Sprint today unveiled two new Android smartphones from Motorola that will arrive in 2011. The Motorola XPRT and Titanium smartphones are aimed at enterprise users.
The Motorola XPRT, which features a BlackBerry-like form factor, comes running Android 2.2 (Froyo) and features a 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen, Push-to-Talk service via Sprint's iDEN network, 5-megapixel camera, 3G hotspot capability, 1 GHz processor, support for Flash and business-grade 256-bit encrypted email.
The Titanium is the successor to the i1, which was launched last year. The Titanium comes running Android 2.1 (Eclaire) and features a 3.1-inch touchscreen and Nextel Direct Connect. Following the i1's footsteps, the Titanium is certified to military specification 810G for dust, shock, vibration, low pressure, solar radiation, high temperature and low temperature.
The Motorola XPRT will be available June 5 in Sprint Stores and online for $129.99 with a two-year a contract. The company said pricing and availability for the Titanium will be announced at a later date.
via Wireless Week
This morning I read an article that hit close to home for myself and I'm sure many others. The article, entitled Smartphone Angst: Why Are We So Anxious to Connect and edited by Jasmine Grimm, discussed the total devastation that we feel when our smartphone takes a dive in the toilet, gets left behind at a restaurant, or becomes inoperable. At our office we have a habit of saying 'oh it's just a phone' but we all know full-well that it's much more than that. With the way technology has advanced, losing your smartphone is like losing your calendar, computer, phone, contact book, camera, GPS, and connection with the rest of the world all in one swoop.
Being able to communicate with someone at any hour of any day is something we often take for granted when our smartphones are in working order, but the moment that something goes wrong we truly realize our level of dependency on what some people have affectionately called their 'crackberry.' I know my friends have been known to call my phone my 'handroid' since it always seems to be in my hand. As a society we are proud to have constant availability for the ease of others. For example, Grimm states in the article that "working 40 hour weeks is a thing of the past. It's about pushing people further ahead and working 80, 90, 100 hours a week. It signals 'Hey, I'm working harder than you. I'm on top of it'." We all receive that work email on our phones and regardless of where we are we check it, choose its level of importance, and react. I've forwarded emails to co-workers while at dinner with friends, at the grocery store, walking my dog, and countless other places just to make sure it gets done. Once we do this, we set a precedence for the future; we are constantly available and we're willing to get the job done. Besides, if they didn't want us to reply, they would never have sent it after hours, right?
Due to the advancement of technology, our phones can almost miraculous things, and when one isn't working we're lost. Literally. How many of us use our smartphones for GPS purposes to find a friend's new house, locate a business meeting location, or even just to judge how soon we'll be arriving? When our smartphone isn't functioning, we may find ourselves unable to communicate that we're running late, ask if we can meet at a location that (according to our GPS) is closer, and if not how soon our ETA is. Then when you're late, the other party is unhappy because of the previously set-up expectations due to our constant availability. For business owners, this could mean a loss of a sale or valuable client. It's no wonder our anxiety level is high when our smartphones go on the fritz!
Let's face it, our smartphones are a major part of our life, and it's not going to change. Our phones allow us to create and maintain meaningful social bonds and connections (texting, Tweeting, emails, and calls), find out if we need to bring an umbrella (weather app) for our appointment at 3 (calendar) at the coffee shop down the road (GPS), and visit with relatives across the country (video chat). Trust me, you're not alone in your loss when you face the devastation of the dead smartphone.
The Lancaster Chamber, in partnership with Nxtbook Media, publishes Connections, an award-winning digital-only magazine. Connections magazine is a dynamic communication tool that focuses on engaging web content, online videos, flash and social media call outs that prompt readers to take actionable steps to improve their business endeavors.To read the full article as well as the entire Lancaster Chamber Connections Digital Magazine, click the link below.
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/lancasterchamber/connections0111/#
This morning Sprint released a statement that they will be changing their $10 Premium data charge from just a 4G device charge to an all smartphone charge starting January 30th 2011. What does this mean for you?
If you're new to Sprint: starting January 30th 2011 you will be required to pay a $10 data charge on any smartphone (BlackBerry, Android, Windows Mobile) that you activate.
If you're a current Sprint customer: this change will not effect you until you go to upgrade your unit. If you choose to upgrade to a smartphone, you will have to pay the $10 data charge. If you already have a 4G device you are already paying this $10 data charge and should expect no change.
Please keep in mind that this is a good thing! Unlike other carriers, Sprint wants to continue to be able to offer you the best data service possible without limiting you to 2GB a month (which goes very quickly if you're a heavy user) while still keeping your service affordable. By charging their customers $10 for unlimited data access, Sprint can allow you the freedom to use your smartphone as much as you want without worrying about costly overages. Even with the $10 charge, Sprint's monthly charge is still significantly less than other carriers.
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