Brown Hands Tech: Flood of New Android Phones

Is it just me or new Android phones popping up like pimples on a teenagers face?! Seriously, though I feel like I can't even keep up with all the new devices. From T-Mobile's newest high end devices the G2 and the myTouch HD to Sprint's up-coming, low-end $50 Froyo toting LG Optimus S new Androids are dropping every day! I'm glad to see the new phones rolling out; the more options the better and the bigger the Android user base grows which is good for all.

Sprint is FINALLY expanding their Android options some more after being completely left in the dust by their fellow CDMA carrier Verizon, and offering 3 new mid to low-level Android devices, the previously mentioned LG Optimus S, Samsung Transform, and the Sanyo Zio. In my opinion Sprint has really been needing some more Android devices especially in the mid-tier realm and these look like they may fill out that space nicely. Even better the phones are priced at $150 (Samsung Transform), $100 (Sanyo Zio), $50 (LG Optimus S), putting them right in the impulse purchase range and making buying an old school feature phone even more pointless! The phones will also ship with a new Sprint software add-on called Sprint-ID; it allows user to select different thematic lay outs with pre-configured themes, settings, apps and widgets. For example a business theme that automatically downloads and installs business related apps, widgets and adjusts the settings. This approach seems better than the current method of loading the phone with a bunch of Sprint crap straight out of the gate. Check out the vid below for a walk-through of Sprint-ID.

The Samsung Transform is basically a "baby" 4G-less Epic. Running Android 2.1, with a 3.5" capacitive touchscreen, 800MHz processor, FRONT and rear cameras and a slide out qwerty keyboard. It has a similar design to the Epic 4G minus the Super AMOLED screen and $100 less. And despite the lack of 4G the Transform still supports video chat!!!

The Sanyo Zio intially had some poor reviews but it looks like the final edition has had some tweaks and is now rocking Android 2.1 (instead of 1.6) and has had some bug-fixes. 3.5" screen, 600MHz Qualcomm processor.

And then the LG Optimus S, which in my opinion may be the most interesting of the bunch. For $50 the phone has a 3.2" HVGA screen, mobile hotspot, WiFi, 3.2MP camera, and 600MHz processor; additionally Engadget describes it as having a Nexus One like feel. Best of all it is running Android 2.2! It is really looking like it could have the biggest "bang for your buck" in the Android world thus far!

And potentially following in the Samsung Galaxy S family's foot steps the LG Optimus One will apparently be the family name and it will be offered on other carriers as well; so far T-Mobile is the only other US carrier to announce a device. The T-Mobile LG Optimus T will be dropping soon as well. Specs appear to all be the same but T-Mo was sure to point out that its Optimus comes with Swype preloaded and the button layout is slightly different.

Not to be left out Verizon will be adding another member to it's Droid family, with the Motorola Droid Pro. This phone should be a nice device for Team Blackberry members looking to jump ship to Android with its BlackBerry-like portrait qwerty design. The keyboard looks like a BlackBerry keyboard and has been describe to feel like one too! The Droid Pro has some impressive specs, with a 1Ghz processor, Android 2.2, 8GB of internal storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, a dual LED flash-equipped camera, 3G mobile hotspot and an optional 1860mAh extended battery. The Pro will come ready to handle the busy business-person's daily tasks and will also have a desk mount like some of its other Droid relatives available for purchase! VZW customers your choices just keep getting better and better. The VZW Droid lineup has got to be the best selection of Android devices offered by any carrier. VZW customers biggest issue is likely which Droid to take home, but thats got to be a good problem to have.... right?

VZW will also be launching the MotoBlur and Microsoft Bing corrupted Motorola Citrus. Nothing too fancy here Android 2.1 and a 3" touch screen the phone sports Moto's oddly unique "BackTrack" track pad on the back of the device and like the other non-Droid branded phones comes loaded with Microsoft's Bing crap in the place of the normal Google goodness on other Android devices. Hey but at least it is Eco-friendly, the Moto Citrus "has a housing made from 25 percent post-consumer recycled plastic, is certified CarbonFree® through an alliance with Carbonfund.org, and is PVC and BFR free. The packaging is made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled paper, and the user manual is made using 100 percent recycled paper and soy-based ink". I doubt any of that really matters to most, but that wont stop marketers from trying to use it as a selling point.