AT&T just announced a new set of Android phones that will be available soon. I want to focus on the qwerty ones now, but will post more later on all of them.
- Motorola Atrix 2
- Samsung Captivate Glide
- Samsung DoubleTime
- Pantech Pocket
- AT&T Avail
-Samsung Captivate Glide – Specs highlights: 4″ screen, Android 2.3, 8 Megapixel rear camera w/ LED flash (capable of 1080p recording and HDMI playback), 1.3 MP forward facing camera for video chats, 1 GHz dual core processor, 1 GB of RAM, includes 8 GB microSD, offers VPN support.
The keyboard looks like there is plenty of space for each key to make for easy typing. I like having the Android buttons (home, menu, search and back) right there on the keyboard for easy pressing. I would like to see the dedicated number row, but that usually makes the keyboard cramped, which is why there probably is not one here. The Captivate Glide will be running the latest major release of Android in 2.3, which is nice to see, however it is running Samsung’s customized TouchWiz. AT&T says the Captivate Glide along with the Atrix are going into their “premium Android smartphone lineup” and seems to target business users.
Comparatively speaking, the Captivate Glide is a little behind the Galaxy S II in some specs (slightly slower processor, lower MP in the front facing camera and a 4″ screen compared to a 4.3″ screen), however if you like having that physical keyboard, those differences shouldn’t impact your use at all. No price information right now, but I’m guessing it will be priced in the $150-$200 range with a new contract.
–Samsung DoubleTime – Spec highlights: 3.2″ display on the inside and out, Android 2.2, 3.2 megapixel camera, 2 GB microSD card included and a unique design compared to most other Android phones available.
The Samsung DoubleTime clamshell design reminds me of the AT&T Pantech Impact’s design. The keyboard looks like it will be nice for texting and posting to social networks, which is what this device was designed for. The Android buttons are located above the keyboard, which I like, but in the case of the clamshell was a necessity. This phone is not going to wow anyone with its performance compared to other more top of the line Android offerings, but looks likes a good option for upgrading from a feature phone or for a first cellphone. I would expect the DoubeTime to be less than $100 and maybe even free with a new contract based on its specs.
Full Specs available here:
http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=21624&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=33039&mapcode