LAS VEGAS – Verizon Wireless on Thursday showed off 10 4G LTE devices that will be available by mid-2011, including four Android smartphones, two tablets, two mobile hotspots, and two notebooks from partners like HTC, LG, Motorola, HP, and Samsung.
Verizon did not announce any specific launch dates, though chief marketing executive Marni Walden said the devices could start showing up as early as March. Walden and Dan Mead, president and CEO of Verizon Wireless, also declined to discuss pricing for devices or rate plans. When asked if data caps might come into play, Mead said Verizon has not made any final decisions but "it may be the right thing to do."
Smartphones
On the smartphone front, the HTC Thunderbolt, which will be exclusive to Verizon, includes a 4.3-inch WVGA display, an 8-megapixel camera, HD video recording, and wireless DLNA capability. It runs a 1-GHz Snapdragon processor and includes HTC Sense 2.0.
The LG Revolution has a 4.3-inch, 800-by-480 screen. It has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat. It runs a 1-GHz Cortex-A8 processor. It will launch with Android 2.2 "Froyo" and come pre-loaded with apps like a Wi-Fi hotspot mode and NFL Mobile streaming video. The Revolution also has an HDMI output port.
Adding to its Droid lineup, Motorola unveiled the Droid Bionic 4G. It also has a 4.3-inch HD screen, HDMI connectivity, a rear-facing 8-megapixel camera, and a dual-core 1-GHz processor. It includes support for Adobe Flash and HTML5.
Samsung will also release an unnamed smartphone that will run Android 2.2. It has a 4.3-inch, 800-by-480 "Super AMOLED Plus" display, and it will run a 1-GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor. It features an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.
Skype CEO Tony Bates was on hand at the Verizon press event to announced that Skype will be "deeply integrated" with Verizon's 4G devices. Skype contacts and statuses will be available inside the address books of the new phones. The app will also always be on, so friends and family can contact you, Bates said.
Tablets
Samsung will also release a 4G version of its Galaxy Tab tablet. The 4G Tab has a 1.2-GHz Cortex-A8 processor instead of a 1-GHz chip. Its camera has also been bumped up from 3 megapixels to 5 megapixels.
The other 4G LTE Verizon tablet will be the Motorola Xoom, which the company unveiled yesterday. It has a 10.1-inch screen, runs Android Honeycomb, and includes a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera. It supports 1080p HD video, Adobe Flash, and provides connection for up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices.
Hotspots
Samsung will also have an unnamed hotspot. The dual-mode device works as a wireless access point and connects up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices to Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE or 3G networks.
The Novatel MiFi 4510L Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, meanwhile, fits in the palm of your hand, Verizon said. It also shares Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE and 3G networks with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices.
Notebooks
Finally, Compaq and HP will offer two 4G notebooks. The Compaq CQ10-688nr has a 10.1-inch diagonal anti-glare widescreen LED display, and is powered by an Intel Atom N455 processor. It offers up to 8.5 hours of battery life, has a multi-format digital media card reader, a webcam, and multiple connectivity options.
The HP option, the HP Pavilion dm1-3010nr, has a 11.6-inch screen, Vision Technology from AMD, and 32GB of storage. It boasts up to 10.75 hours of battery life, and includes HP CoolSense Technology, HD 1080p, a multi-format digital media card reader, HDMI port, Dolby Advanced Audio, and GPS for mapping and navigation.
Verizon launched its 4G network last month in 38 markets and expects to double that in 18 months and have nationwide coverage in 36 months. In 2011 alone, Verizon plans to add 140 markets, including Little Rock, Detroit, and Tulsa.
Verizon said early tests have been positive, offering customers downloads between 5-12 Mbps. When asked if there would be a speed degradation once more users jump onto the 4G network, Tony Malone, Verizon's vice president of network operations, said Verizon built the network with that in mind.
"We're thinking about a network that is loaded," Malone said.