TechFan Roundup: Google I/O Staff Favorites

What an amazing week in tech! The news out of Google I/O this week was out of this world- Nexus 7, Nexus Q, Jelly Bean, Chrome for iOS, offline Google Docs, Google Now, Google Play... and on and on. Not to mention the spectacular demonstration of Project Glass as skydivers jumped out of a blimp high above the Moscone Center, only to land on the building's roof a short time later- all broadcast via a Google+ hangout using Project Glass spectacles on the participants.

A few of us have already loaded up Jelly Bean on our devices, and a couple more have pulled the trigger on a Nexus 7 tablet. Watch for the reviews to come up, but in the meantime, here are a few of our favorite things to come out of Google I/O this week.

What's yours? Sound off in our comments!

What was your favorite announcement at Google I/O this week? What are you most looking forward to?

Jesse Mendoza: I pretty much surrendered my soul to Google since grabbing a GSM Galaxy Nexus back in April. As a huge fan of webOS, Ice Cream Sandwich was right up there as one of the best mobile operating systems I have used, and the phone itself is top notch. And now that Jelly Bean is coming to my Nexus in mid-July, I can't wait to get my hands on it. I hear it's just like getting a new phone all together. I'm digging the improved notification system and the Google Now experience that was demoed at the keynote. I also recently acquired a Google Chromebook 550, so the announcement of offline Google Docs will increase my productivity when using it since I don't have to worry about being near a WiFi connection all day. As for the Nexus 7 tablet? Yup, I'm getting one.

Andrew Clausen: My favorite part about Google I/O was definitely the announcement of Jelly Bean and the Nexus 7. First of all, Jelly Bean is by far the best operating system to come out. It really improves on the great foundation that Ice Cream Sandwich came out with six months ago. As for the Nexus 7, for the first time, Google is getting into the tablet game, and with the price of $199, it's hard to beat. And lastly, it'd have to be the keynote speech where they parachuted out of the sky. It was just awesome to see Project Glass being shown off.

Andrew Allen: I would have to say that I am jointly excited by the announcement of Jelly Bean coming to my Verizon Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus 7. I currently own a Playbook as my 7 inch tab, but the Nexus 7 will be replacing this. I have also converted from webOS to ICS and thoroughly enjoy it and can't wait to have Jelly Bean on everything. I feel like Google is very close to having a continuous client style ecosystem where it doesn't matter what device you are working on, your data and experience is the same.

Tom Fleming: (Looking forward to) Receiving my Nexus 7.  The smoothness of Jelly Bean was most appealing!

theGadgetMom: ICS was such a big jump for Android, that it's not surprising to see Jelly Bean as just an iteration forward. No big leaps. That said, I love the direction Google is moving with Android. It's clear they are taking the user experience more seriously and doing the work necessary to make it smoother and more pleasant. I hope this means the next Google I/O will include some serious leaps forward in functionality. The Nexus tablet looks really cool, and will be a big draw for Android nerds. Sadly, the way it's being sold may deem it irrelevant to the general public. I seriously hope I'm wrong about this. The thing I'm most excited about? The Nexus Q. I always wanted a Death Star in my living room!

Tony Robinson: Nexus 7 and Jelly Bean for sure. Android continues to push the envelope in customization. The Nexus 7 provides power, great features and portability. I pre-ordered the 16G version. HP should've implemented that pricing strategy when they launched the TouchPad. It never had a chance at $599 and change for the 32G version. $199 for the Nexus 7 is fantastic. This pricing is needed to actually get the device in the hands of the consumer, even if a hit on costs is taken.

Marc Zeffren: Well I was about to swear off Android phones. I had Verizon and AT&T, and after wanting only one line of service, I dropped Big Red for AT&T. I bought a Galaxy Nexus from the Play Store and was swapping out my SIM between that and my iPhone 4S. I was about to sell my Galaxy Nexus due to me not using it so much, and every time I did use it, I would encounter problems. Then Jelly Bean leaked. In an instant everything has changed. My life is in Google services, so for me Android is just way more convenient. But before convenience I need smooth functionality, something I could always rely on my iPhone for. My Galaxy Nexus is now running Jelly Bean, and "Project Butter" is living up to its name. Not only is it buttery smooth, everything is quick, the new built in functionality, like "Google Now" works like a charm, and I have had not a single bug or error since installing fresh. So I guess, in short, my answer is the Jelly Bean announcement and leak, and, by consequence, the Nexus 7.

Adam Johnson: My favorite announcement at I/O has to be Project Glass. I wasn't expecting Project Glass to be shown off by someone jumping out of a plane and roping down the side of the building. Was it necessary? No. Was it awesome as heck to watch? Sure was. As for what I'm looking forward to, it would have to be Jelly Bean. I know my phone will never get it, but my Transformer Prime should and I'm already wanting to test Project Butter and Google Now. I’m also looking forward to the source code getting released so developers can get Jelly Bean out to those who won't get it, or won’t get it for awhile. The Android community is a great one and I look forward to what they can do.

In case you missed our Google I/O coverage:

• Google I/O day one in review


• Google Introduces the Nexus 7


• Nexus Q announced, touted as first social media player


• Chrome Sheds Beta Moniker


• Android 4.1, aka Jelly Bean is here

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Google Introduces the Nexus 7

Surprise, surprise... or not really. In what could be one of the worst kept secrets in tech, Google today revealed the next tablet in line to compete, not so much with the iPad, but with the Kindle Fire, with deep integration into the Google Play store. More on that later.

The Google Nexus 7 tablet by Asus is available for pre-order today via the Google Play store starting at $199 for the 8GB version and $249 for the 16GB version.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Google’s OS successor to Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, will have a home on this 7 inch beauty sporting a quad core Tegra 3 processor, 1.2 megapixel front facing camera, 1280x800 IPS display, and 1GB of RAM. A 4,325mAH battery is included and is spec’d out for 9 hours of video playback, and 300 hours standby time. Along with bluetooth and wireless radios, NFC is also on board which will allow other devices sporting Android Beam to transfer data to one another by tapping both devices together.

A 12-core GPU is behind the impressive gaming demos showed off at the Google IO keynote, showing smooth character movements with nary a flutter to be seen. Games can be controlled by an onboard gyro allowing the tablet to control movement within the game itself. There is no doubt Google has put forth the effort for the Nexus 7 to be a serious gaming machine.

Google has expanded the offerings in the Google Play store ahead of the release of the Nexus 7 to include movies, books, Nexus 7 optimized apps, and games. Magazines have also been added, with features that include interactive elements that allow the reader to interact with various parts of the magazine, such as play videos, or see specialized content. The music application, besides being able to plug into your downloaded music, has a Shazam-like widget that, when activated, can ID a song you are hearing on the radio, for example, and in turn open up the Google Play store to allow you to purchase it. The Nexus 7 also “learns” from your various selections and uses a customizable recommendation engine to discover new media for you.

There is no doubt Google has entered a rather contentious market place where the Kindle is king and the iPad already in the hands of thousands not willing to give it up too easily. Only time will tell if the Nexus 7 will make a dent in the tablet space, but Google is most certainly out of the gates with a strong contender.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/YMQdfGFK5XQ[/youtube]

Source: Google Play Store

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Verizon 4G LTE Lights Up Danville, South Boston, Virginia

Today, Verizon Wireless announced it has turned on its high speed 4G LTE data network to customers in Danville and South Boston, Virginia, which include the counties of Pittsylvania and Halifax in the south end of the state. Customers with 4G LTE-enabled devices will be able to enjoy data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second for downloads, and 2 to 5 Mbps for uploads.

In non-geek speak that means pretty dang fast.

Full nationwide deployment of Verizon’s 4G LTE network is expected to be completed by the end of 2013, covering 304 markets, and two-thirds of the U.S. Population.

The full Press Release follows:

VERIZON WIRELESS LAUNCHING 4G LTE SERVICE IN DANVILLE AND SOUTH BOSTON, VIRGINIA

ON JUNE 21, 2012

Nation’s Largest 4G LTE Network Grows Even Larger with New and Expanding Markets Across U.S.

LAUREL, MD – Beginning today, Verizon Wireless customers in the Danville and South Boston, Virginia areas will be able to surf the Web, download large files, and share music and photos at speeds up to ten times faster than before with the company’s 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) high-speed data network. The new network will be available in Pittsylvania and Halifax County, extending the current footprint from Henry County. Full nationwide deployment of the company’s 4G LTE network is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2013.

“We remain focused on bringing the fastest, most reliable 4G LTE network in America to residents of large metro areas and smaller cities alike,” said Mike Maiorana, president of Verizon Wireless’ Virginia/Maryland/DC region. “Verizon Wireless continues to lead the way with 4G LTE so that our customers can enjoy increased productivity, expanded business opportunities and new, cutting-edge entertainment options.”

With the new and expanded markets, the company’s 4G LTE network will be available in 304 markets, to more than two-thirds of the U.S. population.

In real-world, fully-loaded network environments, Verizon Wireless customers will be able to use their 4G LTE smartphones, tablets, notebooks, laptop modems and mobile hotspots to experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink – perfect for surfing the Web, streaming video, and downloading large files wirelessly.

When customers travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, 4G LTE devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, where available, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast. Verizon Wireless’ 3G network is the most reliable high-speed data network in the country and allows customers in 3G coverage areas who purchase 4G LTE devices today to take advantage of 4G LTE speeds when the faster network becomes available in their area, or when they travel to areas already covered by 4G LTE.

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network was recently named the “best nationwide 4G choice” by PC Magazine. For more information about Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network, please visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte.

# # #

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 93.0 million retail customers, including 88.0 million retail postpaid customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 80,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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TechFan Roundup: Staff Picks of the Week

 



Our staff is growing by leaps and bounds here at TechFanatix. Of course, we wouldn't be writing for this site if we weren't tech fanatics ourselves. With so many new faces around, how about a little look into what techie goodness we've been playing with this past week?

He're a look at what we've been carrying around this week, and a few of the apps we can't manage to put down.

What's in your bag that you can't leave home without?

Tony Robinson: My Verizon Wireless iPhone 4S. I was the first person in my hometown of Staunton, Va., to obtain the device. Sleek, sexy and polished it is with a great ecosystem of apps and accessories.

Patrick Campanale: My multiple phones. I always have more then one phone on me, sometimes for reviewing purposes, sometimes just for play. I still rock my Palm Pre 2 (Franken Pre2 running on Sprint!), and I normally carry around the amazing Nokia Lumia 800. Lately, I have journeyed into the land of Android (more on that in an upcoming post) with devices such as the Galaxy Nexus, Evo 4G LTE, and soon I will have the infamous Samsung Galaxy S III!

Adam Johnson: I always take my phone and occasionally my tablet. The phone I use is the LG Thrill on AT&T. I normally root and flash a ROM but I'm hoping to change phones in the near future. As for the tablet, I am carrying an Asus Transfomer Prime with a keyboard dock. It is my work station now as I use it with Google Drive to write up articles.

Heather Lindskold:  I can't leave home without a book (sometimes an eBook on my phone, but mostly a treebook).

Doug Goldring: iPad: I bought the new iPad as soon as it became available to replace my original iPad and haven't looked back; Zune: Yes I said Zune. It is the best sounding music player available, or at least it was before MS stopped supporting it. And the software is much more user friendly than iTunes; Griffin Stylus for Draw Something; Mobile Cloth- It is hard to say you love a screen cleaning cloth, but nothing comes close to this one; HTC Advantage running Windows Phone 7.5 on Sprint.

Jesse Mendoza:  I'm currently using an unlocked Galaxy Nexus w/ICS on a T-Mobile SIM. I took advantage of the $399 Nexus deal as soon as it went up in the Google Play store. I'd never owned an unlocked phone before this one, and have enjoyed the freedom of moving my SIM between this phone and my HTC Radar with Windows Phone 7. Coming from owning a Palm Pre 2, I couldn't get enough of the large screen on the Nexus. I don't think I could go back to using anything smaller.

The Gadget Mom: I'm kind of embarrassed to admit what's in my bag... My Macbook Pro, 2nd gen iPad, and iPhone. Before you call me a total fanboy... well. No. Go ahead and call me a fanboy. I use a Windows machine at work, but I always keep my Mac with me for blogging. Except for the statistical work I do, the Mac is the easiest machine to get things done (for me). I carry an iPad for use as an eReader. And for any of my kids who end up in my office for the day, as a simple means of entertainment for them.

Finally, my iPhone is what I use to do much of my heavy lifting throughout the day. It keeps me in touch with my kids via text messaging. I use it as my work phone. Check in with Twitter. Respond to comments on my blogs. And stay on top of personal emails that come in throughout the day.

What are your most used mobile apps this week?

Tony Robinson:  Tweetbot for staying connected w/Twitter. WiFi streaming is a huge plus. Instacast for iPhone and iPad... for staying up-to-date on my fav podcasts which will include TechFX Radio very soon. Reeder 3.0 for iPhone... the best RSS reader for iOS devices by far. Fast, smooth and polished. Groove 2 is also a must have for a polished music player which has pretty much replaced the native Music app on my iPhone 4S.

Patrick Campanale: TweetCaster (Android): I am a heavy Twitter user, and TweetCaster is one of the best Twitter clients on Android in my opinion. Very clean, fast, and feature packed. Temple Run (Android): I am a mobile gamer. Most of my time on my phone is spent one of 5 ways: Twitter, texting, emailing, Google Talk, and games.

Adam Johnson: Google Maps (Android)- Always looking for new places to go, whether it's a new park to take my kids to, or good place to eat. Google Drive (Android)- I use this to type my articles as I can control it from basically anywhere. I'm embracing the cloud to the fullest.

Heather Lindskold: The two apps I've used most this week are Instagram and TweetCaster.

Doug Goldring: Quickoffice is by far my favorite word processing app. It is feature rich and able to reach all of my online storage. Manuscript is the best app for organizing your thoughts when getting started with a new writing project. Westlaw Next: Every attorney knows Westlaw for legal research. Westlaw Next puts all of that research right on my iPad so I can access all the latest court cases from anywhere in the world. Omnifocus: To be honest this one is a tie between Omnifocus and ToDo. Both are incredible and feature rich task managers. Cloud calendar: A simple interface that syncs flawlessly with Google. What more can you ask from a calendar app on your iPad?

Jesse Mendoza: BeyondPod (Android): I do love my podcasts, and enjoy listening to them while driving or while on a workout. BeyondPod has everything I need in an easy to use package. My favorite feature is creating Playlists- a great way to listen to my podcasts back to back without needing to touch my phone. Google Play (Android): Since moving all of my music to Google's servers, I've found it super convenient to be able to listen to my music everywhere I take my mobile device. I never have to worry about needing to plug in my phone to sync my music before I leave my house.

The Gadget Mom: The apps I'm using most these days are Reeder for the iPad and iPhone. It's an RSS client that syncs with Google Reader. It was updated to 3.0 this week and was a good enough update to sway me from the Feeddler Pro client I've been using for months. I love the gestures for marking articles read and navigating through screens. Another app I use heavily throughout my day is the Instacast app - for listening to podcasts. It is an excellent, reliable, consistent app that's been my favorite as long as I've been on iOS. The other app I seem to find myself on a little too much lately is Jumbline 2. It's a word game where the object is to make as many words from 6 or 7 letters as possible. Including one (or several) 6-7 letter words. It's mind-numbingly addictive trying to figure out every single word.

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NDrive Places Development and Future Releases for webOS On Hold

Euro based NDrive, makers of the popular GPS navigation app for mobile devices, has sent out an email to its beta testers this morning explaining it will be putting further development and future releases of NDrive for webOS on hold, explaining it can no longer "focus on a dormant ecosystem." It goes on to say it can no longer dedicate money and resources on further development until they have proof that webOS will be kept alive - there's a pretty good chance that won't happen any time soon.

NDrive was first demoed on a Palm Pre Plus during the 2011 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. At the time, it featured integration with popular social networks and Foursquare. News of a version release for the HP Pre 3 came later in the year via a tweet sent out by the company.

The full text of the email is below:

Dear Beta Tester,

As you all know, HP has cut development of webOS hardware like the Pre and
TouchPad, effectively taking away the only home the mobile operating system
has. With nothing else to run on and no other companies using it, the OS
will linger on ice unless and until a buyer or licensee comes along.
Killing each and every product that uses a particular OS isn't a literal
death sentence and HP may want to license it out. But unless that happens,
webOS will effectively be lying dormant, and an operating system can start
to decompose real fast when it's sitting still, especially in such a
viciously competitive market. Developers stop building apps, consumers stop
paying attention, and the ones who bought devices before they were
de-shelved get bitter because firmware improvements, bug fixes and new
software stop coming.

NDrive, being a relatively small software house cannot focus on a dormant
ecosystem and therefore we've decided to put on-hold any development and
releases on webOS. Although we do believe Palm first, and HP after, have
done a great job on differentiating this ecosystem from the leading Android
and iOS, we cannot afford to loose resources, time and money on further
developments until we have proofs the OS will be kept alive and flourish.

We do appreciate and thank you all your efforts and patience on testing our
software and we do expect your understanding on this position.

Best Regards,

NDrive Team

Credits: webOSroundup, thanks Patrick!

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My Gadgets on the Run

As some of you may or may not know, I'm an avid runner, and in just a few days (June 8-9), I will be participating in the annual 200 mile Madison, Wi., to Chicago Ragnar Relay. Teams of 6 to 12 runners backed up by support vans will run the nearly 200 mile trek between Madison, Wisconsin, to the finish line in Lincoln Park, Chicago, over two days and one night. My part in the team relay is to help cover 33 miles of our designated route, running through neighborhood streets and scenic trails through Wisconsin and into Illinois.

I have tasked myself with recording our journey using the various social media sites and blogs to help our family and friends track our progress in real time. Some of this involves taking photos and notes with cell phones, and feeding them to sites such as Twitter and Instagram. GPS-aware apps such as Foursquare will mark where we are and where we're going. Instant video blogs will be uploaded to Facebook or YouTube for a little entertainment along the way. In the end, all of this will serve to record our memories when the fun is over.

Packed in with my usual running gear will be a gaggle of gadgets to help me record these adventures and help my team make it safely to our destination. I should note that none of them serve as an advantage to teams, and are allowed to be on the course. They simply help with navigation, or help to kill a little boredom while on the road.

Here's a peek at the various gadgets that will be coming with me on my trek to the finish line and how they'll help record our journey along the way:

Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus (w/T-Mobile SIM):

This is my primary, day to day phone that I will be taking with me. I will be using it for everything from taking pictures, posting to social media sites, Instagram, Google Maps, and Navigation. The mobile hotspot will be there if I need it. I will be placing the phone in a protective pouch on my hydration belt in case of an emergency while I'm on the course. My only reservation with using this phone is whether or not T-Mobile will provide enough coverage when I need it most. This is where the next phone comes in.

Palm Pre 2 on Verizon:

You didn't think I was completely done with webOS, did you? This is my backup phone on the Verizon service in case T-Mobile isn't up to the task in the more remote areas. The mobile hotspot on this phone will come in handy for wireless access anywhere. The camera is pretty good for capturing photos, and it's small enough to carry anywhere.

Sprint Galaxy Tab 7 in. w/3G:

This is the trusty 1st generation Galaxy Tab and it will serve as a navigation aid with the excellent Google Navigation app and Google Maps. The larger 7 inch screen will help when needing to access PDF's stored in my Dropbox, or when I need to type up the impromptu post to Tumblr. The Sprint 3G will come in handy where there is no Wi-Fi, T-Mobile, or Verizon service.

Barnes & Noble Simple Touch 2nd Edition:



Nothing like having access to a good e-book when I have a little downtime. I hardly ever have to worry about battery life, and the excellent GlowLight feature lets me read in the dark without bothering my van mates.

Motorola MotoActv Fitness watch (pictured at article top):

No runner should be without a handy gadget to track their day-to-day fitness, or without a way to log their workouts, complete with every statistic you can imagine. The MotoActv does an excellent job with all of this and more. It's also my music player, allowing me to create play lists of my favorite music to keep me company on the trails. The MotoActv also has excellent GPS and Google Map tracking abilities in case I end up in a strange place and need to find my way back. A full review of the MotoActv is forthcoming on the site.

Apps:

Google Maps/Navigation: I've yet to find anything to match the mapping capabilities of Google Maps and the navigation smarts of Google Navigation on my Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy Tab.

Tumblr (Android): The blogging site and the companion Android app is handy for those quick posts, and apps such as Instagram feed posts to Tumblr automatically, so I know the feed will be kept fresh for friends and family to keep track.



Weatherbug: When the skies look a little threatening, it helps to have up to the minute radar in the palm of your hand in case of an emergency.

Twitter and Facebook (Official apps): Instant updates for friends and family to follow along. The #ragnarchi hashtag will tie it all together.

Foursquare/Instagram/Dropbox: The Geo-Location abilities of Instagram and Foursquare will dot the lines on the map for us as we make our way to the finish; the photos will help keep the memories alive. The camera on the Galaxy Nexus will auto-upload my photos to Dropbox for safe keeping and editing later on.

For those of us who are always on the go, we're fortunate to have so many mobile tools at our disposal to keep track of the moments we'll remember forever. With so many to choose from these days, it's easy to find the right ones that fit your particular need. And thanks to app developers that are constantly finding ways to make their apps bigger and better, I feel we're just now scratching the surface.

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Samsung Galaxy S III Heading To Verizon, Pre-orders start June 6

Verizon Wireless today announced the availability of Samsung's premier Android 4.0 phone, the Galaxy S III, which made its debut in London last month. The S III is also expected to arrive on the other four major U.S. carriers this month including Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile.

The phone will be available for pre-order on the Verizon Wireless website on June 6 beginning at 7 a.m. EST. Verizon stores will receive stock of the units in the weeks to follow. The 16GB model will sell for $199.99 with a two-year contract; the 32GB model will go for $249.99 on contract.

Press Release follows:

VERIZON WIRELESS ANNOUNCES SAMSUNG GALAXY S® III COMING TO AMERICA’S LARGEST 4G LTE NETWORK

The Next Generation Smartphone with the Power to Share and Intelligence to Make Everyday Life EasierBASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced the 4G LTE-powered Samsung Galaxy S® III is coming to America’s largest 4G LTE network.

Galaxy S III customers can use Share Shot to create their own temporary photo sharing network with a group of friends who are nearby at the same party or event. Photos can be taken by any member of the group and shared with the entire group. One touch sharing with S Beam allows friends to share pictures, videos, documents and more by simply touching two Galaxy S III devices’ backs together. Galaxy S III customers can take advantage of 4G LTE to share live video broadcasts of life’s special moments with their Facebook® friends using the Color app. As an exclusive feature for Verizon Wireless, customers can live broadcast video with audio when using Color.

The Galaxy S III has a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED™ display and runs Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Watch a video while texting friends or surfing the Web at 4G LTE speeds with Pop Up Play. Videos can be played in a small window while customers use the rest of the display to complete other tasks such as typing emails, organizing calendars and updating their social networks. Multi-tasking is seamless with the 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 2 GB RAM paired with the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. Customers can also interact with the Galaxy S III in simple and fun ways thanks to Motion Gesture. With Motion Gesture, customers can initiate a phone call from a text message by simply raising the phone to their head, or they can pause a video by covering the display with their hand, and even get to the top of an email message and contact list.

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network is currently available in 258 markets, covering two-thirds of the of the U.S. population. Verizon Wireless 4G LTE will be in 400 markets covering 260 million people by the end of this year.

Additional features:

• Smart Stay – So intelligent, the display only dims when the customers’ eyes are closed or no longer facing the screen.


• S Voice™ – Featuring natural language recognition, you can control the apps and services used most with words instead of touch. Use S Voice to turn the volume up or down on the music player, answer or reject incoming calls, shut off or choose to snooze the alarm clock, or take a picture by saying “smile” or “cheese.”


• AllShare® Play – Share HD videos and your favorite songs by streaming multimedia content from the Galaxy S III to a compatible Samsung Smart TV® or home audio system when connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and remotely access files on up to six Samsung devices.


• Evolved camera capabilities – Burst Shot mode instantly captures 20 continuous shots and Best Photo feature selects the best shot to display.


• Enhanced camera – 8-megapixel rear camera with zero-lag shutter speed and a 1.9-megapixel front camera so customers can capture pictures and videos of themselves or video chat with family and friends.


• Mobile Hotspot – share a 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices.


• microSD™ card slot for expandable memory.

Pricing and availability:

Samsung Galaxy S III will be available online for pre-order starting June 6 at 7 a.m. EST at www.verizonwireless.com/galaxys3 and will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online in the coming weeks.

The Samsung Galaxy S III will be available in 16 GB and 32 GB models for $199.99 and $249.99 respectively with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will also have the choice of the Galaxy S III in two colors, Marble White or Pebble Blue.
Customers that purchase a Galaxy S III will need to subscribe to a 4G LTE mobile broadband data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

Customers can visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/galaxys3 to sign up for more information and availability details on the Samsung Galaxy S III for Verizon Wireless. For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Follow @VZWnews on Twitter™ for the latest news on Verizon Wireless.

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