5 Upcoming AT&T Cell Phones April 1, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones , trackback
The other day we wrote about 5 upcoming Verizon cell phones, and now we’re switching or focus on 5 upcoming phones for AT&T. And if you are into heavy texting (like we assume most of you are) and are looking for some new cool phones that are great for texting, then read on, because AT&T has a lot of awesome ones coming really soon!
Ok, this will be a little unlike the Verizon post, in that these phones were today confirmed to be coming within the next few weeks to AT&T, so don’t worry, if you like something here you’ll be able to get it real soon!
The Samsung Impression
Samsung Impression
In my opinion, this looks to be the coolest phone on this list, as it seems to be everything you’ll need in a phone and much more!
- 3.2 inch Touchscreen with Accelerometer– Ya, a nice big touchscreen, and the accelerometer means that, like on the iPhone, the screen orientation will automatically shift from vertical to horizontal when flipped (great for doing things like taking pix, or viewing pix, videos or the internet)
- Slide out QWERTY keyboard!– Not only do you get the big touchscreen (almost as big as the iPhone’s), but a full slide out QWERTY keyboard! We told you: if you like texting you should definitely read this post, and boy were we right!
- AT&T 3G with AT&T Cellular Video and AT&T Music– Kinda like Verizon’s V Cast service.
- 3 Megapixel Camera with video capture
- GPS with AT&T Navigator
- microSD card slot and Mp3 player
- Samsung TouchWiz interface– This is similar to what is found on the AT&T Samsung Enteritiy, or T-Mobile Samsung Behold or Memoir. It is a nice, simple way to navigate through your phone, and gives you a really cool homescreen with “widgets” which make it easy to view things like text, weather, music controls and a whole bunch of other things, without the mounds of menus. Very nice.
I really like this phone, as it not only looks cool, but, if the touchscreen is solid (and easy to use), it could be a real winner for AT&T. The Impression is expected to come out April 7th (a week from today 
) for a not to bad $199.99 — though it definitely wouldn’t hurt if it went for $100, which at that point would make this a pretty much MUST buy for any new AT&T user thats a heavy texter.
Samsung Magnet
Samsung Magnet
This is a thin and cheap messaging phone, for those who want something cool and good for texting, but don’t wanna pay so much for it. This phone also has some nice features like:
- Thin, cool design– Not as thin as the other cheap texting phone for AT&T, the Pantech Slate, but this phone without question is much nicer, and we MUCH nicer looking. And the color of the phone is orange, which looks really good, much better than the blue on the Slate.
- Full QWERTY keyboard– This is great, especially for a cheap phone. Oh, and the keys on the keyboard actually looks more than usable unlike on the Slate, which when I saw it at an AT&T store, didn’t seem to be that easy to text on.
- Camera– We don’t know the resolution, but we doubt it will be near 2 megapixel, probably 1 megapixel or lower.
Other than that, there is not much to be said. We don’t yet know the date or price of the Magnet, but we’d expect it soon since AT&T confirmed it today, and for well under $100 when it does launch.
LG Neon
LG Neon
LG also has come out with a couple of phones for AT&T, and both are designed for the teenager and for heavy texting (just like the 2 Samsung’s above– yup, feel honored: they were made with you in mind ). Anyway, they are coming out with 2 new phones, the LG Neon and LG Xenon (I guess they really like “eon”). The LG Neon is the simpler of the two, and will most probably be significantly cheaper than the higher power Xenon. It’s got:
- Thin, slide out design– Think of this as a smaller version of the Samsung Impression listed above.
- 2.4 inch touchscreen with slide out full QWERTY keyboard– Again, like the Impression.
- 2 Megapixel Camera
- Mp3 player with microSD card slot to add more memory
Now the big missing feature here, like with the Samsung Magnet, is the lack of 3G. But hey, if your phone will really be for text and little to no internet, than 3G doesn’t really matter to you anyway and may be worth saving some cash. Its absence will keep the price low, and while we don’t know the exact launch date yet, we can also assume that it should be sometime within the next couple of weeks for well below $100.
LG Xenon
LG Xenon
Now here is the exact opposite of the Neon, and a real rival to the Impression, LG’s Xenon. This, like the Impression, is absolutely loaded– touchscreen with slide out keyboard, cool design, 3G– the whole 9 yards. However, it does though change things up a bit:
- 2.8 inch touchscreen with cool design and slide out QWERTY keyboard– Similar to the Impression, though a little smaller screen
- AT&T 3G with Cellular Video and AT&T Music– AT&T’s version of V Cast on Verizon
- GPS– We assume it also is AT&T Navigator
- microSD card slot with Mp3 Player
- 2 megapixel camera with video recording and flash
- Threaded text messaging– This is BIG, and something we’re not sure if the Impression has. Thread texting means your text appears as a conversation, like an IM. It’s found now on the iPhone as well as Windows Mobile 6.1 phones, and I must say from using it on my iPhone, it makes conversing over text a lot (and I mean A LOT) easier.
The LG Xenon will come out a day after the Impression is set to land– on April 8th, for $100 cheaper than the Impression, landing at just $99.99. It also will be avalible in either red, blue or black.
So now, which to chose– LG Xenon or Samsung Impression? My pick: the Impression. It has the bigger screen that promises to be much nicer than other phone screens preceding it it (using technology called AMOLED– it’s an organic screen which is not only brighter but, since no backlight is required, provides a far superior battery life–info from Wikipedia). However, the LG Xenon really makes me think bout that pick — saving the $100 is really something you can’t easily look over, especially in today’s economy. Having the threaded texting also is a major plus, and I really hope Samsung has something like it on the Impression (really doubtful about it though as it wasn’t boasted as a feature, but who doesn’t love a little plesant surprise 
). Either way, whichever you choose, you should be pretty happy–they both look like to be great phones (and for that matter, the LG Neon and Samsung Magnet also look to be pretty cool, and should give you some nice bang for your buck).
Now let’s give the more “professional, business” readers out there something to enjoy
Samsung Propel Pro
Samsung Propel Pro
This, as you can tell from the name, is a professional version of the current Propel. What we mean by professional is that it has more “businessy” features like WiFi and Window’s Mobile. Other than that it’s got:
- Thin slider design, with slide out full QWERTY keyboard– Just like the Propel
- Chrome casing– A more metal, shinier and overall nicer look. This instead of the plastic on the original Propel.
- Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard– The latest edition of Windows Mobile out there, though this is the Standard, non touchscreen version. It also has the threaded text messaging in its messaging app (remember we said Windows Mobile 6.1 phones have it? )
- AT&T 3G with Cellular Video and AT&T Music
- WiFi
- GPS
- Mp3 Player with microSD card slot
- 3.0 megapixel camera with auto focus
Overall, a decent offering that should attract some users when it comes out on April 1st (this is not an April Fools joke ) for $149.99.
Now while the Propel Pro is nice and all, I really like this next phone, both for business minded, and us regular texting teenagers alike.
Nokia E71x
Nokia E71x
This is the Nokia E71x, and wow have we been waiting on this one for a while. Rumor was that AT&T was gonna get this a couple months ago, but like with all US carriers, things get pushed off (it’s really annoying). This phone is not just sleek and stylish, but has a lot of cool features as well.
- Thin design with full QWERTY keyboard– This is really thin, like REALLY thin, AT&T is even calling this the thinnest smartphone ever! And while I can’t say if that’s true, it definitely is close as this phone really is that thin!
- Symbian S60 OS– This is the OS commonly found on Nokia devices, and is really popular particularly in Europe.
- AT&T 3G with Cellular Video and AT&T Music
- WiFi
- GPS with AT&T Navigator
- 3.2 megapixel camera with video recording, auto focus and flash
- AT&T Video Share
- Full web browser with Flash support– So you can view the real, internet your used to seeing on your computer. Flash means you can view sites like YouTube (the regular site not just the mobile site) that run Flash (which lets you view animations, videos, play games and such on web sites. It’s pretty much everywhere on the web).
You wanna know the best part? You can get all of this for only $99.99 when it comes out in “the coming weeks.” If your looking for a cheap, fast, good smartphone with a full keyboard, this is for you.
So there you got it, the latest info on 5 upcoming AT&T phones. These are perfect for anyone out there who is looking for a solid messaging phone for a good price. What’s your pick– I already told you I like the Samsung Impression, but what you think? You like the LG Xenon or Neon, Nokia E71x or any other phone instead? You rather get a current AT&T phone like the HTC Fuze (just watch out for the internet plan! See here), LG Vu, Blackberry Bold or another phone instead of any these phones? Let us know in the comments.
Comments»
Looks like AT&T is going crazy with the keyboard sliders.
Thank you so much fro posting this. It really helped me decide. The LG Xenon is my pick
However, would you mind doing a little research and posting when small little At&t stores will be getting the Xenon in stock?
My zipcode is 10016, and am hoping to go to an at&t store VERY close to me. (probably won’t be the most popular) so I’m hoping they’ll have it!!!!
Thanks. Please help me with my question!
Hey no.1txtr (interesting comment name btw
),
Now with regards to your question– chill
. The phone just got released so don’t worry, my guess is that it should be at your local AT&T store pretty soon (probably sometime early next week). To save yourself the trouble of making multiple trips, you may wanna go online (try here and enter your zip code or address and select Wireless Sales from the bottom of the list), find that particular stores number and give them a call asking if they got it in stock.
If they don’t seem to have it when you go (or if you would rather just order it online), AT&T is now selling the phone online from their site, though you could only get in blue for the time being.
Hope this helps and feel to comment with your own thoughts about the phone
–Eli
i love at&t its so amazing LOL XOXO
wow loved all of these phones sooooooo MUCH
other than the xenon does at&t have any non-smartphone phones that offers the threaded texting?
YES – what Craig Said. Any info??? I’m getting rid of my iphone to escape this idiot data plan that’s so expensive, but I want my precious threaded texting still!