Amazon Wireless has a pretty fantastic deal going for new Verizon customers right now. You can get any handset you want on Big Red for just a penny with a new 2-year contract, including free 2-day shipping.

To be clear, when they say everything, they mean everything. The Motorola Droid Bionic, Samsung Droid Charge, HTC ThunderBolt, HTC Droid Incredible 2, Motorola Droid 3, etc….

Obviously the Bionic is the real steal here, as it launched just a month ago for a considerably less palatable $299 with contract. Anthony gave the Bionic an 8.5/10 in our review with the main complaint resting on battery life.

Now if you’re concerned about having the absolute latest and greatest handset and aren’t particularly hurting for cash at the moment, then you should exercise patience. You know full well there are some amazing new phones from Motorola, HTC and, of course, Samsung on deck to launch in the next month.

With that said, there are some great phones available in Verizon’s lineup right now. And you can’t argue with the price.

By using an interesting combo of gimmicky marketing ploys and pure genius, Samsung has found a way to turn down the hype on the Apple iPhone 4S launch in Sydney, Australia.

Essentially, Samsung is under cutting the competition. By a lot. Just down the road from Sydney’s Apple store, Samsung has rented a pop up store where they’re advertising the Galaxy S II, and selling some units for far less than what they’re worth. For one week only, the first ten people in line at the Samsung Music Hub awareness shop everyday will get a Galaxy S II for just $2.00. That’s right, a full fledged Galaxy S II for just $2.00.

While the Apple store still has its fair share of customers in line, the Samsung shop has been far busier. Of course Samsung’s small efforts surely won’t stop Apple from selling the iPhone 4S like mad, but it’s the thought that counts here. In a country where Samsung has been blocked from selling their Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Korean manufacturer will likely take any victory they can.

From the very first time we heard about the HTC Rhyme, it was clear it would be a phone unlike any other. HTC has a reputation of creating new phones with amazing features and specifications that are hard to rival. But the HTC Rhyme isn’t anything like the HTC EVO 3D, HTC Sensation or any other flagship device we’ve seen this year. Rather than creating a super phone with cutting edge specs, HTC went back to the drawing board to create a phone with a unique experience–a phone designed primarily for women.

HTC has never expressly said that the HTC Rhyme is a phone for women, but the purple handset, charm indicator and marketing campaign aren’t typically what you’d think of when you talk about a “man’s” phone.

1. Performance

When we talk about new phones, the first question most of you want answered is how the phone stacks up against the competition. The spec highlights for the HTC Rhyme include a 1 GHz MSM 8655 Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 3.7-inch WVGA super LCD display, 4 GB onboard memory, 768 MB of RAM, 8 GB microSD, 5 megapixel camera capable of recording 720p HD video and a front-facing VGA camera for self portraits or video calling. The HTC Rhyme runs on Android 2.3.4 and is the first handset from HTC to launch with HTC Sense 3.5.

The specs on the HTC Rhyme may not be comparable to those of the upcoming HTC Amaze 4G or even the EVO 3D that launched a few months back, but that doesn’t mean the Rhyme can’t hold its own. If you look closely, the HTC Rhyme is nearly a clone of the HTC DROID Incredible 2 in a smaller, flashier body.  The 1 GHz MSM 8655 processor and 768 MB of RAM allow the Rhyme to easily churn through benchmarks (Quadrant: high 1600s, NeoCore: 31.5 FPT, AnTuTu:  2439) while providing enough power to tackle graphic intensive games like Dungeon Defenders, Asphalt 5 HD and Stardunk.

2. Call quality and reception

At times we get so wrapped up in all the cool features these new handsets have to offer that we forget they’re actually phones. Anyone looking for a new phone with great audio will certainly be satisfied with the HTC Rhyme. Call quality on the Rhyme is clear and crisp over Verizon’s CDMA network. The people we called noted that the audio they were hearing on their end was loud and understandable, but that audio quality deteriorated when we were talking in loud places (walking down a busy street or on the bus).

Verizon’s CDMA network probably has a lot to do with the good call quality we experienced with the Rhyme. The phone typically had three to four reception bars while out in the open or in houses or office buildings. We did notice the signal bar drop down to one when we were in an elevator. But that’s more than acceptable, since the T-Mobile phones we use always lose reception in the same scenario.

3. 4G Speeds

Unlike most of the new phones on Verizon’s network, the HTC Rhyme does not feature 4G LTE support. For now, not having a phone that can take advantage of Verizon’s blazing fast LTE speeds may not sound like a huge issue. But most people who buy the Rhyme will likely choose to pay the $199 on-contract price, which means they’ll be locked into Verizon’s slower 3G network (the Rhyme averaged 1450kbps download and 872kbps upload) for two whole years.

Granted, most people still don’t know the difference between 3G, 4G, HSPA+, WiMax and LTE, but having a 4G data connection is certainly noticeable when you spend a lot of time surfing the web or catching up on episodes of your favorite TV shows with Netflix or Hulu Plus.

4. Rear and front-facing cameras

The 5 megapixel camera on the back of the Rhyme is a bit of an anomaly in a world where 8 megapixels has become the new standard. Yes, you can still find phones with 3 megapixel sensors, but those handsets are typically entry-level devices, free with a new contract. The reason HTC chose to equip the Rhyme with a 5 MP sensor was to allow the phone to use HTC’s new instant capture functionality, which typically snaps a shot as soon as you press the shutter button on the screen.

The camera application features a selection of presets, including portrait, landscape, action burst, panorama and backlight HDR in addition to the typical distortion, vintage, grayscale, solarize and other styling effects that we’ve seen on HTC’s cameras in the past.

HTC Rhyme Camera Samples

The flash on the Rhyme seems to produce better results than other HTC phones that come with a dual-LED flash. In general, image subjects more than two feet away do not get completely washed out, and the flash does a good job of proportionally lighting up a dark room for a shot.

The HTC Rhyme’s camera certainly has a lot of features, but we wish the images it produces were a bit sharper. Overall, image quality is good for 5 megapixels, and the 720p video holds up well as long as you have a steady hand. We’d still recommend carrying around a dedicated point-and-shoot camera when you head out for the evening if you know you’ll be snapping a few shots.

5. HTC Sense 3.5

The debate around custom UIs versus stock Android could go on for decades. The Android purists cry foul every time they hear another phone is shipping with a custom build of Android or a new and enhanced UI from the manufacturer. The truth is, there are probably just as many people who love HTC Sense as there are those who hate it.  But one thing most of us can agree on is that HTC’s Sense is a lot better than what most other manufacturers put on their phones.

HTC Sense 3.5 brings all the new animations, graphics, widgets and functionality we’ve seen on HTC’s most recent dual-core powered phones to a handset that’s a lot less powerful. You still get the new unlock screen, app drawer, notification bar with quick settings and HTC’s new task manager, in addition to a new Quick Launch widget for your main home screen panel. The Quick Launch widget features a clock with weather information and four customizable application launchers, which give you insights into your calendar, sms, email, pictures and more without actually opening the apps. Users can choose to use the presets or swap in any app of their choice.

The HTC Rhyme’s version of Sense 3.5 does feature those mysterious “calming wallpapers” rumored back in May, but the selection is probably a lot better than what most guys would have imagined. The wallpaper collection has more of a retro feel to it; most images are of nature or cityscapes in light vintage tones.

6. Android 2.3.4

When you buy a new phone, you expect it to come with the latest version of Android. While Android 2.3.4 is a little behind the curve, it’s certainly a lot better than the many phones shipping with Android 2.3.3 or lower. The Rhyme is one of the first phones to ship with support for gTalk video chat. And since HTC is by far the best at updating their phones, we’re sure the Rhyme will receive a handful of updates over the next year or two.

7. Build quality and design

HTC is known for making some of the highest quality phones on the market, and the HTC Rhyme is certainly no exception. The handset features a uni-body aluminum frame that wraps around the screen and across the upper section along the back. The rest of the phone is covered in HTC’s signature soft-touch rubber, which gives the user a solid grip of the phone.

The body of the Rhyme measures 119 x 60.8 x 10.85 mm while weighing 130 grams. It may not be the lightest or smallest phone on the market, but it’s a lot more manageable than HTC’s flagship phones with their 4.3-inch displays.

For most men, the purple finish of the device may be a little intimidating. It’s not a color that many guys are comfortable with, but the reaction from women is typically positive. Most women that saw the phone gave positive comments about the phone’s color and design. Most were pleased that it has a screen bigger than the iPhone but wasn’t so obnoxiously large that they had to use two hands to operate it.

HTC Rhyme Gallery

8. Accessories

Since the introduction of the original T-Mobile G1, finding device-specific accessories for Android phones has always been tough. You can typically find a handful of cases and an occasional dock, but most of them are cheap, generic options that don’t match the aesthetics of your phone. This is really where the HTC Rhyme shines. HTC realized that consumers want great accessories with their phones and decided to include a charging/music dock, tangle-free headphones and a unique charm indicator.

Charm Indicator

The dock for the HTC Rhyme is very subtle. The exterior is coated is a textured cloth and features a single microUSB port on the back. The Rhyme connects to the dock via three charging pins on the back side. All you have to do is set it in and you’re ready to go. The dock itself is equipped with Bluetooth technology, which pairs with the phone as soon as the two devices connect. The dock’s speaker is located on the back and produces a half decent sound when listening to your favorite music.

The headphones that come with the HTC Rhyme are really nothing special. They match the purple color of the Rhyme and feature a linguini-style cable that reduces tangling. Unfortunately, the audio output from the headphones doesn’t live up to its unique styling.

We’ve all seen a dock and headphones before, but what makes the HTC Rhyme truly unique is the inclusion of the charm indicator. The charm connects to the phone via the 3.5mm audio jack and glows pink when your phone receives a new text message or call. The idea behind the charm is to have it connected to your phone when you carry it around in your purse or gym bag. The woven fiber cord on the charm feels extra strong and should hold up over time, even if you use it as a retrieval mechanism to pull the Rhyme out of your bag.

9. Marketing campaign

When you create a phone with a unique user experience, you need to tell the world about it in a simple and competitive way. Unfortunately, HTC and Verizon have failed at that task. Verizon’s TV commercial for the HTC Rhyme is over the top and may be pushing potential consumers to avoid the phone.

A few of the women who have been impressed with the Rhyme indicated that the commercial has given them a negative connotation of the phone and that they wouldn’t be interested in buying it because of the ad. We’re not sure if the six-armed goddess commercial was HTC’s idea or something that came out of Verizon’s creative department, but we feel a “quietly brilliant” commercial may have been a lot more effective in this case.

10. Battery life

Having a smartphone for all your communication and entertainment needs is great, but your enjoyment of the device can only last as long as the battery. The Rhyme’s 1600 mAh battery isn’t the largest we’ve seen, but it holds enough juice to keep the phone powered up longer than most of us are used to. Power users who typically charge their Android phones once a day will find that the Rhyme will still have about 35-40% battery life at the day’s end. On a few occasions, we were able to squeeze through two entire days on a single charge. Not having an LTE connection or a dual-core processor certainly pays off in the battery department.

Final Thoughts

It’s pretty obvious that most of you will not be running out to your local Verizon store to buy the HTC Rhyme. It’s not a flagship device with cutting edge technology, but we believe HTC has created a unique handset that should do well within its niche. The HTC Rhyme will not appeal to all women, but its sleek design, user friendly UI and bundled accessories help the phone stand out from the crowd, which is mostly filled with non-descript black slabs.

The $199 price tag may appear outrageous for a mid-range Android phone with no 4G support, but the included accessories help blunt the sticker shock quite nicely. I’m not sure how you or the woman in your life will feel about the HTC Rhyme, but my wife is willing to throw her Nexus One in the trash and switch to Verizon just so she can have a purple phone.

The Samsung Google Nexus Prime (or Samsung Galaxy Nexus, whatever you want to call it), has drummed up more hype than any other Android phone in a long, long time. And not just because information and leaks have been coming out of every which direction, either. There’s a lot of confusion surrounding this device. Thankfully, it should all be over shortly. But until it is, let’s take a minute to go over what we know, some of the things we’ve seen and what we think will happen next.

The early rumors

As far back as April of this year, we’ve been talking about who could manufacturer the Nexus 3. For quite awhile, it seemed LG was a great choice. Not only has LG really stepped it up in the hardware department (starting with the 2X), but they have good connections across the board when it comes to supplier relationships.

As it turned out, we didn’t even get confirmation that a new Nexus was coming until early May. Andy Rubin made an announcement about a new Nexus device hitting shelves “sometime in the future,” which was the first real start to the rumor mill. After that, it was anyone’s guess. (Or up to whoever was lucky enough to get insider information first).

Before last May could come to a close, there seemed to be information coming out of the woodwork supporting an LG Nexus 3. NVIDIA’s CEO mentioned that his team was hard at work with Google and Ice Cream Sandwich, the LGp930 received its first leak (that phone was just confirmed as an AT&T LTE device with a 720p IPS display) and a rumored picture of the LG Nexus 3 hit the web.

By mid-June, some rather juicy information was leaked by BGR. According to the site, the next Nexus would be known as the Nexus 4G and would sport an OMAP 4460, 720p HD display, 1 GB of RAM, a 5 megapixel camera, 1080p video capture, LTE support and no physical buttons. (Sound really familiar yet?) In the same report, BGR also said this device might not turn out to be THE Nexus device. Maybe it was just the first Ice Cream Sandwich device or the first of more than one Nexus Device. (More on this in a bit). Before the month of June ended, the name Prime was finally a rumor on the web.

The picture becomes clearer

In early July, things finally started to come together. A Romanian Twitter account cited BGR’s original post as a source of information on the next Nexus device, saying it would come with an HD Super AMOLED display. At the time, we thought it was a fake. It still might have been. The Romanian Twitter account might have just gotten lucky. We’ll never know for sure, but either way it turned out to be pretty accurate.

Right around that time, our own Taylor Wimberly wrote an article saying that Samsung looked to be the most likely candidate for the next Nexus and that the device would come with an OMAP processor. Wouldn’t you know it, just a week later in early August, “TI’s OMAP 4 [was] pretty much confirmed as lead platform for Ice Cream Sandwich.” It looked like Samsung was going to be the clear winner of the Nexus 3 lottery. Just one week later, the Nexus was pegged with a rumored October release date to compete with the next iPhone, now known as the iPhone 4S.

As August continued on, leaks were everywhere. A 720p ICS device from Samsung was spotted in a product road map (GT i9250). Samsung announced their HD Super AMOLED display. Another Samsung road map leaked. The Samsung Prime was rumored to land on Verizon. Verizon announced that the Galaxy S II was not coming to Big Red’s airwaves (further supporting a Verizon Prime). The Samsung i9250 (a GSM ICS device) got WiFi certified. The Prime gained the Droid name along with a rumor that it would launch as a Verizon exclusive. And finally the SCH-i515, or the Verizon exclusive Prime, did the BlueTooth SIG shuffle. Phew.

Let’s take a second to recap. The next Nexus was now synonymous with the name Prime. A GSM variant had shown up in road maps, as well as during a WiFi certification filing. A CDMA variant was also popping up in filings, as were rumors that the next Nexus, or the Droid/Samsung Prime, would be a Verizon exclusive.

One week later, in early September, that still wouldn’t change. When the SCH-i515 (Verizon Prime) showed up for its WiFi certification, the i9250 (Nexus Prime) passed through the BlueTooth SIG. Were there going to be two separate Nexus devices? One bound for Verizon only and one for everybody else? While we were still trying to figure that out, Eric Schmidt made a comment saying Ice Cream Sandwich would be out in October or November. At least the original rumored release date still stood up.

It was right around that time that the first alleged hands-on reports started coming in. After not one, but two different reports of what the device would look like, we started to form a clear picture. A metal device, similar to the Nexus S in shape with a curved display, but still slimmer than its cousin.

Finally, not long after that, Google and Samsung confirmed they’d be announcing Ice Cream Sandwich on October 11.

The last leg of the race

We went into October knowing quite a bit on the upcoming Nexus device. But there was still some key information we didn’t know, like who would be carrying the device. The Nexus Prime showed up in Verizon’s CellBrite system at the very tail-end of September, but that didn’t mean much.

Just when Samsung teased us with the first glimpse of the device, two clear ideas on what the next Nexus would be started to shape up.

BGR was still claiming the Nexus would launch with an OMAP 4460 and that it would be a Verizon exclusive here in the US. They said Nexus Prime was just a code name, and that Samsung Galaxy Nexus would be the launch name. The device they are talking about is clearly the SCH-i515.

GSMArena was claiming the next Nexus is the Nexus Prime, which will launch with dual mode GSM/CDMA technology and an Exynos processor.

It’s very possible that both of these devices exist in one way or another. But for now, the only one that has passed the FCC is the GSM i9250 with T-Mobile and AT&T HSPA+. Of course this really means nothing. The GSM Nexus could have just been cleared for use in the US, meaning it won’t actually be sold here, still giving Verizon the exclusive. If that’s true, then we should be seeing the SCH-i515 clear the FCC very soon.

However the carrier situation for the next Nexus plays out, at least we have one thing down: what the device will look like.

A detailed video of the next Nexus hit the web just five days ago. It looks identical to what we’ve been hearing for a long time now. Metal bezel (the back is actually a faux metal material), curved display and of course, Ice Cream Sandwich.

Since that video has leaked, nothing else has surfaced. The announcement of the Nexus has been delayed due to the passing of tech icon Steve Jobs (not a patent violation, like some would have you believe). So here we sit. And wait. For something, anything to come along. But in the meantime, here’s what we think will go down.

Final predictions

Let’s just start off by saying Google would be mad to release just one Nexus device, exclusive to Verizon. Big Red would love it, no doubt, but customers would be furious. While we do believe a CDMA/LTE Nexus device exists for Verizon, it isn’t the only one. And it won’t be the only one in the US, either. More and more reports keep coming in, saying that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be a Verizon exclusive. That would be suicide. Especially after Apple’s announcement of iPhone 4S availability on Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. And besides, it doesn’t make sense from all the leaks we’ve seen so far. We haven’t even seen an FCC clearing for the Verizon version of the next Nexus, only one that would work on AT&T and T-Mobile.

Verizon may have initial exclusivity of the Nexus Prime, or Galaxy Nexus, but they won’t be the only US carriers to handle the device. At least they shouldn’t. We say the next Nexus device will release on all four major carriers in the US. Maybe not all at once, but eventually it will be available. And there’s a good chance it will be announced soon. Very soon. As in within a weeks time.

When it comes down to it, no one really knows what Google has in store for us until they let us know. But once they do, you can be sure to find a ton of coverage on it here at Android and Me.

How about it, readers? Any final predictions? Let it all out in the comments below.

Today, October 11, marks the day we were supposed to see the unveiling of the Nexus Prime and Ice Cream Sandwich. Unfortunately, the timing just wasn’t right. Google made a public statement four days ago, saying that they “believe this is not the right time to announce a new product as the world expresses tribute to Steve Jobs’ passing.” And that was that. We all know the Nexus will be detailed soon enough, and if Google thinks the world should wait, then we should respect those wishes. Of course there are people who don’t believe this is the real reasoning behind the delay, but most have shown enough respect to keep quiet on the matter. Except one.

If you aren’t familiar with Russian blogger Eldar Murtazin, you probably should be. He’s a very opinionated writer who has a history of taking rather bold stances on things. Usually, Murtazin is spot on. There are times when he has been way off, but he generally gets good insider information and he’s never afraid to share it. Today, Murtazin has made a statement on why he thinks the Nexus Prime announcement was really delayed. According to Murtazin,

Nexus Prime and Android 4.0 are under question. Google removing some features which are subject of patent war. No timeline for this job.Eldar MurtazinMobile-Review

Murtazin continues on to say that the patent issues would be with software, along with a quick mention that the Prime has a TI processor inside. No other information is known, but it would seem that Murtazin is saying it will be awhile before we get to see the next Nexus in action. But not everyone agrees.

Andrew Glass, Samsung UK’s sales director, has made a statement on the unveiling of the Nexus Prime. “You will have an announcement of the Nexus Prime very shortly and will be seeing it in shops sooner than you think,” Glass said to T3.com. And he isn’t the only one saying the Nexus will launch soon.

9to5Google claims they have information “from an impeccable source” saying Google will hand out invites to an unveiling event “in the next day or so.” Oh, and that there are no patent issues.

If Samsung UK and 9to5Google are correct, then Murtazin is wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time he has been off on a Google-related rumor, so don’t be surprised if we see the Prime sooner rather than later.

Back in January of this year, AT&T made the announcement that they’d be more committed to Android. At the time, they told everyone to expect at least 12 different Android devices to launch before the year closed. With the announcement of five new Android phones, the total number of Android devices released hits 19. So just what kind of phones does Ma Bell have in store for us? There’s a little something for everyone. From the highest of the high end to low-end prepaid devices.

Motorola Atrix 2

The heavy hitter of the bunch is the Motorola Atrix 2. The Atrix was huge when it first came out, and the Atrix 2 is looking to capture some of that success. Not a whole lot has changed when it comes to cold hard specs, but with a revamped display, better camera and compatibility with Motorola’s latest Lapdock 100 and HD Station, the Atrix 2 should do well this holiday season.

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• 4G HSPA+ 21 Mbps (Category 14)
• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• Internal memory: 8 GB ROM, 1 GB RAM, 2 GB microSD™ card (expandable to 32 GB)
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• 4.3-inch qHD screen 960x540TFT, with more than 500,000 pixels for sharper, clearer display
• 8 MP camera and LED flash with faster viewfinder start-up and shutter speeds than a digital camera
• Front-facing camera
• 1080p HD video capture, 30 frames per second playback
• On Device Encryption (ODE) and Enhanced Exchange ActiveSync® (EAS)
• IPsec VPN
• Lapdock 100 Accessory

Samsung Captivate Glide

The Samsung Captivate Glide was leaked quite some time ago, but this is the first time we’ve really seen what’s inside. Fortunately, the Captivate Glide doesn’t disappoint. A 1 GHz Tegra 2, 21 Mbps data and a full Qwerty keyboard make the Captivate Glide the perfect business phone. The 8 megapixel camera with 1080p video capture also helps push the Glide past the business realm and into the pockets of just about anyone looking for a solid typing experience.

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• 4G HSPA+ 21 Mbps (Category 14)
• 1 GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 AP20H dual core processor
• 1 GB RAM/1GB ROM/8 GB Internal microSD™ to 32G B (not included)
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• 4-inch 480×800 WVGA Super AMOLED™
• Dual camera – 8 MP Autofocus w/LED + 1.3MP front
• Full HD 1080p video camera + HDMI playback
• Enhanced Exchange ActiveSync® (EAS) to sync email, contacts, calendar and tasks
• Device and SD card encryption
• Virtual private network support
• Mobile Device Management (MDM)

Samsung DoubleTime

The Samsung DoubleTime clearly isn’t meant for the professional crowd. With specs that barely rise above 2010 Android standards, don’t expect the DoubleTime to sell like hotcakes. Dual touchscreens and a full physical Qwerty may make the DoubleTime seem like an attractive option for tweens and messaging fanatics, but Android 2.2, 260 MB of memory and a 320×480 display really fall short.

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• Processor Qualcomm 600 MHz
• Onboard Memory Supports 260MB
• Android 2.2 (Froyo)
• microSD™ memory card supports up to 32 GB (2 GB microSD card included)
• 3.2-inch full touch screen display with 320×480 and 480×320 (HVGA) resolution

Pantech Pocket

The Pantech Pocket is another lower-end device that, yet again, utilizes an odd form factor. The Pocket doesn’t flip out to reveal a second touchscreen and Qwerty keyboard like the DoubleTime, but it has an aspect ratio of 4:3 (600×800), which makes the device uniquely square. Specs wise, there’s nothing special tucked inside the Pantech Pocket. At a low enough price point though, AT&T should be able to move a few.

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• Internal Memory: ~600MB plus 2 GB microSD™ included.
• User Memory: 2.5 GB included (Includes a 2 GB microSD Card)
• Support for up to 32 GB microSD
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• Full touch 4-inch SVGA display
• Screen size & resolution: 4-inch (600×800) 16M TFT
• 5 MP camera with flash and HD video recording
• 114.7mm x 78mm x 11.3mm
• Weight: 4.66 oz
• Bluetooth: v. 2.1 + EDR
• Wi-Fi and access to AT&T hotspots

AT&T Avail

Last but not least of AT&T’s five new devices today is the AT&T Avail made by ZTE. The Avail is only the second Android device to be released on AT&T’s prepaid GoPhone service. The 3.5-inch touchscreen probably won’t entice anyone to opt for this over from the Atrix 2, but Android 2.3 keeps the Avail up to date when it comes to other devices in the same category.

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• Internal memory: 512 MB ROM, 512 MB RAM, 2 GB microSD™ card
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• 3.5-inch capacitive touch screen
• 5 MP autofocus camera and video recorder
• Seven customizable homescreens
• WiFi capable

With the exception of the Atrix 2, all of AT&T’s newest Android devices will be priced and pegged with launch dates shortly. The Atrix 2 will be available October 16 for an incredibly agressive $99.99 on contract.

We urged our readers to take rumors that Verizon will get a lasting exclusive on the Nexus Prime with a grain of salt. A recent FCC filing certainly suggests that there will be plenty of Primes to go around.

The phone is identified here as the GT-I9250, but we’ve seen that model number for the Nexus Prime several times now.

The device was cleared on the relevant bands for AT&T and T-Mobile HSPA service, but lacks an obvious, definite indication of which carrier this phone might be destined for. If you live in one of the handful of locations that are offering AT&T LTE at the moment, I’m sorry to say there is no sign of LTE in this version of the Nexus Prime.

There’s still the chance that this is just the international version of the Nexus Prime getting its clearance to do some traveling in the states, but I firmly believe that Google wouldn’t restrict the Nexus Prime’s US audience in that way.

In addition to the cell radios, we’ve got Bluetooth, dual-band 802.11n WiFi and NFC playing nicely together in the Prime’s slim and sleek shell.

The announcement next week may have been postponed, but this is a solid reminder that the Nexus Prime is coming. Samsung and Google won’t be keeping us in suspense much longer.