I started this article to bring awareness of a smartphone’s TCO, or total cost of ownership.  As I wrote this article, I discovered that quite like banks and all of the fees they charge, many cell carriers make a GREAT deal of money based on consumer ignorance, or more appropriately put, a consumer’s lack of knowledge of the contract terms they agreed to when they signed up and bought a phone.

There’s a lot here, and much that everyone needs to understand in order to keep your checking account in the black (instead of your carrier’s…) so please, read everything carefully and remember that all of the prices and costs here relate to either monthly costs of individual based voice/ data plans and one specific cell phone (my Nexus One).  The numbers will vary somewhat based on the costs (subsidized and unsubsidized) of YOUR phone.

Smartphones. They are EVERYWHERE..

The iPhone, Droid/DroidX/Droid 2, Nexus One, HTC HD2, Samsung Vibrant/Galaxy S, or Sprint EVO and Epic. I walk the streets of Chicago from the Lake Front to Union Station twice a day, and nearly everyone has their nose in their phone. Its truly amazing, as it seems that everyone, everywhere is now addicted. Crackberries be damned!

I saw an interesting article on MSNBC recently, and wanted to comment on and add  a few things. The author, Wilson Rothman, is dead on right about the major push of his article – the cost of your smartphone doesn’t mean squat compared to the Total Cost of Ownership (or TCO) of the device over the life of your wireless carrier contract. 

While its certainly something to consider in today’s budget conscious/expense leery and fragile economy, I think many cell and smartphone consumers are missing one important point – Cell phone carriers aren’t making money on voice plans, unless you don’t use all of the minutes you purchased, and then on AT&T, that doesn’t mean much due to their Roll Over Minutes.

Fees.

Minute overage fees. Data overage fees. Service fees (411, road side assistance, GPS, etc.).

At the end of the day, unless a specific service is provided, and you actually USE the service (like 411 or GPS), your carrier pockets that money and it floats right to the bottom line in the, "free money ‘cuz we imposed a policy or they didn’t use what they bought," column.

So, let’s take a quick look at the base cell plans that all of the carriers are providing, and see how your TCO fares and where the carrriers are really making their money.

Consider the chart below.

Wilson’s article basically lays out the above costs for service on all four major wireless carriers. You’re left to do the math (though he does a great job of adding things up for you). This however, is not the end of the story.

What is?  Great question. Here’s the answer – Overage and other charges, and of course, the cost of the device…

Thinking Holistically
With Verizon’s data plan, you can’t get charged any overage fees for excessive bandwidth.  It is truly the only unlimited data plan left. From a data plan perspective, this is the best and most cost effective data plan available.

While Sprint and T-Mobile call their data plans unlimited, they cap out at 5GB. If you use more data than that, you risk either getting funneled to a slower network segment or up to, and including, having your account cancelled.  Honestly, I’ve pushed and pulled a LOT of data. I’ve hit as high as 3.5GB in month, but I’ve never come near 5GB. At most you need to be careful on these networks. Getting stuck on a throttled network segment can suck, and depending on where you are in your billing cycle, the end of the month doesn’t mean the 1st.

On AT&T, if you have the 200MB plan and you go over 200MB (say 200.01MB) your data charges of $15 are doubled to $30.  I’m not sure what happens if you go over 400MB; but they will likely hit your for an additional $15 bucks that month. 

This is, by the way, the WORST data plan I’ve ever seen for a smartphone. If you do ANYTHING on your smartphone other than make calls and send text messages (though they are DATA, everyone charges for them, separately), I can guarantee that you are going to use more than 200MB of data in a month.  You’re going to come close to that with just simple data syncs when the device turns on and off, let alone e-mail and web surfing (or FB/Twitter/MySpace status updates).  Buying this data plan is a huge mistake. If you are on AT&T and have this plan, don’t be surprised when you get hit with additional fees. You have no one to blame but yourself.

Ok… so how do you think holistically?  Easy.  Add in the cost of the device, the full price, not the subsidized price to the 24 month voice and data plan costs above, and then divide by 24; but… the results can be somewhat subjective.

I use T-Mobile and have a Nexus One.  My costs are also slightly different, as I have an Unlimited Voice plan for $99 per month. To refresh your memory, here is the T-Mo data again; and my TCO related costs are at the bottom:

My Monthly Costs without any taxes or fees

Now, this is where things start to get a little interesting. Most people don’t have the huge down stroke needed to purchase a device without a contract, so the carrier allows you to "save" some money by agreeing to a contract. Everyone knows that… You get a reduced price on the phone you want, and your carrier locks you in to 24 months of service.  Below are my actual costs.

My costs for my current cell service without any taxes or fees

Now, check this out – If you subtract the unsubsidized cost from the subsidized cost and then multiply that times 24 (the life of the service contract) you get $349.92.

The cost of subsidizing the phone over the life of your contract

Keep that number in mind.  Its a very interesting number.  Why?  Simple.  I paid $180 for my Nexus One – a savings of $350 over the unsubsidized cost of the phone.

I actually come out ahead over 24 months

Based on my plan (actually part of a family plan…) I actually come out ahead $1.92 (or $0.08 cents a month) over the life of the contract. So, if I actually come out ahead on the deal, how is T-Mobile making any money?  Easy – fees. Every 411 Call costs me $1.79 per instance. With the way my wife and daughter use that, I regularly give T-Mobile an extra $30-$40 a month, or an extra $480 a year.

Let’s go back to our minimal plan example above. If you have a 500 minute plan, and used 743 minutes, used 411 5 times (with it texting you the number so you could copy it into your contact list for next time), Caller Tunes (callers listen to music instead of ring-ring) at $1.49/month, and downloaded 5 ring tones, 2 applications and 5 wallpapers, you would have incurred the following additional charges on T-Mobile:

The monthly bill (minus taxes, regulatory fees and other required charges) for the T-Mobile example above is $80 per month.  If you incurred the noted charges, which isn’t all too difficult if you think about it, then your bill is nearly 3 times its normal amount. Now, think if nearly every person with that carrier did something like that every month.

Cha-ching.

Honestly, what killed the example above is obviously the overage minutes.  However, at nearly $30, the extras I cited are nearly half the normal bill. This is the carrier’s dirty little secret. Overage charges, extra services – charges and fees that you don’t necessarily see when you signed up. 

What’s worse, is that even if you’re really careful, you can STILL run into unexpected charges.

So… obvious question – how do you stop the unexpected charges?  Good question.  Here’s what I’ve figured out.

1. Read your Bill
   The more you understand it, the easier it will be for you to see the little added extras and gotchas that can creep in when you aren’t careful. Understand what the taxes come out to. Understand what regulatory (and other required) fees you’re obligated to pay.  These aren’t part of your variable bill.  They’re usually constant.
2. Find the Right Data Plan
   Since the iPhone 3G, all smartphones now require a data plan. If you get ANY e-mail on your device at all…If you surf the web even a little bit, AT&T’s 200MB plan is NOT what you want. You’re going to get hit with an overage charge, and then your bill grows. Smartphones are more about data than calls. Get the right data plan on your carrier for your data needs and you’ll save money and headaches.
3. Find the Right Voice Plan
   If you talk on your phone at all (and I don’t know many who have a smartphone and don’t use it for calls…) then you need to take some time and really think about how you’re going to use its voice features too. If you plan to ditch your land line in favor of your cell phone, sticking to the 450 minute/500 minute plan may not be for you.  At $0.45 cents per minute over the allowance, 243 extra minutes cost $109.35, at least as much as minimum monthly charge for the plan WITH data and messaging, and then some. Get the right voice plan for your needs and then use those minutes but don’t go over. If you’re on AT&T and have roll-over minutes, then you’re ok, but you need to find some time to use those too… You DID pay for them.
4. Enough with the Downloads Already
   All smartphones come with a USB cable and the ability to connect to your PC or Mac.  If you want ring tones, make your own.  You can rip your CD’s and use tools like Audacity to cut the tracks into the segments you want for your ringtones. I do it all the time.

   Wallpapers can be found on the internet, many for free, and you can use the free tools that came with your PC to edit them and make them the right size for your phone’s screen.

   The iTunes App Store, the Android Market and all the other application stores have TONS of free applications.  The only thing you need to be careful of is the quality of the app. Don’t use crappy apps.  Hunt around, try some, uninstall those you don’t like or want and keep the ones you do.  Free is good.

   Caller Tunes…really?  REALLY?  Look, ring-ring has been good for more than 100 years.  I’m not gonna die listening to ring-ring. I don’t need to hear the latest tune from <pick your favorite artist> while I wait for you to pick up or get tossed into your voice mail. I’ll live… really.

5. Directory Assistance
   When you’re driving and have a hands free kit, and really need a number, directory assistance can be a big help. If, however, you can pull over; or have another person in the car, most smartphones and their location services can find businesses around you.  In that case, Google Maps (available on most smartphone platforms) can do the trick. It can find what you’re looking for and give you the phone number, address and even directions to the destination… AND guess what..? Its free.  Please stop with the 411 calls… you’re killing me.

So, what have we learned?  Let’s briefly review –

• Managing your bill means understanding it and what is on it. You’re going to get hit with things you weren’t expecting if you don’t watch out.
• Wireless Carriers don’t make a lot of money on voice or data plans.  They make their money on all of the overage fees, service fees and downloads you charge to your account. Make sure you get the right plans for your needs and stop with the added extras if you really need to pinch pennies. You can make your own extras and transfer them your device very easily.
• Smartphone Total Cost of Ownership is more than just the cost of the device. You have to factor in the costs of the data service, messaging service, and voice service and all of the associated charges and fees.

Being connected is great; but in this economy, protecting your checking account is much, much better.

To say that Android has invaded and, frankly conquered, Sprint would be an understatement of epic proportions.  It seems like every other day, the giant yellow carrier announces another Android based phone.  Not long ago, we had an opportunity to check out their new flagship, the Android 2.1 based EVO, which was also Sprint’s first 4G phone.  Today, we will be looking at Samsung’s apparent response to the EVO, the Intercept, which was recently released on Sprint’s network.  Although it is missing the 4G connectivity, the Samsung Intercept appears to be a worthy addition to Sprint’s growing line of Android phones.  Let’s take a closer look.

What’s In the Box: There once was a time when device manufacturers gave us something to talk about and show you when we looked in the box.  Sadly, it appears that those times have now passed.  No longer do we find even the most rudimentary cases or screen protectors in the box, which I find to be extremely disappointing.  Once you get passed the device itself and the usual manuals, all you will find here is the sync/charge cable and AC adaptor.  Even as these devices are becoming more powerful (and more expensive) manufacturers are including fewer accessories in the package.  While the long ago loss of the sync cradle could be written off as a luxury, I find it to be extremely troubling that necessary forms of protection, like screen protectors and cases are not even being included with these devices.

Hardware: OK, now that we have the device out of the box, let’s go ahead and take a look at the hardware.  The device itself is a bit thicker than many of the devices I have used lately.  This thickness is attributable to the slide out keyboard.  I have to say that the slide out keyboard feels very much three years ago to me.  In this day and age of the HTC EVO and iPhone 4, with their impressive on screen keyboards, or the numerous device with front facing keyboards like Blackberries, and even the Palm Pixi; the idea of switching the view from portrait to landscape, and sliding the hardware feels like an idea which has grown a bit anachronistic.  I would not be surprised at all to see this sliding keyboards phased out entirely fairly soon as on-screen options continue to improve. 

That being said, I was rather impressed by the sliding keyboard on this device.  It is a nice wide keyboard with large buttons.  In fact, I found the spacing to be almost a bit too wide, but that is probably because my thumbs are so used to being cramped on small, tight keyboards.  This one is a real treat to use, and very easy for a hunt and peck typist like me to use.

Moving around the phone, I must admit that I was quite impressed by the layout and design of this phone.  When I reviewed the Samsung Moment, their previous Android-based phone on Sprint, I was critical of the clutter of buttons and controls, which seemed to have overlapping functions.  Right off the bat, the Intercept offers a much cleaner look.

The top of the device has nothing except the micro-USB port which you will use for syncing (for those of you who still connect to a computer to sync) and charging the device.  This seemed an odd placement to me, but that could just be because most manufacturers have not placed the sync/charge port on top like this.  Otherwise, it seemed to work just fine.

The right side of the device has a hard button for the camera, which is a nice addition.  On devices which do not have this button, I frequently find myself fumbling through the on-screen interface in order to activate the camera, only to have the picture taking opportunity pass.  Above that is the standard 3.5mm headphone jack.  This is nice, but again the placement struck me as odd.  When you have the device in your pocket, it is much more convenient to have the headphone cable connection coming out of the top or bottom of the device, rather than sticking off the side.

The left side of the device has the volume rocker, which I absolutely love.  Having hardware buttons to control the volume while you are listening to music or even talking on the phone is extremely convenient.  I was disappointed when device manufacturers started removing these buttons, and I have been thrilled by their return.  Beneath that is the microSD card slot.  In this case, Samsung really pleased me with the placement.  I have used too many devices which tuck the microSD card behind or around the battery, meaning you have to remove the back of the device and often pop out the battery in order to swap cards.  Putting it on the side like this makes the card extremely accessible, and means that you can store media or files on multiple cards, and easily swap them whenever it is necessary.

There is nothing really to see on the bottom, so let’s go ahead and jump over to the back, where you will find the 3.2 megapixel camera.  we will talk more about that later.  A small slot on the bottom of the back panel allows you to pop it open, revealing the 1500 mAh battery inside.

The most improved area for me was the front panel, which has been significantly minimized and streamlined.  Of course, the bulk of it is taken up by the nicely proportioned 3.0 inch touchscreen.  While this screen is not as large as that of the HTC EVO, I did find it was better proportioned for every day use.  As you may recall, I found the EVO to be a bit too wide for my normal usage patterns due to its enormous screen.  The Intercept has a more modest screen, but that enables the phone to stay within the framework of what you would expect from a one handed device.  All of that being said, I did find the screen to be crisp and vibrant.  It worked extremely well for this device.

Beneath the screen are four touch panel buttons: Menu, Home, Back, and Search.  These are pretty much the same buttons that you will find on many Android devices.  Though it was a bit disconcerting not to have any tactile feedback when you press these buttons.  I also found that these buttons were not always as responsive as I would have liked.  Sometimes i would push them repeatedly before receiving a response.  Additionally, there are two large buttons for the phone controls, and a touch pad D-controller which I virtually ignored.  I have just not found D-pads like this to work well with the Android interface.

Overall, despite a few oddly placed connections, I found this to be the best designed phone of any I have used from Samsung.  Specifically, it offered a significant improvement over the cluttered design of its Sprint predecessor, the Moment.

Interface and Operating System: The interface on the Samsung Intercept is really the no frills version of Android 2.1.  It was interesting, after using the HTC version with its Sense UI, to test this version.  It really made me realize how much of what I liked about Android was actually layered on top by HTC.

For starters, instead  of seven pages on the home screen, the Intercept only utilizes three pages.  Additionally, although you can still add widgets to the home screen pages, many of my favorite widgets were actually part of HTC’s Sense UI, not the Android OS itself.  This means there is a fairly limited number of widgets available.  Finally, although I believed the live wallpapers were part of Android, I did not find an option to utilize them on the Intercept. 

Otherwise, this is a standard implementation of Android 2.1, which has been discussed pretty extensively here and on a myriad of other sites, so I will not bore you by repeating my thoughts on this operating system.  Just my overall impression, which remains the same as my first encounter with Android.  This is a lot like what Windows Mobile could have and should have become, but it is still much more complicated to use that Palm’s WebOS or apple’s iPhone interface.

Communications: Let’s get into the heart of this phone, as in the parts that make it an actual phone.  Go ahead and push the phone button on the face of the device.  This is the one which is normally green.  This will take you to a tabbed interface where you can switch between the dialer keypad, call log, and favorite contacts, or jump over to the full contacts list.   There was really nothing special to see here.  The Keypad was functional, although not particularly slick or nice to look at. 

While we are talking about the keypad, let’s go ahead and mention phone calls.  I found the dialing keypad to be extremely responsive.  As you dial, the keypad will scan the phone will scan your contacts and pull up any suggestions which match the numbers and letters you dial.  When you are in a phone call, the device will bring up an in-call menu with all of the controls you need, including speakerphone, mute, and bluetooth.  On the main part of the screen, you will see the caller id section with the name and photo of the contact.  Use the dialpad toggle to replace this with a keypad, which can be used to navigate through any in-call menus.  Of course, the big red button the end there is the all important end call button.  Perfect for hanging up on people.

Call quality was really exceptional.  I found the sound to be crisp and clear, making it easy to hear or be heard.  This is a critical part of any PHONE, and I have used far too many devices which simply ignore or treat this piece as an afterthought.  I was pleased to find that Samsung did not ignore the basics with this one.

Although the contacts button looks like a fourth tab on this main screen, it is actually a window to your full contacts list.  From here, in addition to your full contacts list, you can flip through the tabs to view any groups you may have created, history list, or activities. 

This activities tab is fantastic.  It ties into your social networks and gives you all of the latest updates from your contacts on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.  I am really impressed by how easy this made it to keep up with your social networks.  My only problem was that this was buried as a tab under the contacts app.  This feature really could have easily stood out as its own app, and it was really too bad that Samsung did not allow it to do so.

Next to actually talking on the phone, written communications are becoming an increasingly important part of mobile devices.   In fact, I will admit that I tend to use my mobile devices far more for email and texting than talking these days. 

I have always been impressed by email on Android based phones.  In addition to the Outlook style email app (above, right), you will also get the Gmail mobile app (left) (as you would imagine, a slew of Google apps are available in the app market).  Both options worked great and give you quick and easy access to your email. 

Text messaging did not work quite as well for me.  The messaging app is really a somewhat blase interface, which looks far too minimalistic when compared with the texting interfaces on other devices.  Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives in the app market (many of which work great and are free). 

Additionally, you will also find the Google Talk app, which allows you to engage in instant communications with any of your Gmail/Google contacts.  I was disappointed that there was not a more universal app.  The Talk app only allows you to tie into your Gmail account.  There is no opportunity to utilize it with a Google domain or other service.  That being said, for what it was, a Google Talk client, it worked extremely well.

I was really pleasantly surprised by how well this phone worked as a communication device.  Phone calls were crystal clear, and the in-call menus placed all of the critical functions right on the screen where you could access them with ease.  Likewise, written communication was also easy to use, with your Google contacts syncing right into your phone contact list and all of the Google apps.  I was disappointed by the plain interface of the messaging app, but that is easily fixed through the app market alternatives.

Calendar: Aside from using the phone as, well a phone (or other communication tool), the most important part of any device for me is the calendar.   I have to say, though, that I was not terribly impressed by the calendar functions on this one.  First and foremost, there is no widget for the calendar.  I was truly disappointed by the lack of a widget, because I am the kind of user who likes to have my schedule beating me over the head.

Let’s go ahead and get into the calendar itself.  As you would expect, there are four viewing modes: month, week, day, and list.  Starting with the month view, I just thought the whole thing felt a bit too cramped.  The main part of the display is a full month calendar.  You can scroll from one month to the next using the arrows on top.  In each calendar box, the lower right corner will show whether there are any items or activities scheduled for the day.  If there are any items scheduled that day, they will be listed under the calendar portion of the screen.  This just felt cluttered and confusing to me.  It requires you to divide your attention between two portions of the screen, and is just not convenient to utilize easily.

Sadly, week view, which is generally my preferred calendar view, really did not far much better.  Here, the entire week will be displayed at once.  Oddly, there were no lines dividing one day from the next, though there were lines showing the times of day.  So, almost a grid view, but not quite.  The grid will be colored in the appropriate space if you have something scheduled at that time.  These colored blocks were not consistently labeled or colored.   This means all you are going to see if a bunch of random colors with almost no context or information.  Tap any block to open the  individual agenda item.

Day view fared a bit better, showing an hour by hour view of your day, with information about each event in the appropriate spaces.  Full day events appear on top of the screen.  Finally, list view will show a running list of all of your calendar events and agenda items.  Inexplicably, on this screen, the background switched from white to black.  I really did not understand this random change in the background color, especially since it is considerably easier to read these items against a white screen than black.

Overall, I was simply underwhelmed by the calendar application on this one.  I have been reviewing calendar and scheduling apps on pretty much every mobile operating system since Windows Mobile 2003, and this one hardly held a candle even to the most rudimentary variations.  Mostly, it felt like something which was slapped together just to be able to say that a calendar had been included.

Other included Software:  In addition to the sub-par calendar, let’s take a look at some of the other apps available on the Intercept.  But really, there is not a lot in there.  I know a number of people who complain about what is affectionately known as “bloatware."  Bloatware refers to the unwanted apps which come preloaded on a mobile device or computer…and you will not find much of it here.

Of course, there is the standard mix of Sprint apps.  You will get Sprint Zone, which brings you all of the latest news from Sprint (hey, I did not say we were completely free of bloatware).  Additionally, there is Sprint Nascar, Sprint Football, and Sprint TV.   Not a bad mix, though I was surprised not to find Sprint Navigator (powered by Telenav) in there at all.  In fact, the only mapping app to be found at all was Google Maps, which really shocked me.

In addition, you will find the Amazon MP3 app, which is a fantastic app, allowing you to find digital music and purchase it directly from Amazon.   Along those lines, there is also the now standard YouTube app.  Hey, you cannot get Flash on your phone (yet) so you will need this if you want to watch any media on the popular video sharing site.  Additionally, you will find Where, which is a location-based app, which helps you locate restaurants, businesses, and other services in your area.

Finally, you will find ThinkOffice for Android.  This is a MS Office compatible suite, which allows you to create, edit, or view documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.  In addition, you can sync your ThinkOffice docs with Word, Excel, or Powerpoint on your computer.  If you have an online account with Thinkoffice.com, you can also access your cloud-stored documents from your mobile device.  I have to be honest and say that I rarely read, edit, or create documents like these from my phone.  I have always found the screen and/or keyboard to be far too small for these functions to be effective.  That being said, I know many of you disagree.  For those of you who do like to access your documents from your phone, this is an extremely well rounded and easy to use solution.

I have to admit that I was surprised by the tiny number of apps which came preloaded on this device.  That being said, there is always the Android Market, which gives you access to hundreds of apps for this Android-based phone.

Camera: I really liked the camera on this phone…which is something I do not say often in reference to cell phone cameras.  It was not so much the quality of the pictures which impressed me, but the ease of use.  Often, in my experience, these cameras can be extremely inaccessible, with options and menus hidden all over the place. 

First, the camera is easy to find.  From pretty much anywhere, no matter what you are doing, just push and hold the camera button on the side of the device.  That’s it.  I really appreciated a hardware option which allowed me to access the camera without hunting around for a camera app.

The main camera screen is predominantly taken up by the viewfinder screen, which displays exactly what is seen by the lens (obviously).  On the right is the shutter button, which will obviously snap a photo (this will become the record button in video mode).  If you prefer, you can also use that hardware camera button to snap the photo.  I found this felt a little more like actually snapping a picture with a camera. 

Additionally, above the shutter button on the screen, there is a toggle which allows you to switch between photos and video recording.  This was absolutely fantastic, as this is often among the most difficult options to locate on many mobile device cameras.  Finally, at the top is the last image you shot.  Tap it to enter the appropriate gallery of images or videos.

Tap the menu button to open the advanced camera settings menu from the top of the screen.

I tested both the still photos with the 3.2 megapixel lens, as well as the videos.  As you can see, both worked very well.  I still could not see replacing my regular Canon camera or my DXG video camera with this camera on a regular basis.  In a pinch, though, this one will do just fine.

Multimedia: Like most phones these days, the Samsung Intercept can handle all of your music and video files.  Let’s go ahead and start by taking a look at how the Intercept handled music.  For starters, the interface was not much to look at.  There are your basic four tabs across the top: artist, album, song, and playlist. 

Obviously, each tab will list your music sorted appropriately (album art appears in the album tab only).  From the artist tab, just select the artist and all of their albums will be displayed.  Select an album and then select the song you wish to hear.  The album tab starts one level down, tap the album you wish to play and the list of songs will be displayed.  Finally, from the song or playlist tabs,simply tap the song to start playing. 

One thing I thought was pretty cool was that when you select the album you wish to hear, you a blown up image of the album art will be shown in the background.  I thought this was a nice touch. 

You can also use the menu button to play or pause the music, as well as access the shuffle settings.

The app did a good job of providing you all of the information you will need as the music plays.  This screen displays the album art, along with the artist name, album name, and song title.  The three buttons on the right allow you to toggle the shuffle settings, shuffle the repeat settings, and switch the view to the playlist.  Beneath all that are your play controls.  You will find three buttons here: reverse, forward, and play/pause.  Along with that is the track timer, which shows the elapsed time remaining in the current song.

Additional options found under the menu button allow you to return to the library, add the song to a playlist, or set it as a ringtone.

I have to admit that I ended up much more impressed by this app than I expected.  My first impression was that the app was a bit plain, but what it lacked in luster, it more than compensated with functionality.  The controls are simple, well arranged, and intuitive. 

Of course, the most important part of the music player is…music.  It really does not matter how well the menus work if the music sounds terrible.  I have to say, I was pretty impressed on this front.  I do not typically expect much when I am listening to music on my phone.  But this one held its own quite well.  The sound quality was crisp and clear, and translated extremely well.   It really sounded on par with many of the mid-level portable media players I have tested here at JAMM.  The only problem I had here was that the speaker is located on the back of the phone.  As such, if you are using the internal speaker, and you set the phone down on your desk, the immediate effect is to muffle the sound.  This was disappointing as it practically requires you use an external speaker or headphone.

In addition to your music, of course, the Intercept can also handle video playback.  Now, I have to admit that I am just not a fan of watching video on a tiny 2 or 3 inch screen.  After all, watching video was one of the primary reasons I purchased the iPad.  So, this is not a feature I would choose to use often.  The other reason I would not use it much is that it is almost impossible to find.  For reasons which I can only partially understand, Android devices do not have a separate video app.   Instead, video is hidden under the gallery app.  Not exactly the the first place I would look.

Once you find the videos, the Intercept does a nice job of making them accessible, displaying a thumbnail view of each video.  It would have been nice if the title had been displayed, but I still had no trouble finding my videos.  What I did have trouble with was identifying compatible video formats.  Ultimately, some of my Zune formatted videos worked fine, though others did not.  I found this to be quite perplexing.

Just tap the video you wish to watch to start the playback.  I thought video looked good enough on this screen, to the extent I could see it.  It is not HD, but at that size, it really does not need to be.  Like the music playback screen, the video controls will appear at the bottom of the screen (just tap the screen to reveal them).  

Other than the size of the video on the screen, which could only be changed with a larger screen, I was pretty impressed by the quality of the media on this device.  I do not normally like to use my phone for media because of the small screen and the effect it typically has on the battery.  If I was going to use my phone for media playback, the Intercept made it extremely easy to do so, with intuitive menus and options.  Playback of both video and music was at least on par with a mid-level media player, which is far more than I can say for many phones I have tested in the past.

Conclusion: I have to say that I was much more impressed by this phone that I expected to be.  I have reviewed Samsung phones in the past, and not always been thrilled by what I found.  I really think Samsung has come into its own with this one, correcting many of the flaws with the hardware I have found in the past.  Still, I was disappointed by the interface.  Without the enhancements of HTC’s SenseUI, the Android interface is really pretty bare bones and not particularly intuitive.  At the end of the day, I would not recommend this one as an alternative to the HTC Evo, which features an enormous screen and 4G connectivity.  That being said, if the Evo is too far beyond your price range, the Intercept does appear to be a good entry-level Android device.

The Samsung Intercept is available from www.sprintpcs.com for $99, with a two year service agreement.

Apparently, Sprint has changed its strategy regarding firmware updates for its line of Android-based phones.  In the past, Sprint has typically been among the last to get around to the Android firmware updates, often waiting until its message board reaches the breaking point, before dangling the merest hint of an upgrade.  From that point, it is usually another couple of months before that highly sought update hits your actual device.  Which is why I was so shocked to learn today that Sprint was officially releasing Google’s newest Android release, Froyo (Android OS 2.2), for the HTC EVO 4G, Sprint’s new flagship phone.  With this release, Sprint has become the first carrier to offer a mass market Froyo device, earning it slings and arrows from the jealous eyes of HTC Hero owners, who only recently received an update to Android 2.1.   In addition to Android 2.2, the new update also includes numerous enhancements to HTC Sense, as well as the highly anticipated support for  Flash 10.1 support.  Here is the complete list of improvements from the new maintenance release:

The software upgrade available for your HTC EVO 4G provides several key enhancements: 

• Android 2.2 FroYo OS, including:
  • Ability to install applications to external storage
  • Improved Bluetooth device support
  • Bluetooth Voice Dialing
  • Flash Player 10.1
  • Improved OS performance
• New version of HTC Sense, including:
  • Ability to view and add comments to Facebook images in the Gallery
  • New Dialer which includes the caller’s Facebook updates and upcoming events
  • Improved Facebook calendar integration
  • More pre-loaded HTC Widgets
  • App Sharing
  • Flashlight application
  • Improved keyboard and text entry options
  • LED flash can be enabled while video recording
• Various minor bug fixes

HTC EVO owners can download the maintenance release immediately from HTC’s website.

It is one of the hottest phones this side of the iPhone 4 (and possibly the other side as well, depending upon whom you ask…).  It features state of the art hardware, a massive screen, 4G connectivity, and a myriad of other options and features.  Yes, I am talking about Sprint’s new flagship phone, the EVO 4G, which runs Android 2.1 and featured HTC’s latest interface, the SenseUI 2.  The folks at Sprint were kind enough to send a loaner unit my way, and I have been very excitedly taking it through its paces.  So let’s go ahead and dive in and see what we can see.

Hardware

What’s In The Box: I always like to start these reviews with a peek inside the box.  Don’t worry, though…this will not take long.  We’ll just set the device aside for a moment, and take a look at what else HTC and Sprint included in this box.  First, there is a USB sync/charge cable.  Unlike previous generations of HTC devices, this one utilizes a micro-USB connection, which worked just fine.  There is also an AC adaptor to go with the sync/charge cable.  I was happy to see that HTC abandoned the angular adaptor which HTC had been using for previous generations.  This one is small and compact.  The only downside was that the prongs do not fold up, making it a bit bulky to carry, but it is really small enough that that did not present as large a problem as it could have.

That’s about it.  Sure, there are the expected manuals, and Sprint’s recycle bag, which you can use to send your old phone (postage paid) to a recycle center.  But it seemed as though there was quite a bit missing.

• Despite being billed as a media phone, there are no headphones
• There is no HDMI cable, despite the presence of an HDMI connection
• There is no protection for that massive screen (yeah, we’ll get to that)
• You will not even find a case in the box. 

I think the absence of a case is one of the biggest disappointments, not only for the EVO, but for many recent phones coming out of HTC and others.  These smartphones cost several hundred dollars, so for companies to not even include any sort of protection feels a bit disrespectful to me.  Even though the cases which comes with many phones may not be great, they were at least functional and offered a modicum of protection until you could replace them with something else.    I hope HTC and others can reverse this trend and start including cases again with their higher end phones and devices.

Quick Look: Now that we have seen what else is (or is not) in the box, we can return to the device and take a closer look at what this one has in store for you.

Looking down at the top, you can see the power button. Push it once to sleep or wake the phone.

Push and hold to call upon the power options menu, allowing you to power off, enter airplane mode, or control your device’s behavior.  Also up here, you will find a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack.  I also love that this phone included a standard headphone jack, which is something HTC has shunned in the past.

All you will find on the right hand side are the volume controls.  Then again, this was really nice to see.  I have always felt that many phones suffer by not including hardware volume controls which are easy to access without even turning on the screen or unlocking the device.  The left side of the device is even more sparse, with no controls, connections, or anything else to see.

On the bottom of the device, you will find the microphone, which we will be discussing a bit more later on in the review.  You will also find the micro-USB jack for that sync/charge cable, as well as an HDMI port, giving you full high definition output to your TV or monitor.

One of my favorite features is on the back of the device.  There, you will find a kickstand.  It sounds pretty insignificant, but when you want to watch a video, it can be really nice to be able to set the device down on a table and watch, rather than holding it in your hand the whole time. 

Along with the kickstand, you will also find a whopping 8 megapixel camera with dual flash.  Finally, you will find the speaker next to the camera as well.

Behind the back of the device is the battery compartment.  HTC has continued to refine opening the backs of their devices.  It sounds simple, but it can be important.  Too easy to open and it can just flap open on its own.  Too difficult and you will just get frustrated or worse, break your device trying to open it.  Like I said, this sounds like a small point, but I have owned devices with battery compartments which would not stay shut, so I do appreciate the attention HTC has given this detail.  On the EVO, just reach into the recess and pull the back open, unsnapping as you go.   Can you see the memory card slot in the above picture?  Sadly, no, you cannot.  That is because you will need to remove the battery in order to find the microSD card slot.  I was disappointed to find it hidden under the battery.  If you are storing media on the memory card, you will have to remove the battery (turning off the device) in order to swap cards.  That can get frustrating.

That, of course, brings us to the face of the device, and there is an awful lot going on here.  We can start with the gorgeous 4.3 inch screen.  This screen is absolutely huge.  It is bright and vibrant, and really makes the EVO a fantastic device to use. 

Beneath the screen are your four navigation buttons: Home, Menu, Back, and Search.  These all worked pretty well, allowing you to navigate quickly and easily through the interface.  I was also glad to find that HTC fixed one of my big pet peeves with Android devices.  they moved the menu button away from the onscreen controls, in order to avoid confusion.  I was a bit disappointed not to find hardware phone controls here.  Sure, Android features  a nice onscreen phone button, but that can only be accessed from the home screen.  You will need to exit any other apps you have running in order to access the phone without a hard button.  The lack of this button really emphasis how far these devices have strayed from “just phones.”

Above the screen is the earpiece, which I was pleased to see is nice and large, making it more difficult to slip off of your ear while talking.  You will also find the proximity sensor up here.  This sensor turns off the screen anytime it senses the phone being held to your ear.  Additionally, there is what I call the standard HTC Led light.  This light has been flashing green and orange lights at HTC phone users pretty much forever.  I have to say, though, that I am not a fan of these lights.  They just do not work for me.  They are too small and cryptic to be really useful, and deciphering the blinking patterns can be akin to translating Morse Code.  Finally, you will find the front facing video camera for video calls.  Pretty cool…and, it works allows video chatting over both Wifi and 3G.

The only other point I wanted to make about the hardware here is the size of the device.  At 4.8×2.6×0.5, this one is thicker, taller, and wider than my original iPod Touch (for example) and it shows.  I used the iPod Touch as a point of comparison because, for me, that was the perfect size for a one handed device.  I found the EVO to be too large to hold and operate with one hand.  I think HTC would have been wise to try to make this one skinnier, and possibly a bit narrower.  I was also disappointed by the lack of hard keyboard, though I suspect this is a bit of a trade off.  With the device already pushing the envelope in terms of size, a keyboard would only have added additional girth. 

Interface

The EVO is powered by Android version 2.1, which really offers quite a few significant updates over the previous Android phones we have reviewed here.  My favorite change is the Live Wallpaper.  This works like a regular wallpaper image, providing a background for your home screen.  The difference here though is that the Live Wallpaper images are immersive and interactive.  The one I am using now, for example, is Water, which displays an image of the surface of a lake or pond.  Leaves fall off the surrounding trees and drift aimlessly across the surface of the water.  Additionally, if you tap the surface of the water, ripples will spread across the screen.  This is just one of many roughly a dozen Live Wallpapers, a feature which I think goes a long way toward personalizing your interaction with your device.

The other great new addition to this version of Android is the thumbnail view.  One of my big frustrations with Android in the past was the difficulty of scrolling through seven pages of widgets, apps, and icons.  Now, with a single tap, you can switch into the thumbnail view, which will show an image of all seven screens at once.  Just tap any of the images to jump straight to that screen.

On top of the latest version of Android, you will also get HTC’s new user interface overlay, HTC Sense 2.  This is a significant improvement over the original Sense UI which was included, for example, in the HTC Hero.  It features all new icons, and a myriad of new widgets.  

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The most impressive of the new widgets is the FriendStream, which consolidates your FaceBook, Twitter, and Flickr feeds into one place.  Really, a very convenient option to stay on top of all of yoru various feeds.  Though it would have been nice if you could have customized the widget by adding other social networks, like Google Buzz, or even your email account. 

Obviously, I am only scratching the surface of both Android 2.1 and HTC Sense 2.  With only two weeks to spend with this phone, I did not have time to break this into multiple parts in order to really focus in on the interface itself.  Besides, I do not want to ruin all of the surprises.  Let’s just say that fans of Android will be extremely pleased with the updates to the operating system and interface on this phone.

The most impressive change for me, however, was the responsiveness of the interface.  With the HTC Hero, I often found that once I started adding widgets and apps to my home screens, the whole thing started dragging.  So, I was a little nervous to see how the expanded features would work with the device.  I should not have worried.  The EVO relies upon the new Snapdragon processor, the fastest processor in the West (as they say).   I really think you would have a hard time running this interface with all of its bells and whistles with any of the more traditional mobile processors.  The Snapdragon, on the other hand, was able to handle everything I tossed its way, and plenty more.  It really made for an extremely impressive user experience.  Seamless and responsive.

Communications

For as much as the EVO 4G and other smartphones can do, in the end, they are still phones.  Which means that beyond all else, this needs to be first and foremost a communication tool. 

Of course, a communication tool is going to start with the phone aspect of the smartphone.  And I have to say, I was pretty impressed by the phone on this one.  I have used too many smartphones which emphasize the smart at the expense of the phone.  That was the exact problem I had with the HTC Hero.

As I mentioned, the EVO 4G has no hard buttons for the phone.  To access it, you need to use the phone button at the bottom of the main interface.  I have to say, though, that I really missed that hardware button.  This on-screen button will open the phone interface, which looks fantastic on that large screen.  From here, you can scroll through your contacts and select the person you want to call, or you can opt to use the dialpad and enter the number manually. 

For additional options, you can tap the People icon in the lower right corner.  This is where all of your contacts are stored.  From here, you can scroll through your categories, groups, online directories, and call history.  What I really liked about the people menu was that Google has now taken a page out of the WebOS playbook, It takes all of your contacts from any linked accounts and merges them into a single list.  Unlike previous versions of android, which ended up with multiple repeated entries, Android 2 did an almost perfect job of merging my Google, Facebook, and other contacts into a seamless list.  This was incredibly impressive.  It means that no matter where my contacts’ information is stored, I can always access it through this People menu.

Now, I know what you are thinking, you want to be able to search through your contacts rather than scroll  through the entire list.  Yeah, you can do that too.  Just start tapping the dial pad and while you dial, you will also smart dial.  You will be automatically searching for the letter combinations you dialed.

Now that you can start a phone call, the real question, however, is how well the phone holds up while you are in the middle of a call.  I tested this phone extensively, and was extremely impressed.  The call quality was crystal clear.  I had no problems with interference, dropped calls, or other common problems normally associated with cell phone problems.  Most importantly (if I can take a cheap dig) I had no problems with interference, regardless of how I held the phone in my hand.  The biggest problem I had with the EVO’s predecessor, the HTC Hero, was that the phone would lock up if I received a phone call while doing anything else.  In other words, it was pretty much unusable.  With the Snapdragon processor on board, this has not been a problem at all.

Nowadays, however, as good as the phone portion can be, communications can mean an awful lot more than just phone calls.   It also includes email, messaging, and social networking.  All of this, of course, is only as good as your wireless connection, which is why the EVO comes with the best and the fastest, Sprint’s 4G next generation network.  I was a bit disappointed by the slow speed with which Sprint has been unfurling their new network.  It is blazing fast when you can get it, but here in the Nation’s Capitol, it is pretty spotty whether you will find 4G reception or not. 

Messaging and email worked much the same as previous versions of Android.  Which is to say that this was all quite functional, albeit a bit plain.  Fortunately, there are plenty of apps available to help spruce up your experience.  Two of my favorites were Handcent SMS for text messaging and eBuddy for Instant Messaging (both are free downloads from the Android Marketplace).  For email, I bypassed the mobile email app and went straight for Google’s Gmail application for Android, which is built into the phone.  It worked quite well, as did the other apps in Google’s Suite, including Google Voice.

Communications are always the first thing I look for with a new device.  For the most part, the three most important features on any phone I use are going to be phone, email, and messaging…in other words, communications, communications, communications!  It all starts and ends with my ability to use the phone to contact (and be contacted by) other people.  Toss in Sprint’s 4G network (along with the aforementioned Snapdragon processor) and this one allows communication unlike any phone I have used before.

Software

I have been really impressed by how far apps for Android have come in a very short time.  There is a wide assortment of apps included with the EVO, and plenty more available in the app store.  While we are on the subject, I was fairly impressed by the changes to the app store.  Gone is the dark background, in favor of a light, airy approach.  More importantly, the app descriptions now include screen shots, which is extremely important to me.  I was disappointed to find that the app store still includes various denominations of currency, meaning I still will need advanced math in order to figure out how many dollars it will cost me to purchase that two Euro app. 

Which brings us back to the apps which come preinstalled on the device.  Now, I am not going to look closely at every app you get…because we would be here all day talking about apps.  I’m just going to give you the quick rundown on some highlights (and lowlights if need be) and we will take it from there.

• Video chat: The first thing I want to talk about is Qik, because this is a fantastic app.  It allows you to connect with your contacts via video.  You can record videos and send them along to your contacts, or share your videos online.  Most importantly, however, you can use this app to connect with your contacts and conduct an online video chat straight from your phone over Wifi as well as 3G or 4G networks.  This is just an absolutely fantastic app, and I think this video chat option is a feature which will become far more commonplace in coming generations of mobile devices.  

• Calendar: One of the biggest features for me (other than communications) is the calendar.  I heavily rely on having a phone which is able to sync with my Google calendar.  Obviously, this being an Android phone, that was no problem at all.  In fact, all of my Google services synced right up without any problem whatsoever.  I was disappointed, however, that although you could view your agenda in all of the expected ways (day, week, month, etc..) the month and week (above) views did not show any specific detail.  In order to view any information about each entry you would need to go to the day view or open each entry individually.

• Voice Services: I am not a real fan of voice services, but I suspect I am in the minority on that one.  I know a lot of people who love the convenience of being able to obtain information without using the screen or onscreen keyboard.  The EVO features voice Google voice search, which even I have to admit is pretty cool.  The voice recognition worked great.  I spoke a search term into the microphone, and within seconds, Google spit out dozens of relevant results.  In addition to Voice Search, you can also use the EVO to dial your contacts using only the power of your voice. 

• Sprint Hotspot: Hotspots used to be an obscure feature which some phones included, and others hid extremely well within the device.  Today, hotspots have become one of the must have features of many higher end phones.  With devices like the iPad, iPod Touch,and other Wifi enabled devices, the ability to access the Internet from anywhere on any number of devices is extremely important.  I have use the Sprint Overdrive for my Internet connection needs, though I will say that on the train, holding an extra device can cause problems.  So, the idea of putting the Sprint Overdrive and my phone into a single, 4G enabled device is an extremely attractive proposition.

• GPS and Navigation: Sprint Navigation, which is powered by Telenav has been a stalwart of pretty much every phone and mobile device I have used on the Sprint network, so I was pretty surprised when I fired up the EVO.  Sure, Sprint Navigation is still there, but right alongside it is Google’s Navigation app.  I must admit, I was extremely impressed by this new feature.  It was easy to use and incredibly accurate, even along the back roads of Northern Virginia.  Of course, regardless of which app you use for navigation, your maps and directions will all look fantastic on that huge screen, which really lends itself to the GPS.

Media

My first thought when I saw the enormous screen the EVO sports was, my, won’t this be fantastic for multimedia, so I was excited to start testing it out.  I started with an easy toss up the middle, streaming some video from Youtube.  That worked well.  The screen offered a fantastic presentation, but it really left me hungry for more.  So, I headed over to the Sprint TV app, another app which was included free in the EVO.  I did find that some of the video appeared digitized, but this is mainly due to the fact that the videos primarily stream in standard quality, which does not display as well on a higher definition screen.  So, the fuzziness you may see was due to the quality of the media, not the device.  I will say, however, that I was disappointed not to find Netflix or Hulu Plus in the Android Market.  I can only hope they will both be coming soon.

Of course, if you want a more standard video experience, or just do not want to tie up your device with the streaming Internet content, then you can always transfer a video from your computer straight to your memory card.  Just tap the Videos app on the EVO to call up any of your stored videos.  What is really nice here is that I can pop a memory card into my video camera, record videos, and then pop the card into my EVO for easy viewing with absolutely effortless transfer.  The iPhone cannot make that claim.

Incidentally, this is also where that kickstand I mentioned will come in handy.  This allows you to prop the device up on your table or other flat surface while watching your videos.

With the apparent success of video, I was ready to move on to music, which is my primary form of entertainment, especially when I am at work.  First, I fired up the Music app, which is just gorgeous.  It really does a nice job of presenting the music in a CD case graphical representation.   Just flip through the CDs as though they were on a rack at your favorite free music store.

Then again, while this view may work great for a smaller library, when you have thousands of songs, like I do, your finger will get awfully tired scrolling through all of those “CDs”.  Fortunately, you also have the list view, which allows you to view your music sorted by artist, album, playlists, songs, genres, and composers.  In other words, pretty much all of the sorting options that any other media player would likely offer. 

I listened to a few songs here and then hopped over to Pandora to take a listen to how music would sound streaming into the EVO.  While I did not think the sound quality was nearly as crisp as my Zune HD, I will say that the sound quality on the EVO was pretty good.  Certainly on par with many media players I have tested, and good enough to recommend for every day as background noise in your office (or mine).

The final piece of the multimedia puzzle we need to discuss is the camera…erm…cameraS.  Yeah, there are two cameras on this one.  The first is a front facing camera, which you can use with Qik or any other video chat app.  One thing I did notice, however, is that accessing this front facing camera is not exactly easy.    You need to start by opening the camera app, but this will give you the back camera, which we will discuss in a moment.  To get to the front facing camera, you need to open the settings menu (above) and click the switch camera option.  A bit cumbersome, and pretty well hidden as well.

Meanwhile, on the back of the device is the main camera, which clocks in at a whopping 8 megapixels.  How impressive is that!  I have always been fairly critical of the substandard pictures included on these devices, but here is a test picture I took with this one.  The quality is absolutely crisp and incredible.  Obviously, not as good as my Canon G5, but then again, few cameras measure up to the Canon.

In addition to snapping pictures, you can also use the EVO to take some beautiful 720p HD video.  Again, pretty impressive.  You can even then use the HDMI slot on the device to watch the HD video content recorded on your EVO directly on your television of monitor.

Conclusion

I was really blown away by the EVO.  Almost every criticism I have expressed of Android phones has been addresses with this one.  The screen is the largest I have seen on any mobile device.  The result, unfortunately is a device which is almost too big to be used comfortably with one hand, but still…when you are watching video with the device propped up on that kickstand, all you really care about is the viewable space on the screen.  Likewise, the new interface combination of Android 2.1 and HTC SenseUI 2 is phenomenal, and really makes navigating your way through the device a treat.  Add in the Snapdragon processor and 4G capability , and you can start to get a sense of why this phone has been so highly praised.  This is, by far, the best smartphone I have used, and I think many consumers will have to give this one a second and even third look before deciding whether to leave Sprint for the iPhone 4. 

The HTC EVO 4G is available from Sprint for $199.99 which requires a 2-year contract.

Want lightning fast speeds from just about anywhere? Now Sprint is making that easier than ever with the new Sierra Wireless 250U, their latest USB modem to achieve full 4G speeds. I have experienced 4G with my t Overdrive, it is is faster than fast. Those of you who need a modem, but do not need a full wireless hotspot will certainly want to check out this latest offering from Sprint. At the least, keep reading for the full press release.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., and VANCOUVER, British Columbia – June 22, 2010 – Sprint (NYSE: S) and Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR; TSX: SW) today announced the availability of Sprint 3G/4G USB 250U mobile broadband modem from Sierra Wireless, bringing customers lightning fast speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G1 in any of the 33 Sprint 4G markets and dependable 3G speeds virtually everywhere else. Whether customers are streaming Hulu live, surfing the Internet or downloading huge files, they
will appreciate its compact size, round design, and 180-degree rotating hinge, which can accommodate both horizontal and vertical USB ports and provide an ideal fit for virtually any laptop.

Sprint 3G/4G USB 250U is available now through Business Direct and Business Solutions Partners followed by full channel availability by mid-July. Customers can purchase Sprint 3G/4G USB 250U from Sprint for free (excluding taxes) after a $50 mail-in-rebate, a $49.99 instant savings and with a two-year service agreement on a new line activation or eligible upgrade. Sprint’s 3G/4G Mobile Broadband Connection plan is priced at $59.99 per month for unlimited use on the Sprint 4G Network and 5 GB of data on the Sprint 3G Network (price plans exclude surcharges and taxes).2

“Sprint continues to lead the 4G revolution and is proud to expand its growing portfolio of devices with the addition of 3G/4G USB 250U from Sierra Wireless,” said Fared Adib, vice president-Product Development for Sprint. “Consumers, businesses and industries such as construction, government, healthcare and transportation will be able to extend their Internet experience beyond the home and office and benefit from the constant connectivity and real-time access at lightning fast speeds.”

Sprint 3G/4G USB 250U supports Windows® 7, Windows Vista®, Windows XP and Mac OS®. Customers will appreciate its integrated GPS capability, which provides location, navigation and mapping solutions when connected to the Sprint 3G network. It is Sprint’s first USB modem with dual external antenna ports, and it is equipped with separate LED displays that make it easy for a user to know whether they are connected to Sprint’s 3G or 4G network. This unique, dual-mode device delivers faster speeds that can help businesses move ahead with their business goals – such as improved customer satisfaction, increased productivity and increased revenue.

“Following on the success of Overdrive™ 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, we are extremely pleased to offer Sprint customers a unique new 3G/4G device, combining the speed of 4G with the reliable coverage of Sprint’s 3G network,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president-Operator and Distributor Sales for Sierra Wireless. “The Sprint 3G/4G USB 250U mobile broadband modem from Sierra Wireless is made for road warriors, providing flexibility, high quality and top-notch performance.”

Sprint is the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology. Sprint 4G is currently available in 33 markets, covers 50 million people and is expected to cover up to 120 million people by the end of 2010. Sprint 4G is available today in Georgia – Atlanta, Milledgeville; Hawaii – Honolulu, Maui; Idaho – Boise; Illinois – Chicago; Maryland – Baltimore; Missouri – Kansas City; Nevada – Las Vegas; North Carolina – Charlotte, Greensboro (along with High Point and Winston-Salem), Raleigh (along with Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham); Oregon – Portland, Salem; Pennsylvania – Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Reading, York; Texas – Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, San Antonio, Waco, Wichita Falls; and Washington – Bellingham, Seattle. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/4G.

In 2010, Sprint expects to launch 4G service in multiple markets, including Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, St. Louis and Washington, D.C.