T customers as well, but the price grows considerably to 229.99 bucks, if you want to add a line to an account.

The SkyRocket isn’t the only star of the Amazon’s AT&T Winter Sale, with the Samsung Galaxy SII being made available for just $94.99. The 4.3-incher with a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor is available for that kind of money for new customers and can be added to an existing account for as low as 184.99 dollars.

The Samsung Captivate Glide, as well as the HTC Vivid 4G, in white or black, are the last three Android smartphones to take a part in this new special offer and they are available for starting prices of 79.99 dollars (the Captivate Glide) and $149.99 (the black or white Vivid).

All in all, if you aren’t already an AT&T customer, I personally think that now’s the time to sign up a contract with the number one American carrier and to get yourself a cool, strong and snappy Android smartphone for a more than decent price.

How about it, are you tempted by any of these deals? Hit us with a comment and let us know!

Via Amazon

We’ve been in the habit of reporting so much about Android’s incredible sales that it’s sometimes jarring to hear when the green bot isn’t racing towards the top. On at least one U.S. carrier, Android’s raced toward record sales, but it got lapped several times in the process.

AT&T released its fourth quarter earnings for 2011 and reported that it had the “best-ever quarter” of smartphone sales: 9.4 million activations. Most of those activations, 7.6 million to be precise, were for the iPhone. That leaves only 1.8 million sales between Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone 7.

Q4 2011 featured 50 percent more sales than the previous quarterly record, and nearly double the sales registered in Q3 2011. It was a brightspot in a not-so-sunny time for AT&T, which failed to acquire T-Mobile USA. The company must have been ecstatic to finally have some good news to share.

But for Android fans, seeing such a discrepancy in sales might cause slight nervousness. AT&T neglected Android and didn’t release quality devices until 2011. Could such a huge preference for iPhone among subscribers cause the carrier to not try as hard to deliver top of the line Android devices? I wouldn’t go that far just yet because AT&T will always need to support an iPhone alternative to give consumers choice. But with 80 percent of AT&T subscribers last quarter opting for an iPhone, there may need to be a better crop of choices.

Notes from today’s earnings call:

• AT&T has 74 millions LTE pops. Network coverage will double in 2010, and 80 percent of US population will be covered in 2013.
• Android sales were double what they were in Q4 2010, a sign that AT&T greatly improved its Android offerings
• Call quality saw an increase from the the depiction of AT&T as a poor network. 3G call retention is at 99% since September.

[AT&T]

There’s Asus who has been working extremely hard to get Android 4.0 on the Transformer Prime as soon as possible making it the first tablet with ICS, and then there’s Samsung  and its Galaxy S saga.  One manufacturer delivers upgrades in timely and efficient manner, and the other manufacturer makes it an agonizing and slow process.

Finally, today, Samsung has announced Android 2.3 is available for download and installation on the Samsung Captivate on AT&T.  Better enjoy the update folks, because it looks like it will be the last software upgrade from Samsung.

With the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) update for the Captivate, users will find improvements with download management, intuitive text input, vertical playmode in YouTube, Voice search, Gmail fixes, game play enhancements, etc.  In order to get the update, you’re going to have to download and install Kies Mini (Samsung’s proprietary software used to upgrade its phones).  The whole process is outlined clearly on the Samsung Support page below.

Feel free to let us know if the upgrade from Android 2.2 to Android 2.3 went smoothly for our Captivate readers.

[Samsung]

AT&T and Samsung earlier today confirmed CES 2012′s worst-kept secret: the Galaxy Note is coming to the United States for AT&T as an exclusive for the carrier. And as suspected, it is a device built for AT&T’s new 4G LTE network.

The Galaxy Note is a device that seriously blends the lines between what constitutes a tablet and what’s a phone. With a 5.3 HD Super AMOLED screen and 1280 x 800 resolution, this “phablet” has a super large screen with “vivid clarity.” There’s also 180 degree viewing angles that provide continued clarity when tilting the device.

Samsung has also packed a 1.5 GHz dual core processor, 8 MP rear camera with autofocus, 2 MP front-facing camera, and 4G LTE. There’s an S Memo app framework for input with an S Pen. Samsung says it shouldn’t be described as a capacitive pen because that would imply that it’s just a different way of doing the same old thing. S Pen is a bigger advancement because of stronger handwritten notes and drawings. There’s also voice recordings and typed texts in the Memo section.

The Galaxy Note will be available in two colors: white and a special shade of blue. Here are some more specs and a hands-on impression of the device.

• 5.3” HD Super AMOLED touchscreen (1280×800) 
• Integrated S Pen
• Enabled for 4G LTE
• 1.5GHz dual core processor
• Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread
• 16GB onboard memory
• Expandable memory up to 32GB with optional microSD™ card
• 2500 mAh battery
• 8MP rear facing camera
• 2MP front facing camera
• Mobile HotSpot capable
• SAFE – Samsung Approved for Enterprise

AT&T definitely lit up the CES stage at its Developer Summit conference today with its multitude of Android smartphones that were announced.  Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T, essentially announced several Android smartphones that are high-end and mid-range to appeal to people interested in a 4G LTE Android device on AT&T.

To begin, we have the high-end Samsung Galaxy Note, which is finally going to launch on AT&T after many days of rumors and leaks.  Those in Europe and Asia have already been enjoying the Galaxy Note, but American customers will not have to wait much longer for this baby to launch. We have more details on the Galaxy Note AT&T launch here.

Secondly, we have the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD, which is an improved, high-end device over the Galaxy S II Skyrocket.  Some are comparing this device to the Galaxy Nexus.  Since AT&T is most likely not going to launch the Galaxy Nexus at this point, customers will have to make do with the Skyrocket HD — which is a pretty solid device in its own right. For example, it contains a 4.65 inch Super AMOLED HD display and a 1.5GHz dual-core processor.  It will be available in the coming months, but there is no word at this time if it will launch with Ice Cream Sandwich.

Thirdly, we have the Sony Xperia Ion, which is a high-end 4G LTE handset that is going to succeed the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.  This PlayStation certified device boasts a 4.6 inch HD display, 12MP rear facing camera, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Android 2.3, and 720p front facing video recording.  The Xperia Ion is being touted as multimedia powerhouse that handles gaming and media sharing very well.

The last two 4G LTE smartphones announced by AT&T include the Pantech Burst and Samsung Exhilarate.  Both devices are priced below $50 on a two year contract and should be available for purchase soon.

Stay tuned for hands-on images and videos of several of the devices mentioned above.

[AT&T]

Even though it has yet to be formally announced by AT&T or Pantech, the upcoming Pantech Element is already available for pre-order, according to Engadget.  The Pantech Element Android tablet is a high-end device coupled with a waterproof display likely to appeal to those who want to take the tablet in trying environmental conditions.

We first heard about the tablet several days ago due to a lengthy leak, and now the tablet promotional material has been spotted in several AT&T retail stores.  In terms of pricing, the Element is expected to be available for $300 on a two year contract and $450 off contract.

In terms of specs and features, it contains Android 3.2, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 5MP rear facing camera, 2MP front facing camera, and 1080p video capture.  AT&T or Pantech will likely make the tablet official at CES and it is expected to begin shipping by January 22nd.  If interested in pre-ordering the Pantech Element, feel free to call your local AT&T retail store.

[Engadget]

The Samsung Galaxy Note is one of the more interesting smartphones expected to launch shortly in the United States — and for good reason.  It’s not your typical Android smartphone with a large screen, fast processor, and sweet camera.  Instead, the Samsung Galaxy Note prides itself on being a hybrid between a tablet and smartphone featuring a 5.3 inch display.

At CES 2012, several posters (such as the one seen above) have been spotted to contain the Samsung Galaxy Note in all its glory.  The image clearly shows an AT&T logo practically confirming at this point that AT&T will the lucky carrier to launch the iconic Galaxy Note.  Unfortunately, we’re still waiting for the official announcement from Samsung or AT&T, but the announcement should be coming during CES.  We’re expecting the Galaxy Note to cost somewhere between $199-$249 especially if it features 4G LTE.

At this point, the only doubt we have concerning the Galaxy Note is whether or not it will launch with Sprint as well.  Despite the initial report claiming Sprint would launch the Galaxy Note, there hasn’t been any substantial chatter since.  However, if Sprint were to launch the Galaxy Note, I’m sure the announcement would take place at CES.

Here’s a quick refresher on the Galaxy Note for our readers considering the smartphone when it launches on AT&T.  It features Android 2.3, a dual-core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, a 5.3-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 1280 x 800 pixels resolution, an 8MP rear facing camera, a 2MP front facing camera, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi, and GPS.  Lastly, an upgrade to Android Ice Cream Sandwich is confirmed for the Galaxy Note.

[Engadget]

AT&T is launching its 4G LTE network in 11 new cities today. The latest cities to get a speed boost include:

• New York City metro area
• Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose, California
• Austin, Texas
• Chapel Hill and Raleigh, North Carolina
• Orlando, Florida
• Phoenix, Arizona

The new cities bring AT&T’s total number of LTE markets supported to 26. Much of the previous footprint was in select major cities in the South and the Mid-Atlantic regions, but this increases AT&T into major markets on the west coast and northeast. It’s also a sign that AT&T is going to start picking up the pace as it tries to catch Verizon, which has already delivered 4G LTE coverage to many of the major markets and several areas in between.

“We’re building a 4G LTE network that’s blazing fast, and we offer dual layers of 4G technologies to provide customers with a more consistent speed experience. Our network, together with our unsurpassed 4G device portfolio and innovative applications, will give our customers an industry-leading mobile broadband experience.” - John Stankey, CEO of AT&T Business Solutions.

We’re not exactly sure what Stankey means by “unsurpassed” portfolio because AT&T’s only noteworthy 4G phones are the HTC Vivid, LG Nitro HD, and Samsung Galaxy SII Skyrocket. Sure, there’s the HTC Jetstream tablet, but that doesn’t really compete with Verizon’s long list of LTE offerings, and one could make an argument for Sprint’s 4G WiMax and T-Mobile’s HSPA+ line-up.

Either way, it’s good to at least see growth in AT&T’s LTE network. AT&T previously cited its planned acquisition of T-Mobile as a way to justify increased spending on LTE growth, but the company will have to pursue alternate means now that the deal has failed. We reported last month that users in Orlando were seeing early signs of LTE coverage and the network has now officially launched, so users with one of the previously-mentioned 4G devices can keep an eye out for coverage in their area.

At CES 2012, AT&T is expected to introduce an affordable and unique Android tablet running on its 4G LTE network.  According to BGR, the Pantech Element features 4G LTE, Android 3.2, a 8 inch touch screen display, and waterproof casing.

In terms of being waterproof, I would say it’s more of a novelty feature than something you can actually use on a daily basis.  The device has a rating of IP57 meaning it is only protected against immersion of 15 cm to a meter deep.  AT&T maintains that that the tablet is “splash resistant” and probably should not be chucked into the pool.  While the protection against the occasional splash of water is nice, I imagine that will not be key feature in determining whether it should be purchased or not.

However, the other feature found in the Pantech Element aren’t too shabby.  In terms of processor, it boasts a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 16GB of onboard storage, Android 3.2, a 5MP rear facing camera with 1080p video capture, and a 2MP front facing camera.  No word on whether it will be upgraded to Android 4.0, but given its high-end hardware, an upgrade should be in order.

Lastly, AT&T is going to price the Pantech Element at $299 on a two year contract and $449 off contract, which is an appropriate price tag for a 4G LTE Android tablet.

[BGR]