Thursday, June 9, 2011

Virgin Mobile Announces New Android Phone - Motorola TRIUMPH

Carrier: Virgin Mobile USA
Model: Motorola Triumph
Release Date: July 20th 2011
Price: $299.99
Many have heard rumors that a new phone would be coming out for Virgin Mobile USA with specs that would blow away its current lineup.  Well the time has come, and we are not disappointed.  Featuring a 4.1" display, front VGA and rear 5.0MP cameras, Flash Support, a form factor that is less than 0.4 inches thick, HDMI output, Android 2.2(and I'm sure updates beyond that), and the power to back that all up.  This phone is what we all have been waiting for.  If this phone is released for a reasonable price with the current plans, lets just say, watch out Apple.



KEY FEATURES:
·       5MP back-facing camera and VGA front-facing camera
·       HD video capture and playback in 720p, both on device or over HDMI
·       Massive 4.1” display (800x480 WVGA) and ultra-thin at .0.4”
·       1400 mAh battery
·       512MB RAM with 2GB ROM and SD card slot for extended
·       Froyo (Android 2.2) with Flash support for enhanced browsing (download from Android Market)
·       Soft touch design for comfort in hand
SPECIFICATIONS:
·       Software Platform: Android - Froyo
·       Messaging/web/apps: MMS, SMS, email
·       Camera: 5MP AF with flash, VGA front facing
·       Video: 30 fps @ 720 p decode
30 fps @ 720 p 14 Mbps encode
·       Connectivity: microUSB, 3.5mm , HDMI port
·       Browser: Android Webkit Browser
·       Bluetooth: BT V2.1 + EDR
·       Memory: 512MB RAM/ 2GB ROM, uSD Slot
·       Location Services: aGPS
·       Form Factor: Tablet
·       Experience Category: Media Centric
·       Baseband: Qualcomm MSM8655
·       Weight: 143g
·       Dimensions: 4.8” x 2.5” x 0.4”Display: 4.1” 800 x 480 WVGA
·       Battery: 1400 mAh
·       Bands/Modes: CDMA 1900 MHz EVDO RevA, 802.11 b/g/n

Launcher Pro - App Review

Launcher Pro
Price: Free / $3.49
One of the great things about Android is the customization it allows, the possibilities are simply endless when it comes to what you can change.  Not just the apps that you install, but the overall look and feel of the OS as a whole can be changed.  A great place to start is to pick out a custom launcher.  Launcher Pro is the tool to get the job started.  Some of the features are listed below.

  • Change the number of home screens from 1-7
  • Multiple transitional effects when switching between home screens
  • alter the number of columns and rows shown on the home screens
  • Customizable dock
  • Change icon highlight style
  • Advanced memory management
  • Widget resizing(Paid version only)
  • Launcher Pro Widgets(People, Bookmarks, Calendar, Messaging, Twitter, Facebook, Friends, Gmail)(Paid Version Only).
The app has an overall performance boost over the standard launcher due to its advanced memory management.   Layout is fairly simple and easy to understand, with most functions located only one page deep in the preferences menu.  Setting up your home screens can be a bit clunky as there is no option to move icons/widgets from one home screen to the next, but overall it's a great buy if you are looking to do a little customization.