AT&T has announced that the Samsung Galaxy Appeal will be available under its Go Phone deals starting June 5. The phone happens to be the first slider Android smartphone that AT&T sells with the GoPhone data plans. The handset will first come to Walmart for $149.99, followed by other AT&T GoPhone distribution channels, beginning July 15.

For those of you who are not aware of Ma Bell’s offer, the GoPhone pay-as-you-go plans provide affordable data options, available in 1GB for $25 a month, 200MB for $15 a month, or 50MB for $5 a month. Along with the data packages you will have to choose from either the $50 Unlimited Talk & Text nationwide plan or the $25 Unlimited Text with 250 minutes natiowide coverage. Unlimited Wi-Fi usage comes free, so you won’t have to worry about losing connection when you’re on the move. Of course, that still depends on the proximity of an AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot, of which the carrier claims to have more than a thousand across the U.S.

By releasing the Samsung Galaxy Appeal under the GoPhone plans, AT&T is providing customers on tight budgets with the chance to taste the Android experience. The Samsung Galaxy Appeal certainly fits the GoPhone plans, as the entry-level phone comes with a slider QWERTY keyboard, perfect for texting and emailing.

The Samsung Galaxy Appeal also boasts a 3MP rear-facing camera with 3X zoom, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 3.2-inch touch screen display, 512MB of RAM and 1.8GB of ROM, expandable microSD card, and a 1300 mAh battery offering 7 hours talk time and 300 hours of standby time. Full specs in the press release below.

In the processor department, the device is packed with a decent 800 MHz ARM Cortex A5, the Qualcomm MSM7225A. The chip should be enough to provide a decent experience across the entire functionality of the device.

As for the environment-conscious, you’ll be glad to know that Sammy claims that the Appeal is made of 80% recycled materials. Also, the packaging materials used lesser paper than the packaging of other Samsung phones. So, budget-friendly and nature-friendly!

NEXT: Leaked QWERTY Slider Phone Not the Samsung Galaxy S II for AT&T

All major UK carriers unveil their Samsung Galaxy S3 offerings Samsung Galaxy S II Coming to Verizon, AT&T with QWERTY Slider

Thin this, ultra svelte that. So what? Sure, we all love thin – but if it sacrifices overall functionality – or even more importantly – battery life, then consumers get downright angry.

A recent JD Power survey revealed that people’s chief concern is with battery life or lack thereof. The race towards thinness is simply not in line with what consumers want. While it serves as a great marketing message, much like “quad core” does, it actually ends up hurting consumers by forcing them to remain near the ‘ol outlet.

Android devices are all about mobility and utility. Try and think of something your Android can’t do. Can you? Ok, good. Now go and do a good search on Google. Go and check out XDA Forums. Check out our comprehensive How to section. If you open your mind to the incredible gamut of potential functions that your Android can do, then you begin to realize that this is truly one of the most flexible platforms out there. Yes, you need to root your device to get the most out of it, and to truly make it your own.

Either way, as one of the best Android sites in the world, we feel a responsibility to you – our dear reader. Without you, what we do simply wouldn’t be possible. We live to serve. And further to this, we are on your side. We want to hold manufacturers to account, whether they are involved in price fixing, or submitting to carriers’ demands to lock down their devices, or if they are charging too much money out of greed. We believe that Android is more than an operating system; it has the philosophical underpinnings of a social movement. Because it works on so many different forms of hardware, it really is the everyman’s operating system. As such, we do our best to serve as a consumer watchdog, and to help share our voice to make the manufacturers and carriers of the world do better.

Quad Core QWERTY Superphones!

So, with this in mind, I wanted to reach out to you and ask you – do you want the manufacturers to make a quad core, big, brightly displayed QWERTY superphone? Let us know! Check out the poll below, and list your dream specs in the comments, and we will make sure that the manufacturers see this. I, for one, believe there is substantial demand for such a device,  and that if they make it, people will most certainly by it.

Here’s the specs I’m proposing it should have:

• 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display
• 1280×800 Resolution
• 4000 mAh battery (more preferably)
• 1.5GHz Quad core processor
• 2GB of RAM
• 64GB internal memory, with microSD card slot
• HDMI out, MHL, USB
• 5 row QWERTY backlit keyboard
• 12MP camera
• less than 12mm thin

And so, what say you? Let us know, and if there is enough interest, I’ll get a petition started. We’re here for you, QWERTY lovers. Really, let us know and we will make sure the manufacturers know.

NEXT: Quad Core QWERTY qHD Ultraphones Coming: the Motorola Bullet and Motorola Jet

Quad Core Meizu MX to Arrive in May 2012. Could Use Samsung’s Quad Core Exynos 4412 Gingerbread Dual Core QWERTY Coming: HTC Doubleshot!

Sure, going full-size touchscreens might be the new trend, but touchscreen keyboards will never beat physical keyboards. In fact, one of the original and best-selling Android devices of all times was a full-qwerty phone, the Motorola Droid. For those of you who don’t know, a “QWERTY” keyboard is a nickname for a device with a full physical keyboard. The name comes from the first 6 keys on the top row of every standard keyboard.

Check out our comprehensive list of of the seven best QWERTY phones of 2012.

Droid 4 (Verizon)

November 6, 2009 — the original Droid was released, and Motorola sold over 1 million devices in the first 74 days. That number passed even the original iPhone in sales for the first 74 days. Over 2 years later, on February 10, 2012, Motorola Mobility released the Droid 4. The new smartphone is powered by Android 2.3, but is upgradeable to Android 4.0 in the near future. It is the newest QWERTY phone on the block, building on the success of the original blockbuster device, the first Droid. The new Droid 4 features a fantastic 5-row keyboard, with backlighting. For me, it’s the best keyboard on any mobile device to date, and comes packed with a great responsive tactile feel and some handy shortcuts. It didn’t take me long to develop some serious muscle memory with this device, and, after a while, I found that I didn’t even have to look at the keyboard, which really enables me to take my productivity to a whole new level.

Specs

• Price: $200/$650
• Display: 4.0-inch 960 x 540
• CPU: 1.2 GHz Dual-Core
• OS: Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread (4.0 Upgradeable)
• Keyboard: 5-row slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• Storage: 16 GB Internal with microSD slot
• RAM: 1 GB
• Battery: 1785 mAh Li Ion
• Rear-Camera: 8 MP / 1080p Video
• Front-Camera: 1.3 MP / 720p Video
• 4G?: Verizon 4G LTE Capable
• Release Date: Buy Now!

Droid Pro (Verizon and Sprint [Motorola XPRT])

The Droid Pro has been out for over a year now, and, although it didn’t take over the market, so to speak, it is a business man’s (or woman’s) delight. With a design that really embodies the look and feel of a Blackberry, it’s powered by Android, which is clearly the superior option for smartphones. Furthermore, the phone will not cost you a buck, as long as you sign up for a two year contract. Finally, this device is a Global Ready device (Verizon), meaning that you can take it with you wherever you go. And best of all, it works on two of the best carriers in America (Verizon and Sprint).

Specs

• Price: Free/$399
• Display: 3.1″ 480×320
• CPU: 1GHz Snapdragon processor
• OS: Android 2.2 (Froyo) OS with Motorola Application Platform
• Keyboard: 4-Row “Candy Bar” Form Factor
• Storage: 2GB Internal + 2GB microSD (Expandable to 32GB)
• RAM: 512 MB
• Battery: 1420 mAh
• Rear-Camera: 5 MP / DVD-D1 Video Capture
• Front-Camera: None
• 4G?: No, Global Device in over 200 countries around the world!
• Release Date: Released

Samsung Captivate Glide (AT&T)

Moving into the AT&T category, the Samsung Captivate Glide is a great 4G device that costs slightly less than its competitors. In addition, the Glide is a powerhouse, thanks to its dual-core processor, and has a great array of specs, which helped Samsung’s QWERTY phone gain its spot on our list. Needless to say, the phone sports a truly beautiful QWERTY keyboard, with 4 dedicated buttons that work with the Android OS (home, menu, back, and search). Although, at first, the battery may seem below par, the 4″ display won’t be hogging as much power, compared to the display of a Galaxy Nexus or Note.

Specs

• Price: $149.99/$499.99
• Display: 4″ 480 x 800
• CPU: NVIDIA Tegra 2 1GHz Dual-Core Processor
• OS: Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread
• Keyboard: 4-row slide-out QWERTY keyboard (With 4 Android dedicated buttons)
• Storage: 8 GB Internal / Up to 32GB microSD slot
• RAM: 1 GB
• Battery: 1650 mAh Li Ion
• Rear-Camera: 8 MP / 720p Video (4X Zoom)
• Front-Camera: 1.3 MP
• 4G?: AT&T HSPA+
• Release Date: Buy Now!

HTC Status (AT&T)

Are you a Facebook fanatic? The HTC Status from AT&T lets you instantly share those “priceless moments”  with all your friends. With one push of a button, the HTC Status helps you stay in the center of your social circle. In addition, the HTC Status boasts a candybar form factor, 5MP Rear camera, and HTC Sense.

Specs

• Price: FREE/$349.99
• Display: 2.6″ 480×320
• CPU: 800MHz MSM7227
• OS: Android 2.3 Gingerbread (Plus HTC Sense)
• Keyboard: 4 row candybar style qwerty keyboard
• Storage: 512MB internal / 2GB microSD (Expandable to 32GB)
• RAM: 512MB
• Battery: 1250 mAh Li Ion
• Rear-Camera: 5 MP
• Front-Camera: VGA
• 4G?: No
• Release Date: Buy Now!

Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint)

For those of you wondering, this phone is very similar to the Samsung Captivate Glide. However, if you are a Samsung fan, the Captivate Glide is a few specs up on the Epic 4G. Either way, this device is 4G capable, and serves as one of Sprint’s best full QWERTY Android devices. Packed with an older version of Android, the Epic 4G is built to suit power-users for just $99.99 (with a “Mail–in Rebate via Reward Card”).

Specs

• Price: $149.99/$499.99
• Display: 4″ Super AMOLED 480 x 800
• CPU: 1 GHz Hummingbird
• OS: Android 2.1
• Keyboard: 5-Row Slide-Out QWERTY Keyboard with 4 dedicated Android buttons.
• Storage: 1 GB internal with 16GB microSD card included.
• RAM: 512MB
• Battery: 1500 mAh Li Ion
• Rear-Camera: 5 MP / 720p Video
• Front-Camera: Yes
• 4G?: Yes, Up to 10X Faster than 3G
• Release Date: Buy Now!

myTouch 4G Slide (T-Mobile)

Moving on into T-Mobile territory, the myTouch 4G Slide is going to be your best bet if you need an affordable full QWERTY device. This device packs 4G capabilities, dedicated Android buttons (in addition to the full keyboard), an above-par battery life, and a sweet camera/camcorder. For the time being, the dual-core processor is also top of the line equipment.

Specs

• Price: $199.99/$499.99
• Display: 3.7″ 480 x 800
• CPU: Dual-Core 1.2GHz Snapdragon Processor
• OS: Android 2.3.4
• Keyboard: 4-Row Slide-Out QWERTY Keyboard.
• Storage: 8GB microSD card included (Expandable to 32GB)
• RAM: 768 MB RAM
• Battery: 1520 mAh Li Ion
• Rear-Camera: 8 MP / 1080p Video
• Front-Camera: Yes
• 4G?: Yes.
• Release Date: Buy Now!

LG Optimus Slider (Virgin Mobile)

Despite the incredibly outdated screen size and resolution, the LG Optimus Slider is a good QWERTY option for Virgin Mobile customers. Most of its main specs are sub-par, but the device itself looks pretty good, and it’s a great choice for the users who don’t need quad-core processors or 1080p video capture.

Specs

• Price: $199.99/$499.99
• Display: 3.2″ 320 x 480
• CPU: 800 MHz Processor
• OS: Android 2.3
• Keyboard: 4-Row Slide-Out QWERTY Keyboard.
• Storage: 8GB microSD card included (Expandable to 32GB)
• RAM: 512 MB RAM
• Battery: 1500 mAh Li Ion
• Rear-Camera: 3.2 MP / ? Video
• Front-Camera: No
• 4G?: No
• Release Date: Buy Now!

Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro

Revealed well over a year ago, but launched only in October 2011, the Sony Ericsson Xperia pro is an attractive device that comes in three stylish color options and packs a full QWERTY keyboard, complete with a full set of arrow keys and a long space key. The Xperia pro ships with Android 2.3 but Sony promised a timely update to Ice Cream Sandwich, which you’ll be able to properly enjoy thanks to a decent 3.7-inch screen that packs a 265 ppi pixel density. Under the hood, you’ll find a 1Ghz processor and 512MB or RAM, along with a nice 8MP camera. The keyboard of the Xperia pro is well-designed, with spaced-out keys that make it almost impossible to push two keys at once. Overall, the Sony Ericsson Xperia pro is a respectable, even not cutting-edge QWERTY phone that we can recommend to all keyboard fanatics out there.

Specs

• Price: $299.99
• Display: 3.7″ 480 x 854
• CPU: 1Ghz
• OS: Android 2.3 (upgradeable)
• Keyboard: 4-Row Slide-Out QWERTY Keyboard.
• Storage: 8GB microSD card included (Expandable to 32GB)
• RAM: 512 MB RAM
• Battery: 1500 mAh Li Ion
• Rear-Camera: 8 MP
• Front-Camera: Yes
• 4G?: No
• Release Date: Buy Now!

So there you have it folks — these are, currently, the best QWERTY Android phones of 2012. While there aren’t any crazy 4.3, 4.5, 4.6, or even 5.3-inch QWERTY sliders yet on the market, you can be sure that a smart manufacturer will come along and deliver such devices. 2012 is the year that Android will really take off. With new entrants ZTE, Huawei, and others looking to assert their position and grab some market share from Samsung, Motorola, LG, Sony, or HTC, you can be sure that we’re going to see increased competition, in terms of the quality and diversity of the devices that come to market this year. This will translate into better quality devices, better internal hardware, and lower prices. Stay tuned, as we will be updating this article with any new information regarding the best QWERTY Android phones of 2012!

Seriously though, if you work for one of the companies mentioned above, you would be wise to build a QWERTY device with the following specs:

QWERTY Dream Phone of 2012:

• 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display
• 1280×800 Resolution
• 4000 mAh battery
• 1.5GHz Quad core processor
• 2GB of RAm
• 64GB internal memory
• 5 row QWERTY keyboard
• 12MP camera
• less than 10mm thin

Any thoughts?

NEXT: The Best QWERTY Android Phones of 2011 Compared – Part Two!

Top 6 QWERTY Candybar Android Phones Available Today The Best QWERTY Android Phones in 2011 Compared

It has been just under 6 months since Motorola released the Droid 3, and it has become clear that the fourth device in the Droid series is on its way. Of course, yesterday, December 22nd, was the rumored date of release. However, the day has come and gone without any definitive word from Verizon or Motorola.

Despite the lack of info from big red, a piece of informations, shown above, has escaped from Verizon’s headquarters. It is pretty clear that the Droid 4 will be landing in Verizon on or around February 2nd, 2012. This quick change of release dates should not come as a shock after the agony Verizon put Galaxy Nexus fans through. However, at least there is a date set for the release.

As of now, the rumored specs suggest that the Droid 4 will carry a 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM, a 4-inch qHD display, a full QWERTY keyboard, LTE connectivity, 8 MP rear shooter, 1080P video capture, possibly an HD front facing camera, and almost definitely Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. In fact, Android 4.0 may be the reason Verizon is holding back the Droid 4. This way, Droid 4 buyers would be able to get the newest version of Android straight out of the box.

Are you looking forward to the slimmest full QWERTY LTE phone? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: PocketNow

NEXT: Droid Bionic, Samsung Galaxy S2 Rivalry Tightens – Same Release Date, Same Selling Features?

Galaxy Nexus Release Date December 8, Says Leak Release Date for Motorola DROID BIONIC, DROID 3 Confirmed

We started seeing leaks of the Droid 4 over the last couple of weeks, but this leak is kind of surprising. The Droid 4 is now popping up in not just one, but a few different Verizon Systems. But the interesting thing is, we have not heard of any specs at all for the Droid 4 in any of the leaks. But the leaked image of the Droid 4 does look like it’s ready for another Verizon release. According to the leaked image in the device manager below, it is 4G capable, but other than that we do not know to much about it.

It looks as if Verizon is doing their best to keep their word about releasing a new Android phone every week for the rest of 2011. We already have the RAZR releasing on November 11th, the HTC Rezound on November 14th, the Galaxy Nexus “sometime in November” and perhaps the Droid 4 now?

Are you looking to get the Droid 4? Or does some other device on big red have your eye?

NEXT: Verizon’s Motorola Droid 3 Release Date Confirmed?

Motorola Droid 3 Saga Continues – Appears in Verizon’s Internal System! Droid Bionic, Samsung Galaxy S2 Rivalry Tightens – Same Release Date, Same Selling Features?

It seems to be a common theme of Motorola as of recently, that when a new phone is being launched, leaks of a future phone find their way to the public. It happened when the Bionic was about to be released; the Bionic was pictured with the soon to be released Droid RAZR. Now that the RAZR is about to be released, images of the Droid 4 have been leaked to the good folks over at Droid-Life. The Droid 3 was criticized by enthusiasts for its pentile screen, lack of 4G, locked bootloader, and its “limited” 512MB Ram (1GB seems to be the standard for dual core phones). Motorola seems to have fixed most of these issues with the Droid 4, assuming that the new screen is not pentile, and it comes with 1 GB of RAM. All specs have not been released as of yet ,and educated guesses are the best that we can provide at the moment. Still, it looks pretty awesome right?

• 4G LTE
• 4-inch display (which looks to be Super AMOLED Advanced)
• Five-row illuminated keyboard
• RAZR syling, with curved edges
• Non-removable battery
• Android 2.3.5
• 1080p video capture
• HDMI Out
• MotoACTV sync

Still, with 4G LTE connectivity, a Super AMOLED display, an illuminated keyboard, and minor aesthetic improvements, this is looking to be the new king of Qwerty’s, folks. How about you? Did you purchase the Droid 3? Is there a future for QWERTY devices? Where’s the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.3 inch Megaphone with QWERTY keyboard? Bring it on!

Via Droid Life

NEXT: Motorola Droid RAZR: It’s Not What You Think – qHD Super AMOLED Display, LTE, Dual-Core Processor & Kevlar Body

Motorola Droid RAZR – 7.1mm Thin, Kevlar, 1.2GHz Dual Core, Super AMOLED qHD Leaked: Samsung Galaxy Q Android 2.2 Froyo Super AMOLED smartphone

Sprint owned Boost Mobile has had the Samsung Transform Ultra for quite some time. But now, Boost Mobile’s parent company has announced they will begin selling the handset. Sprint announced that the Samsung Transform Ultra will feature Android 2.3 with Sprint ID, a 1 GHz processor, a 3.5-inch HVGA display and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. In Sprint’s word, not too much changes from the Boost Mobile version of the device. Pricing and release date details were not released with this announcement.

Full Press Release from Sprint:

Samsung Transform™ Ultra

Highly-customizable Android experience

Samsung Transform Ultra is a premium android powered device that delivers a truly customizable experience even faster than before and at an affordable price. Samsung Transform Ultra, powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread, features access to Google Mobile™ services and more than 250,000 applications through Android Market. It has a powerful 1GHz processor, a 3MP rear-facing camera and VGA front-facing camera for video chat while on the go. Equipped with Sprint ID users can also completely customize their experience based on their needs and interests. Users can automatically get ringers, wallpapers, apps and widgets downloaded to your phone in one click.

Productivity

• 3.5” HVGA touch screen with full QWERTY keyboard
• 1GHz processor
• Android 2.3 with Sprint ID customizable user interface
• Sprint 3G (EVDO Rev. A) network

Entertainment and Personalization

• Dual Cameras- 3 MP camera and VGA front facing camera
• Sprint ID, a user-friendly means of customizing Android content on mobile phones. Allows users to instantly download ID packs that deliver a predefined experience, including applications, widgets, ringtones and wallpapers, all at once.
• Android Market™ – browse and download thousands of free and paid apps from around the world
• WiFi and GPS capable
• MP3 Player with MicroSD card slot (supports up to 32GB)
• Stereo Bluetooth® Wireless technology

Specifications

• Processor: 1 GHz Qualcomm  MSM8655
• Dimensions: 4.57 x 2.40 x 0.55 inches; 4.9 ounces
• Display: HVGA 480 x 320 pixels
• RAM/ROM: 512MB/2GB
• 1500 mAh Li-ION inner cell battery with up to 7 hours¹ continuous talk time

Are you looking to get the Samsung Transform Ultra? Or do you want a higher end device on Sprint? Check out other Sprint cell phones.

NEXT: Samsung Transform

Samsung 4G WiMAX Android smartphone headed to Clearwire (and maybe Sprint) Portrait QWERTY Android Phone from Motorola Spotted, Headed for Sprint

A member of Android Forums who claims to be working for Best Buy allegedly received from a Verizon representative a copy of a list of upcoming phones slated for release on Verizon for the holidays.

Of note on the list are the HTC Thunderbolt 2, the Samsung Stratosphere, and the Samsung Prime (whose reported proper name is the Samsung DROID Prime).

HTC Vigor (HTC Thunderbolt 2)

An earlier leaked Verizon schedule of launch dates named the HTC Vigor as the replacement for the HTC Thunderbolt. The document also listed the HTC Vigor as set for launch on October 5.

The new leaked info, however, seems to suggest that the HTC Vigor might be rebranded into the HTC Thunderbolt 2. The source did not mention any specific date of launch or release.

The HTC Vigor has been rumored to pack powerful specs, foremost of which are a 720p HD display, Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, and a 1.5-GHz Qualcomm processor.

A device suspected to be the HTC Vigor has also received clearance from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The device has CDMA/EVDO and 4G LTE radios.

Recent leaked photos also showed the HTC Vigor to be sporting looks similar to the HTC DROID Incredible.

The HTC Vigor (HTC Thunderbolt 2) is one of the rumored upcoming devices believed to have enough oomph to challenge Verizon’s recently released Motorola DROID Bionic and the U.S. variants of the Samsung Galaxy S II.

HTC has been sending out press invitations for a “celebration” in New York City this coming September 20. It is possible that the event will also launch the HTC Vigor (HTC Thunderbolt 2).

Samsung Stratosphere

The Samsung Stratosphere is said to be an upper mid-range, LTE-capable Android phone with a full, slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Previous leaked blurry photos show it to have similar looks to Sprint’s Samsung Epic 4G. Newer leaked photos provided a clearer view of the Samsung Stratosphere.

The device is expected to replace the Samsung Fascinate and has been reported to come with a much-better display than the Samsung Fascinate’s–a Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen. In addition, recent reports say the Samsung Stratosphere will bear Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, a 5-megapixel primary camera, a 1.3-megapixel secondary camera, and 2 GB of internal storage.

The device was supposed to launch on Verizon together with the Motorola DROID Bionic last September 8.

Samsung DROID Prime

Earlier rumored to be the upcoming Nexus Prime, the Samsung DROID Prime is another catchword that has been on many people’s lips lately. It has been pointed to as the chief reason for Verizon’s snubbing of the Samsung Galaxy S II.

Current rumors, however, are suggesting that the Nexus Prime (reportedly to be called the Samsung Galaxy Nexus) is a different device and that the Samsung DROID Prime is a variant of the Nexus Prime for exclusive release on Verizon under the network’s DROID brand. Both devices are expected to debut with the latest Android version–Android 2.4/4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Since the leaked info claims that the Samsung DROID Prime will be replacing the Samsung DROID Charge, we presume LTE-capability to be onboard.

Ready Your Analgesics

The holidays are coming, and so are Verizon’s new phones (granting the leaked list is legit). The variety of powerful Android superphones to consider for the holidays can make your head spin. Do you have your shopping lists ready? And, what about analgesics?

Image credit: Android Forums

NEXT: Samsung Stratosphere Caught Clearly in Photos

HTC Vigor Design Looks HTC DROID Incredible-inspired Samsung DROID Prime — Verizon’s Reason for Snubbing Samsung Galaxy S II

Recent polls suggest that people actually prefer touchscreen keyboards, but this writer would beg to differ. Having made the jump from a Blackberry Bold to a Samsung Galaxy S II, I still have to say that I miss the satisfaction that tactile keyboards provide.

With that in mind, enter the LG Optimus Note. Leaked in a recent press shot, the Optimus Note features a very respectable set of specs, and features on of the first beefed up versions of Nvidia’s Tegra 2 SoC, being that it is clocked at 1.2 Ghz, as opposed to the standard 1Ghz speed we have all come to know (and love).

It’s a slider smartphone, measuring 12.3 mm thin, and comes with the following specs below.

Specs: 

• 1.2 Ghz dual core Tegra 2 SoC
• 4 inch WVGA NOVA display (800×480 resolution)
• Android 2.3+
• 5 megapixel rear camera, with LED flash
• VGA front facing camera
• 8GB of internal memory

While regular visitors of this site and other mobile tech blogs will decry the lack of bleeding edge specs like what’s on board the upcoming HTC Vigor, the Nexus Prime, and more, I happen to think that the more QWERTY’s the better.

Sure, it doesn’t have an 8 megapixel or a qHD display, but I bet it will be good enough. There’s still a market for people that dislike virtual keyboards, right? The last little bit of info worth mentioning is that this particular QWERTY phone will feature a four row keyboard as well.

Any takers?

NEXT: Gingerbread Dual Core QWERTY Coming: HTC Doubleshot!

QWERTY Dream Phone – the Dual Core Motorola Droid 3 / Solana Specs Revealed! Dual-Core Heaven: Atrix, Optimus 2X, Droid Bionic Compared & Benchmarked

Anyway, information about it was pretty limited then, but – surprise, surprise – it seems that T-Mobile will be bringing the phone to the States.

So what exactly makes the LG Flip II special?

Well, what got everyone’s attention when it was firs shown is the unique between-the-keys display. This allows you to have eight shortcuts on its QWERTY keyboard – which happens to slide-out. This makes things a bit easier for any user operating it in landscape view. Anyway, that’s its main selling point. It’s still a mystery how they’ll be branding the Flip II here in the States and a lot of the specs about it are a mystery. What is known about it is that its front speaker design is reminiscent og the LG Quantum/LG Optimus 7Q design and hands-on have placed it as a bit bigger than the Milestone 2.

If you like what you see from the photos of it, you can try to pick up this dual-screen handset at your T-Mobile branch on September 14th. Hopefully, by then, we know a little more about this mystery phone and what exactly it’s capable of and how much it costs.

Source: Talk Android

NEXT: Google Fast Flip for Android

Motorola intros Android-powered Ming flip-styled smartphones T-Mobile Hungary bring Android 2.1 to Huawei Pulse