PhoneTalk

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the first smartphone to run Google’s Android 4.0 OS (also known as Ice Cream Sandwich). The phone has a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 32GB of onboard storage (lacks a microSD card slot), and works with Verizon’s 4G LTE service – so it’s fast and responsive. The phone also has a 5-megapixel camera that records 1080p HD and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera. See how the phone rates and find out if it’s too big in the expert review video below. For more details, click this link to read the full review.

LG Mobile unveiled its plans to update certain LG Android phones on the company’s facebook page. The upgrade rollout will happen in two phases beginning in the second quarter of 2012 with select phones (listed below) and the second batch of updates will go out the third quarter of 2012. We should note that most of these are European models. Here’s a list of the phones slated to get the upgrades:

Phones to get updated in the second quarter:

• LG Optimus LTE
• Prada phone by LG 3.0
• LG Optimus 2X
• LG Optimus Sol
• LG myTouch Q:
• LG Eclipse

• LG Optimus 3D
• LG Optimus Black
• LG Optimus Big
• LG Optimus Q2
• LG Optimus EX

Looking for a new Verizon cell phone, but aren't really interested in getting one that requires a data plan? We can help. We've compiled a list of all Verizon cell phones currently available that don't require a data plan.

If you want a phone that can make calls, take pictures, play music, and send texts check out the models listed below. If you want to send texts, you'll need to include that option when you select a plan. Verizon offers messaging in many of the company's Talk and Text plans. You'll find many of these phones are good starter models for tweens and teens. In particular, the LG Cosmos Touch is a touchscreen phone that has lots of functionality and expandable memory. This makes it an ideal choice for people who want to do more with a cell phone, but aren't quite ready for a smartphone.

• Casio G'zOne Ravine
• Casio G'zOne Ravine 2
• LG Cosmos 2
• LG Cosmos Touch
• LG Octane
• LG Revere
• Pantech Hotshot
• Pantech Jest 2
• Samsung Convoy
• Samsung Gusto
• Samsung Intensity II

Interested in getting a new T-Mobile cell phone, but don't want the added cost of a monthly data plan fee? No worries, we've compiled a list of phones that don't require a data plan. There are still a few cell phones that are ideal for people who like to text, snap a few pictures, and have a conversation or two available at T-Mobile. In particular, the Samsung Gravity 3 even sports a slide-out tactile QWERTY keyboard, which makes texting on-the-go a breeze.

• Samsung Gravity 3
• Samsung Gravity TXT
• Samsung t139

Are you interested in a more basic cell phone? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Earlier this month, we launched LetsTalk’s Unwrap the Power of Samsung Giveaway where the winner would receive a Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi tablet and had their choice of winning either the Samsung Galaxy S II for T-Mobile, Galaxy Nexus for Verizon Wireless, or the Samsung Epic 4G Touch for Sprint. To enter the contest, you had to visit LetsTalk’s Facebook page, select the “Win A Prize” tab and fill out the entry form. As the contest progressed, two more “runner up winners” had the chance to win the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1” tablet. The Giveaway is now closed and the winners have been selected. So join us in congratulating the winners:

• Grand Prize Winner: Brian Russell won the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1” tablet and selected the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
• Runner Up Winners: Julie Moe and Sara Maas each won a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1” tablet.

There’s been a lot of coverage lately about the idea of giving employees the opportunity to use their own mobile devices in the workforce. Many businesses are becoming more and more mobile with many employees working offsite, after hours, or even from home a couple days a month. One reason is the type of mobile devices available to consumers that allow them to easily keep in touch virtually at any time of day. In particular, smartphones and tablets. These products offer users a way to easily keep tabs on e-mail, view and edit documents, and even access a desktop computer remotely.

The question being raised is “Should employees use their personal smartphones and tablets to access corporate data?” As is the answer with many mobile questions it depends on multiple factors: type of business, type of data, IT department rules, and of course the vulnerability of the product being used. Last month, Wall Street Journal ran an article, Should Employess Be Able to Use Their Own Device for Work and brought both sides of the issue to light. Both arguments for and against bring your own device to work have merits.

That said, it’s important to look at the individual device and user when making a decision. Many smartphones have multiple ways to lock a phone whether it’s creating a pattern on an Android phone or selecting a password that must be typed in on a BlackBerry. That speaks to privacy. What about losing a device that has access to corporate data? There are plenty of options available for locking a device or even remotely wiping a device. That functionality is even built-in to Windows Phone 7. Even if a device that has corporate data access on it gets accidentally left behind in a car, by using such a feature the data isn’t really at risk.

Since this topic has many shades of gray perhaps the best solution is one where a company’s IT department works closely with employees to ensure that only pertinent work data is being accessed (e-mail, maybe a few documents) and that it’s being done securely. They could also help employees select products that can support safety-centric features such as remotely wiping a device, password protection, and even an option to find a lost phone.

Let us know what you think of this topic by leaving a comment below. Do you want to use your own cell phone or tablet to access work e-mail or would you rather have two separate devices one for work and one for fun?

Getting a data plan with a cell phone has become more of a requirement this past year. It makes sense since many of the feature-rich and smartphones are built around web-based connectivity including access to social media apps such as Facebook and viewing videos on YouTube. That said there are still plenty of people who just want a phone that can make calls, take pictures, and send texts. It's true that If you want to send texts, you'll need to include that option when you select a plan. Sprint offers messaging in many of the company's Sprint Talk plans. In light of that, here's a list of cell phones from Sprint that don't require a data plan. You'll find these phones tend to be more compact and some such as the Kyocera Brio and the eco-friendly Samsung Replenish even sport a tactile QWERTY keyboard.

• Kyocera Brio
• Kyocera DuraCore
• Kyocera DuraMax
• LG Rumor Touch
• Samsung Replenish
• Samsung Trender
• Sanyo Taho by Kyocera  

Are you interested in a more basic cell phone? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

In this episode we take a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Nexus Android 4.0 phone that was just released. Additionally, we discuss the proposal that bans the use of a cell phone while driving and offer a quick look at the Motorola MotoACTV.

As you know, demands for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus far exceeded market expectations and we are currently out of inventory. We understand your frustration and appreciate your business. Regardless of when we are able to fulfill your order of the phone, we will honor the $75 coupon. When fulfilling orders, we ship All CARRIER APPROVED orders on a first-come, first-served basis. Orders are delayed before carrier approval for a number of reasons; upgrade eligibility, credit check, order verification or other carrier requirements. Thank you for your patience.

We are doing everything we can to get more phones in stock and expect to have more within one to two weeks. In the meantime, we’ve received a lot of questions about orders, deals, and coupon codes. So we’ve compiled this FAQ to help clear up any questions customers may have.

1. I placed my order early this morning and my order status says backordered, but my friend purchased an hour after me and it’s “ready to ship.” Is this not first come first served?

Orders are processed as they are approved by the carrier. If the carrier requires additional information, a deposit, or we need to speak to you to verify your order, your order will take longer to process. Additionally, during peak traffic time Verizon response time may be delayed.

2. I want to cancel my order. What is the best way to do that?

You can cancel your order any time by emailing your name, contact number, and order number to help@letstalk.com. A representative will process your cancellation within 24 to 48 hours. You will receive a confirmation email shortly after your order has been cancelled.

3. Is there a way to check if our order will ship from the initial batch of phones or not?

Please send your order number in an e-mail to help@letstalk.com. We will check the status and send an email to the address included with your order.

4. If my original status showed that it’s shipping tomorrow, am I getting a Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the next couple of days? This is not clear. The receipt page shows "backordered,” but that’s not what it said when I placed the order.

Please send your order number in an e-mail to help@letstalk.com. We will check the status and send an email to the address included with your order.

5. When will the $75 coupon expire?

The coupon will expire at midnight tonight (PT), December 15, 2011. However, if you used the coupon to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, we will still honor it even if your order is backordered.

6. The promotion Verizon is running for 4GB for the price of 2 ends at the end of the month. What does this mean for Galaxy Nexus orders that are backordered?

Verizon has informed us that this promotion will not end until January 15, 2012.

7. If I order a Samsung Galaxy Nexus today how long should I expect to wait before I receive my phone?

We have been told by Verizon to allow one to two weeks for order fulfillment. This shipping window is subject to change based on product availability.

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The long awaited Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone running the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS has finally arrived. There are good reasons why people are excited for this phone: it’s the first model available with the Android 4.0 operating system and it has plenty of high-end specs.

There are quite a few changes in the new OS, but here are some of the more noteworthy features. For starters, it has software navigation buttons, a dedicated recent apps button, and only three action keys at the base of the phone. It also has face recognition software that can be used to unlock the phones. The camera app supports panorama mode and the ability to add effects. It also has Android Beam, a feature that lets you easily share content with another compatible Android device just by tapping them together.

When it comes to specs the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has all those expected in a high-end smartphone. It sports a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, 4G LTE connectivity, the ability share the data connection with up to 10 WiFi-enabled devices via Mobile HotSpot, rear-facing 5-megapixel camera that can shoot 1080p HD and 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, a HTML 5 Web browser, Bluetooth 3.0, and 32GB of onboard storage.

Although the cell phone is available today with Verizon service it is already sold out on LetsTalk… for the moment. Thanks to everyone for the stunning response to our launch offer. We’ve blown through our initial inventory of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. We're currently working vigorously with Verizon to secure more phones. It may take one to two weeks.

The popular DROID RAZR by Motorola is now available in white with Verizon service. The Android 2.3 smartphone sports a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen, rear-facing 8-megapixel camera that can shoot 1080p HD video, dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 4G LTE connectivity, and comes with 32GB of storage (16GB on board/16GB microSD card). This smartphone is slated to be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. To learn more about how well the DROID RAZR performs check out our expert review.

Today, T-Mobile announced the company would offer the Nokia Lumia 710 Windows Phone in early January 2012. The smartphone will feature a 3.7-inch WVGA scratch-resistant display, a 1.4 GHz Snapdragon processor, 5-megapixel camera, and will work on T-Mobile’s 4G network. Since it’s a Windows Phone users will have access to the Windows Phone Marketplace, Internet Explorer Mobile, Bing search, gaming via Xbox LIVE, and documents via the Office Hub. T-Mobile is including entertainment-centric apps such as Netflix and T-Mobile TV with mobile HD. The Nokia Lumia 710 will be available in black or white and is expected to cost under $100 with new service.

In this week's edition, we cover the new Motorola XYBOARD 4G LTE Android tablets available from Verizon and provide an update on smartphones scheduled to be updated to the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS. We also take a closer look at Sound ID's SIX Bluetooth headset and innovative EarPrint application in our Test Drive. Finally, more details emerge about LetsTalk's Unwrap the Power of Samsung Giveaway. The company will be giving away two more Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices if it reaches 50,000 fans by the end of the next week.

This season LetsTalk is offering a plethora of special holiday deals throughout most of the month of December. Check out the company’s HoliDaily Deals Calendar to see what deals are available. There are even clues to upcoming deals hidden behind each calendar date, so feel free take a peak. To learn more about how HoliDaily Deals work, check out this video from LetsTalk’s Kristine Tatlonghari.

The latest Motorola Android tablets coming to Verizon later this month are the 4G-enabled DROID XYBOARD 10.1 and the DROID XYBOARD 8.2. The tablets will initially run Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS and will be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. While the DROID XYBOARD 10.1 is geared toward business users with its included stylus, enterprise-grade security features, and QuickOffice HD preloaded; the DROID XYBOARD 8.2 is all about having fun with its 2.1 adaptive virtual surround sound and 8.2-inch HD display ideal for streaming movies.

Both tablets sport a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, a 1.3-megapixel HD front-facing camera and rear-facing 5-megapixel HD camera, and Corning Gorilla Glass scratch-resistant displays. Additionally, the tablets can share its 4G LTE data connection with up to eight other WiFi-enabled devices via the Mobile Hotspot feature. Plus, when using the included Dijit app the tablets can also be used as a universal remote control.

The 10.1-inch DROID XYBOARD 10.1 will be available with 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage. The DROID XYBOARD 8.1 will be available with 16GB or 32GB of storage capacity. Both tablets will require a Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband data plan starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

LetsTalk.com wants you to Unwrap the Power of Samsung in its latest giveaway. What can you win? One lucky winner will receive a Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi tablet and a choice of either the Samsung Galaxy S II for T-Mobile, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Verizon Wireless, or the Samsung Epic Touch 4G for Sprint. All you have to do to enter the Giveaway is visit the Win A Prize tab on LetsTalk’s Facebook page and fill out the brief entry form. While you’re there, don’t forget to “Like” the company’s Facebook page. We should note that you only need to enter once to win and selecting/deselecting "Like" on Facebook will not increase your chances of winning.

The contest has just begun and ends Friday, December 16, 2011 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. So, be sure to spread the word. Becoming a fan of LetsTalk’s Facebook page will help keep you informed about the latest cell phone news, let you know when the most popular phones are available, and more.

In this installment of Questions and Answers, we'll tell you how to customize the contact list on a DROID Pro and remove the automatic e-mail signature. Got a question you want answered? Submit your question here. You can also ask me on Twitter. Got something to add to the answers below? Leave a comment.

How do I change the way contacts are listed on the DROID Pro? I want the contacts listed by last name, first name. - KCanada

That can be done in just a few easy steps:
- Select Contacts

- Press the menu key at the base of the Android phone

- Choose Display options

- Press the down arrow next to View Contact names as

- Select Last Name first

- Press Save at the bottom of the screen

How do you remove the "sent from Verizon 4G LTE smartphone" from the emails sent from the phone? - James

That's a great question. It can easily be adjusted in e-mail settings, since it's essentially a pre-created signature. Here's what you need to do:

- Open the Email application on the phone and press the menu key and look for an "Account Settings" option. Depending on the phone you have the option you want may be immediate apparent or you'll have to select "More."

- Once you find Account Settings you'll need to scroll down until you find an option for Signature.

- You can either select to remove the signature completely from emails by unchecking the box for signature or select the Signature option and a screen will pop up where you can edit what the text says.